Valve’s newest MOBA, Deadlock, features a diverse range of characters as is typical for the genre. As expected, certain characters outshine others in terms of performance.
Despite only having limited Alpha access, Deadlock has quickly become one of the most popular games on Steam. Valve continues to update and rework hero abilities during this early stage of development, but we already have a good understanding of which characters stand out from the rest of the cast.
In a similar fashion to DOTA 2, Deadlock’s character strength is not solely based on their individual abilities but also on their susceptibility to counter. While every character has the potential to be powerful in certain situations, some are more vulnerable to being countered than others.
If you have access to the Alpha, our complete Deadlock tier list can assist you in choosing the character to play.
Deadlock tier list: Best characters ranked & explained
| Tier | Character |
|---|---|
| S-Tier | Pocket, Lady Geist, Dynamo, Ivy, Warden |
| A-Tier | Yamato, Seven, Infernus, Mo & Krill, Grey Talon, Abrams, Shiv |
| B-Tier | Bebop, Viscous, Haze, Vengeance, Wraith, Paradox, Lash, Kelvin |
| C-Tier | McGinnis |
Our tiers explained
The following paragraph provides a complete explanation for why each character is placed on the Deadlock tier list.
- S: Best of the best, good in pretty much every scenario with diverse build paths and hard to counter
- A: Strong with the right build, although may be countered by certain items or strategies
- B: Either easily countered by items or niche in their usefulness
- C: Can be decent in certain scenarios, but there are better choices
Top Tier Characters in Deadlock
Pocket is undoubtedly one of the most frustrating characters to face in close combat as an Assassin/DPS. Eliminating them is a major struggle, as they possess not only two teleportation abilities for escaping danger, but also a skill that grants them a brief period of invincibility. Even if one manages to disable them with Slowing Hex, they still have contingency plans to rely on.
Acquiring a Debuff Reducer/Debuff Remover early on can greatly benefit Pocket when facing opponents with a Slowing Hex or strong CC abilities. Even if Pocket becomes Rooted and immobilized, their primary fire and ultimate remain powerful enough to significantly impact teamfights.
With their ultimate’s damage-over-time effect seemingly lasting forever and possessing (arguably) the most powerful shotgun in the game, Pocket is an undeniable threat that brings a plethora of damage and utility to the table.
Lady Geist
Lady Geist has established herself as an S-Tier pick with two formidable builds in her arsenal. One build prioritizes weapon damage, while the other relies on spirit damage. Whether you excel at sharpshooting and precision headshots or prefer a more explosive approach with a larger hitbox, Geist is a suitable choice for your gameplay style.
Geist is a formidable force in both sidelaning and teamfighting, thanks to her bomb’s wave clear, powerful silence on her 2, and the potential to turn the tide with her life bar swap ultimate. Those who possess the knowledge to effectively utilize her abilities can easily carry their team.
Lady Geist is a formidable opponent as she has the ability to steal all of your health if you get too close to her, and if you’re too far away, she can poke you down. Due to this, it is challenging to gain an advantage against her in battle, making her a top choice for S-Tier players.
Dynamo
Dynamo is the ideal support character for those seeking to completely change the outcome of a match. While he may not excel in terms of primary weapons or damage, his utility greatly enhances the capabilities of any team.
Regardless of his income, Dynamo has a significant impact on the game thanks to his versatile abilities. His 1 provides a knockup and damage boost, his 2 offers immunity frames that can counter game-changing ults, his 3 serves as one of Deadlock’s most effective heals, and his ult has the power to lock entire teams in place for several seconds.
Although Dynamo has some weaknesses, they are significantly outweighed by his strengths. If you are seeking a character to fulfill a supportive role, he is your top choice.
Ivy
Ivy is also a viable support choice, although she has a more aggressive playstyle compared to Dynamo. Her kit is focused on pressuring opponents out of their lane, thanks to her primary weapon’s high fire rate, fast projectile speed, and quick reload time. Additionally, her 1 ability allows her to control an area, making it difficult for enemies to farm against her.
Moreover, her increased fire rate and ability to heal both herself and her teammates with her second ability are valuable assets in team battles. Her third ability renders her nearly invincible, and her ultimate serves as a dependable means of escape or as a way to maneuver a powerful Seven across the map, or to effortlessly secure the beast’s urn.
