Warden, the tanky gunner in Deadlock, thrives on preventing enemies from escaping when equipped with the optimal build.
In the fast-paced world of this 6v6 MOBA shooter, Deadlock offers a diverse roster of characters, which can pose a challenge for newcomers as they seek the most effective builds for each hero.
This guide is designed to assist you in identifying the ideal items and abilities for maximizing Warden’s rushdown playstyle.
Warden’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
Despite his imposing attire that suggests discipline, Warden is a fierce bully in Deadlock. He can relentlessly harass and pressure any lane opponent who finds themselves up against him early in the game, making his Binding Word (3) ability exceptionally effective, especially against long-range combatants like Vindicta.
Warden excels in one-on-one engagements, capitalizing on even minor mistakes and converting them into swift kills. His Alchemical Flask (1) focuses on crowd control (CC), dealing significant debuffs to enemies caught within it, thus impeding their ability to respond.
Possessing remarkable durability alongside high damage output means that if left unchecked, Warden can become an unstoppable force as the game progresses.
Disadvantages:
While there are not many weaknesses to note, it’s essential to recognize them to keep Warden from gaining too much momentum. Firstly, his ultimate ability, Last Stand, tends to be one of the less powerful skills available in Deadlock. Although it has the potential for substantial damage, its long charging time makes it relatively easy to evade unless the enemies are immobilized through chain-stunning or CC.
Secondly, although Binding Word can secure early kills, its effectiveness diminishes significantly in the mid to late game. If opponents play defensively and avoid overextending themselves, they can limit Warden’s early advantage, which can render him much less threatening as the match progresses.
Warden’s Position in the Current Meta
The rankings are subject to change with future patches, and we will update this guide to indicate any changes that affect Warden’s positioning in the meta, should he face any adjustments.
Warden’s Abilities: Leveling Priorities
| Ability | Description | Level Up Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Alchemical Flask (1) | Detonate a flask that causes damage, slows enemies, and diminishes their weapon damage and stamina. | +1: +40 Damage +2: +1 Stamina Reduction +3: -7 seconds Cooldown and applies 35% Fire Rate Slow |
| Willpower (2) | Acquire a spirit shield and enhanced movement speed. | +1: +20% Move speed bonus +2: -20 seconds Cooldown +5: +200 Spirit Shield Health and scales with Spirit Power |
| Binding Word (3) | Curse an enemy hero. If they remain within the initial position for the escape duration, they will sustain damage and become immobilized. | +1: +1 second Immobilize Duration +2: -20 seconds Cooldown +5: Warden deals +20% more Bullet Damage to bound Heroes for 6 seconds |
| Last Stand (4) | Charge for 2.2 seconds to unleash damage-dealing pulses while healing based on the inflicted damage. | +1: +3m Radius +2: +70 DPS +5: -60 second Cooldown |
When upgrading your abilities, focus on maxing out the first three until they reach Level 2. After that, prioritize enhancing Last Stand since it’s vital for winning late-game skirmishes.
Your next upgrades should target Willpower and Binding Word, as they will be most frequently used during this phase. Finally, you can maximize Alchemical Flask to impart that Attack Speed reduction. If you’re engaged in split-pushing early on, getting that last level in Flask promptly is a wise strategy.
Recommended upgrading sequence:
Optimal Items for Warden’s Build
The items are grouped into four categories: Early Game, Mid Game, Late Game/Luxury, and Situational Items.
The first three categories are crucial and will give you a strong sense of the items to prioritize during each game phase. The situational items are reserved for specific circumstances where they may counter unique enemy abilities.
Here’s a breakdown of the best items to equip for Warden throughout the game:
Items for Early Game
Weapon Items:
- High-Velocity Mag: Acquire High-Velocity Mag for a quicker, deadlier weapon.
- Monster Rounds: This versatile option enhances lane pressure and simplifies jungle camp eliminations to bolster your lead.
