If you’ve seen clips of the chaotic, ability-heavy team action from Deadlock floating around social media, you’ve probably wondered how do you play deadlock without getting completely stomped in your first 10 matches. I’ve put over 70 hours into the game since its open beta launch, and I still remember how overwhelming all the map objectives, hero abilities, and unwritten team rules felt when I first logged on. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to jump into your first match with confidence, no prior MOBA experience required.
Core Rules to Know When Learning How Do You Play Deadlock
Deadlock is a 5v5 team-based strategy game where your main goal is to push through three defended lanes, destroy the enemy’s defensive structures, and take out their core base to win. Unlike slower, more complex MOBAs, Deadlock is designed for fast-paced matches that usually last 20 to 30 minutes, so you won’t be stuck in a single game for hours. The map is split into three lanes, a neutral jungle area with buff-granting monsters, and base areas for both teams where you can respawn, buy items, and heal up between fights.
Each match starts with a draft phase where you pick a hero that fills a specific role for your team. You don’t have to memorize every hero right away, but understanding the four core role categories will help you pick a spot that fits your playstyle:
- Frontline: Tanky, high-health heroes that soak up damage, initiate team fights, and protect your team’s more fragile damage dealers. They’re usually the first to charge into enemy groups, so you need to be comfortable being the center of attention if you pick this role.
- Damage Carry: High-damage, low-health heroes that deal most of your team’s damage in late-game fights. They need to farm gold and XP early to hit their power spikes, so teammates will usually prioritize protecting them in clashes.
- Support: Heroes that heal teammates, provide utility like stuns or shields, and set up kills for the rest of the team. They don’t get as many kills as other roles, but they’re almost always the most important member of a winning team.
- Flex: Heroes that can swap between roles depending on your team’s needs. They’re great for filling gaps in your draft, but they require more game knowledge to play effectively.
Once you’ve picked a role that fits your playstyle, you’re already halfway to understanding how do you play deadlock without feeling lost. You don’t have to pick a complex hero right away; most roles have simple, beginner-friendly options that let you learn the ropes without juggling 10 different abilities.
Pre-Match Prep to Avoid Early-Game Mistakes
A lot of new players skip pre-match prep entirely and jump straight into a public match, which is the easiest way to get frustrated fast. The first thing you should do before joining a match is test out a few heroes in the practice range. You can try every hero for free here, test their abilities against dummy enemies, and adjust your keybinds to something that feels comfortable for you. Taking 10 minutes to test abilities in the practice range will save you so much frustration when you’re first figuring out how do you play deadlock.
When you get to the draft phase, always pay attention to what your team is picking before you lock in your hero. If you already have two frontline heroes, you don’t need to pick a third — you’ll end up with no damage output and lose fights easily. Starter heroes marked with a green leaf icon are designed for new players, so stick to those for your first 10 to 15 matches. I made the mistake of picking a complex flex hero for my first match, and I spent the whole game fumbling with abilities and accidentally stunning my own teammates.
You can also adjust your item loadout before the match starts, but don’t overcomplicate it when you’re new. The default recommended loadouts for each hero are curated by experienced players, and they work perfectly for most matchups. You can start experimenting with custom loadouts once you have a better feel for how the game works.
In-Match Tips to Win More Clashes and Objectives
The first 10 minutes of a match are called the laning phase, where you’ll stay in your assigned lane, farm minions for gold, and trade damage with enemy heroes in your lane. Last-hitting minions (landing the killing blow on a minion) gives you 50% extra gold, so focus on timing your attacks to get those last hits instead of spamming abilities at the whole minion wave. That extra gold adds up fast, and you’ll get your core items much earlier if you prioritize last hits.
When you hit level 6, you unlock your ultimate ability, which is usually a game-changing power that can turn the tide of a team fight. Don’t waste it on one low-health enemy running away; save it for big team clashes where you can hit multiple enemies or save a teammate from dying. If you're ever confused about what to do next when learning how do you play deadlock, just ask your team — most experienced players are happy to give quick tips to new teammates, as long as you’re polite about it.
The most important rule to remember during matches is to always prioritize objectives over kills. Taking a turret gives your whole team gold, opens up more of the map for your team, and puts pressure on the enemy base. Getting three random kills on the other side of the map doesn’t give you nearly as much long-term value. If your team wins a fight, don’t chase surviving enemies all the way back to their base. Take the nearest turret or jungle boss while the enemy team is respawning instead. That’s the easiest way to build a lead that the other team can’t come back from.
Common Beginner Misconceptions That Hold You Back
A lot of new players think they need to get as many kills as possible to be good at the game, but that’s not true at all. Assists give you just as much XP as kills, and supporting your team by stunning enemies or healing teammates is way more important than getting the final blow on an enemy. I’ve won dozens of matches where I had zero kills as a support, but 25 assists and helped my team take every objective on the map.
A lot of new players think they need to memorize every hero’s ability right away when learning how do you play deadlock, but you’ll pick that up naturally as you play more matches. You don’t have to study tier lists or watch hours of pro gameplay to have fun or win matches. Death timers get longer as the game goes on, so dying in the late game can cost you the entire match even if you were 10 kills ahead. Don’t take unnecessary 1v4 fights when your team is not around to back you up, especially once the match passes the 20-minute mark.
Another common misconception is that you have to play meta heroes (the heroes considered strongest by the community) to win. Deadlock is very well balanced, so if you have fun with a hero that’s not considered top tier, you can still climb ranks with it. I main a support hero that’s usually at the bottom of community tier lists, and I have a 62% win rate with it after 40 matches. Play what you enjoy, and you’ll naturally get better faster than if you force yourself to play a hero you hate just because it’s meta.
At the end of the day, learning how do you play deadlock is all about having fun and learning from every match, even the ones you lose. You don’t have to be a pro in your first week, and it’s totally normal to make mistakes as you get used to the mechanics. Start with a simple starter hero, stick to your assigned role, and focus on objectives over kills, and you’ll be winning more matches before you know it. If you’re still feeling stuck, jump into a few casual matches with friends first — it’s way less stressful than playing alone, and you can learn from each other’s mistakes as you go.