Every new Deadlock match starts the same way: a hero select screen with more names than you can process in 30 seconds.
I remember staring at that grid myself, guessing based on which icon looked coolest, then getting stomped because I had no idea what my hero was actually supposed to do in a fight.
Most Deadlock characters get easier to pick once you stop thinking in strict classes and start thinking about the job you want in a fight, whether that means starting the brawl, dealing the damage, or keeping your team alive.
Valve never locks a hero into one role, and item builds can shift almost anyone between jobs.
Here is how those roles actually work in Deadlock, and where every hero fits once you stop guessing from the character select screen.
How Do Roles Work for Deadlock Characters?
Deadlock does not lock heroes into permanent classes.
Instead, each character is shaped by a unique ability kit, while item choices can push them toward damage, durability, mobility, or utility during a match.
The same hero can fill different roles depending on the build, team, and situation. Common groupings include:
- Frontline: Creates pressure, absorbs attention, and disrupts enemies in close fights.
- Damage: Focuses on sustained damage, burst potential, and securing eliminations.
- Support: Helps teammates through healing, protection, buffs, or useful utility.
- Control: Limits movement, protects areas, and influences where fights take place.
These labels describe common playstyles rather than official Valve classes, so plenty of heroes can fit more than one group.
As of the most recent hero wave, which covers all 38 heroes now in the game, they are split into four practical groups below: Frontline and Initiators, Gun and Spirit Carries, Assassins and Skirmishers, and Support and Utility.
Each section breaks down what a hero does well, so you can jump straight to whichever job sounds like you.
Valve’s January 2026 “Old Gods, New Blood” update pushed the roster to 38 characters, and further additions are expected as development continues.
Frontline and Initiators
These heroes excel at taking space, absorbing pressure, and disrupting enemy positioning, creating openings that let teammates control important fights more easily.
1. Abrams
Abrams is a durable close-range brawler who pressures enemies directly, survives extended fights, and creates safe openings for teammates behind him.
Siphon Life sustains him during brawls, while Shoulder Charge carries enemies forward and can stun targets by smashing them into walls.
2. Bebop
Bebop is an aggressive initiator who isolates vulnerable enemies, drags them out of position, and creates quick advantages before fights fully develop.
Exploding Uppercut disrupts nearby targets, while Sticky Bomb adds burst damage and Hook pulls distant enemies directly into dangerous follow-up combinations.
3. Billy
Billy is a chaotic melee frontliner who rushes directly into enemy formations, keeps opponents close, and creates room through constant physical pressure.
Rising Ram closes distance quickly, Bashdown creates disruptive shockwaves, and Chain Gang prevents nearby enemies from escaping his aggressive melee engagements.
4. Dynamo
Dynamo is a teamfight initiator and utility frontliner who disrupts grouped opponents while helping teammates reposition, recover health, and survive engagements.
Kinetic Pulse knocks enemies upward, Quantum Entanglement enables repositioning, and Singularity pulls nearby opponents together while stunning them during major teamfights.
5. Kelvin
Kelvin combines frontline pressure with defensive utility, slowing enemy advances while helping teammates survive, reposition, and contest important areas more effectively.
Frost Grenade damages enemies and heals allies, Arctic Beam applies escalating slows, while Frozen Shelter creates a protective dome around fights.
6. Lash
Lash is a highly mobile aerial initiator who attacks from unexpected angles, closes distance quickly, and disrupts enemy formations before they react.
Grapple provides exceptional mobility, Ground Strike rewards airborne attacks, and Death Slam grabs and throws multiple enemies into favorable fighting positions.
7. McGinnis
McGinnis is an area-control frontliner who establishes defensive positions, blocks movement routes, and makes contested objectives increasingly difficult for enemies to approach.
Her turrets provide persistent pressure, Medicinal Specter heals nearby allies, while Spectral Wall divides fights and Heavy Barrage punishes clustered opponents.
8. Mo and Krill
Mo and Krill are durable initiators who approach safely underground, appear beside priority targets, and keep enemies occupied during close-range engagements.
Burrow provides protected movement, Scorn damages enemies while restoring health, and Combo locks one target down for reliable teammate follow-up damage.
