"Deadlock" is a new MOBA-shooter developed by Valve, currently in alpha testing. It's set in a world where players navigate a series of conflicts and strategic decisions, much like resolving a system deadlock in computing. 

Each character in the game comes with unique abilities that significantly influence team dynamics and gameplay strategies. If you can know all these characters, it helps you to build effective teams, adapt strategies on the fly, and enjoy a richer gaming experience. 

How Many Deadlock Characters?

As of now, "Deadlock" includes 21 distinct characters. Each character brings unique abilities to the table, enriching the game's strategic depth and providing players with a variety of tactical options. This lineup is likely to expand as the game continues to evolve through its development stages.

Top 21 Deadlock Character Tier List

These characters are currently seen as top-tier choices due to their unique abilities and potential to sway the outcome of matches in "Deadlock." Each character's strengths cater to different play styles and strategies, which can be effectively utilized to gain an advantage in this MOBA-shooter hybrid.

1. Pocket 

Known as an annoying assassin/close-range DPS character. Pocket is difficult to pin down due to abilities that allow teleporting out of danger and gaining brief immunity, making them a formidable presence in team fights.

Abilities:

• Exploding Uppercut: Deals minor melee damage to nearby units, knocks them back, and causes area damage upon landing.
• Sticky Bomb: Attaches a bomb to a target that explodes after a short duration, causing explosive damage.
• Hook: Fires a hook that grabs and pulls the first enemy or friendly hero it hits, dealing damage if the target is an enemy.
• Hyper Beam: Charges up to release a powerful beam of energy, damaging enemies and slowing their movement and dash speeds.

2. Lady Geist 

A standout character with abilities that sacrifice her health to deal damage, Lady Geist is versatile with potential for significant damage and control in both weapon and spirit damage builds​.

Abilities:

• Essence Bomb: Sacrifices some of her own health to launch a bomb that explodes after a brief arm time, causing damage.
• Life Drain: Creates a tether that drains health from enemies over time and heals herself.
• Malice: Sacrifices some of her health to launch blood shards that slow victims and increase the damage they receive from her.
• Soul Exchange: Swaps health levels with an enemy target. When used, Lady Geist's attack speed and spirit resistance temporarily increase.

3. Dynamo 

A support character valued for his utility in enhancing team performance rather than direct damage. His abilities include buffs that can alter the course of the game, making him an essential part of any team.

Abilities:

• Kinetic Pulse: Releases an energy pulse that knocks enemies into the air.
• Quantum Entanglement: Temporarily disappears into the void, then reappears a short distance away. Reappearing reloads his weapon and provides a fire rate bonus for the next clip.
• Rejuvenating Aurora: Channels to restore health over time to himself and nearby allies.
• Singularity: Creates a singularity that pulls in nearby enemies and damages them. After completing, the enemies are knocked into the air.

4. Haze 

Excellent for stealth and surprise attacks, Haze's abilities allow her to sneak around and execute quick kills, making her extremely effective in disrupting enemy strategies.

Abilities:

• Sleep Dagger: Throws a dagger that damages and puts the target to sleep. Sleeping targets wake up shortly after being damaged.
• Smoke Bomb: Becomes invisible and gains increased sprint speed. Attacking removes invisibility.
• Fixation: Shooting a target increases damage layers; each hit adds a layer, with headshots adding two.
• Bullet Dance: Attacks nearby enemies with her weapon while performing a rapid-fire shooting, gaining a fire rate bonus and a chance to dodge bullets during the attack.

5. Infernus 

This character brings mobility and high DPS with abilities that deal burn damage over time, making him a threat in various combat scenarios​.

Abilities:

• Catalyst: Infernus spews napalm that slows enemy movement and amplifies the damage they take from his attacks.
• Flame Dash: Infernus moves forward at high speed, leaving behind a trail of flames that burns enemies.
• Afterburn: His bullets accumulate to apply a burning effect on enemies, which is refreshed by Infernus' bullets and abilities.
• Concussive Combustion: Transforms Infernus into a living bomb that explodes after a short delay, stunning all enemies within its radius.

6. Abrams 

Known for his frontline brawn, Abrams charges into battle, leveraging his strength to disrupt enemy lines and protect allies.

Abilities:

• Shield Bash: Knocks enemies back with a powerful shield strike.
• Ground Slam: Deals area damage around him, stunning enemies.
• Charge: Rushes towards an enemy, dealing damage and stunning them upon impact.
• Fortify: Temporarily increases his defense, reducing incoming damage.
  

7. Bebop 

A close combat specialist, Bebop uses his agility and grappling skills to outmaneuver and overpower opponents.

