Deadlockis a game developed by Valve that combines elements of MOBAs and third-person hero shooters. Players battle in two teams of six across four lanes, aiming to destroy each other’s base. Similar toDota 2, farming and spending currency during the game are essential for increasing character strength. However, inDeadlock, the currency takes the form of Souls instead of gold.
Souls can be earned in various ways, some familiar to long-time MOBA players, while others offer a fresh twist on the genre. Unlike most MOBAs, Souls not only serve as currency for the item shop but also accumulate as experience to unlock and upgrade hero abilities. Here are all the ways to earn Souls inDeadlock.
How to Get Souls in Deadlock
Players familiar with the MOBA genre will recognize that the most common way to earn currency is by securing killing blows on creeps in lane, a mechanic known as last hitting. This also applies toDeadlock, where players must last hit enemy creeps, known as Troopers, to gain Souls. However, inDeadlock, last hitting only rewards half the amount of Souls due to a mechanic called Soul Orbs.
When a Trooper is killed by a player, a Soul Orb rises from the corpse and into the air for a few seconds before disappearing, at which point the other half of the Souls is rewarded. Players can shoot or melee the Soul Orbs to instantly collect the Souls instead of waiting for them to dissipate. This introduces adeny mechanic similar to Dota 2: while the Soul Orb is rising, enemy players can also attack the orb to steal and deny the Souls, adding an extra layer of mechanical depth to the laning phase. Enemy Souls are shown in green, while ally Souls are shown in orange.
One thing to keep in mind is that after 10 minutes into the game, Troopers no longer provide Souls on last hits. Instead, the full amount of Souls goes into the Soul Orbs, making it even more crucial to secure or deny them when enemy players are present.
Unsecured Souls
Another way to earn Souls is by killing or assisting in killing enemy players. In addition to the Souls rewarded for a kill, dead players drop all their Unsecured Souls in the form of Soul Orbs, which can also be secured or denied by other players. Unsecured Souls are similar to Unreliable Gold fromDota 2, where a specific portion of the currency is lost upon death. InDeadlock, Unsecured Souls come from three main sources: neutral creeps, Soul Slot Machines, and wooden crates.
Neutral creeps, or jungle creeps, spawn across the map at different intervals, providing Unsecured Souls when killed:
Soul Slot Machines are scattered throughout the map, offering Unsecured Souls when players melee them. Each melee hit grants Unsecured Souls but deals 50 damage to the player. The machine breaks after 10 melee hits, or 5 heavy melee hits, providing another chunk of Unsecured Souls. Wooden crates found around the map can also be broken open for a chance to obtain Unsecured Souls.
Players can track their Unsecured Souls in the bottom left of the screen, next to their current Soul count. Unlike Unreliable Gold, Unsecured Souls gradually convert into secured Souls over time, making death slightly less punishing than inDota 2. However, keep in mind that Unsecured Souls are spent last when purchasing items from the shop.
Unsecured Souls are included in the current Soul count and essentially represent the amount that will be lost upon death.
Map Objectives
Map objectives are also crucial for gathering Souls and gaining advantages. Like other MOBAs, each lane has towers that defend against the enemy team and reward Souls when destroyed.
The Patron inDeadlockis equivalent to the Ancient inDota 2and the Nexus inLeague of Legends.
At the 10-minute mark, two critical objectives spawn on the map: the Mid-Boss and the Soul Urn. The Mid-Boss appears in the center of the map and functions similarly toRoshan inDota 2, rewarding Souls and a Rejuvenator when defeated. The Rejuvenator, akin to the Aegis of the Immortal, can be claimed by either team, regardless of who killed the Mid-Boss. The player who secures the Rejuvenator grants their team reduced spawn time, a health regeneration boost, buffed Troopers, and extra Souls from killing enemy Troopers.
Simultaneously, the Soul Urn descends on one side of the map, taking about 30 seconds to fully materialize. A player can pick up the Soul Urn and carry it to the opposite end of the map to earn a large collection of Souls for their team. While only one person can carry the urn at a time, the team must work together to ensure its safe delivery, as the player holding the Soul Urn cannot use abilities or basic attacks. The Soul Urn can be dropped and picked up by another player at any time, and if the carrier dies, the urn will be dropped as well. The player who personally turns in the Soul Urn also gains an additional 25% Souls on top of the team-wide reward.
