Role guides
In Deadlock every hero has a role: brawler, mystic, marksman, assassin or support. Learn what your role does, which heroes fill it, its core items and gameplay tips.
Brawler
Heroes who fight up close and soak up damage while staying alive. They start team fights, draw the enemy’s attention and make room for their allies.
How to play
- Start the fight, but don’t dive alone: go in when your team is behind you, or you’ll be the first to fall.
- Don’t neglect Vitality items; health, resistance and lifesteal keep you in the fight.
- Use melee well: deal damage with heavy attacks and learn to parry the opponent’s heavy attack.
- Save your control abilities (stun, pull, slow) for the most dangerous enemy.
- Always keep a retreat path in mind; when your health is low, heading back to base to heal beats dying.
Core items
It varies by hero; also check the popular builds on the hero’s page.Couldn’t load the hero list.
Mystic
Heroes who draw their power from abilities. With area damage that scales with Spirit Power, plus control or support abilities, they change the course of a fight.
How to play
- Items that add Spirit Power and reduce cooldowns boost your abilities; most mystics invest in Spirit items.
- Use your abilities together: area damage right after a control ability is the most effective.
- Keep your distance; most mystics have low health and go down fast once caught.
- Don’t waste your ultimate at the start of a fight; use it when the enemies group up or a key target is exposed.
- Watch the enemy’s spirit resistance; instead of a target who bought resistance items, go after someone more vulnerable.
Core items
It varies by hero; also check the popular builds on the hero’s page.Couldn’t load the hero list.
Marksman
Heroes who deal sustained damage from range with their weapon. With good positioning and accuracy, they become the team’s top damage dealer.
How to play
- Headshots deal more damage; keep your aim at head level.
- Pick a high, safe position: see the enemy without being exposed to them.
- Weapon items (weapon damage, fire rate, ammo) are your priority; also pick up a few Vitality items so you don’t die.
- Don’t miss last hits in your lane; a marksman gets stronger as they stack Souls.
- Against enemies diving on you (brawlers, assassins), protect your escape route and stay close to your teammates.
Core items
It varies by hero; also check the popular builds on the hero’s page.Couldn’t load the hero list.
Assassin
Heroes designed to take down a single target quickly. They hunt enemies who are alone or careless, trying to end the fight before it starts.
How to play
- Target enemies who wander alone or are low on health; don’t dive head-on into a grouped team.
- Map awareness is everything: predict where the enemies are and enter from where they don’t expect.
- Hit and run: once the target is down, pull back before the crowd catches you.
- Your burst damage peaks when your abilities and items come together; check cooldowns before you attack.
- To reach the objective, movement items and good movement make the job easier.
Core items
It varies by hero; also check the popular builds on the hero’s page.Couldn’t load the hero list.
Support
Heroes who keep the team on its feet: they heal allies, protect them with barriers, empower them, or stop the enemy to make the fight easier for the team. The game doesn’t give these heroes one of the four roles; their gameplay is built around teamwork.
How to play
- Don’t stray from your team: healing and barrier abilities have short range, and you’re useful when your ally has you in view.
- Save your protective abilities for the ally under the most pressure: the brawler who jumps into the fight or the marksman being dived.
- Support should collect Souls too: don’t miss last hits and crates in your lane, because a support without items is useless in a fight.
- Stay behind your team but don’t hide; enemy assassins will target you first, so don’t neglect your escape route and Vitality items.
- Check your abilities’ cooldowns before a fight; if healing isn’t ready, don’t take the team in, wait for the next wave.
Core items
It varies by hero; also check the popular builds on the hero’s page.Couldn’t load the hero list.