There is never a moment when having Ivy on your team would not be beneficial, especially given her ability to excel as both a damage dealer and a support.
Warden
Warden is known to be one of the most aggressive members of Deadlock, often bullying his opponents. His strength lies in his ability to put up a tough fight in a 1v1 situation, with impressive scaling for both spirit and weapon damage. Furthermore, his 1v1 potential is unmatched and his ultimate has the potential to single-handedly turn the tide of a teamfight with its devastating damage. With his skill, Warden can easily tear through an entire team if he manages to unleash his full potential.
Furthermore, if you have experience with the character, there are ways to compensate for his weaknesses. While his 1 may not have a visual indicator like other abilities, it actually has a surprising amount of range once you become familiar with its arc. Although his 3 can be easily escaped from, using a Slowing Hex can effectively solve that problem.
It’s difficult to dispute that Warden is an S-Tier pick, as there are very few characters who are as resilient and efficient as him.
A-Tier
Japanese Battleship Yamato
Yamato is certainly one of the most distinctive characters in Deadlock’s lineup. While she heavily relies on abilities and has a limited range, she possesses a great potential to carry if played correctly. She is not a character for the faint-hearted. Mastering her primary fire and navigating through the lane phase is crucial in effectively utilizing her.
Similarly, once you have successfully farmed and mastered the art of target selection while venturing out of your designated lane, Yamato becomes a formidable force. With her ultimate granting her immunity to crowd control and death, this swordswoman proves to be a challenging opponent to defeat.
Despite not having the same early game influence or pressure as someone like Warden, Yamato remains incredibly effective due to her combination of strong ability damage and sustain, as well as a build that leans towards the tankier side.
Seven
Seven is known for being one of the simplest and most direct casters in Deadlock, as his abilities are nearly impossible to overlook. His first ability has an immense amount of coverage and a large area of effect, while his second ability provides a definite (albeit delayed) stun. Additionally, his third ability’s damage enhancement and curved lightning only serve to enhance his effectiveness.
Seven’s ultimate is the key to his success. By fully investing in his ultimate and accumulating enough resources, Seven can become an unstoppable force, dominating large areas of the map. This is especially effective when paired with an Ivy ultimate or with a teammate who has high movement speed and access to a rescue beam.
Despite this, Seven is not very effective when played from behind and can be easily shut down in the early stages of the game. As a result, he is not considered to be in the S-Tier category.
Hell
If you want a dependable, versatile player who is user-friendly and has a high chance of carrying the team, Infernus is the perfect choice. His area-of-effect damage may not be impressive at first, but once you level up his fire trail, his mixed DPS becomes incredibly powerful. Even the toughest opponents will struggle when ignited by his 3 ability.
Infernus can deal significant damage in teamfights if you are willing to engage up close. However, the risk involved in getting close enough for his ult and 2 to be effective should be considered. Despite its potential as one of the strongest teamfight ults on paper, his ult can be countered in various ways in practice due to its long windup time.
Despite his strong abilities, Infernus’ need to get close to enemies to unleash his full damage potential makes him vulnerable to being easily locked down, which prevents him from being classified as S-Tier. Nevertheless, he remains a formidable choice for players.
Mo & Krill
Despite not being considered a top-tier character for most of Deadlock’s Alpha, Mo & Krill has decent sustain and utility. However, his limited range, ultimate that immobilizes him and only affects one target, and a large hitbox comparable to an 18-wheeler make him vulnerable to being poked out of lane.
Despite this, the key to unleashing the full potential of Mo & Krill lies in maximizing their 2 ability. Once you transition out of the laning phase and acquire a few key items, this dynamic duo can easily roam and gank other lanes, as well as clear jungle camps at an unparalleled speed. As long as your teammates can hold their own without your presence, Mo & Krill can easily secure a significant advantage by efficiently farming jungle camps as they spawn around the 8-minute mark.
For those seeking a highly efficient roamer who can dominate the entire map while also securing a strong farming lead, the ideal duo would be Mo & Krill.
Gray Talon
When it comes to finding the top sniper in Deadlock, Grey Talon is the clear choice. His impressive range, overpowering DPS that surpasses most other characters in his class, and strategically placed traps make him a force to be reckoned with. Facing Talon in a lane is a constant struggle without any form of healing, and his presence on the map can make one feel constantly on edge.
