Full Guide to Deadlock Characters: Abilities, Roles, and Strategies
Author: Hawk Live LLC
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Deadlock, Valve’s upcoming third-person shooter MOBA, has already garnered significant attention despite being in early development. With a massive roster of unique characters, each boasting specialized abilities tailored to specific roles, this game promises dynamic gameplay and strategic depth. In this guide, we explore the full Deadlock characters list and their abilities to help you understand the current meta and what each hero brings to the battlefield.
Credit: Valve Corporation
How many characters are in Deadlock now?
As of now, Deadlock features 25 characters, each with their own unique abilities and roles. These characters offer a wide range of playstyles, from long-range snipers to mobile melee fighters, supports, and tanks. New characters are periodically introduced, adding further strategic depth and options for experimentation in the game.
Overview of Deadlock Characters and Abilities
While Deadlock’s development may still be in its early stages, the game already features a wide variety of characters, from damage dealers to support heroes. Each character is equipped with abilities designed for different playstyles and strategies. In this article, we will break down some of the most prominent characters and their abilities, offering insights into their potential roles in the game.
Holliday
Overview: Holliday is an unreleased character in Deadlock, shrouded in mystery. Although his full abilities are yet to be revealed, players are excited to see how this character will influence gameplay once he's introduced. Based on early leaks, Holliday may have a focus on mobility and crowd control, potentially becoming a strong initiator for team fights.
Abilities: Not available at this time.
Mirage
Overview: Mirage excels at catching fleeing enemies and sustaining himself against multiple opponents with his unique ability set. His Fire Scarabs provide additional damage and healing, while his Tornado ability offers crowd control, making him a strong pick for players who enjoy mobility and quick, strategic decisions.
Abilities:
Tornado: Transforms into a tornado, damaging and lifting enemies in its path while providing bullet evasion.
Fire Scarabs: Launches scarabs that steal health and apply bullet resist reduction to enemies.
Djinn's Mark: Applies a multiplier on enemies, dealing Spirit damage when the effect expires.
Traveler: Teleports to an ally or enemy on the map, granting movement speed and fire rate bonuses after arrival.
Seven
Overview: Seven is a powerful area-of-effect (AOE) damage dealer with lightning-based abilities. He excels in clearing waves and dealing massive damage to groups of enemies. However, his lack of mobility makes him vulnerable to ganks, and his channeling-based ultimate leaves him open to crowd control.
Abilities:
Lightning Ball: Fires a ball of lightning, dealing AOE damage.
Static Charge: Stuns and damages enemies after a short delay.
Power Surge: Empowers attacks to deal shock damage that bounces to nearby enemies.
Storm Cloud: Channels an expanding storm, dealing damage to all enemies within range and increasing bullet resistance.
Shiv
Overview: Shiv is a melee assassin who thrives on close-range engagements. His kit revolves around stacking bleed effects and dashing into combat to finish off weakened enemies. Shiv requires precise positioning and quick reflexes to maximize his damage output and survivability.
Abilities:
Serrated Knives: Throws knives that deal damage over time and slow enemies.
Slice and Dice: Dashes forward, damaging enemies in his path.
Bloodletting: Defers incoming damage and clears a portion of it upon activation.
Killing Blow: Leaps towards an enemy, executing them if their health is below a threshold.
Vindicta
Overview: Vindicta is a sniper who excels at long-range engagements and snowballing with her Assassinate ability. She can take flight, gaining a vantage point to pick off enemies from a distance. Vindicta is a strong pick for players who prefer methodical gameplay, leveraging her range and burst damage.
Abilities:
Stake: Throws a stake that tethers enemies, restricting their movement.
Flight: Leaps into the air, dealing bonus spirit damage while airborne.
Crow Familiar: Summons a crow that bleeds enemies based on their current health.
Assassinate: Fires a powerful, long-range shot that deals bonus damage to low-health enemies.
Viscous
Overview: Viscous is a tanky crowd-control specialist who can disrupt enemy teams with his goo-based abilities. He excels at slowing and stunning enemies while remaining mobile through his ultimate, Goo Ball, which allows him to roll around the battlefield like a wrecking ball.
Abilities:
Splatter: Throws goo that slows enemies and leaves a damaging puddle.
The Cube: Encases an ally or himself in a protective cube, regenerating health.
Puddle Punch: Sends a punch of goo that knocks back enemies and slows them.
Goo Ball: Morphs into a goo ball, stunning and damaging enemies on impact.
Warden
Overview: Warden is a frontline bruiser who excels at locking down enemies and chasing them across the battlefield. His abilities focus on reducing enemy stamina and immobilizing them, making him a strong duelist and a key disruptor in team fights.
