During regular breaks from Counter-Strike 2, we continue to explore another Valve game, Deadlock. It’s diverse, offers a lot of fun, but can also be challenging. Today, CS.MONEY Blog has prepared a list of the best heroes in Deadlock meta and explains how to play them: gameplay and item builds included.
We don’t know when skins will appear in Deadlock, but we know for sure that skins changed Counter-Strike, making the game more vibrant. You can spice up your gaming experience with CS.MONEY, where you’ll easily find your ideal skin without any hassle or overpaying.
Seven: The Best Hero for Beginners in Deadlock
Let’s start our review with a hero that’s great for getting a feel for the MOBA concept. Seven is a hero capable of dealing significant damage, but positioning and timing play a crucial role. Usually, it’s an imba hero in Deadlock if you execute perfectly.
- Lightning Ball is a good ability for lane pushing since it deals a lot of damage to creeps in a short time. It’s great for farming and dealing significant damage to enemies early in the game. At the start, we recommend upgrading this ability for an extra charge, so you can use it more freely.
- Static Charge is the only defensive ability Seven has. The stun on an enemy can complicate a gank and increase your chance of escaping. It’s also useful for harassing early in the game. Combining Static Charge with Lightning Ball can significantly reduce your opponent’s health in lane. Just remember: don’t play aggressively if the ability is on cooldown.
Power Surge should be prioritized for maxing. Its chain damage lets you quickly deal high damage in a small area. It’s useful for both farming and team fights.
Ultimate Storm Cloud can turn a team fight around. You stand still for seven seconds, dealing massive damage to enemies in your line of sight. Enemies will try to interrupt the ultimate, so timing is key. Ideally, it should be cast after opponents have used their abilities in the fight. Consider casting it from higher ground for better visibility of enemies. Seven is definitely a meta hero in Deadlock.
Key item: Tesla Bullets. Buy it in the mid-game as it significantly boosts your farming speed. Most of Seven’s damage comes from abilities, but survival items are also important. Alternatively, some players ignore abilities and focus on farming to maximize weapon damage. This build works too.
Haze: Best Character for CS2 Players
If you enjoy lurking in Counter-Strike 2, Haze is a great choice. This stealthy hero excels at catching opponents off guard and performs well in duels, sending enemies back to respawn with skill.
Haze is a snowball hero. If you and your team are ahead, your enemies stand no chance. However, if you’re under-farmed and the enemy is stronger, comebacks are difficult.
Sleep Dagger ensures enemies can’t escape, while Fixation increases damage with each hit on the same target. These are Haze’s hunting tools when a lone enemy is spotted.
Smoke Bomb is a key tool for stalking. It grants invisibility, letting you sneak up on opponents. Playing Haze requires good movement, as enemies will try to ruin your game, knowing how dangerous the hero is.
Ultimate Bullet Dance will be familiar to Overwatch players — it’s similar to Reaper’s ultimate. The goal: sneak into a group of unaware enemies, press ultimate, and unleash massive damage. The ability can be interrupted, so Silencer and Unstoppable are must-have items. Use them, press ultimate, and deal heavy damage to your enemies. Item build for Haze:
Kelvin: A great hero to start Deadlock
Like Seven and Haze, Kelvin is considered beginner-friendly. His playstyle can vary, but overall, he is a tanky hero with high mobility and annoying debuffs. Can become an unkillable imba as well.
- Frost Grenade greatly slows enemies. As it levels up, it also heals allies, making it ideal for team fights when thrown into the thick of things.
- Ice Path boosts mobility and lets you reach higher ground. Mobility is a key factor in MOBA, so don’t underestimate this ability.
- Arctic Beam slows down enemy firing speed, countering opponents who buff their weapons.
Ultimate Frozen Shelter can turn the tide of battle. It serves both as a setup for AoE ultimates from allies (especially with Seven and Haze) and as protection for your team. If you see an enemy casting their ultimate, you can shield your entire team, leaving Kelvin to deal with the rest as a tank.
Kelvin has multiple potential builds, so adjust your strategy according to the game situation by pressing B and choosing the appropriate one.
Dynamo: a complex but one of the strongest heroes in Deadlock
The first three heroes were beginner-friendly, but now we’re moving into more complex territory. Dynamo is considered one of the top-tier imba heroes in public matches and tournaments, primarily because he’s an excellent support, though he requires skill and a strong understanding of the game’s current state.
Dynamo doesn’t shine solo. His abilities aren’t particularly strong early on, and he lacks explosive mobility, but he excels in team play.
Let’s start with his ultimate. Singularity is similar to Enigma’s Black Hole in Dota 2 or Zarya’s ultimate in Overwatch. It pulls enemies in, dealing damage and creating an opportunity for teammates to deal massive AoE damage. Since the ability can be interrupted, you need to be mindful of what items your opponents have and their ability timings. This thing can turn fights, making it imbalanced.
Kinetic Pulse is your main ability, knocking enemies into the air, so understanding its intricacies is crucial. Quantum Entanglement provides a minor damage boost and allows short-range teleportation for you and your teammates. Rejuvenating Aurora is an AoE heal, perfect for keeping your team alive. Best support in Deadlock you could ask for!
Key items: Refresher and Unstoppable. Dynamo’s ultimate can change the course of the game, and having two ultimates will impact the game even more. Unstoppable ensures you can successfully cast Singularity.
Shiv: a powerful meta hero
Another hero requiring experience and skill. Shiv’s attack and ability range are quite small, so mistakes will be harshly punished. But if you can find your enemy’s weak spot, Shiv is an excellent hero for quickly destabilizing team fights.
- Serrated Knives deals heavy damage, causing enemies to bleed over time. The more knives hit, the more damage they take.
- Slice and Dice is similar to Genji’s dash from Overwatch, a mobile ability that deals damage.
- Bloodletting delays some damage over time. To use it effectively, you need a good understanding of all the damage sources in Deadlock and a keen sense of timing. It’s also a great tool in the lane phase.
- Ultimate Killing Blow works like Axe’s ultimate from Dota 2. If an enemy’s health is low, you instantly kill them; if not, you just deal damage. This ultimate, combined with Shiv’s high mobility, is great for finishing off key enemy heroes to prevent them from turning the fight around. It also has a passive: hitting enemies fills a rage bar, and if maxed out, other abilities gain a buff.
Shiv is perfect for aggressive players. All his abilities are designed for active play and creating opportunities. However, playing Shiv well means calculating risks and not overextending, which requires experience.
Valve continues to make great games, and if Deadlock gets you craving another round of Counter-Strike 2, head over to CS.MONEY for top skins at top prices.
