guides
Weapon vs Vitality vs Spirit Items in Deadlock
Items are central to Deadlock’s gameplay. Understanding what each category offers and when to buy specific items can be the difference between winning and losing. This guide breaks down everything you need to know.
Need a searchable database instead of an explanation? Use the Deadlock Items List for every item, cost, tier, stat, and effect.
Item Categories Overview
Deadlock divides items into three main categories, each providing distinct advantages.
Weapon Items
Weapon items enhance your gun’s effectiveness. They’re essential for heroes who deal most of their damage through basic attacks.
What Weapon items provide:
- Increased weapon damage
- Faster fire rate
- More ammunition
- Enhanced bullet properties
- Improved projectile speed
Popular Weapon items:
- Toxic Bullets: Applies poison damage, great for fast-firing weapons
- High-Velocity Mag: Increases bullet speed and damage
- Point Blank: Bonus damage at close range
- Headhunter: Rewards accurate headshots
Vitality Items
Vitality items focus on keeping you alive. They’re crucial for frontline heroes and anyone who needs to survive extended fights.
What Vitality items provide:
- Increased maximum health
- Shields and barriers
- Armor against bullets or spirit damage
- Healing and sustain
- Crowd control reduction
Popular Vitality items:
- Bullet Armor: Reduces incoming weapon damage
- Spirit Armor: Reduces incoming ability damage
- Healbane: Counters enemy healing while providing sustain
- Veil Walker: Provides shields and utility
Spirit Items
Spirit items enhance your abilities. They’re the go-to choice for heroes who rely on skills rather than guns.
What Spirit items provide:
- Increased spirit power (ability damage)
- Reduced ability cooldowns
- Extended ability durations
- Extra ability charges
- Ability-specific enhancements
Popular Spirit items:
- Superior Cooldown: Reduces all ability cooldowns
- Superior Duration: Extends ability effects
- Boundless Spirit: Massive spirit power boost
- Mystic Burst: Adds burst damage to abilities
Item Tiers
Items are organized into four tiers based on cost:
Tier 1 (500 Souls)
Basic items that provide small stat boosts. Buy these early to gain incremental advantages in lane.
Tier 2 (1,250 Souls)
Mid-tier items that offer meaningful power spikes. These form the core of your early-mid game build.
Tier 3 (3,000+ Souls)
Significant upgrades that define your playstyle. Completing a Tier 3 item often marks a major power spike.
Tier 4 (6,200+ Souls)
Game-changing items with powerful effects. These late-game purchases can turn fights single-handedly.
Item Slots
You can equip up to 16 items total:
- 4 Weapon slots
- 4 Vitality slots
- 4 Spirit slots
- 4 Flex slots (unlock by destroying Walkers)
Flex slots can hold any item type, giving you build flexibility as the game progresses.
Building Strategies
Early Game (Tier 1-2)
Focus on items that help you lane:
- Sustain for trading
- Damage for last-hitting
- Movement for positioning
Mid Game (Tier 2-3)
Build towards your core items:
- Identify your win condition
- Counter enemy threats
- Enhance your strengths
Late Game (Tier 3-4)
Complete your build with situational choices:
- Defensive items if focused
- Offensive items if ahead
- Utility items for team fights
Counter-Building
Adapt your build based on enemy composition:
Against heavy healing: Buy Healbane Against burst damage: Stack Vitality items Against tanks: Build armor penetration Against mobile heroes: Get crowd control items
Active vs Passive Items
Some items have active abilities that require manual activation. These provide powerful effects but demand good timing and awareness.
Tips for active items:
- Bind them to comfortable keys
- Practice using them in fights
- Don’t forget to activate them
Using the Build Calculator
Plan your item builds before matches using our calculator. It shows:
- Total cost of your build
- Stat changes from each item
- DPS and EHP calculations
Effective itemization wins games. Use this guide as a foundation and adapt based on each match.