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Deadlock: Best heroes for beginners


Seven from Deadlock
Seven is a great hero to introduce someone to Deadlock / Image credit: Valve

TL;DR

  • Deadlock is a difficult game, even when using beginner heroes.
  • Seven, Abrams, Mo & Krill, Grey Talon, Dynamo, and Infernus are recommended starters since they have high impact with low risk.
  • Newcomers will need to learn individual mechanics, such as positioning, and macro strategies, such as farming, to excel in Deadlock.

Before recommending the best Deadlock heroes for beginners, players will first have to acknowledge that it’s a tough game for newcomers. From individual mechanics to macro strategies, there’s an overwhelming list of variables to learn and master. It’s the entry price of fun in Valve’s innovative MOBA hero shooter hybrid.

The good news is that some heroes are much more beginner-friendly than others. These six picks have more straightforward kits and gameplans that let you focus on fundamentals without getting lost in complex mechanics. 

Best intro hero for Deadlock beginners – Seven

Seven is a mid to late game carry that’s a perfect first hero for Deadlock beginners. His kit is all about dishing damage to multiple enemies at once through AoE abilities or through chaining targets with his empowered basic attack. This lessens the mental load of target prioritisation during messy teamfights since he can unload attacks against a cluster of enemies.

The image is a screenshot of gameplay from Deadlock. In the center of the screen, the character is using an ability that creates an electric field around him with lightning effects, likely the “Storm Cloud” ability of the hero Seven
Seven’s ultimate is easy to use even for beginners / Image credit: Valve

As a late-game carry that farms Souls fast and scales well with items, he’s perfect to teach newcomers how to gain an economic advantage with efficient farming patterns. Seven can clean out the jungle and lanes, while also moving towards objectives like Guardians or Urn. 

Even without an item lead, Seven can still be useful during the midgame with his ultimate that channels an expanding storm. That said, Seven is something of a glass cannon. He lacks burst damage and isn’t built for duelling up close, so you’ll learn the importance of positioning and timing. Fight from a safe distance during teamfights, while using your stun defensively for anyone aggressively closing the gap. 

While winrates and stats shouldn’t concern new players, it helps to know that Seven is one of Deadlock’s most consistent heroes. He’s been top-tier seemingly since Deadlock began, making him safe to pick up and master.

Top beginner pick for MOBA veterans – Mo & Krill

If you’re coming from traditional MOBAs like Dota 2 and League of Legends, this means you have an eye for macro concepts like roaming, ganking, and disrupting key targets. Deadlock’s tag-team hero Mo & Krill isn’t reliant on aim, instead enabling you to control the map and dictate teamfights.

The image is a screenshot from the unreleased Valve game Deadlock, currently in closed beta testing. The gameplay is from a third-person perspective, showcasing a character with a large-handed, white, gorilla-like appearance
Mo & Krill can annoy the whole team when played right / Image credit: Valve

Mo & Krill are a durable, mobile, and disruptive frontliner. His signature ability allows the duo to burrow underground, gaining additional movespeed, before erupting and knocking up anyone in the radius. Combined with a few items that give mobility, Mo & Krill can quickly traverse from lane to lane. Then, he can hold a target down for three seconds with his ultimate.

A good Mo & Krill is active during the mid-game and punishes bad positioning from the enemy team. Hunt every single time his ultimate is off-cooldown, and you’ll be setting your team up for success.

During teamfights, Mo & Krill stay in the thick of the brawl through self-healing and disarming foes. The simplicity of “see enemy, jump on enemy” will resonate the most with MOBA veterans as they develop good habits as an active player in Deadlock.

Top beginner pick for hero shooters – Infernus

Infernus brings the firepower and is an ideal starter hero if you’re a reliable DPS player in hero shooters like Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals. He’s an auto-attacking damage-dealer who excels at hit-and-run tactics and strong tracking aim.

His main source of damage is Afterburn, where weapon hits build up a burning effect that deals Spirit damage over time. As bullets and abilities refresh the duration, Infernus is rewarded for keeping track of key targets during the most chaotic fights. 

Infernus’s active abilities layer on more carnage while giving him playmaking potential. He has a Napalm projectile that slows and causes enemies to be more vulnerable to his attacks, and a dash that gives him a burst of speed to reposition. His ultimate literally turns him into a living bomb that damages and stuns opponents in a close area around him, letting players choose to use it defensively or for a risky play.

Infernus’s abilities are most effective from close to medium range, which teaches players how to properly space themselves in fights. You’ll learn to poke enemies and then retreat, choosing when to fully commit with your abilities. He teaches calm aim and good movement, two skills all players need to excel in Deadlock.

