Deadlock Pocket build: Best items, abilities & more

Deadlock isn’t the easiest game to get into, and Pocket is one of the harder characters to learn but can be extremely impactful if you’re using the best build.

Valve’s third-person shooter MOBA is in full swing while in early access, but, despite being billed as a hero shooter MOBA, it certainly veers more toward the complexities of the latter.

Be it the Rejuvenator which spawns mid-game, how to last-hit minions effectively, or how Souls and Unsecured Souls work, things can get difficult to wrap your head around.

When it comes to heroes it’s another complex topic, but if you’re looking for one of the best picks right now, it’s Pocket. Before you jump into a match with Pocket, here are the items you should use and the order to level their abilities.

Best abilities to use on Pocket

Here is a rundown of Pocket’s abilities:

Dexerto / Valve

• 1: Barrage
  • Channel to start launching projectiles that deal damage and apply movement slow around their impact point. Each projectile landed on a hero grants you a stacking buff that amplifies all of your damage. If you cast it while in the air, you’ll float and maintain any horizontal momentum you started with.
    • Level 1: +15 damage per projectile
    • Level 2: -15 second cooldown
    • Level 3: +5% amp per stack
• 2: Flying Cloak
  • Launch a sentient cloak that travels forward and damages enemies. You can press [ability 2 button] to teleport to its location
    • Level 1: -15 second cooldown
    • Level 2: +80 damage
    • Level 3: +7 weapon damage for 10 seconds after teleporting
• 3: Enchanter’s Satchel
  • Escape into your suitcase. When the duration ends, deal damage to nearby enemies. Duration can be ended early by performing any action.
    • Level 1: -5 second cooldown
    • Level 2: +80 damage
    • Level 3: Applies 40% fire rate slow for 4 seconds
• 4: Affliction
  • Apply damage over time to all enemies nearby. Affliction’s damage is non-lethal and does not apply item procs.
    • Level 1: -30 second cooldown
    • Level 2: Suppress targets’ healing by -60%
    • Level 3: +27 DPS

Below you can find the order in which you should be selecting abilities, and which ones to max out first:

Dexerto / Valve

We’d recommend starting off with Barrage (Ability 1) since it’s a great tool with which to poke enemies. Flying Cloak (Ability 2) should be the second one as you can easily escape from tricky situations or engage enemies with it.

However, you can instead choose to unlock Enchanter’s Satchel (Ability 3) second if you’re up against heroes with a gap closer. When it comes to maxing out an ability, your Affliction (Ability 4) should be the priority once you get reduced cooldowns on Pocket’s base abilities.

When leveling up abilities, getting your cooldown reduced on Flying cloak is a good first choice, then putting the next two upgrades into Barrage to get that cooldown reduction and damage increase is a must.

Of course, this is all situational, as you may feel you need to upgrade Enchanter’s Satchel or Flying Cloak early depending on whether you are up against an aggressive enemy. But overall, this is a good place to start off.

Best build for Pocket

We’ll be sectioning the items into four categories; early-game, mid-game, late-game, and situational items.

Obviously, the first three sections are pretty simple, although you can buy a late-game item early if you’re fed or have an open Flex slot.

Of course bear in mind these are just recommendations and there is no completely correct build for Pocket, or any other character, as the items you’ll buy tend to be determined based on many factors.

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

Early Game items

Dexerto / Valve

Being a hero who thrives in close-quarters combat, Close Quarters is the perfect item to build in the early game. Because of how much damage you can deal with your abilities, getting Mystic Burst is a good way to get some additional damage in. Headshot Booster is also a great option here for early damage, though it can be swapped out for High-Velocity Mag if you’d prefer

It’s also a good idea to build Extra Regen and Healing Rite as the chances of being caught in a tricky spot are high when playing so close to the enemy.

Additionally, if you’re still struggling with laning, Monster Rounds and Ammo Scavenger are some good items to get you farming. Sprint Boots are great to get you rotating into other lanes early if you’re ahead, and Extra Stamina is great if you’re struggling in lane or facing someone who buys a Silence item early.

Mid Game items

Dexerto / Valve

When it comes to items in the mid-game, getting Point Blank to build off Close Quarters is best so you can shred through enemies and even force them to play close range against you. Active Reload is a great choice as well for the extra lifesteal and reload speed.

Combat Barrier and Enchanter’s Barrier will give you some extra protection against bullets and spirits while also buffing your attack, which is what you want when playing aggressively as Pocket. You’ll want shields over resistances on them.

Improved Burst is a good first Spirit item as it builds off of Mystic Burst and gives you some extra spirit damage. Bullet Resist Shredder and Mystic Vulnerability are good items to get some sustain against spirit damage.

Kinetic Dash and Warp Stone are good movement items that give you a wider option to either engage or disengage. Ethereal Shift also gives you yet another invulnerable which will prove useful since you still reload while in it.

Late Game/Luxury

Dexerto / Valve

Phantom Strike is a good item to get as another option to engage an enemy, letting you keep your Flying Cloak, or Warp Stone if you still have it, as an option to get away. Soul Rebirth can also prove useful just in case you die. If you feel like you need more damage, you can get Spiritual Overflow.

Superior Cooldown will prove useful, especially when you put it on either his 2 or 3. Go 2 if you’re trying to be more aggressive or 3 if you’re getting dived often. Superior Duration is also great as it buffs the effects of Barrage and Affliction, letting you deal extra damage. Escalating Exposure is another item to get more spirit damage out.

Boundless Spirit and Diviner’s Kevlar are solid items if you find yourself too squishy and need some extra protection. With Diviner’s Kevlar, be mindful that you’ll need to pop your Ultimate for the item’s effects.

Situational items

Dexerto / Valve

It’s not necessary to get these items, as they are situational with specific use cases, so we’ll explain each one of them:

• Headhunter: Great for if you’re snowballing early and want to take trades. The movement speed, healing, and bonus damage from getting a stray headshot are incredibly useful.
• Pristine Emblem: If you are in need of some extra damage because of a particularly tanky enemy, this should do the trick.
• Hunter’s Aura: This is yet another counter to tanky enemies, especially if you find yourself getting targeted by a fed enemy, it could save you.
• Crippling Headshot: This is yet another item if you need to find yourself up against very tanky enemies, but certainly not necessary.  
• Colossus: If you find the enemies are getting away from you too easily, Colossus is great to force them into a close-range battle where you’ll do better.
• Majestic Leap: Pocket is not short on mobility but if you find yourself still needing more Majestic Leap should do you good.
• Divine Barrier: If you find yourself too squishy you can get Divine Barrier and use it on yourself before diving into a fight, or even save an ally.
• Metal Skin: When diving to engage a fight, if you find yourself being melted down too fast, Metal Skin should give a perfect window to cast your abilities while remaining immune to their bullets and melee.
• Echo Shard: Echo Shard is on a very case-by-case basis as by the late game most of your non-ultimate cooldowns are very short, so might not be handy in most situations. But if you find yourself needing another Enchanter’s Satchel or Flying Cloak to get out of a tricky situation, this could be useful.
• Knockdown: This is useful if you’re getting dived and want to get the leg up. Pop it on someone, use your 3, and wait until they’re CCed to take them down.

So that’s how you should build and play Pocket in Deadlock! If you’d like to see where they stack with the rest of the hero roster, check out our tier list, and best builds for Warden, Lady Geist, Shiv, and Ivy.