Deadlock Pocket Build: Best Items, Abilities, and More

Deadlock isn’t the easiest game, but for beginners there’s no better hero than Pocket. Here’s how to master the character.

Valve’s third-person shooter MOBA is in full swing in Early Access, but while it’s billed as a hero shooter MOBA, it leans more toward the complexity of the latter.

Be it the Rejuvenator appearing mid-game, how to effectively hit minions with the finishing blow, or how souls work, it can be very difficult to understand things.

Heroes are another complex topic, but if you’re looking for one of the best choices at the moment, it’s Pocket.

But before you jump straight into a game with the character, here are the best builds for her, the items you should get, and the order to level her skills.

Best Skills to Use on Pocket

Here is an overview of Pocket’s abilities:

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• 1: Barrage
  • Channel to fire projectiles that deal damage and slow movement around their point of impact. Each projectile that lands on a hero grants you a stacking buff that boosts all your damage. If you fire it in the air, you’ll hover, maintaining the horizontal momentum you started with.
    • Level 1: +15 damage per projectileLevel 2: -15 second cooldown
    • Level 3: +5% amps per stack
• 2: Flying Cloak
  • Launch a sentient cape that moves forward and deals damage to enemies. You can press (Skill Key 2) to teleport to its location
    • Level 1: -15 seconds cooldown
    • Level 3: +7 weapon damage for 10 seconds after teleporting with Flying Cloak
• 3: Wizard’s Bag
  • Escape to your trunk. When the duration ends, deal damage to nearby enemies. The duration can be ended early by taking any action.
    • Level 1: -5 seconds cooldown
    • Level 3: Slows fire rate by 40% for 4 seconds.
• 4: Suffering
  • Deal damage over time to all nearby enemies. Affliction’s damage is non-lethal and does not trigger item effects.
    • Level 1: -30 seconds cooldown
    • Level 2: Reduces target healing by -60%

Below is the order in which you should select skills and which ones you should maximize first:

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We recommend starting with Barrage (Skill 1) as it is a great tool to annoy enemies. Flying Cloak (Skill 2) should be second as it allows you to easily escape from sticky situations or attack enemies.

However, you can also unlock Enchanter’s Satchel (Skill 3) second when going up against heroes with a Gap Closer. When it comes to maxing out an ability, your Affliction (Skill 4) should be a priority.

When leveling up skills, reducing the cooldown on Flying Cloak is a good first choice. Then you absolutely must put the next two upgrades into Barrage to get that cooldown reduction and damage increase.

Of course, this is all situational, as you may feel like you need to upgrade Enchanter’s Satchel or Flying Cloak early on depending on whether you’re facing an aggressive enemy, but overall, this is a good place to start.

Best Build for Pocket in Deadlock

We will divide the items into four categories: early game items, mid game items, late game items, and situational items.

Obviously the first three sections are pretty easy, although you can purchase a late-game item early if you’re full or have a free flex slot.

Of course, keep in mind that these are just recommendations and there is no completely correct build for Pocket or any other character, as the items you purchase will usually depend on many factors.

However, if you’re just starting out, this build should point you in the right direction.

Items for the early stages of the game

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As a hero who thrives in close combat, In a confined space is the perfect item to build in the early game. Since you can do so much damage with your skills, Mystical eruption is a good way to deal additional damage.

It is also a good idea to build Additional regeneration And Healing ritual Because when you play so close to your opponent, the probability of getting into a tricky situation is high.

And if you still have problems with laning, Monster rounds And Ammunition collector are some good items to start farming. Sprint boots And Additional endurance are great for getting you into other lanes as well.

Items for the middle of the game

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When it comes to mid-game items, Point empty expand In a confined space is best so that you can tear apart enemies and even force them to play against you at close range. Just so you have the advantage, Active reloading is a good item to be able to reload as quickly as possible.

Combat Barrier And Wizard’s Barrier gives you extra protection from bullets and ghosts while also boosting your attack, which is what you want when playing aggressively as a pocket.

Improved Burst is a good first Spirit item as it builds on Mystic Burst and gives you additional Spirit damage. Bulletproof shredder And Mystical vulnerability are good items to provide some resistance to ghost damage.

Kinetic Sprint And Warp Stone are good movement items that give you more options to attack or retreat. Ethereal Shift also gives you another invulnerability that will come in handy since you can still reload while in it.

Late Game/Luxury

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Phantom Strike is a good item to have as an additional option to attack an enemy, keeping your flying cloak or warp stone (if you still have it) and having the option to escape. Rebirth of the soul can also come in handy if you die. If you feel like you need more damage, you can Spiritual Abundance.

Superior cooling will come in handy. We like to put it on Barrage so we can deal consistent poke damage, but it depends on your situation. Superior duration is also great because it increases the effects of Barrage and Affliction, allowing you to deal additional damage. Increasing exposure is another item to cause more spirit damage.

Limitless spirit And Fortune Teller Kevlar are solid items if you’re feeling too soft and need extra protection. With Diviner’s Kevlar, remember that you’ll need to use your ultimate to get the item’s effect.

Situational objects

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It is not necessary to acquire these elements, as they are obviously situational and necessary in specific use cases, so we explain each one of them:

• Flawless emblem: If you need extra damage because of a particularly tough enemy, this should be the solution.
• Hunter’s Aura: This is another antidote to anti-tank enemies that could be your saving grace, especially if you find yourself in the sights of an anti-tank enemy.
• Paralyzing headshot: This is another item to have if you are dealing with very tough enemies, but certainly not necessary.
• Colossus: If you feel like enemies are escaping you too easily, Colossus is a great way to force them into close combat where you have a better chance.
• Majestic jump: Pocket doesn’t lack mobility, but if you find yourself needing even more, Majestic Leap should serve you well.
• Divine Barrier: If you feel like you are too weak, you can get the Divine Barrier and use it on yourself before jumping into a fight, or even to save an ally.
• Metal skin: If you find yourself getting melted too quickly when diving into a fight, Metal Skin should give you the perfect window of opportunity to use your abilities while remaining immune to bullets and melee attacks.
• Echo Shard: Echo Shard varies on a case-by-case basis, as in the late game most of your non-ultimate cooldowns are very short and thus might not be useful in most situations. But if you find that you need another Enchanter’s Satchel or Flying Cloak to get out of a tricky situation, this could be useful.
• Knockdown: This is useful if you want to make it easier to rush an opponent, as stunning your opponent gives you the right window of opportunity to attack them without being countered.

Here’s how you should build and play Pocket in Deadlock! If you want to see how they stack up against the rest of the hero roster, you can check out our tier list here.