Are you struggling to climb the ranks in Valve’s innovative 6v6 third-person hero shooter MOBA? Look no further! I’ve spent countless hours analyzing the current meta, crunching win rate data, and testing every character to bring you the most comprehensive Deadlock characters tier list available. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just jumping into Deadlock, this tier list will help you make informed decisions about which heroes to master and which to avoid in the current meta.
In this complete guide, I’ll break down all 32 Deadlock characters from S-tier to D-tier, explain the reasoning behind each ranking, provide you with the latest win rate statistics, and share pro strategies that will help you dominate your matches. The Deadlock meta is constantly evolving, especially with the recent October 24, 2025 patch bringing significant balance changes, so you need up-to-date information to stay competitive.
| Tier | Characters | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| S-Tier | Victor, Paige, Calico, Wraith, Dynamo, Haze | Highest win rates, meta-defining, excellent in all phases |
| A-Tier | Seven, Ivy, Abrams, Kelvin, Mo & Krill, Billy, Drifter, Lady Geist, Pocket, Vindicta | Strong picks, versatile, can carry games when mastered |
| B-Tier | Infernus, McGinnis, Lash, Paradox, Doorman, Yamato, Viscous | Situational picks, team-dependent, require specific strategies |
| C-Tier | Warden, Grey Talon, Bebop, Mina, Mirage | Niche picks, underperforming in current meta |
| D-Tier | Shiv, Sinclair, Vyper, Holliday | Significant weaknesses, avoid in competitive play |
These characters represent the absolute best choices in the current Deadlock meta. They boast the highest win rates, versatile kits, and the ability to impact games at all skill levels. If you’re looking to climb efficiently, mastering one or two S-tier characters should be your top priority.
Range: Close | Role: Frontliner/Damage
Victor stands at the pinnacle of our Deadlock tier list, and for good reason. This devastating frontliner can dish out incredible AoE Spirit damage when left uncontested. What makes Victor truly special is his combination of self-sustain, damage output, and game-changing ultimate ability that allows him to resurrect, making every teamfight chaotic for the enemy team.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on building Vitality items early, especially Spirit Resistance, before transitioning into damage items. Victor’s power spike comes when he can survive long enough to unleash his full AoE potential. Use your ultimate strategically – it’s not just for survival but for repositioning and continuing the fight after being focused down.
Range: Long | Role: Support/Controller
Paige has emerged as one of the most consistent performers in the current meta. Her ability to provide barriers, buffs, and team-wide utility makes her an invaluable asset to any composition. With the highest pick rate among S-tier characters, Paige’s versatility and reliability have made her a staple in both casual and competitive play.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Position yourself in the backline and focus on providing barriers for your carries. Your buffs can turn even the weakest team member into a threat. Coordinate with your team to maximize the effectiveness of your abilities, especially during objective fights where your barriers can make or break engagements.
Range: Medium | Role: Damage/Assassin
Calico represents the perfect blend of mobility, damage, and assassination potential that defines the current meta. Her ability to quickly eliminate priority targets and reposition makes her a nightmare for enemy teams to deal with. Calico excels at picking off isolated enemies and snowballing leads into decisive victories.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on farming efficiently in the early game to hit your power spikes. Use your mobility to create picks on isolated enemies, especially supports and carries. Calico thrives on chaos – look for opportunities to flank and eliminate key targets before teamfights fully develop.
Range: Close to Medium | Role: Damage/Pusher
Wraith has cemented her place in the S-tier thanks to her incredible pushing power and teamfight presence. Her ability to contribute massive damage while excelling at taking objectives makes her a valuable asset in any composition. Wraith’s ultimate is particularly devastating when used to catch unprepared enemies off guard.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on using your pushing power to create map pressure and force enemies to respond. In teamfights, position yourself to maximize your AoE damage while staying safe enough to survive extended engagements. Your ultimate should be saved for catching enemies out of position or securing objective kills.