Abilities:

• Grapple Hook: Pulls enemies closer or moves himself to strategic positions.
• Combo Hit: Delivers a series of rapid strikes to a single target.
• Knockout Blow: A powerful punch that can stun the target.
• Agility Boost: Temporarily increases his movement speed and dodge chance.

8. Dynamo 

As a tactical support, Dynamo enhances his team's capabilities with energy-based technologies.

Abilities:

• Energy Shield: Projects a shield that absorbs damage for himself and nearby allies.
• Pulse Wave: Emits a wave of energy that disrupts enemy abilities and slows them.
• Power Surge: Temporarily boosts the damage output of nearby allies.
• Restore: Heals himself and nearby teammates over time.

9. Grey Talon 

A deadly marksman, Grey Talon takes out targets from a distance with unmatched precision.

Abilities:

• Sniper Shot: Deals high damage to a single target at long range.
• Camouflage: Becomes nearly invisible when stationary, increasing damage of his next attack.
• Trap: Sets a trap that immobilizes and damages enemies who trigger it.
• Eagle Eye: Temporarily increases his vision range and critical hit chance.

10. Ivy 

With her command over nature, Ivy can control the battlefield by manipulating flora to hinder and harm her enemies.

Abilities:

• Thorn Whip: Strikes enemies at a distance, pulling them closer or pushing them away.
• Healing Bloom: Summons a field of flowers that heals allies over time.
• Vine Trap: Entangles enemies in vines, immobilizing them temporarily.
• Forest's Wrath: Calls down a barrage of nature's fury, dealing area damage.

11. Kelvin 

Master of cryogenics, Kelvin uses ice-based attacks to slow and control his foes.

Abilities:

• Ice Shard: Fires a shard of ice that damages and slows an enemy.
• Freeze: Temporarily encases a target in ice, immobilizing them.
• Glacial Shield: Creates a wall of ice that blocks enemy movement and projectiles.
• Blizzard: Unleashes a storm of ice around him, damaging and slowing all nearby enemies.

12. Lady Geist 

Utilizing her spectral powers, Lady Geist drains the life force of her enemies to strengthen herself.

Abilities:

• Haunt: Sends out a ghostly apparition that damages and terrifies the first enemy it touches.
• Possess: Takes control of an enemy for a short duration, during which they cannot attack.
• Spirit Drain: Drains health from an enemy over time, healing Lady Geist for the amount drained.
• Wraith Form: Becomes invulnerable and increases her speed for a short time.

13. Lash 

A fierce brawler, Lash uses his enhanced strength and agility to leap into fights and dominate his opponents.

Abilities:

• Whip Crack: Strikes all enemies in a line with his whip, dealing damage and pushing them back.
• Leap: Jumps to a target area, dealing damage upon landing.
• Bind: Tangles an enemy in his whip, immobilizing them briefly.
• Fury: Increases his attack speed and damage for a short period.

14. McGinnis 

An engineer at heart, McGinnis uses his inventions to create turrets and gadgets that support his team and confound his enemies.

Abilities:

• Deploy Turret: Sets up a turret that automatically attacks enemies.
• Gadgeteer: Throws a random gadget that can either damage, slow, or disorient enemies.
• Repair Mode: Fixes his turret, restoring its health and upgrading its capabilities.
• Overclock: Temporarily boosts the fire rate and damage of all nearby turrets.

15. Mo & Krill 

These partners specialize in subterranean ambushes, surprising their enemies from below.

Abilities:

• Tunnel: Digs a tunnel that he can use to travel unseen across the battlefield.
• Emerge: Bursts out of the ground, knocking up and damaging enemies.
• Swarm: Summons Krill to swarm an enemy, dealing damage over time.
• Earthquake: Causes a tremor, damaging and slowing all enemies in a large area.

16. Paradox 

A manipulator of time, Paradox can rewind and fast-forward the actions of himself and others.

Abilities:

• Time Skip: Briefly moves himself forward in time, appearing instantly at a new location.
• Rewind: Resets his health, position, and abilities to where they were a few seconds ago.
• Age Accelerate: Causes an enemy to age rapidly, reducing their speed and damage output.
• Temporal Loop: Traps an enemy in a time loop, repeating all damage taken during the loop once it ends.

17. Seven

This electrical warrior uses his powers to stun and disrupt multiple enemies at once, controlling the flow of battle.

Abilities:

• Static Field: Creates a field of static that slows and damages enemies within it.
• Charge Up: Builds up electrical energy, enhancing his next attack with additional electric damage and stun.
• Lightning Strike: Calls down a lightning bolt that damages all enemies in a straight line.
• Circuit Break: Overloads his body's electrical energy, stunning all nearby enemies.

