Glossary
The language of the Cursed Apple. Every term your teammates will shout at you, explained.
New to the lingo? Your teammates will use these terms constantly. Bookmark this page and check back whenever someone says something you don't understand.
A
Active (item)An item with an ability you trigger manually, usually on a cooldown. As opposed to passive stats that are always on.
AoEArea of Effect — damage or effects that hit everything in a zone, not just one target.
B
Base GuardianThe paired duo of structures defending each lane's entrance to the base. Both must die to unlock the Shrines.
BroadwayThe middle lane (blue). Shortest route between bases, touches all four districts.
BurstDealing a large amount of damage in a very short window. Burst heroes try to kill before the enemy can react.
C
CC (Crowd Control)Effects that limit an enemy's ability to act — stuns, slows, sleeps, knockups, silences.
CarryA hero that scales hard into the late game and 'carries' teamfights once fed. Needs protection early.
Curiosity ShopThe in-game item shops scattered around the map (green icon). Where you spend souls.
D
DPSDamage Per Second — sustained damage output over time, as opposed to burst.
DenyDestroying your own troopers' soul orbs (or killing your own low troopers in some games) to prevent the enemy from collecting them.
DiveAttacking an enemy under their structure, taking structure damage to secure the kill. High risk, high reward.
F
FeedingDying repeatedly and giving the enemy team souls and momentum. 'Stop feeding' means stop dying.
G
GankAmbushing an enemy laner with help from a rotating teammate. A surprise attack with numbers advantage.
GreenwichThe right side lane (green). Runs between the Theater and Chinatown districts.
GuardianThe first defensive structure in each lane. Fires a laser at the closest target.
H
Harass / PokeDealing small amounts of damage to the enemy laner to wear them down, without committing to a full fight.
HauntsNeutral creatures in the jungle between lanes. Killing them gives bonus souls. Come in easy, medium, and hard tiers.
J
JungleThe areas between lanes where neutral Haunts live. 'Jungling' means farming Haunts instead of laning.
K
KitingAttacking while moving away from a chaser — staying at max range so they can't hit you back.
L
LaneOne of the three paths (York, Broadway, Greenwich) where trooper waves fight. Players 'hold' lanes.
Last-hitLanding the killing blow on a trooper. In Deadlock, melee-killing a trooper auto-secures its souls.
M
Mid-bossThe neutral boss at the center of the map. Killing it grants the Rejuvenator (team revive credits).
O
OomOut of mana — in Deadlock context, out of stamina or ability charges. 'I'm oom' means you can't fight.
P
PatronEach team's final objective. Two health bars — deplete both to win the match. Only exposed after both Shrines fall.
PeelProtecting your carry by CC'ing or damaging enemies that dive them. 'Peel for me' means help me survive.
PingThe communication system — marking locations, enemies, and objectives on the map for your team.
PokeSee 'Harass'.
R
RejuvenatorThe crystal dropped by the mid-boss. Breaking it grants team revive credits — dead heroes revive on the spot.
Rotate / RotationMoving from your lane to another lane or objective. Good rotations win games.
S
ShrineDefensive structures inside each base (two per team). Both must fall before the Patron is exposed.
Soul OrbThe glowing orb dropped when a trooper dies. Shoot or melee it to collect souls. Yours are green, the enemy's are orange.
Soul UrnA recurring event — carry the urn across the map for a large team soul payout. The carrier can't attack and is revealed on the minimap.
SoulsDeadlock's currency. Earned from troopers, objectives, and Haunts. Spent on items at Curiosity Shops.
Split-pushPushing a lane alone while your team pressures elsewhere, forcing the enemy to choose what to defend.
StaminaThe resource for dashing, dodging, and sprinting. Shown as pips. Always keep one banked.
Super TroopersUpgraded troopers your lane spawns after destroying an enemy Shrine. Tougher, stronger pushers.
SupportA hero focused on healing, shielding, or CC'ing for the team rather than dealing damage.
T
TankA durable hero that soaks damage and starts fights. Hard to kill, lower damage.
TeamfightA large fight involving most or all of both teams, usually around an objective.
TeleporterDoors that instantly move you across the map. Unlock at 8:00.
TradeExchanging damage with the enemy laner. 'Winning the trade' means you dealt more than you took.
TrooperThe AI minions that march down lanes and fight each other. Your main soul source early.
W
WalkerThe giant robotic lane boss — the strongest lane structure. Killing one gives your whole team an Extra Item Slot.
Wombo ComboTwo or more ultimates combined for a devastating teamfight play. See the Combos section on the heroes page.
Y
YorkThe left side lane (yellow). Runs between the Haunted Lot and Plaza districts.
Z
ZiplineThe fast-travel lines along each lane. Speed increases as you destroy enemy structures.