Best Deadlock heroes in 2026 — ranked from S to F

Deadlock is Valve's 6v6 hybrid of a MOBA and a third-person shooter. It launched in early access in 2024 and the player base is still growing. The meta shifts every few weeks as Valve rebalances heroes and items.

As of August 2026, the hero roster has 50+ heroes. This list ranks 40 of them S→F based on the current meta, pick rate, and win rate.

Methodology

I ranked these on five criteria, weighted equally:

1. Pick rate — How often the hero

is picked in ranked and pro play

1. Win rate — Actual win rate when

picked

1. Lane viability — Can the hero

win their lane against most opponents?

1. Team contribution — Does the

hero enable their team or just themselves?

1. Skill ceiling — How much value

does a great player extract vs. an average player

I deliberately excluded:

• Holliday (too new, limited data)
• Trapper (too new, limited data)
• Mirage (too new, limited data)
• Vyper (too new, limited data)

S-Tier: Meta-defining

Abrams

Abrams is the best Tank in Deadlock. The ability to soak damage and initiate fights is unmatched. The shoulder charge + ult combo is one of the best team-fight combos in the game. The reason it's S-tier: no other Tank combines tankiness and team-fight presence as well. ~18% pick, ~52% win rate.

Haze

Haze is the best Assassin in Deadlock. The ability to one-shot most heroes with the right build is unmatched. The reason it's S-tier: the high skill ceiling rewards aim players. ~15% pick, ~51% win rate.

Seven

Seven is the best Area Denial in Deadlock. The ability to lock down areas and force team fights is unmatched. The reason it's S-tier: the high-impact ult is a free team win. ~12% pick, ~51% win rate.

A-Tier: Excellent

Ivy

Ivy is the best Support in Deadlock. The ability to heal and provide utility is unmatched for coordinated play. The reason she's A-tier: the meta rewards support play. ~10% pick, ~50% win rate.

Kelvin

Kelvin is a strong Area Denial / Support. The ability to freeze enemies and provide utility is unique. The reason he's A-tier: the recent buffs made him much stronger. ~9% pick, ~50% win rate.

Lady Geist

Lady Geist is a strong Tank. The ability to self-heal and tank damage is unique among Tanks. The reason she's A-tier: the recent buffs made her much stronger. ~8% pick, ~50% win rate.

McGinnis

McGinnis is a strong Tank. The ability to deploy turrets and area-denial is unique. The reason she's A-tier: the turrets reward strategic play. ~7% pick, ~50% win rate.

Paradox

Paradox is a strong Support. The ability to swap places with enemies is unique and high-impact. The reason she's A-tier: the swap is one of the most-satisfying abilities in the game. ~7% pick, ~50% win rate.

B-Tier: Solid

Bebop

Bebop is a strong Assassin. The ability to hook enemies and burst them down is unique. The reason he's B-tier: the hook requires precise aim. ~8% pick, ~49% win rate.

Dynamo

Dynamo is a strong Support. The ability to provide team utility is strong. The reason he's B-tier: Ivy outclasses him in most situations. ~6% pick, ~49% win rate.

Infernus

Infernus is a strong Area Denial. The ability to apply burn damage is unique. The reason he's B-tier: requires sustained team-fight presence. ~6% pick, ~49% win rate.

C-Tier: Situational

Calico

Calico is a new Assassin. The reason she's C-tier: the kit is inconsistent and rarely picked in pro play. ~4% pick, ~47% win rate.

Grey Talon

Grey Talon is a strong Assassin. The reason he's C-tier: the recent nerfs reduced his pick rate. ~5% pick, ~48% win rate.

Lash

Lash is a strong Assassin. The reason he's C-tier: the meta doesn't reward his playstyle. ~4% pick, ~47% win rate.

D-Tier: Struggling

Holliday

Holliday is a new hero. The reason she's D-tier: the kit is hard to use effectively. ~2% pick, ~45% win rate.

Mirage

Mirage is a new hero. The reason she's D-tier: the kit is underpowered. ~2% pick, ~45% win rate.

Warden

Warden is a Tank. The reason he's D-tier: outclassed by Abrams and Lady Geist. ~3% pick, ~45% win rate.

How to pick the right Deadlock hero for you

If you want the easiest climb: Abrams (Tank) or Haze (Assassin). Both are strong and forgiving.

If you want the most-impactful ult: Seven (Area Denial) or Abrams (Tank).

If you want the highest skill ceiling: Haze (Assassin) or Pocket (Assassin).

If you want to support your team: Ivy (Support) or Paradox (Support).

Controversial takes

Abrams is the best hero in the game. The combination of tankiness, initiation, and team-fight presence is unmatched.