18. Shiv 

Shiv excels in stealth and backstabbing, using his agility and daggers to deal lethal blows.

Abilities:

• Stealth: Becomes nearly invisible, increasing movement speed and damage on his next attack.
• Backstab: Teleports behind an enemy to deliver a critical strike.
• Poison Blade: Coats his blade with poison that slowly depletes health from his enemies.
• Shadow Escape: Disappears in a puff of smoke, reappearing a short distance away.

19. Vindicta 

As a vengeful sniper, Vindicta picks off her targets from afar, dealing massive damage with precision.

Abilities:

• Sniper's Mark: Marks an enemy, increasing all damage they receive from Vindicta.
• Piercing Shot: Fires a bullet that passes through enemies, dealing damage to all in its path.
• Cover: Creates a temporary shield that blocks incoming projectiles.
• Last Stand: Dramatically increases her damage output when her health is low.

20. Viscous

 Viscous uses his gelatinous body to absorb and deflect attacks, making him a resilient fighter in any melee.

Abilities:

• Absorb: Absorbs incoming damage for a short time, then releases it as a damaging pulse.
• Slam: Jumps and slams into the ground, causing a shockwave that damages and slows enemies.
• Split: Divides into smaller versions of himself to confuse and attack from multiple angles.
• Reform: Pulls all splits back into one, healing for a portion of the damage they dealt.

21. Warden

 Warden is a guardian who protects his team with shields and defensive tactics.

Abilities:

• Guardian Shield: Projects a large shield that blocks enemy attacks.
• Safeguard: Teleports to an ally, providing them with a temporary shield that absorbs damage.
• Hold Line: Creates a barrier that enemies cannot cross.
• Last Bastion: Enhances his defenses, reducing all incoming damage and reflecting some back to the attacker.

3 Deadlock New Characters

"Deadlock" has rolled out some exciting new characters, each bringing their own unique abilities to shake up the game's dynamics and tactical play. These additions range across various roles, from hard-hitting damage dealers to crucial support types, broadening the array of strategies players can employ. Here’s a quick overview of some standout new characters you might want to check out:

1. Grey Talon - A sniper character with abilities like a charged shot that pierces enemies, and a special move that allows him to glide while shooting arrows that slow enemies on hit.
2. Infernal Resilience - A tank character that can regenerate a portion of incoming damage over time and has a seismic impact ability, which allows him to leap and smash into the ground, stunning and damaging enemies within the radius.
3. Ivy - A support character known for controlling areas with abilities like summoning choking vines and creating a protective stone form that stuns and damages nearby enemies.

Top 8 Deadlock Hidden Characters

In "Deadlock," there are a number of hidden or unreleased characters that have been discovered by players exploring the game's files. Here's a brief overview of some of these characters and their abilities, based on the information available:

1. Lash - Known for his mobility and close combat prowess. His abilities include a ground strike that damages enemies directly in front of him, and a grappling hook that allows him to pull himself through the air toward a target, enhancing his weapon damage.
2. McGinnis - Functions as a support character who can control battles with combat turrets. His toolkit includes deploying mini turrets that automatically shoot enemies, and a spectral wall that divides the terrain and slows enemies upon creation.
3. Mo & Krill - This duo excels at underground mobility and control. They can burrow to move faster and gain defensive bonuses, and they have abilities that allow them to deal damage to nearby enemies and heal based on the damage done.
4. Paradox - Specializes in manipulating space and time. His abilities include creating a time-warping wall that stops enemy projectiles and slows enemies who touch it, and a kinetic carbine that charges up to release a powerful shot.
5. Pocket - A disruptive backline infiltrator with abilities that include launching damaging projectiles that apply movement slow, and a flying cloak that allows him to teleport to its location.
6. Seven - Focuses on dealing electrical damage to crowds of enemies. His abilities include shooting a ball of lightning that slows down when damaging enemies, and a power surge that enhances his weapon to deal shock damage.
7. Shiv - A deadly combatant who excels at bleeding out foes. His abilities include throwing knives that slow and damage an enemy, and a dash forward that damages enemies along the path.
8. Vindicta - A sniper who can deal significant damage from a distance. Her abilities include throwing a stake that tethers enemies, and flying to enhance her damage output.

These characters add a layer of depth and strategy to "Deadlock," providing players with a variety of playstyles and tactical options. 