9. Victor
Victor is a durable brawler who thrives inside prolonged fights, willingly absorbs incoming damage, and pressures nearby opponents through constant sustained aggression.
Pain Battery converts received damage into offensive power, Aura of Suffering damages nearby enemies, while Shocking Reanimation gives Victor another fighting chance.
10. Warden
Warden is a persistent frontline controller who pressures retreating opponents, restricts their movement, and forces enemies to respond before he closes distance.
His abilities reward sustained pursuit and close-range pressure, while Binding Word threatens confinement that can leave isolated enemies vulnerable to teammates.
These frontliners work best when someone enters first, disrupts positioning, and gives damage-focused teammates enough room to finish the engagement.
Gun and Spirit Carries
These carries turn weapon damage or spirit scaling into sustained pressure, giving their teams reliable ways to threaten enemies throughout fights.
11. Celeste
Celeste is a ranged spirit carry who pressures grouped enemies from safety, building damage while forcing opponents to respect her positioning.
Radiant Daggers build stacking spirit power, while Light Eater and Shining Wonder add burst, sustain, slows, and strong teamfight finishing pressure.
12. Graves
Graves is an area-denial carry who wins slower fights by filling contested spaces with summons, immobilization, and persistent spirit damage.
Jar of Dead summons attacking Deadheads, while Grasping Hands blocks routes and Borrowed Decree floods fights with additional undead pressure.
13. Grey Talon
Grey Talon is a long-range carry who rewards accurate aim, careful positioning, and constant poke before enemies can safely close distance.
Charged Shot delivers piercing burst damage, Spirit Snare controls movement, and Guided Owl threatens distant targets while scaling his spirit power.
14. Holliday
Holliday is a ranged pick specialist who punishes exposed enemies, creates openings before teamfights, and rewards players with consistently accurate shooting.
Powder Keg knocks enemies upward, Bounce Pad creates movement options, and Crackshot rewards precise hits against targets launched into the air.
15. Infernus
Infernus is a sustained damage carry who burns opponents over time, spreads pressure across fights, and becomes dangerous during extended engagements.
Afterburn adds persistent damage through repeated hits, while Flame Dash creates burning paths and lets Infernus pressure enemies while repositioning quickly.
16. Mina
Mina is a mobile skirmishing carry who pressures priority targets, thrives around repeated engagements, and forces enemies to track her movement.
Love Bites supports her sustained pressure, while her mobility and spirit-focused abilities let Mina harass vulnerable targets without remaining stationary long.
17. Paradox
Paradox is a tactical carry who punishes predictable movement, controls sightlines, and turns one accurate setup into a favorable isolated fight.
Kinetic Carbine stops targets at range, Time Wall controls projectiles, and Paradoxical Swap pulls priority enemies into dangerous positions for teammates.
18. Seven
Seven is a spirit carry built for sustained area damage, spreading electrical pressure across clustered enemies and controlling crowded teamfight spaces.
Lightning Ball pressures areas, Static Charge delivers delayed crowd control, and Power Surge makes weapon shots chain additional damage between enemies.
19. Shiv
Shiv is a close-range carry who builds pressure through bleeding, aggressive movement, and extended fights where weakened enemies become easier targets.
Serrated Knives stack bleed pressure, Slice and Dice closes distance, and Bloodletting delays incoming damage so Shiv can continue fighting aggressively.
20. Venator
Venator is a precision weapon carry who isolates targets, restricts movement, and converts careful ranged setup into extremely dangerous burst windows.
Hex-Lined Snap Trap immobilizes enemies, Gutshot punishes targets near walls, and Ira Domini provides powerful crossbow shots for finishing priority opponents.
21. Vindicta
Vindicta is an aerial marksman who controls long sightlines, pressures enemies from height, and specializes in finishing targets already running low.
Flight creates safer firing angles, Crow Familiar weakens targets, and Assassinate delivers long-range finishing shots while rewarding successful hero eliminations.
22. Vyper
Vyper is a mobile gun carry who maintains constant weapon pressure, uses sliding movement aggressively, and remains difficult to pin down.
Slither improves her sliding mobility, Screwjab Dagger supports repeated pressure, and Lethal Venom adds dangerous damage against targets she keeps attacking.
