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Deadlockcan often be a decisive game when it comes to a team composition. On one hand, defensive gameplay can keep your squad alive and safe. On the other hand, pushing into enemy territory can completely shift the tides of battle. Few heroes have a distinct skillset that can stay right in the middle, holding the power to choose between the two.
Meet Kelvin, a character so powerful, he can break an enemy team’s synergy, give his teammates much-needed mobility and also keep himself safe while doing so. Kelvin’s kit is easy to get used to, and helps you decide what kind of playstyle suits you best in Deadlock.
The game is still in development. Expect a lot more balance changes and improvements over time.
Kelvin Overview
Kelvin’s ice-wielding abilities stand out from the rest of the heroes. Thanks to his stats and kit,playing Kelvin as a controller can give your team the ideal hero to rely onwhen it comes to holding down on a location. Additionally, Kelvin can create an Ice Path that’s helpful to everyone in his team.
By default,Kelvin deals 83 damage per second (DPS), holding 15 ammo at a time. He also does melee damage of 63, and has a max health of 600. Even though his movement speed is 6.5 m/s, it briefly sees a major increase when using Ice Path across the map.
As you purchase upgrades and implement ability points throughout the match, you may fine tune Kelvin’s overall kit to make him more sturdy, reliable and faster in battle.
Abilities
Kelvin’s skills are all about patience and sturdiness. Rather than going for kills, he’sbest played as a hero who creates a defensive strategy.Not only does this protect him, it also gives the team a bigger chance at defending a lane or pushing forward as a unit.
His Frost Grenade and Arctic Beam are certainly the best abilities in his kit.These can be extremely useful when farming souls and clearing lanes early in the game. However, they grow increasingly powerful as you progress through the match.
Description
Frost Grenade
Kelvin throws a grenade thatcovers an area that deals and slows down enemieswhile inflicting 80 damage.
Ice Path
Kelvin creates an icy floating path that can be used by him and his allies.This route provides a boost of +2 m/s speed, and lasts for 18 seconds. Additionally, he gains 60% slow resistance.
Arctic Beam
Shoot a powerful beam of ice. As you hit enemies with this,slow down their mobility, dealing 60 DPS.
Frozen Shelter
Kelvin createsan indestructible dome around him, inside which he regains health (+120). Enemies inside the dome will slow down.
On the other hand,Frozen Shelter’s key purpose is to protect yourselfso you can continue being resourceful to your teammates. Even in the late game, this ability can be the winning factor when fighting tough opponents, or dealing damage to the enemy Patron.
Ice Path is a highly versatile ability that you can use based on what the situation requires. Forbeginners who are learning the basicsof the game, this can bea nifty tool for getting out of tricky fightsor helping teammates reach the objective quicker.
Using Ice Path to switch between lanescan be a viable option when you need to get to a teammate who’s in need of your aid.
Upgrades And Build For Kelvin
Early in the game, Kelvin can bamboozle enemies into believing that he’s going to push, when he’s certainly not.Your focus will be on keeping him healthy and agile, so you can act like a skirmisher without actually fighting opponents. Instead, use this time to keep enemies distracted while you farm souls.
As you progress, keep visiting the Curiosity Shop to purchase relevant items that can give Kelvin a strong advantage over enemies, especially during the late game when you’ll be keeping an eye on your team composition and synergy.Remember that you can always save souls for later. Investing in upgrades later in the game rather than frantically spending souls is usually a smarter move.
Stage
Items
Early Game: Try to be faster than the rest of your team, focusing on farming survival.
Healing Booster, Improved Cooldown, Rescue Beam and Enduring Spirit.
Mid Game: Kelvin’s Spirit Power is the highlight here, and you’re going to start focusing on powering up his abilities.
Alchemical Fire, Superior Cooldown, Improved Burst, Rapid Recharge and Improved Spirit.
Late Game: Maximize damage output and potential to withstand incoming attacks.
Hunter’s Aura, Headhunter, Improved Reach, Boundless Spirit, Duration Extender and Mystic Reach.
These items certainly maximize Kelvin’s potential as a defensive character who isagile, strong and does incredible damage in late game. However, there are other situational items that you should consider buying, based on how the game is going.
Keep an eye out forenemy players who heavily rely on an item. Using Curse against them can prove to be highly effective.
Playstyle Strategy
Even though Kelvin is a strong character who’s hard to kill and highly mobile, his weaknesses are important to keep in mind. For instance,his weapon doesn’t have the fastest rate of fire, and can often feel weak compared to other heroes in Deadlock. Hence, it’s important to remember how to best use his abilities.
Frost Grenade In Close Range
With a grenade in hand, you might think it’s best to throw it at a distance. This can work in early game when you’re farming from a distance. However, when you upgrade Kelvin’s Frost Grenade, not only does it damage opponents, it also heals you and your allies.attempt to aim it at the ground below you, and use it when an opponent is close by.
Ice Path For Team Mobility
As tempting as it is to use Ice Path as a personal mobility tool, remember that Deadlock is a team-based game that requires you to synergize with others. When carving a path for yourself,verify your teammates are around you. This way, they can also use it to traverse across the map.
You can build an Ice Path upwards, giving Kelvin a lot of verticality in a match. Use this as high ground in battle!
Arctic Beam For Damage
Funnily enough, you can rely more on your Arctic Beam than your regular bullets for the most damage in certain situations.It slows down an enemy while dealing an impressive amount of damage(once upgraded). Out of all the abilities, this one should be used when you’re trying to win a fight against a stronger opponent.
Frozen Shelter For Synergy
When you’re fighting alone, Frozen Shelter can be a means of respite, giving you regeneration and protection against incoming damage. However,pair this with heroes like Seven and Haze, and you have immense area of effect (AoE) damage potential. This can eliminate entire squads when used correctly.
