One of the biggest early mistakes in Deadlock is picking a hero because they look cool or seem strong, without considering whether their kit suits a new player. Some heroes have tight skill windows, require precise lineups, or only become effective once you understand the map deeply. Others are genuinely forgiving — they work even when you're making mistakes, and they teach good habits along the way.
Here are the best heroes to start with if you're new to Deadlock.
Abrams — The Punishing Tank
Abrams is one of the most beginner-friendly heroes in Deadlock precisely because he's built to take punishment. His high base health and passive regeneration mean you can make positioning mistakes and still survive — invaluable when you're learning where to be on the map.
His kit is straightforward: a charge ability that closes distance and disrupts enemies, a siphon life ability for sustain, and a powerful close-range ultimate that creates a bubble and slams enemies into the ground. None of these require precise lineups or split-second timing.
As a beginner, you'll naturally want to be near the fight — and Abrams rewards that instinct rather than punishing it. He's a hero you can play aggressively, learn from your positioning mistakes, and still contribute meaningfully to your team.
Best for: Players who like being in the thick of the fight, former tank or duelist mains.
McGinnis — The Fortification Hero
McGinnis places turrets that automatically attack nearby enemies. In terms of beginner value, those turrets do a lot of the work for you — they provide pressure, deal consistent damage, and punish enemies who aren't paying attention, all without requiring precise mechanical input.
Her kit also includes a wall ability that's excellent for blocking choke points during a push or stopping enemies from escaping. It's one of the more useful utility abilities in the game once you understand where to place it.
McGinnis looks underwhelming on paper but wins games through consistent, low-maintenance output. If you're used to playing sentinel or support roles in other games, she'll feel familiar.
Best for: Players who like holding positions, sentinel or support-style playstyles.
Kelvin — The Approachable Support
Deadlock's heroes are all designed to be combat-capable, but Kelvin leans toward support in a way that's genuinely useful without being complicated.
His primary value comes from his AoE ice path — a trail that slows enemies who walk through it and speeds up allies. In teamfights, this ability alone changes the pace of an engagement, and it's easy to land because it covers a wide area. His ultimate (a beam that freezes enemies in place) is similarly straightforward: aim at the enemy, press the button, help win the teamfight.
Kelvin is also fairly durable for a support-adjacent hero, which means you don't need to play as cautiously as a typical support character. You can be in the fight, use your abilities, and contribute meaningfully.
Best for: Players who want to support teammates without being passive, those who prefer AOE utility over single-target mechanics.
Dynamo — The Teamfight Hero
If your playstyle is about big teamfight moments rather than individual duels, Dynamo is worth learning early.
His signature ability pulls enemies into a singularity — a gravity well that holds multiple enemies in place for several seconds. Getting this off in the middle of a 6v6 teamfight is one of the most impactful single plays in Deadlock, and because it's a large AoE with decent range, it doesn't require pinpoint accuracy.
Dynamo is also one of the more durable heroes in the roster, so he's less punishing to play when you're still learning the map and making occasional overextensions.
Best for: Players from MOBA backgrounds, those who enjoy high-impact teamfight abilities.
Infernus — The Persistent Damage Dealer
If you want to play a DPS hero without requiring precise mechanics, Infernus is the safest starting point.
His damage comes from fire — persistent burning effects that tick over time rather than burst damage requiring precise timing. Once you apply the burn, it keeps dealing damage even if you miss follow-up shots. His movement ability gives good chase or escape potential, and his ultimate creates a large fire zone around him that damages anything nearby.
Infernus rewards staying in fights and maintaining pressure rather than executing precise combos. He's a hero you can improve on over time — but he also works reasonably well even when you're not optimising perfectly.
Best for: Players who like dealing damage without complex execution, duelist or carry playstyles.
What to Do in Your First 10 Games
Pick one of these five heroes and commit to them for your first 10-15 games. Switching heroes every game delays learning — you don't build muscle memory for abilities, you don't develop a feel for what your hero can do, and you'll keep making the same fundamental mistakes.
Use the first few games to understand your abilities, your farm priority, and the basic map structure. By game 10, you should have a clear picture of what your hero is good at and where you're struggling — and that's the moment to start getting intentional about improving.
The heroes who are mechanically complex in Deadlock are genuinely rewarding to master. But none of that matters until you understand the game's underlying economy and objectives. These beginner-friendly picks let you learn those fundamentals without the added cost of a demanding kit.
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