23. Wraith
Wraith is a single-target gun carry who builds momentum quickly, isolates vulnerable opponents, and uses mobility to maintain favorable firing positions.
Card Trick adds burst pressure, Full Auto boosts sustained fire, Project Mind enables repositioning, and Telekinesis disables a priority enemy target.
These carries reward strong positioning and scaling, turning farm and item advantages into the sustained damage needed to decide longer engagements.
If you’re sorting through a different hero shooter’s kit list, our FragPunk roster breakdown uses this same role-first approach.
Assassins and Skirmishers
These assassins and skirmishers thrive on isolated targets, fast rotations, and extended duels where mobility and timing matter more than durability.
24. Apollo
Apollo is a mobile duelist who pressures isolated enemies through precise gunplay, quick movement, and strong control during close one-on-one engagements.
Riposte punishes incoming attacks with a stun, while Flawless Advance and Itani Lo Sahn help him sustain pressure and secure duels.
25. Calico
Calico is a mobile assassin who approaches from unexpected angles, bursts vulnerable targets quickly, and escapes before enemies can organize effective retaliation.
Leaping Slash provides damaging mobility, Ava improves rotations, Gloom Bombs add burst pressure, and Return to Shadows creates a strong escape window.
26. Drifter
Drifter is a roaming assassin who hunts isolated opponents, follows their movement, and becomes increasingly dangerous when enemies separate from teammates.
Rend delivers close-range damage, Stalker’s Mark enables rapid pursuit, Bloodscent tracks isolated enemies, and Eternal Night disrupts vision during committed attacks.
27. Haze
Haze is a stealth-focused weapon assassin who farms efficiently, approaches unseen, and punishes isolated enemies before they can respond to her pressure.
Sleep Dagger disables targets, Smoke Bomb enables stealthy approaches, Fixation rewards sustained gunfire, and Bullet Dance threatens nearby enemies during committed fights.
28. Lady Geist
Lady Geist is a health-trading caster who sacrifices her own life for pressure, then reverses dangerous fights through powerful healing and exchanges.
Essence Bomb costs health for damage, Life Drain restores it, Malice increases pressure, and Soul Exchange can suddenly reverse losing duels.
29. Mirage
Mirage is a roaming marksman who applies accurate ranged pressure, controls enemy movement, and rotates quickly when another lane needs immediate help.
Fire Scarabs weaken targets, Dust Devil disrupts positioning, Djinn’s Mark rewards repeated shots, and Traveler enables fast rotations across the map.
30. Pocket
Pocket is an elusive burst skirmisher who dives into close range, unloads spirit damage, avoids retaliation, and quickly resets for another attack.
Barrage pressures groups, Flying Cloak enables aggressive teleports, Enchanter’s Satchel avoids danger, and Affliction spreads sustained damage across nearby enemy heroes.
31. Silver
Silver is a transforming skirmisher who alternates between ranged pressure and aggressive close combat, making extended duels increasingly difficult for isolated opponents.
Slam Fire boosts weapon pressure, Boot Kick creates openings, and Lycan Curse transforms Silver for stronger pursuit and close-range melee aggression.
32. Yamato
Yamato is a close-range assassin who commits heavily to priority targets, using mobility, sword attacks, and repeated pressure to continue difficult chases.
Power Slash delivers a charged burst, Flying Slash closes distance, Crimson Slash heals during combat, and Shadow Transformation refreshes and accelerates abilities.
These heroes reward confident timing and target selection, giving skilled players the tools to chase openings and punish enemies caught without support.
Support and Utility
These support heroes protect teammates, disrupt enemy plans, and control important spaces, helping their teams win fights without relying on raw damage.
33. The Doorman
The Doorman is a map-control support who manipulates routes, displaces enemies, and creates unusual movement options that can reshape entire engagements.
Call Bell slows enemies, Luggage Cart forces movement, Doorway creates travel routes, and Hotel Guest temporarily removes a target from battle.
34. Ivy
Ivy is a mobile support who protects teammates, disrupts nearby enemies, and helps allies reposition quickly during coordinated pushes and defensive fights.
Stone Form provides crowd control, while Air Drop carries an ally across fights before granting protection and offensive bonuses after landing.
