Abrams is Deadlock's dedicated tank hero, who also doubles as a closed-range brawler with access to a shotgun and powerful melee damage. He has the ability to heal a portion of the damage received, so you can expect him to win a lot of the risky engagements at the front line. Abrams may lack agility but isn't bothered when he can scatter the enemies with his Ultimate and draw their attention, enabling teammates to unleash damage with impunity.
However, if you want to unleash his true potential, you must know how his abilities work, what items to buy, and how to optimally use him. So here's a guide covering everything you need to play Abrams in Deadlock.
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Deadlock Abrams Overview
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Abrams is a close-range shotgun-wielding detective who has an affinity for punching enemies and an urgency to approach them to assert dominance on the battlefield. However, this playstyle makes him vulnerable to parries and nasty crowd control effects in Deadlock. So, Abrams players have to be cautious about their surroundings and prioritize team fights to leverage risky actions.
Regardless, he has a straightforward yet powerful kit, which makes him appealing to beginners and veterans at the highest level of the game. With the proper build and ability progression, he gains more bulk and sustains throughout the battle thanks to his health regeneration passive. Here's all the details about Abrams' kit:
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Ability Name |
Ability Effects |
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Siphon Life (1) |
Drain health from enemies in front of you while they are in the radius. Radius: 10m Duration: 4s Cooldown: 40s Damage: 35/sec (x0.2 Spirit) Heal vs Heroes: 100% Heal vs Non-Heroes: 50%
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Shoulder Charge (2) |
Charge forward, colliding with enemies and dragging them along. Hitting a wall will Stun enemies caught by Abrams. Speed increased after colliding with enemy Heroes. Duration: 1.2s Cooldown: 37s Damage: 40 (x2.1 Spirit) Stun Duration: 0.85s
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Infernal Resilience (Passive) |
Regenerate a portion of incoming damage over time. Damage Regenerated: 16% Regeneration Time: 18s Health Regen: +1
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Seismic Impact (4) |
Leap high into the air and choose a location on the ground to smash into. When you hit the ground, all enemies in the radius are damaged and stunned. Press [LMC] to crash down early. Stun Duration: 1s Impact Radius: 9m Cooldown: 159s Damage: 150 (x0.9 Spirit)
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Deadlock Abrams Build
Deadlock heroes grow stronger throughout the battle as you collect more souls to level up their abilities and purchase items they can benefit from. Likewise, following a proper build progression is essential to unleashing Abrams' peak potential while he dominates foes in close-range battles.
Abrams Ability Progression
Always put the first point into Infernal Resilience to help Abrams survive the lanes, as the ability will heal a portion of the damage he receives. His health regeneration stat is lower compared to tanks like Bebop in Deadlock, so he desperately needs that extra sustainability.
Next, increase his Siphon Life, which is a stable source of damage that can be used to pressurize the opposing laner if they dare to come closer to Abrams. Even if they try to escape the radius, you can shoot them from behind to potentially snag a free kill or, at least, scare them away. Put the next point into Shoulder Charge, enabling Abrams to effectively close in on targets.
The Shoulder Charge can also stagger enemies against a wall, so use it with his Heavy Melee to inflict lethal damage on opponents in the early phase. Also, upgrade this ability to one AP to reduce its cooldown by 20 seconds. While progressing towards the late game, prioritize Siphon Life before allocating the rest of the points to other abilities.
Abrams Item Build
Deadlock has an extensive catalog of items to choose from, which provides more flexibility during character build. However, newcomers are likely to be overwhelmed with the selection unless they are aware of how each item will interact in the game. Needless to say, Abrams is a beginner-friendly hero that craves for equipment that can improve his sustainability. So anything that offers a restorative effect, like Melee Lifesteal and Restorative Shot, will be a must-pick in the early game, followed by items catered to his damage.
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Vitality |
Spirit |
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Aside from the lifesteal items, pick Spirit Strike to empower Abrams’ Siphon Life. Spirit Strike decreases the target's spirit resistance when tagged by a Light or Heavy Melee, which is something the hero can activate frequently to benefit from the passive. His heavy punch can also activate the Melee Charge, increasing this attack’s damage and reloading his weapon instantly. The item also works on minions, so Abrams wouldn’t run out of bullets on a weapon that takes a long time to reload.
Additionally, pick the Sprint Boots to increase Abrams’ movement speed, since he is one of the slowest characters in the game who can use the extra mobility. The Bullet Resist Shredder and Torment Pulse are crucial items to get in midgame. The latter inflicts periodic Spirit Damage on enemies, enabling the other equipment to reduce the target’s Bullet Resist, making them vulnerable to both melee and bullets.
Hunter’s Aura and Point Blank are powerful items to use in the late game, as they significantly improve the damage and effectiveness of the shotgun. Depending on the situation, pick Healbane to shut down life-stealers like Lady Geist and Infernus. Sometimes, Abrams might have to fight against Deadlock hero like McGinnis, who wields a minigun with a high fire rate. In that case, the Suppressor will help since it applies Fire Rate Slow upon dealing Spirit Damage.
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How To Play Abrams In Deadlock
Abrams is a perfect hero for Deadlock beginners since he boasts a balanced kit consisting of self-sustaining abilities and a shotgun that deals massive damage at close range. Due to his tanky nature, he can stay alive throughout the early lane phase and gather souls to access better items. While shooting opponents and minions could be fun, his Heavy Melee is more effective during combat, so use it frequently.
That said, Abrams shows his true potential during teamfights by being able to suppress aggression by soaking up the incoming damage. His Shoulder Charge is great for creating space and isolating targets. But always look for opportunities to engage as a team, or else he could be in trouble after diving into the enemy back line with no one to support him.
General Tips
- Avoid engaging with ranged heroes like Vindicta or Grey Talon, since they can easily snipe a reckless Abrams. Instead, play around covers and clear the minion waves to survive.
- Abrams’s Shoulder Charge is great for chasing opponents, but try not to play too risky to get caught out in the open. Remember, he is pretty much a stationary target without items that boost his mobility.
- Always use the Seismic Impact on multiple enemies during team fights so that allies can benefit from its stun effect.
Deadlock
- Developer(s)
- Valve
