How to Play Pick Heroes in Deadlock

A catch is only the beginning.

Your job on the team

Pick heroes use control, displacement or isolation to create a focused kill opportunity. A hook, swap or targeted lockdown can force an enemy out of safety, but the spell is only the start of the play.

Your job is to make the follow-up reliable. That means reading who is exposed, where your teammates are and whether protection or a save will undo the catch. A support who is reachable can be a better target than a carry you cannot safely hold.

Heroes that can play this role

These are common playstyles, not exclusive classes. Your build and team needs decide which job to emphasise.

ApolloBebopCalicoDeadman DannyDrifterDynamoHazeHollidayMo & KrillParadoxThe DoormanWraith

Laning priorities

Use pressure to secure the wave while threatening the enemy’s predictable peeks. When possible, let an area ability damage both the wave and a nearby opponent. Make your partner aware of the setup before committing to a catch.

Do not chase a lane kill at the cost of an easy return kill or missed resources. If your important control is unavailable, play around cover and collection until the next useful window. A target forced away from the wave can already be a successful trade.

For the shared fundamentals, read the Deadlock laning guide.

What to do after lane

Move with a teammate whose damage can finish your catch. Look for enemies crossing between lanes, collecting a dangerous wave or returning along a predictable route. Check what is visible before entering contested space; the isolated target may have help just outside sight.

Keep your own resource collection moving between attempts. Repeatedly waiting for a target who never appears wastes the time you could use to clear an available wave or cover an objective. Choose routes that combine resources with a realistic opportunity.

When a pick succeeds, convert the missing enemy into something concrete: safer pressure on an objective, access to resources or a better position for the next fight. Reset if your team is low or key tools are spent instead of automatically chasing another enemy.

Teamfight positioning and decisions

Before using control, check whether the destination and duration let teammates follow. Pulling a durable enemy into your backline may give that enemy the fight they wanted. Displace a target into usable damage, not just toward the nearest ally.

Track defensive movement and saves. If a target can deny your catch, force the response with a smaller commitment or switch to another exposed enemy. Coordinate your control so the team does not spend every disable into the same protection window.

Your control can also peel. If a diver reaches your carry, stopping or moving that diver may win more than starting a new chase. Decide whether the team needs an offensive catch or protection before the fight begins.

How to choose items for your role

Choose utility that makes your actual catch work: access to the target, reliable control or enough survival to remain useful after the setup. Do not add a delayed disable without considering the movement or protection that can defeat it.

Use the mobility counter guide when escape is denying a finish, and the control guide when enemy protection changes your timing. Coordinate targeted counter purchases with teammates; one dependable application can be more valuable than several poorly timed duplicates.

Use the Counter Item Helper to compare answers to the enemy heroes, then choose the purchase that fits your job.

Common mistakes

• Landing control when no teammate can reach the target.
• Pulling a strong frontline into the middle of your vulnerable allies.
• Spending every disable before checking enemy saves or immunity.
• Roaming for too long without collecting resources or covering an objective.

A practical example

On Holliday, decide where the Lasso target should end up before committing. If your carry is being dived, using the displacement to separate the diver from that ally can be more useful than hunting another target.

Explore the other roles

Back to the full hero roles chart →

Gun Carry

Sustained weapon damage built on farm, fired from safe angles.

How to play gun carry Spirit Carry

Ability-based damage windows, timed around cooldowns and safe approaches.

How to play spirit carry Frontline

Makes dangerous space usable, engages when teammates can follow and absorbs pressure.

How to play frontline Support

Saves, healing, control and utility that keep teammates effective.

How to play support

Frequently asked questions