35. Paige
Paige is a protective utility caster who shields allies, controls crowded areas, and contributes healing and disruption across larger team engagements.
Plot Armor grants barriers and weapon bonuses, while Captivating Read immobilizes enemies and Rallying Charge heals allies across the battlefield.
36. Rem
Rem is a healing support who stays close to teammates, interrupts enemy movement, and helps maintain momentum throughout longer team engagements.
Pillow Toss knocks enemies back, Tag Along heals allies, while Naptime restricts movement before putting affected enemies to sleep.
37. Sinclair
Sinclair is an adaptive utility caster who combines ranged spirit pressure, crowd control, repositioning, and copied abilities to answer changing situations.
Vexing Bolt provides ranged damage, Rabbit Hex disables groups, and Audience Participation copies an enemy ultimate for flexible teamfight responses.
38. Viscous
Viscous is a disruptive rescue support who protects endangered allies, displaces nearby enemies, and makes otherwise straightforward engagements difficult to execute cleanly.
The Cube protects and restores allies, Puddle Punch disrupts positioning, and Goo Ball repeatedly damages and stuns enemies while moving through fights.
These utility-focused heroes shine when teamwork matters most, providing saves, crowd control, movement tools, and protection that help stronger damage dealers succeed.
How to Choose the Right Deadlock Character
Choosing the right hero comes down to your preferred combat style, current experience, team composition, and the responsibilities you enjoy handling.
- Match your combat style: Pick frontline heroes for aggressive close fights, ranged carries for safer damage, or supports if you prefer protecting teammates.
- Consider your experience: Beginners may prefer straightforward abilities, while experienced FPS or MOBA players can choose heroes that reward familiar mechanical skills.
- Look at your strengths: Strong aim suits weapon-focused carries, while good timing and ability management work better with spirit-heavy or utility characters.
- Check your team composition: Avoid stacking similar damage roles when your lineup already lacks frontline pressure, protection, crowd control, or reliable utility.
- Stay flexible with builds: Your initial choice does not completely define your job, since items can shift a hero toward damage, durability, mobility, or support.
The strongest choice is usually the character whose abilities feel comfortable while also providing something useful that your current team composition lacks.
My honest take after climbing through pubs and ranked alike: the fastest way to actually find your role is picking one hero from each group above and running 10 matches with each before committing to a main.
If ranking by raw power interests you more than role, our Marvel Rivals tier list takes that approach instead.
Conclusion
Sorting through Deadlock characters comes down to picking a job you actually enjoy doing in a fight, not chasing whichever hero currently tops a tier list.
Frontliners open the fight, carries close it out, assassins punish anyone who wanders off alone, and support heroes make sure the whole plan holds together.
None of that is locked in once you load into a match, since items and playstyle can shift any hero into a different job over time.
Try a few heroes from different groups before settling on a main.
What role do you keep gravitating toward, and which hero finally clicked for you? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Deadlock Have Official Hero Roles?
No, Deadlock has no official hero roles or role queue. Valve leaves lane assignments random and lets any hero shift between frontline, damage, or support work through item builds. The role groups in this guide are practical, hands-on groupings based on what each kit actually does well in a real match, not locked-in classes.
Who is the Easiest Deadlock Character to Play?
Abrams, Seven, and McGinnis are the easiest starting picks because their kits are simple to read in the middle of a fight. Abrams rewards straightforward brawling, Seven’s damage is easy to aim, and McGinnis’s turrets keep pressure up without much micromanagement. All three let new players focus on movement, aim, and farming before learning trickier kits.
What are the Best Deadlock Characters?
There is no single best Deadlock character, since strength depends on playstyle, skill level, and what a team composition is missing. A hero that dominates in one matchup can fall flat in another if the build or lane does not suit them. The strongest pick is usually one whose kit feels natural and fills a gap on the team.
Are New Deadlock Characters Still Being Added?
Yes, Valve keeps adding new heroes to Deadlock while the game stays in active development. Recent waves have brought several characters into the roster at once, alongside balance changes and reworked abilities for existing heroes. Anyone picking a main should expect the lineup, and sometimes a hero’s whole kit, to keep shifting between updates.