Abilities:
Alchemical Flask: Throws a flask that slows enemies and reduces their weapon damage and stamina.
Willpower: Gains a spirit shield and a movement speed boost.
Binding Word: Curses an enemy, immobilizing them if they fail to move out of the radius.
Last Stand: Channels pulses that damage enemies and heal Warden, making him tankier in extended fights.
Wraith
Overview: Wraith is a split-pusher and duelist, capable of engaging from a distance and escaping tricky situations with her teleport. She is especially strong in sidelane pressure but can struggle if ganked or if her teleport is on cooldown.
Abilities:
Card Trick: Throws a card that damages enemies in its path.
Project Mind: Teleports to a targeted location, gaining a bullet shield upon arrival.
Full Auto: Temporarily boosts fire rate, affecting nearby allies as well.
Telekinesis: Lifts an enemy into the air, stunning them for a short duration and dealing damage.
Yamato
Overview: Yamato is a high-skill ceiling character with incredible mobility and the ability to reset her abilities through her ultimate. She thrives in duels and small skirmishes, making her a powerful force when mastered.
Abilities:
Power Slash: Channels and releases a powerful sword strike.
Flying Strike: Grapples towards an enemy, damaging and slowing them.
Crimson Slash: Slashes enemies in front of her, healing if any are hit.
Shadow Transformation: Becomes invincible, refreshing all abilities and gaining immunity to status effects.
Bebop
Bebop is a frontline bruiser, capable of engaging enemies at close range with disruptive abilities. He excels at initiating fights and controlling the battlefield with his explosive power and crowd-control skills. His versatility allows him to create opportunities for his team by repositioning enemies or soaking up damage.
Exploding Uppercut: Delivers a light melee attack that knocks enemies back and deals area damage upon landing.
Sticky Bomb: Attaches a bomb to an enemy, dealing explosive damage after a short fuse.
Hook: Launches a hook that pulls in enemies or allies, dealing damage if the target is an enemy.
Hyper Beam: Fires a powerful energy beam that slows enemies and can be activated in the air to hover.
Abrams
Abrams is a durable tank who thrives in the thick of battle, using his abilities to sustain himself while dealing damage. His mobility and crowd-control tools make him a perfect pick for soaking up damage and disrupting enemy formations. Abrams excels at initiating team fights and punishing enemies who get too close.
Siphon Life: Drains health from nearby enemies.
Shoulder Charge: Charges forward, dragging enemies along and increasing speed upon collision.
Infernal Resilience: Regenerates a portion of incoming damage.
Seismic Impact: Jumps and smashes into the ground, stunning nearby enemies.
Dynamo
Dynamo plays a supportive role, controlling space and protecting teammates with her energy-based abilities. Her utility kit allows her to displace enemies and restore health to allies, making her an excellent choice for team-oriented strategies. Dynamo is best used for setting up team fights and providing healing support.
Kinetic Pulse: Knocks enemies into the air with an energy pulse.
Quantum Entanglement: Briefly disappears and reappears with a fire rate bonus.
Rejuvenating Aurora: Restores health over time for Dynamo and nearby allies.
Singularity: Pulls enemies in and knocks them up at the end of the effect.
Grey Talon
Grey Talon is a ranged marksman with exceptional mobility, excelling at keeping enemies at a distance while dishing out significant damage. His kit allows him to evade danger and deliver high burst damage from afar, making him ideal for players who prefer hit-and-run tactics and long-range engagements.
Charged Shot: Fires a piercing shot that deals heavy damage.
Rain of Arrows: Launches into the air, gaining a weapon damage boost and multishot.
Immobilizing Trap: Sets a trap that immobilizes enemies.
Guided Owl: Controls an explosive owl spirit to damage enemies.
Haze
Haze is a stealthy assassin who thrives on hit-and-run tactics. Her ability to turn invisible and apply status effects makes her a dangerous foe for isolated targets. Haze is best used for ambushing enemies and picking off key targets before retreating into the shadows.
Sleep Dagger: Throws a dagger that puts enemies to sleep temporarily.
Smoke Bomb: Turns invisible and increases speed. Attacking removes invisibility.
Fixation: Increases bullet damage on the target with each successful hit.
Bullet Dance: A flurry of shots with perfect accuracy, granting fire rate bonuses.
Infernus
Infernus is a high-damage pyromancer with the ability to burn down enemies over time. His kit revolves around fire-based abilities that control space and apply powerful debuffs. Infernus is best used for zoning enemies and dealing sustained damage in team fights.
Catalyst: Sprays napalm that slows and amplifies damage on enemies.