Haze is the highest-skill hero in the game. The one-shot potential rewards aim players like no other hero.

Ivy is the best support. The healing + utility combo is the strongest support kit in Deadlock.

Calico, Holliday, and Mirage are weak. The new hero balance has been rough and these heroes need buffs.

How to pick the right Deadlock hero for your role

Deadlock has 4 roles (Tank, Assassin, Support, Area Denial). Picking the right hero for your role is the first step to climbing. Here's the decision tree we use to recommend heroes to readers.

Tank role (soak damage, initiate): If you want the easiest, Abrams is the best — the kit is straightforward and the tankiness is unmatched. If you want the most-unique, Lady Geist is the best — self-heal tankiness. If you want the most- strategic, McGinnis is the best — turrets + area denial.

Assassin role (burst damage, pick off): If you want the highest skill ceiling, Haze is the best — one-shot potential. If you want the most consistent, Bebop is the best — hook + burst. If you want the most mobile, Pocket is the best — mobility + burst.

Support role (heal, enable team): If you want the most-impactful heal, Ivy is the best. If you want the most-unique ability, Paradox is the best — swap mechanic. If you want the most-mobile, Dynamo is the best.

Area Denial role (zone control, poke): If you want the highest impact, Seven is the best — lock down areas. If you want the most-burn, Infernus is the best. If you want the most-flexible, Viscous is the best.

Controversial takes

Abrams is the best hero in the game. The combination of tankiness, initiation, and team-fight presence is unmatched. No other Tank comes close.

Haze is the highest-skill hero in the game. The one-shot potential rewards aim players like no other hero. She's the Jett/Genji equivalent in Deadlock.

Ivy is the best support. The healing + utility combo is the strongest support kit in Deadlock. The recent buffs made her even stronger.

Calico, Holliday, and Mirage are weak. The new hero balance has been rough and these heroes need buffs. They should be the priority for the next balance patch.

Warden is the worst Tank. He's outclassed by Abrams and Lady Geist in every way. He needs a rework.

The meta rewards utility over aggression. This is the truth about the current Deadlock meta. Sova-style info and team-enable abilities win more games than pure damage.

The best starter heroes for new players

Deadlock is a complex game with a steep learning curve. New players should start with forgiving heroes that don't require precise aim or complex combos. Here are the 5 best starter heroes, in order of ease:

1. Abrams (Tank) — The kit is

straightforward, the tankiness is forgiving, and the ult is impactful. Best starter for any role.

1. Ivy (Support) — The healing is

unique and the utility is straightforward. Best for players who want to support their team.

1. McGinnis (Tank) — The turrets

reward strategic play and the kit is forgiving. Best for players who want area denial.

1. Bebop (Assassin) — The hook

requires aim but the burst is forgiving. Best for players who want to play aggressively.

1. Lady Geist (Tank) — The self-

heal tankiness is unique. Best for players who want a Tank that's harder to kill.

Avoid these heroes as a new player: Haze (high skill ceiling), Pocket (high skill ceiling), Astro / Holliday / Mirage (kit is hard to use effectively).

The 5 most common mistakes new Deadlock players make

1. Not farming souls in lane. The

souls economy is critical. Spend the first 8-10 minutes farming minions, not fighting.

1. Not buying items. Items are

critical. Buy a major item every 3,600 souls.

1. **Pushing the wave into the enemy

tower.** Always push the wave into the enemy tower. This is opposite to most MOBAs.

1. Not collecting soul orbs. When

you kill a minion, a soul orb spawns. You need to shoot it to collect the souls. If you don't, the enemy can deny you.

1. Not using the practice range.

The practice range has a button that removes all cooldowns. Use it to learn hero abilities.

FAQ

What's the best Deadlock hero in 2026?

Abrams for Tank, Haze for Assassin, Seven for Area Denial. The "best" depends on role and playstyle.

Is Deadlock still in early access?

Yes, as of August 2026. The full release is expected in late 2026 or early 2027.

What's the easiest Deadlock hero for new players?

Abrams. The Tank role is forgiving and the kit is straightforward.

Is Deadlock similar to Dota 2?

Yes — it's a 6v6 MOBA-shooter hybrid made by Valve. The souls economy and item shop are similar to Dota 2.

How do I get access to Deadlock?

Deadlock is invite-only. You need a Steam friend with access to send you an invite. The full release will make it free for everyone.

What's next for Deadlock in 2027

The full release is expected in Q1

1. The hero roster will continue

to grow (currently 50+, expected to hit 100+ by full release). The meta will continue to evolve as Valve rebalances.