The best first hero isn't necessarily the one at the top of the tier list. It's the one whose job makes sense before your screen fills with abilities, gunfire and someone yelling about the Urn.
Quick answer: Start with a hero with an obvious game plan. Seven is a good fit for learning farming and area control, Haze for gun damage, McGinnis for defending positions, and Paige for supporting teammates. If you prefer being in the middle of a fight, try Abrams or Infernus.
By Deadlock Item Builder · New player guideBest beginner heroes at a glance
| Hero | Good for | Your first job | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven | Farming and area pressure | Collect waves, scale, and use your abilities to control space | Using your ultimate in a terrible position |
| Haze | Gun carry fundamentals | Find safe damage angles and avoid long trades when vulnerable | Diving in before you can survive the counterattack |
| McGinnis | Holding ground and pushing | Prepare positions and pressure objectives | Setting up too far away from the next useful fight |
| Paige | Team support | Shield the right ally and help your team survive | Standing so close that you are caught with your teammate |
| Infernus | Sustained damage | Stay in effective range without overcommitting | Staying exposed after the enemy turns on you |
| Abrams | Frontline basics | Use your bulk and melee threat to create space | Running in alone and getting parried |
| Wraith | Gun dueling and pick setups | Farm consistently, then isolate winnable fights | Starting an all-in without a follow-up plan |
This is a learning shortlist, not a live win-rate ranking. Choose the hero who teaches the style you enjoy.
Seven: learn the economy without disappearing from fights
Seven gives new players a clear loop: clear waves, grow stronger, and contribute with damage and area pressure. His abilities are easy to understand, but don't mistake easy-to-cast for impossible-to-punish. An exposed channel can be interrupted.
First-game tip: Before you press a big ability, ask whether your teammates can protect you and whether the enemy has an obvious interrupt. Learn Seven's game plan.
Haze: learn where a gun carry should stand
Haze rewards steady aiming and target access. That makes her useful for practising gun pressure and understanding why positioning matters. She is not a license to sprint into six enemies every time your ultimate is ready.
First-game tip: Start with controlled trades. If you're building stacks on an opponent, plan an escape before you commit to the finish. Learn Haze's game plan.
McGinnis: learn how to turn space into objectives
McGinnis excels at preparing a location and turning it into pressure. Her straightforward goal is great for beginners learning that structures, lanes and good setups matter more than chasing every fight.
First-game tip: Set up where your team wants to play next, not where the fight happened thirty seconds ago. Learn McGinnis' game plan.
Paige: learn to help your team without carrying every fight
Paige has a clear supportive identity. She teaches you to watch teammates, save protection for the meaningful moment, and work from positions that let you help without being the first person caught.
First-game tip: Don't use all your protection on a teammate who is already safe. Look for the ally who's about to take the dangerous hit. Learn Paige's game plan.
Infernus, Abrams and Wraith: three other good starting styles
Infernus teaches sustained pressure and spacing. Abrams teaches frontline timing and the danger of overcommitting to melee. Wraith teaches farming into focused duels and picks. None is universally easy in every matchup, but each has a straightforward goal you can practise.
If you're deciding between them, choose the one whose failure you'll enjoy learning from. Losing a short duel is usually easier to learn from than trying to master five unfamiliar heroes at once.
How to choose your first Deadlock hero
- Prefer aiming and gun fights? Try Haze or Wraith.
- Like controlling space and objectives? Try Seven or McGinnis.
- Want to protect teammates? Try Paige.
- Want to play up close? Try Abrams or Infernus.
Use DIB's Role Finder for a more personalized playstyle match, then open the Hero Guides directory for a short plan.
Common beginner hero mistakes
- Picking only because a hero has a high current win rate.
- Switching heroes after every bad lane instead of learning the matchup.
- Copying a late-game build and ignoring lane survival.
- Using an ultimate the moment it's ready, regardless of position.
- Confusing “easy to learn” with “no counterplay.”
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest Deadlock hero for beginners?
Is Haze good for beginners?
Should beginners play support heroes?
How many heroes should I learn first?
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