4 Strong Deadlock Characters 

Some of the strongest characters in "Deadlock" according to the latest tier lists include:

1. Grey Talon, who is known for his ranged capabilities and the ability to scale into the late game effectively through his ultimate ability, Guided Owl, which grants him permanent Spirit Power for each enemy killed by it.
2. Haze excels in 1v1 situations thanks to her ability to ramp up damage over time with Fixation. She is particularly deadly if she can keep landing shots and is considered one of the best for picking off single targets.
3. Infernus is noted for his high mobility and damage potential, especially with his ability to apply a burning effect that damages over time. His Flame Dash and Concussive Combustion make him a powerful choice for engaging enemies aggressively.
4. Ivy stands out with her versatile support capabilities, excelling in both damage and crowd control with abilities like Kudzu Bomb and Air Drop, which can drastically change the dynamics of team fights.

Deadlock Best Character for Beginner

If you're just starting out in "Deadlock" and looking for characters that are beginner-friendly, there are several heroes noted for their ease of use and effectiveness for newcomers:

1. Bebop - Ideal for players who appreciate a character with straightforward, impactful abilities. Bebop's skills like Hyper Beam and Sticky Bomb make him a solid choice for those new to precision aiming and tactical gameplay.
2. Infernus - Known for his unique combat style with abilities like Flame Dash and Afterburn, Infernus is great for beginners because of his straightforward gameplay and dynamic movement.
3. McGinnis - Offers a blend of support and offense, making her a versatile pick for beginners. Her abilities like Mini Turret and Heavy Barrage provide good area control and support.
4. Grey Talon - A good choice for those who like strategic, ranged gameplay. His abilities like Rain of Arrows and Guided Owl allow for effective distance combat and tactical play.
5. Haze - Perfect for players who enjoy stealth and strategy. Her abilities like Sleep Dagger and Smoke Bomb allow for surprising enemies and controlling engagements.
6. Dynamo - A support character that's beneficial in team settings. His skills like Rejuvenating Aurora and Singularity can turn the tide of team fights, making him a valuable ally.

Each of these characters offers a unique way to learn the game's mechanics while still being forgiving enough for new players to handle. 

How to Change Character in Deadlock

To switch characters in "Deadlock," you just need to follow a few simple steps. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it:

1. Open the Main Menu: When you start up "Deadlock," head to the main menu, which is the central hub for all your game options.
2. Go to Character Selection: Look for something like “Play” or “Match Setup,” where you’ll find the option to select your character.
3. Browse and Choose: You’ll see a list or grid of characters, each with a little info on their abilities and roles. Take a moment to explore your options.
4. Select Your Character: Click on the character you want to try out. There might be a button to press for confirmation, or you might have options to customize your character’s appearance or loadout.
5. Confirm and Get Ready: Make sure your choice is locked in by confirming, if necessary.
6. Jump Into a Game: Now you're all set to play with your new character. Head into a game and see how it goes!

Switching characters is a great way to keep the game fresh and adapt to different play styles or team needs. If you're unsure about a character's abilities, spend some time in practice mode—it's a good way to get a feel for what they can do before you head into more competitive matches.

How to Enhance Your Deadlock Game Experience?

To ensure your playtest runs smoothly, consider using LagoFast Game Booster. In addition to helping players participate in Deadlock Playtest, it can also optimize your network settings to reduce lag, improve ping, boost FPS, and enhance overall game performance—crucial for enjoying fast-paced games like Deadlock. More importantly, it can help you change server regions smoothly without any increased latency.

Tutorial to Use LagoFast to Boost FPS in Deadlock:

Step 1: Start by downloading LagoFast. Simply click the "Free Trial" button to get started.

Free Trial

Step 2: Before launching your game, open LagoFast and use the search function to find your game.

Step 3: Optimize your server connection by clicking on “Select Server.” Then, choose the most effective Node by selecting from the options on the right.

Step 4: Enhance your network settings by clicking the “Smart Boost” button. This will display real-time stats such as game ping, packet loss, and network type on the right side of the app.

This straightforward setup can significantly improve your gaming quality, allowing you to focus on your gameplay without the annoyance of technical disruptions. 

What's more worth mentioning is that LagoFast supports the translation of Deadlock into various languages, including Arabic, Japanese， Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian and many other languages. This provides convenience for players from all over the world. If you need it, please try using LagoFast, a game language-translation tool.

Conclusion

In "Deadlock," the most effective characters bring a mix of flexibility, impactful team roles, and a good fit with the current game trends. It’s a great idea to try out different characters to see which ones mesh well with how you like to play. Whether you’re into the thick of the action with front-line brawlers or you enjoy the calculated plays of supports and snipers, "Deadlock" offers a range of characters that can really enhance how you experience the game. As "Deadlock" continues to evolve, keeping up with the latest updates and community insights will be crucial to really nail your strategy and staying on top of your game.