Vitality Items:
- Sprint Boots: Excellent for establishing an early advantage through lane rotations or jungle steals; can be switched for Extra Stamina if you face difficulties in your lane.
- Healing Rite: Works well with Sprint Boots for extra movement speed; grab this first if you’re trailing behind to benefit from bonus healing.
- Extra Regen: Vital for sustaining in the lane; especially beneficial if you’re struggling early. If you believe you can take risks against your opponent, consider saving this for items focused on mid-game.
Mystic Items:
- Slowing Hex: This will enhance Warden’s ability to catch fleeing enemies, making it a must-have alongside Binding Word.
- Mystic Burst: You’ll want to obtain this quickly along with Slowing Hex to control the lane effectively.
Items for Mid Game
Weapon Items:
- Fleetfoot: This will enhance Warden’s speed, allowing him to mitigate movement speed penalties when firing in mid-game.
- Active Reload: Warden’s weapon delivers strong damage output; maximizing efficiency with reloads will also grant lifesteal and a fire rate boost upon engaging the Active Reload window.
- Slowing Bullets: Critical for hitting agile heroes like Seven and Haze more consistently.
Vitality Items:
- Fortitude: Despite Warden’s inherent sturdiness, adding Fortitute in mid-game is crucial to deter enemy ganks.
- Bullet Armor & Spirit Armor: These provide additional defenses against Bullet and Spirit damage, respectively, and should be prioritized immediately after Fortitude for enhanced protection.
Mystic Items:
- Bullet Resist Shredder: This is effective in diminishing your target’s resistance to Bullet damage while they are immobilized.
- Knockdown: Utilize this on enemies diving towards you to immobilize them, or on foes constrained by Binding Word for additional CC.
- Quicksilver Reload: Essential for Alchemical Flask to minimize reload frequency.
Items for Late Game/Luxury
Weapon Items:
- Heroic Aura: If you aim to be a split-pushing threat, equip Heroic Aura to provide nearby allies and minions with increased movement speed and fire rate.
- Pristine Emblem: This item stands out as one of Deadlock’s premier choices; it enhances Weapon damage, Spirit power, resist, and Bullet Velocity while granting a passive bonus that boosts damage against enemies with over 50% max health.
- Point Blank: To optimize Warden’s close-combat style, Point Blank’s increased weapon damage based on proximity is a natural fit.
Vitality Items:
- Veil Walker: This grants an additional shield benefit along with stealth as you enter a lane.
- Inhibitor: This is essential for boosting your damage and debuffing foes in team engagements.
- Improved Bullet & Spirit Armor: These are upgrades to their mid-game counterparts and are essential for surviving longer in fights.
Mystic Items:
- Improved Reach: Enhance Binding Word’s effectiveness by enlarging its immobilizing radius.
Situational Items
While not strictly necessary for this build, these situational items can be beneficial in specific match circumstances:
Weapon Items:
- Alchemical Fire: This pairs with Alchemical Flask to inflict damage and debuffs on enemies; use it strategically on foes ensnared by Binding Word.
- Crippling Headshot: Reduces your opponent’s damage resistance, ideally suited for swiftly dismantling bulky enemies that you’ve immobilized.
- Silencer: Disables enemy abilities when they are Silenced, proving valuable against enemies with disruptive skills.
Vitality Items:
- Debuff Remover: This cleanses any debuffs and enhances your movement speed.
- Unstoppable: Ideal for times when you face excessive CC; using this grants immunity to all debuffs. Activate it before your ultimate if you’re anticipating crowd control.
- Phantom Strike: Close the gap between quick enemies by teleporting to a target and applying disarm and slow effects.
Mystic Items:
- Cold Front: A solid choice for applying Spirit damage while impeding enemy movement speed.
- Decay: Effective against healing heroes, reducing their healing intake while inflicting damage.
- Ethereal Shift: Utilize this to become untargetable for short durations, allowing you to ambush enemies or escape unfavorable situations.
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