One of the best ways for beginner players to improve in Deadlock is to get used to a clear, repeatable process for creating effective builds. So, here is our process for doing so in 10 easy-to-follow steps, with a video and a Goo Ball Viscous Build to help you visualize the process and get to making builds of your own!
Complete Guide to Creating Builds in Deadlock! | 10 Steps to make better builds for beginners!
Choose someone who interests you and whose kit matches how you want to play. Think soft roles/archetypes: catch (Bebop, Holliday, Paradox), tank/frontline (Abrams, Warden, Lady Geist), bruiser/utility (Viscous, Mo & Krill). If a hero’s core mechanic (e.g., hooks) turns you off, pick another—playstyle fit matters.
Set a clear end-state before you buy items. For Viscous, the goal is a late-game, Spirit-scaling Goo Ball carry that rolls through fights, proccing AoE damage and living forever. Your purchases should ladder toward that.
Open Build Browser → Create New Build. Get familiar with tabs, tiers, and the investment bars (weapon/spirit/vitality) that grant passive stats as you buy. Use the Testing Range to check ideas as you go.
Think Laning → Mid-game → Late-game instead of one giant shopping list. Decide:
What makes laning safe/efficient?
What creates your first roam/fight spike?
What cements your late-game win condition?
Read More: One Tip for Every Deadlock Hero: Beginner’s Guide
For a Spirit-carry Viscous, we may look for the following kinds of buys in the Early Game:
Early spirit damage: Mystic Burst (builds toward Tank Buster later).
Sustain: Healing line en route to Rescue Beam or Healing Nova (strong meta peel/escape).
Optional weapon QoL: Monster Rounds for easier last-hitting—skip if not needed. Aim to keep early items that still scale; minimize selling.
Match items to what actually wins lane. For Viscous, Splatter is the early pressure tool—imbue cooldown/damage boosters (e.g., Compressed Cooldown, Mystic Expansion) onto Splatter while you farm toward goo-ball power.
Hit a defined spike, then roam/fight. Key pickups for Boo Ball Viscous:
Torment Pulse (ambient AoE while rolling).
Superior Cooldown (global CDR—affects kit and procs).
Greater Expansion + Duration Extender (larger, longer influence). When these four are online, you can start forcing fights.
Round out the carry package:
Tank Buster (upgrades from Mystic Burst; shreds beefy targets).
Juggernaut (punishes enemies for shooting you; big vitality bump).
Scourge (area aura: damage + spirit resist shred; self-cast before/while rolling). This trio typically lands you ~30k souls and a reliable end-game identity.
Leave room to react to what your opponents are doing:
Rescue Beam (team save; often core-worthy).
Superior Duration (extends Scourge/Juggernaut uptime; late-game value).
Cultist’s Sacrifice (situational tempo).
Arctic Blast, Warpstone (high-impact actives; manage input load).
Boundless Spirit (raw scaling).
Witchmail / Plated Armor / Battle Vest / Escalating Resilience (counter specific damage types). Use cheap item upgrades if slots are capped but you’ve banked souls.
Start Splatter → instant rank-up for cooldown.
Take Puddle Punch or Cube next (pressure vs. safety).
Grab Goo Ball on unlock.
Add 2 more Splatter points (damage + radius) to finish lane.
Max Goo Ball next (so you can cast items/abilities while rolling).
Finish Cube/Puddle Punch as needed. Validate timings in bots, then refine in real games. Add annotations to your build so decisions are obvious mid-match.
Read More: Deadlock Hero Tier List: What are the best Heroes in Deadlock?
Pick a playstyle, plan your phase spikes, and buy only what will help you get to your win condition. For Viscous, that’s early Splatter pressure → mid-game goo-ball enable → late-game durability and %-health pressure, with tech slots to solve the lobby in front of you.
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