Deadlock: 9 Essential Beginner Tips

Deadlock, the new multiplayer game from Valve continues to attract players, with thousands trying to get an invitation to the playtest.

The unique blend of MOBA and third-person shooter has made Deadlock a game that could be big if executed right.

However, among its many problems in the development stage, one of them is the complexity of the game.

MOBAs are notorious for having a steep learning curve, but when you add the shooter aspect, it becomes increasingly difficult to pick up for beginners.

So, here are some tips and tricks I wish I knew when I started playing Deadlock.

9 Understanding the Fundamentals

Get The Basics Down

Deadlock is indeed more MOBA than a hero-shooter. For this reason, the shooter playstyle just won’t work. That’s why understanding the fundamentals of Deadlock and especially MOBA is key.

Players who have experience with MOBAs such as League of Legends or Dota 2 will have an easier time understanding the fundamentals of the game. Conversely, shooter players from games like Valorant, Overwatch 2, or CS2 might struggle.

To make things easier, here is a quick rundown of how Deadlock works and a refresher on MOBA games, in general.

• Each match is a 6v6 fight to destroy the other team’s Patron (Nexus in LoL or Ancient in Dota 2).
• The map is split into four lanes and is symmetrical on both sides. The map is big, and as such, transportation is made possible by transit lines (basically, zip lines).
• The goal is to slowly take control of lanes, advance toward the enemy base, and destroy their Patron.
• You are given the choice to pick from a collection of Heroes, each with distinct abilities.

8 The Minimap Is Your Friend

Awareness Is Key

The minimap can keep you updated on everything that’s going on in the match. It shows a lot of information that can be beneficial to plan a strategy.

Plus, it also gives you awareness of the entire match. The lanes your teammates are fighting on and the lanes the enemies are pushing.

It also shows you the health of your Walkers and Guardians and alerts you if they are being attacked. All of this information is extremely important.

Therefore, always keep an eye on the map. Be aware of what’s going on and communicate with your team accordingly.

7 Early Game Farming Is Important

When In Doubt, Collect Souls

It might seem like the right decision to go guns blazing towards the enemies and secure some early frags, but this is the worst thing you can do.

While killing enemy heroes is always beneficial, doing this in the early game has diminishing returns.

You should prioritize farming souls and killing as many troopers in the early game. Ultimately, the team with the most souls can upgrade their heroes first, putting the other team at a major disadvantage.

Additionally, make a habit of shooting the soul orbs to prevent enemies from stealing them and make sure to steal theirs.

6 Save Your Transit Line Boost

Speed Is Good, But Use It Conservatively

Your Transit Line boost should only be used in emergencies. Don’t use it just so you can get to the fight faster; only use it when needed.

The cooldown on the boost is 340 seconds, so you have to use it with caution.

You never know when a teammate needs help or the enemy might try an aggressive push. The boost is a strategic piece in your arsenal, so use it wisely.

5 Stick to One Lane

Consistency Wins Games

As someone who majorly plays shooters, one of the stupidest mistakes I made was switching lanes every spawn to follow the action. This is the worst thing you can do in terms of team coordination.

Choose a lane at the start of the match and stick to it unless there is an emergency. There are two benefits to this. Firstly, when you are in control of a single lane, you can make steady progress towards the enemy objective and observe any weakness in that lane.

Secondly, your teammates will be relieved knowing that you are controlling a certain lane, allowing them to play without any stress.

4 Movement Mastery is Important

Be Hard To Hit

While Deadlock is more MOBA than a hero shooter, the shooting aspect is important. Most of your duels will be decided on this factor.

Training your aim is always a solid idea, but also use the movement mechanics in the game creatively.

For example, the dash can be used for both closing distance on weakened enemies or retreating out of danger.

Similarly, the double jump can be a great tool to get to elevations for better positioning. You can also mix mechanics, like performing an air dash by jumping and dashing.

If you are unfamiliar, here are all the movement mechanics available at your disposal in Deadlock.

• Slide: As implied, crouch while sprinting to perform a slide.
• Dash: Quickly move from one spot to the other. Useful, to close distance or retreat quickly,
• Double Jump: As simple as it sounds.
• Melee: You can physically attack an enemy if you are up close to them.
• Parry: You can deflect an enemy’s melee attack.
• Mantle: Climb up on elevations by pressing jump.

3 Keep An Eye Out For Crates And Golden Idols

Extra Souls Are Always Handy

Throughout the map, small Golden Idols and crates will spawn. You can break these to get buffs and souls.

Golden Idols can grant you permanent buffs like more health, for example. On the other hand, crates give you a lot of souls.

And, as mentioned, souls are quite important if you want to win in Deadlock.

Always keep an eye out for both of them. They are quite easy to spot if you know what you are looking for.

2 Buy Items in Lane

Save Time

I am quite ashamed to say this, but for most of my playtime, I was running back and forth to the base to upgrade my hero.

Not knowing, there is a shop on the map. Yes, there is an item shop next to the Guardians in every lane. You don’t need to run back to base just to buy items. If you are running back to heal, then that’s fine.

Also, make sure you are safe before buying. You never know when an enemy is waiting for a chance to get a free kill.

To help you out, here is quick refresher on the different item types in Deadlock.

1 Experiment In Sandbox

Practice Makes Perfect

For any beginner out there, the best thing you can do to ramp up your learning speed is to spend some time in Sandbox.

For those unfamiliar with it, Sandbox is the practice mode of Deadlock. It allows you to play with heroes, try out different items, and much more.

While you will eventually learn every hero and understand the different fundamentals just by playing the game, Sandbox is a much faster way.

Instead of trying a new hero every match, you can just spend an hour in Sandbox and try out every hero there.

More importantly, if you find a couple of heroes that match your playstyle, you can experiment with different builds on them.