You've probably seen the grainy footage or finally got that coveted Steam invite from a friend who’s been MIA for three weeks. Valve’s new project is weird. It’s not just Overwatch with a darker coat of paint, and it’s definitely not Dota 2 with guns, though it borrows heavily from both. If you’re trying to figure out deadlock how to play without getting absolutely farmed by a Seven main who hasn't seen sunlight since the alpha dropped, you need to shift your brain. It's a lane-pusher first. A shooter second.
Most people lose because they try to play it like Counter-Strike. They click heads, they ignore the little fire-spirit "Troopers," and then they wonder why the enemy Abrams is three levels ahead and literally unkillable.
The first 10 minutes determine everything
The laning phase is where the game is won or lost. Honestly. You start with a single ability. You have to last-hit those Troopers, but there’s a catch that messes with every newcomer: the Souls. When a Trooper dies, it releases a green orb. That’s your money. If you don't shoot that orb, you're leaving cash on the table. Even worse? The enemy can shoot your orbs to steal them. It’s called "denying," and if you aren't doing it, you're basically giving the opponent a free win.
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Movement in the lane is twitchy. You have a dash. Use it. But watch that stamina bar at the bottom of the screen. If you burn all your stamina trying to look cool with jump-dashes, you'll have nothing left when Bebop hooks you into a tower. It's a brutal learning curve.
Managing the Zip Lines
Those lines running across the map aren't just for show. They are your lifeline. You can speed them up by pressing 'Shift', but it has a massive cooldown. Use it to get back to lane faster so you don't miss out on XP. If you take damage while on a zip line, you get knocked off and stunned. It's embarrassing. Don't be that guy.
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Understanding the Shop (It’s not just +Damage)
The shop is overwhelming. There are four categories: Weapon, Vitality, Spirit, and Power. Most beginners just buy whatever the "Recommended" build says. That’s fine for your first three games, but after that, you've gotta learn to counter-build. If the enemy team has a fed Haze, you need armor. If they have a lot of healing, you need "Toxic Bullets."
Buying items in Deadlock is about filling slots. You have limited space for each category. You can't just stack 12 weapon items and call it a day. You have to balance.
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- Weapon Items: These make your gun hurt more. Obvious stuff like fire rate and magazine size.
- Vitality Items: Health, regen, and lifesteal. Essential if you're playing a tank like Abrams or Warden.
- Spirit Items: This is where the "magic" happens. It buffs your abilities. Characters like Seven or Pocket live and breathe Spirit.
The Mid-Game Rotations and the "Mid Boss"
Around the 10-to-15-minute mark, the towers (Guardians) start falling. This is when the game stops being a 1v1 or 2v2 and becomes a chaotic mess. You'll see people swinging across the map using the transit lines.
The Mid Boss is that giant hole in the center of the map. Killing it gives your team a "Rejuvenator." You have to punch the crystal that drops to claim it. It makes your Troopers stronger and speeds up your respawn time. It's a game-ender. If you see the enemy team missing from the map, they are probably there. Go check. Or die trying.
Verticality is your best friend
Unlike League of Legends, Deadlock is 3D. Like, really 3D. You can climb rooftops. You can hide in rafters. You can drop from the sky like a caffeinated hawk. Characters like Lash are designed specifically to use the Y-axis to ruin someone's afternoon. Always look up. Seriously.
Why you keep dying (and how to stop)
- Overextending: You pushed the lane to the enemy's Walker and stayed there with 20% health. You're bait.
- Ignoring the Mini-map: If you don't see four enemies on the map, assume they are standing right behind you.
- Bad Stamina Management: You dashed twice to get a kill, missed, and now you can't dodge the incoming stun.
- No Souls: You have 2,000 souls and the guy killing you has 5,000. You aren't "bad at aiming," you're just poor. Go farm some neutral camps in the jungle.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Match
- Practice the Parry: Press 'F' to parry melee attacks. If you time it right against an Abrams who loves to charge, you stun them for ages. It turns the tide of a fight instantly.
- Check the "Active" Items: Don't just buy passive stats. Items like "Refresher" or "Knockdown" require you to actually press a button. They are game-changers.
- Slide for Infinite Ammo: If you are sliding down a slope or after a dash, your ammo doesn't deplete while shooting. It’s a niche mechanic that the pros use to win trades.
- Melee the Troopers: If you kill a Trooper with a melee strike, you get the Souls automatically without having to shoot the orb. It's risky but efficient.
- Watch the Golden Statues: There are small destructible statues hidden around the map. Break them. They give permanent, albeit small, stat buffs. Every little bit helps when the game hits the 40-minute mark.
Focus on the economy. The shooting will come naturally if you've played any FPS in the last decade, but the "how to play" part of Deadlock is really about understanding the flow of resources. Kill Troopers, secure orbs, deny the enemy, and don't forget to buy your items. If you do that, you're already better than 60% of the player base currently flooding the servers.