Economy & objectives

Deadlock Sinners Guide: Sacrifice Machines, Spawns & Rewards

Learn how Sinner's Sacrifice works in Deadlock, when machines spawn, how melee rewards work and when a Sinner is worth contesting.

3 min readMap guide

Sinner's Sacrifice is a tempting little side job: punch a machine, get paid, and occasionally pick up permanent power. The catch? Everyone else can hear or see you farming if you choose the wrong spot.

Quick answer: Sinner's Sacrifice machines appear from 8:00 and are broken with melee attacks for Haunted Souls and permanent buffs. They respawn after the relevant location is fully cleared, generally on a five-minute timer. Don't lose a lane wave or get caught alone just to finish one.

By Deadlock Item Builder · Map guide

Sinner's Sacrifice at a glance

RuleWhat to know
First spawn8:00
RespawnAbout 5 minutes after a solo machine is broken or the hybrid location is fully cleared
How to damage itMelee attacks
RewardsHaunted Souls and permanent buffs
Hybrid locationsMay also contain neutral Haunts that must be cleared for respawn

Use Game Timers for a compact schedule when you're already in a match.

A Sinner’s Sacrifice machine pays out souls as you land melee hits.
A Sinner’s Sacrifice machine pays out souls as you land melee hits.

How do Sinners work?

Find the Sinner's Sacrifice marker, reach the machine, and break it using melee. Each hit can grant part of the soul payout, with a larger reward when the machine breaks. Heavy melee can give more per hit than light melee, but rushing in blindly can turn your farm run into an enemy donation.

These are Haunted Souls—the unsecured income category—so consider what happens if you're immediately caught after collecting them. Visit Souls & Farming for the difference between secured and unsecured income.

When do Sinners spawn and respawn?

The first spawn is at 8:00. After clearing a standalone machine, its location begins a respawn countdown. At mixed or hybrid locations, you need to clear the other machines and neutral Haunts as well before the full location is considered cleared.

This is why two players can disagree about a timer while both swear they saw the machine get punched: finishing one machine is not necessarily finishing the entire camp.

Should you take a Sinner or a lane wave?

Usually the safe wave comes first. A Sinner is valuable when your lane is already handled or you're moving between meaningful objectives. It's less attractive if you abandon troopers, spend your last stamina, or walk into a blind corner with enemies missing.

A good pattern is clear wave → move through the nearby jungle → take the Sinner → return before the next wave. If your hero clears a machine slowly, ask whether the route is still worth it.

Are double Sinners worth contesting?

Multi-machine sites can offer a concentrated reward, which also makes them attractive ambush targets. Check minimap pressure and whether your team can fight nearby. Taking more than one machine is a strong play only if you survive to use the reward.

At hybrid sites, don't forget the Haunts. Leaving them alive can delay the location's respawn, even after the visible machine is gone.

Common mistakes

  • Trying to shoot a Sinner instead of using melee.
  • Assuming every location respawns immediately after one machine breaks.
  • Ignoring the risk of carrying Haunted Souls afterward.
  • Prioritizing the machine over an entire unattended lane wave.
  • Farming an exposed site while nearby enemies are missing.

Frequently asked questions

When do Sinners spawn in Deadlock?
Sinner's Sacrifice machines first appear at 8:00 under the currently documented rules.
How often do Sinners respawn?
Roughly five minutes after the relevant location is fully cleared. Hybrid camps require both machines and neutral Haunts to be cleared.
Can you shoot Sinner's Sacrifice machines?
They are a melee-focused map objective. Use melee attacks to earn the rewards.
What are double Sinners?
Some areas include multiple machines, creating a bigger concentrated reward and a more contested farming location.