Complete Beginner's Guide

Deadlock is a 6v6 third-person MOBA shooter currently in testing by Valve. It combines traditional MOBA elements like lanes, economy, and objectives with shooter mechanics like aim and movement. The goal is to destroy the enemy Patron deep inside their base.

Every match has three lanes (York, Broadway, and Park), each guarded by Guardians, Walkers, Base Guardians, and Shrines. Killing these objectives drops Souls, the currency used to buy items and grow stronger.

The first 5 minutes are the farming phase. Don't be too aggressive yet; focus on last-hitting Troopers and picking up Souls from the ground. If a teammate is nearby, Souls are shared; farming alone gives more income.

Every few minutes a Soul Urn spawns in the center of the map. Delivering it near the enemy base grants the whole team a large amount of Souls, making it a key event for creating a gold lead. New players should follow the team's tempo instead of going alone.

Items are divided into Weapon, Vitality, and Spirit, each with tiers 1 to 4. Early on, buy cost-efficient tier-1 items for movement speed and sustain, then transition into tier-2/3 core items in the mid game.

Tanks and bruisers prioritize Vitality and Weapon; mages and supports prioritize Spirit; marksmen usually need Weapon plus some Vitality to survive.

First, watch the minimap constantly. Deadlock's maps have a lot of verticality and flanking routes, so checking the map every few seconds will reduce unnecessary deaths.

Second, stick with your team's tempo. Pushing Walkers, fighting the Rejuvenator, and contesting the Soul Urn are team events; being one man down often loses the fight.

Third, focus on one or two easy heroes first. Abrams, Seven, and Haze have straightforward kits and high fault tolerance, making them great for learning the game.