Range: Medium | Role: Tank/Support
Dynamo’s incredible versatility and team utility make him one of the most valuable picks in the current meta. His ability to be built as a healer, tank, or damage dealer depending on team needs gives him unparalleled flexibility. Dynamo’s mobile AoE heal and movespeed aura can single-handedly keep teams alive through intense teamfights.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Adapt your build based on team composition and game state. If your team lacks healing, focus on support items. If you need engage, build tank items. Your ultimate is one of the best in the game for securing objectives like mid-boss – use it strategically to turn fights in your favor.
Range: Close to Medium | Role: Assassin/Carry
Haze remains one of the most popular and effective characters in Deadlock, boasting the highest pick rate in our entire tier list. Her assassin playstyle with invisibility, sleep abilities, and devastating AoE ultimate makes her a constant threat that enemies must respect. Haze can single-handedly carry games when played to her strengths.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Embrace the assassin playstyle – use your invisibility to flank and pick off isolated targets. Your sleep ability is perfect for setting up kills or escaping dangerous situations. Build damage items quickly and look for opportunities to use your ultimate to wipe entire teams when enemies are grouped together.
These characters may not be as dominant as S-tier picks, but they’re still excellent choices that can win games when played effectively. A-tier characters often have specific strengths that make them valuable in certain compositions or against particular team setups.
Range: Medium | Role: Damage/Pusher
Seven has made a remarkable comeback after earlier nerfs, reestablishing himself as a formidable force in the current meta. His simplicity-to-effectiveness ratio is nearly unmatched, making him accessible to newer players while remaining potent at higher levels of play.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on using your area denial abilities to control space and objectives. Seven excels at creating chaos in enemy formations and punishing poor positioning. Build items that enhance your area control and pushing power to maximize your impact on the game.
Range: Medium | Role: Support/Controller
Ivy brings unique utility and control capabilities that make her a valuable support option. Her ability to disrupt enemy formations and provide crowd control makes her particularly effective in coordinated team compositions.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on using your crowd control abilities to set up kills for your team. Ivy excels at disrupting enemy formations and creating opportunities for your carries to deal damage. Communicate with your team to maximize the effectiveness of your abilities.
Range: Close | Role: Tank/Brawler
Abrams remains Deadlock’s poster boy and the perfect choice for players who love tanky brawlers. His straightforward gameplay loop of engaging targets and dealing massive damage makes him accessible and effective across all skill levels.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Embrace the brawler playstyle – look for opportunities to engage priority targets and unleash your full damage potential. Abrams excels at creating chaos in enemy backlines and soaking up damage for your team. Build items that enhance your durability and engage potential.
These characters can be effective in specific situations or when played by specialists, but they generally require more effort to achieve the same results as higher-tier picks. B-tier characters often have noticeable weaknesses that hold them back in the current meta.
Range: Medium | Role: Damage/Pusher
Infernus serves as Deadlock’s unofficial mascot and remains incredibly popular despite his B-tier ranking. His straightforward kit and consistent DPS make him accessible, but he’s often outshone by other carries in the late game.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on farming efficiently and using your consistent DPS to pressure objectives. Infernus excels at creating sustained pressure and punishing enemies who underestimate your damage output. Your team-wide stun can be game-changing when used at the right moment.
Range: Medium | Role: Support/Controller
McGinnis brings unique utility with her turrets, team heals, and defensive wall, making her one of the sturdiest support characters available. However, her effectiveness is heavily dependent on team coordination and proper itemization.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on using your defensive abilities to protect your team and control space. McGinnis excels at creating safe areas for your team to operate from and shutting down enemy engages. Build items that enhance your utility and survivability.
These characters generally underperform in the current meta and should only be picked by specialists or in very specific situations. C-tier characters often have significant weaknesses that make them less viable than higher-tier options.
Range: Close | Role: Controller/Initiator
Warden can be devastating when he catches enemies, but his lack of team utility and increasing difficulty in finding picks at higher skill levels hold him back in the current meta.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: Focus on catching isolated enemies and creating picks for your team. Warden excels at punishing poor positioning and creating numerical advantages. However, be aware that coordinated teams will play more cautiously against you.