Despite sharing the same weakness as other frail DPS characters in terms of lacking self-peel, his damage output is remarkably potent and his split push capabilities are exceptional, allowing him to maintain his A-Tier status. Additionally, his traps pose a greater challenge compared to other forms of crowd control.
In Deadlock, there are few things scarier than hearing Grey Talon’s ult approaching and seeing his arrows whistling by in lane.
Abrams
When it comes to survivability, Abrams is the most durable character you can choose. Despite his limited range, he compensates with excellent mobility, sustain, a vast amount of melee damage, and powerful crowd control. His first ability provides significant healing, his second ability can slam enemies against walls, and his ultimate is a highly effective tool for initiating fights, especially as it gains levels.
Despite facing difficulties against characters who can zone and keep him at a distance, Abrams becomes a formidable opponent once he is able to get up close. If you fail to counter his build and limit his healing abilities, he will prove to be nearly invincible.
Nevertheless, carefully timed parries can stun Abrams and make him vulnerable to being quickly defeated, and incorporating anti-heal into your build will significantly decrease his ability to stay alive in battle.
Shiv
Shiv was one of the few characters introduced after the Alpha was released, and he entered the game in a formidable state. With his bleed knives that were more precise and quicker than most bullets, along with his impressive mobility, formidable primary fire, damage reduction abilities, and execute mechanics, Shiv possessed all the essential traits of an assassin that players could desire.
When this character gains momentum, it becomes extremely difficult to halt their progress, particularly in the later stages of the game where their 3 ability allows them to survive much longer than other characters. However, when Shiv falls behind, they do not contribute much. It is crucial for this character to snowball in order to be effective.
Shiv’s strength places him in the A-Tier, though he is very close to reaching the S-Tier.
B-Tier
Bebop
Bebop is designed to make laning a challenging experience. His greatest advantage is being able to pull enemies under tower and eliminate them quickly, leading to a successful advantage in his lane and providing support for his lane partner. Furthermore, Bebop’s main attack effectively destroys minions and easily collects souls.
Despite the character’s reliance on this pull and ultimate ability, his playstyle may seem one-dimensional in many situations. The key to success is winning the lane, as it often leads to winning the game. However, if Bebop and his lane partner fail to gain an advantage, their chances of securing a victory significantly decrease due to the numerous items and characters that counter Bebop.
Although his ultimate has great potential to secure victories, Bebop’s inconsistent strengths place him in the B-Tier. Skilled Bebop players can be intimidating, but only in specific situations.
Viscosity
Viscous is undoubtedly the most challenging hero to use on the Deadlock roster. His abilities are difficult to control, particularly when it comes to their tendency to get caught on geometry and unexpectedly fly in unintended directions. Additionally, his second ability can be both a powerful healing tool and a potential way to accidentally disrupt your teammates.
Despite having a strong ultimate that makes them the tankiest character in the game, Viscous struggles in the early game and requires levels and items to be effective. However, in the late game when they have access to their ultimate and abilities, they become a formidable hard carry.
Viscous is a double-edged sword, possessing the ability to be both helpful by carrying matches and careless by accidentally throwing them. However, due to his inconsistent nature, he cannot be ranked any higher than B.
Haze
Haze is among Deadlock’s few characters dedicated to roaming, with a generally weak presence during laning. However, they excel when given the opportunity to freely move around the map and create chaos in other lanes. When ahead, Haze is undoubtedly a formidable opponent.
Despite her potential in teamfights, Haze’s contribution from a behind position is not as effective. In order to maximize her effectiveness, she must focus on building up a snowball effect, especially since her ultimate is her only reliable source of AoE teamfight damage. Although her 1 does provide a single target sleep, it does not offer any additional utility. While she excels at taking out single targets, her teamfighting abilities can be inconsistent due to the ease of escaping her ultimate and the potential counter of Steel Skin.
Despite her initial feeling of oppressiveness, once a player learns how to effectively play against and counterbuild Haze, she becomes much less of a threat. With plenty of tools at their disposal, players can easily counter her, as she lacks the means to deal with someone who knows her weaknesses.
Revenge
Without her ultimate ability, Vindicta would likely be classified as a C-Tier player. While her 1 provides effective crowd control and her 2 allows for a better view but leaves her vulnerable, her overall kit is only average. She is particularly susceptible to being killed and struggles against opponents with Slowing Hex.
