Navigating the item shop in Deadlock can be daunting, especially when trying to optimize your hero’s build. Whether you’re just starting or aiming to refine your strategy, this guide breaks down key items across various tiers and categories, helping you make informed decisions to dominate your matches.
Deadlock Item Guide Understanding Spirit and Weapon Items
Deadlock Item Guide
In Deadlock, choosing between Spirit and Weapon items is crucial, as it defines your hero’s strength and role throughout the game.
1. Spirit Items and Scaling:
- Spirit Power Scaling: Not all heroes benefit equally from Spirit items. For example, while Pocket might seem like a character that would excel with Spirit Power due to his mage-like abilities, his scaling is actually quite low. Pocket’s abilities, such as his primary attack and ultimate, scale at 1.4, his satchel at 0.7, and his teleport at 1.1. Comparatively, a hero like Talon has much better Spirit scaling, with his arrow starting at 1.6 and ramping up to 2.5 in the late game.
- Item Recommendation: For heroes like Pocket, despite the low Spirit scaling, items like Mystic Burst can be effective. Mystic Burst increases your abilities’ damage if they exceed 80 damage, which Pocket’s abilities do. This item also provides a secondary boost to weapon damage, making it a versatile pick for hybrid builds.
2. Weapon Items and Charges:
- Heroes with Ability Charges: Some heroes, such as McGinness with her turrets or Great Talon with his arrows, rely heavily on ability charges. For these heroes, the Extra Charge item is essential. It allows for back-to-back use of critical abilities, significantly enhancing damage output and survivability.
- Ammo Management: For heroes like Haze, who benefit from a larger magazine, Ammo Scavenger is an excellent pick. This item increases her magazine size by returning ammo when orbs are secured or denied, effectively doubling her magazine size in some situations.
Transitioning Between Tiers
Deadlock Item Guide
Deadlock’s items are categorized into different tiers, with each tier representing a jump in cost and power. Understanding when and how to transition from one tier to the next is vital for maintaining your advantage as the game progresses.
1. Tier 1 Items (Cost: 500):
- Versatility: Tier 1 items are relatively cheap and can be picked depending on your lane matchup. These items provide a solid foundation early in the game but won’t carry you as the game progresses.
- Example: Basic Magazine or Shift Striker can be useful for early skirmishes and maintaining lane control, but you should be prepared to transition out of these quickly as you accumulate more resources.
2. Tier 2 Items (Cost: 1250+):
- Strategic Choices: Tier 2 items require more strategic thinking. By the time you start purchasing these, the game has likely shifted to more team fights and map control. Your choices here should reflect not just your own strengths, but also how you can counter the enemy team.
- Example: Active Reload is a powerful item that rewards precise timing with an instant reload and a rate of fire buff. This is particularly effective for heroes with high reload times like Haze.
3. Late Game Items (Tier 3 and 4):
- Power Spikes: As you move into the late game, items become more expensive but offer massive power spikes. These items can turn the tide of the game, so choosing wisely is essential.
- Example: Improved Spirit Armor or Improved Bullet Armor can make you significantly tankier, offering 45% resistance to respective damage types. These items are essential for surviving in late-game team fights.
Defensive and Reactionary Picks
As the game progresses and you face stronger opponents, defense becomes just as important as offense. Deadlock offers a variety of items to help mitigate enemy damage and control the battlefield.
1. Defensive Items:
- Resistance vs. Shields: Bullet and Spirit Armor provide resistance that scales with your health, making you more durable as the game goes on. However, Combat and Enchanted Barriers offer shields that grant immediate protection and a damage boost while active. Choose between long-term durability or immediate impact based on your needs.
- Example: If you’re facing heavy Spirit damage, Improved Spirit Armor is the go-to for late-game resilience. On the other hand, if you need an early game advantage, Combat Barrier can help you win crucial early skirmishes.
2. Situational Picks:
- Crowd Control Counters: Debuff Reducer and Debuff Remover are critical against teams with heavy crowd control (CC). They reduce or even purge negative effects, which can turn the tide in battles against heroes like Warden or Seven.
- Life Steal Options: For sustaining through fights, Bullet Life Steal and Spirit Life Steal are excellent picks, allowing you to recover health during engagements without retreating.
Mastering Deadlock’s item shop requires both knowledge and experimentation. While this guide provides a solid foundation, the best way to optimize your build is through practice and adaptation. Try out different combinations, see how they perform in various scenarios, and don’t hesitate to tweak your build based on what works best for you. Over time, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the game’s mechanics and how to leverage the item shop to your advantage.