Flame Dash: Quickly dashes forward, leaving a trail of fire.
Afterburn: Applies a burning effect with bullets.
Concussive Combustion: Turns into a living bomb, stunning enemies in the area.
Ivy
Ivy is a versatile support character with abilities that help her protect and enhance her teammates. She excels in providing healing and defensive utility, making her an invaluable asset in team-based compositions. Ivy can turn the tide of battle by ensuring the survival of her allies while controlling enemies.
Kudzy Bomb: Summons choking vines that slow and damage enemies.
Watcher’s Covenant: Connects with allies to share bonuses and healing.
True Form: Becomes a stone, smashing into the ground to stun enemies and heal.
Air Drop: Flies with an ally, granting bullet resistance and causing an explosion upon landing.
Kelvin
Kelvin is a versatile utility hero, offering both mobility and crowd-control through his ice-based abilities. He can create pathways for his team and slow down enemies with freezing effects. Kelvin is ideal for players who want to disrupt enemy movements and protect their team with defensive tools.
Frost Grenade: Explodes into a freezing cloud that slows enemies.
Ice Path: Creates a trail of ice, speeding up allies and slowing enemies.
Arctic Beam: Fires a beam of cold energy, increasing slow the longer it hits.
Frozen Shelter: Forms a dome that regenerates ally health while slowing enemies.
Lady Geist
Lady Geist is a self-sustaining mage with abilities that drain life from enemies while sacrificing her own health for damage. She can deal significant burst damage and control the battlefield with her debuffs. Lady Geist is best for players who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay.
Essence Bomb: Sacrifices health to launch a damaging bomb.
Life Drain: Drains enemy health while healing Geist.
Malice: Launches blood shards that slow and increase damage taken.
Soul Exchange: Swaps health with an enemy if their health is higher than hers.
Lash
Lash is an agile melee fighter who uses her whip to deal damage and control enemies. She excels at close-range combat, combining mobility and crowd control to disrupt enemy formations. Lash’s abilities make her a strong pick for aggressive players who like to dive into the heart of battle.
Ground Strike: Stomps the ground to damage and knock down enemies.
Grapple: Pulls toward a target, gaining a weapon damage bonus.
Flog: Steals life from enemies with her whip.
Death Slam: Connects whips to enemies and slams them into the ground.
McGinnis
McGinnis is a versatile support who can control the battlefield with turrets and provide healing to allies. His abilities make him a strong pick for defensive strategies, where controlling space and keeping teammates alive are key to success. McGinnis excels in zone control and team support roles.
Mini Turret: Deploys a turret that automatically shoots enemies.
Medicinal Specter: Summons a spirit that heals nearby allies.
Spectral Wall: Creates a damaging wall that slows enemies.
Heavy Barrage: Fires homing rockets at a target location.
Mo & Krill
Mo & Krill are durable frontliners who excel at crowd control and self-healing. Their ability to burrow underground and disarm enemies makes them highly effective at disrupting the enemy’s backline. Mo & Krill are best suited for players who enjoy being at the center of the action.
Scorn: Damages enemies and heals based on the damage dealt.
Burrow: Digs underground for faster movement and bullet armor.
Sand Blast: Disarms enemies with a spray of sand.
Combo: Stuns a target and deals damage during the duration.
Paradox
Paradox manipulates time to gain the upper hand in battle. His abilities allow him to control the flow of combat by slowing time and swapping positions with enemies. Paradox is best suited for strategic players who enjoy outsmarting their opponents with tactical gameplay.
Pulse Grenade: Damages and slows enemies, amplifying Paradox’s damage.
Time Wall: Stops time for enemy projectiles and applies damage on contact.
Kinetic Carbine: Fires a charged shot that amplifies weapon damage.
Paradoxical Swap: Swaps positions with an enemy hero, dealing damage over time.
Pocket is a disruptive caster who excels at zoning enemies and controlling space. Her abilities allow her to harass enemies from a distance while avoiding direct combat. Pocket is a great pick for players who like to maintain control over the battlefield from a safe distance.
Barrage: Launches projectiles that slow enemies and stack damage buffs.
Flying Cloak: Sends a cloak that damages enemies and allows Pocket to teleport.
Enchanter’s Satchel: Escapes into a suitcase, dealing damage upon emerging.
Affliction: Applies non-lethal damage over time to nearby enemies.
Conclusion
Deadlock’s character roster brings a diverse range of abilities and gameplay mechanics, ensuring players can experiment with various strategies. From heavy damage dealers like Bebop to versatile supports like McGinnis, understanding each character's strengths will be essential for success in this highly anticipated MOBA.