Easiest frontline hero for Deadlock beginners – Abrams

Abrams from Deadlock
Abrams is a tanky brawler that belongs in the frontliners / Image credit: Valve

For players who want to lead the charge and soak up damage, Abrams is hands-down the easiest frontline hero to start with. He’s a classic tank: beefy, melee-oriented, yet threatening enough to demand attention. Compared to the other frontliners with complicated kits, Abrams trades offensive tools for pure survivability.

The special sauce to his staying power is Siphon Life and Infernal Resilience. Abrams can drain health from nearby enemies with his first ability to keep himself alive mid-fight, and his passive regenerates a portion of any damage he takes over time, making him surprisingly hard to kill. As a beginner, Abrams gives more leeway during fights.

Abrams’s playstyle is straightforward and satisfying. He carries a shotgun for close-range and traditionally builds melee items for more powerful punches. His Shoulder Charge ability slams enemies, dragging them along and stunning them if you smash into a wall. However, you’ll soon learn that enemies can defend themselves with a parry, and you’ll have to quickly learn how to play around that.

For new players, his ultimate can be used as a get-out-of-jail-free card if you’re in a bad spot, but it’s best used offensively to crash down on the backline. As a new player, Abrams is a forgiving frontliner that will teach you how to engage and pace yourself during teamfights.

Best support hero for Deadlock newcomers – Dynamo

Support heroes often get a bad reputation for passive play, yet Dynamo’s kit forces you to become an active ally to turn the fight around. Dynamo can control the fight through a wide knock-up, save allies by teleporting them away from danger, heal nearby allies, and lock a cluster of enemies down with a game-changing ultimate.

The professor is a jack-of-all-trades support with an exceptionally well-rounded kit. As you put more time into him, you can itemise to enhance which of his abilities will be the most useful in the match. Dynamo’s versatility is a blessing, and you’ll get to practice a bit of everything while also learning how to build your hero on the fly.

For new players, it’s recommended to go all-in on his first ability, Kinetic Pulse. Buy items to increase the number of charges, cooldown, and area of effect, and you’ll have a disruptive value with just one easy-to-land ability.

While it’s tempting to save Dynamo’s Singularity for the six-man showstopping teamwipe, practice restraint and use it to lock down annoying targets for your damage dealers. An ultimate that takes out one or two enemies is more reliable than a clip-worthy opportunity that may never happen. He’s arguably one of the best Deadlock heroes for beginners who want to learn support play without feeling overwhelmed.

Best sniper hero for Deadlock beginners – Grey Talon

Grey Talon from Deadlock
Grey Talon rewards precise aim and zone control / Image credit: Valve

For those who love to hang back and pick off enemies from afar, Grey Talon is the go-to beginner-friendly backline hero. The seasoned monster hunter rewards good aim and positioning, but also provides tools to help less experienced players land their shots. 

His primary attack damage comes from Charged Shot, firing a powerful arrow that pierces through multiple enemies. If you’ve played snipers in other games, you’ll feel right at home. Outside of that, Grey Talon can glide high in the air to get a better vantage point for his bow. He also carries a Spirit Snare trap, which slows and curses enemies in the area.

For new players, they’ll get a kick out of Grey Talon’s ultimate, which throws a Guided Owl that you directly control like a missile. Eliminating an enemy this way provides permanent Spirit Power for Grey Talon. His infinite scaling potential teaches players how to capitalise on an early lead and push it to become even more oppressive.

Conclusion

Jumping into Deadlock as a beginner might feel like being thrown in at the deep end, but the right hero will allow you to find impact while slowly learning the game. These six heroes have simple kits that cater to a wide variety of players, yet all teach core mechanics that will translate to the rest of the cast.

As you grow more comfortable, you can explore the rest of the diverse roster, as all Deadlock heroes play the game differently. Get comfortable with these beginner heroes and find one that clicks the most with your playstyle.

FAQs

Which Deadlock heroes are the best for beginners?

The best Deadlock heroes for beginners include Seven, Abrams, Dynamo, Grey Talon, Infernus, and Mo & Krill. These heroes have more forgiving, straightforward kits that let new players contribute to their team even while learning the game’s basics.

Who is the easiest Deadlock hero to play?

Seven is often cited as the easiest Deadlock hero for newcomers. He’s a carry with a simple kit that deals AoE damage without complex execution, plus he can farm fast to rack up a Soul lead.

Who is the hardest Deadlock hero to play?

In Deadlock, the hardest heroes have complex kits or rely heavily on precision to be effective. Heroes like Doorman, Paradox, and Sinclair are best avoided for newcomers.

What role is easiest for beginners to play in Deadlock?

Generally, the Tank/Frontline role is easiest for beginners because tanky heroes like Abrams can survive longer and have clear goals. Just keep in mind that these heroes feel bad when at a disadvantage.



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