When Vindicta’s ultimate is maxed first, she gains an additional 850 souls per kill in addition to the souls she would normally receive for securing a kill. This can result in a significant increase of thousands of souls in her favor if she performs well in a fight, enabling her to obtain all the necessary items to dominate the game.
Nonetheless, it is essential to use her ult to secure these kills in order for them to be counted. This reliance on timing and securing the kill greatly affects Vindicta’s potential for snowballing, ultimately placing her in the B-Tier category.
Wraith
Wraith is an excellent choice for a beginner character. She offers a level of safety, with a reliable primary fire that simplifies collecting souls in lane. Her 1 also provides decent burst damage, and her abilities include a teleport and an ult that can doom her target, unless they have the proper items to counter it. On paper, she appears to be a strong character.
In actuality, the most effective build for Wraith is to prioritize 2 points in weapon damage. Her ultimate ability can be easily negated by opponents with I-frames or a Debuff Remover, and her other abilities are not as strong as those of other damage-oriented characters. In most situations, Infernus is the superior choice if you want a character who excels at simply holding down the left mouse button.
Paradox
When it comes to survivability, Paradox stands out as one of the top DPS characters. She excels in ranged attacks with her charged 3, has decent wave clearing abilities with her 1, and her 2 and ultimate combination makes her almost impossible to defeat in a 1v1 situation. Properly utilizing Paradox’s 2 is the key factor that separates a good player from a great one, as it is her most powerful ability despite being primarily focused on utility.
Despite her strong DPS, Paradox falls short in comparison to long-range characters such as Grey Talon and Vindicta. Furthermore, her most powerful combo involves putting herself in the midst of the enemy team. While Paradox is not a weak character, she requires a certain level of skill and finesse to be effective, making her more of a specialist.
Although you will not be able to carry games with this character, you can still be a major nuisance for the enemy team and create chaos for anyone attempting to eliminate you.
Lash
Lash is a highly skilled and specialized character. He utilizes his 2 for superior maneuverability, his 1 for powerful bursts of damage, and his ultimate to strategically pull and immobilize valuable targets for his team. In Deadlock, Lash stands out as one of the few characters capable of executing a one-shot combo by successfully grabbing an enemy with his ultimate and delivering maximum slam damage.
Despite his strengths, playing him can be a bit awkward. Achieving and maintaining airborne status is no easy feat, as a single Slowing Hex can quickly bring him back down to the ground. Moreover, navigating small rooms with Lash is nearly impossible, as he requires ample space to effectively operate.
In optimal situations, Lash can reach a level close to S-Tier. However, his effective use relies heavily on skill and setting up momentum, making him a B-Tier choice. He can excel in capable hands, but may not be as valuable otherwise.
Unit of Measurement for Temperature
In Deadlock, Kelvin stands out as one of the few support characters whose main role is to control and restrict the movement of enemies. During the game’s initial stages, he was considered one of the top heroes, but his reputation has since declined due to a significant nerf. In the past, his 3rd ability’s slow beam was able to disarm opponents, but it has now been reduced to a simple slowing effect.
Even when Kelvin was disarmed, he excelled at countering carries who heavily relied on weapon damage to carry the game. However, now he relies more on teamwork to perform well, and his 3 is undeniably his strongest ability. His other two abilities are decent, except for his ultimate.
Kelvin’s ultimate ability has the potential to either secure victory for your team or result in defeat. Successfully using your ultimate around Rejuvenator to steal it will earn you praise from your teammates. However, if you accidentally block off your teammate’s Haze while they are ulting, it may not be well received. While Kelvin is a formidable character, there are other choices that may be more advantageous.
C-Tier
McGinnis
Despite being designed as a character centered around placing turrets and utilizing them, McGinnis’ turrets are not particularly effective. This renders her 1 ability and stationary heal on her 2 somewhat unnecessary, unless she is given ample time to set up multiple turrets. Additionally, her ultimate ability can be challenging to utilize effectively.
Despite only having a wall and a gun, McGinnis still has a strong advantage in combat. To counter her, it is recommended to focus on increasing gun damage and utilizing Fleetfoot to quickly chase down opponents. Alternatively, investing heavily in turret damage can also be a successful strategy against her.
Despite having some specific uses, McGinnis is widely considered the least useful character in Deadlock. While she may not be entirely ineffective, she is only proficient in certain areas and has numerous vulnerabilities.
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