These characters have significant weaknesses that make them generally unviable in the current meta. They should only be picked if you’re a dedicated specialist or in very specific situations where their unique strengths might be valuable.
Range: Close | Role: Damage/Assassin
Despite his popularity, Shiv struggles significantly in the current meta. His damage output is inconsistent, and he’s easily countered by coordinated teams with proper itemization.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Pro Strategy: If you must play Shiv, focus on snowballing early and creating picks before enemies can itemize against you. His mobility can be used to create advantages, but be aware that coordinated teams will have answers for your engage patterns.
The October 24, 2025 patch brought significant changes to the Deadlock meta that have reshaped our tier list considerably. Here are the key changes and their impact:
Just because a character is S-tier doesn’t mean you’re invincible. Many players make the mistake of overextending, thinking their character’s strength will save them. Remember that even the strongest characters can be punished for poor positioning.
Deadlock is a team game, and individual skill alone won’t carry you if your team composition is poor. Consider how your chosen character fits into the overall team strategy and what roles are already filled.
Many players stick to the same build every game, regardless of the situation. Adaptive itemization is crucial in Deadlock – pay attention to enemy builds and adjust accordingly.
While our tier list provides general guidance, specialist players can make even lower-tier characters work. Don’t automatically assume a player is weak just because they’re playing a B or C-tier character.
The Deadlock meta can vary significantly between PC and console due to differences in:
Different regions often develop unique metas based on:
I update this tier list after every major patch, typically every 2-4 weeks. The most recent update was for the October 24, 2025 patch. For the most current information, I recommend bookmarking this page as I continuously monitor the meta and adjust rankings accordingly.
S-tier characters typically have win rates above 52%, versatile kits that work in multiple situations, and the ability to single-handedly impact games. A-tier characters are strong but may have more specific use cases or require more team coordination to be effective. The difference often comes down to consistency and carry potential.
Not necessarily! While S-tier characters offer the highest potential, you’ll often have better results playing a character you’re skilled with, even if they’re A or B-tier. Comfort and mastery often trump tier placement. However, if you’re looking to pick up a new character, starting with S-tier options is usually the smartest choice.
Each S-tier character has specific counters:
For beginners, I recommend starting with Abrams or Seven. Both have straightforward kits, good durability, and clear impact on games. Abrams is particularly forgiving due to his tankiness, while Seven offers good damage output with relatively simple mechanics. As you improve, you can transition to more complex S-tier characters.
Team composition is extremely important in Deadlock. A well-balanced team typically includes:
Having a balanced composition will dramatically increase your win rate, even with lower-tier characters. Avoid stacking too many characters of the same role or who fill similar purposes.
Item priorities vary by character, but general guidelines include:
To succeed with lower-tier characters:
The current competitive meta favors:
Patch changes can significantly impact the tier list through:
For more gaming guides and tier lists, check out these related articles on Vintage Vinyl News:
This Deadlock characters tier list for May 2026 represents the culmination of extensive research, data analysis, and hands-on testing. While tier lists provide valuable guidance, remember that the most important factor is your personal skill and comfort with a character. The meta is constantly evolving, especially with Valve’s active development cycle, so stay adaptable and continue learning.
I recommend bookmarking this page and checking back regularly for updates, as I’ll be revising this tier list after every significant patch. Whether you’re climbing the ranked ladder or just looking to improve your casual play, understanding the current meta and character strengths will give you a significant edge over your opponents.
Remember that Deadlock is still in development, and major changes can happen with any patch. The characters at the top today might not be there tomorrow, which is part of what makes the game so exciting and dynamic. Stay flexible, keep practicing, and most importantly, have fun dominating the lanes with your newfound knowledge!
What characters are you currently mastering in Deadlock? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and don’t forget to bookmark this guide for the latest meta updates!
