In the game Deadlock, Valve Corporation has introduced a variety of unique and deadly heroes in this exciting MOBA, each with their own abilities and playstyles. One such hero is Shiv, a swift assassin who excels at darting around the battlefield, dealing high burst damage, and finishing off weakened enemies. In this guide, we'll dive deep into Shiv's abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and the best Deadlock Shiv build strategies for mastering this fearsome character.
Shiv is designed for players who enjoy high mobility and precision in Deadlock. He excels in ambushing enemies and executing them when they are low on health. However, he requires careful play due to his relative squishiness. Positioning is everything when you play Shiv in Deadlock, and knowing when to engage or disengage can make all the difference.
When Shiv's rage is full, he gains increased damage and special properties on his other abilities, making him a formidable opponent. This mechanic encourages aggressive play, as damaging enemies fills up Shiv's rage bar.
Shiv’s primary attack, Serrated Knives, is a ranged ability where he throws a knife that damages and applies a bleed effect on enemies. Each additional hit adds a stack and refreshes the duration of the bleed. As Shiv's rage is full, these knives will ricochet to another enemy and apply the bleed effect, allowing you to deal more damage over time.
When upgraded, Serrated Knives can slow to enemies they bleed, giving Shiv an edge in chasing down targets. This knife that damages and slows is crucial for controlling enemy movements and is a key component in the best Shiv build.
Shiv dashes forward towards an enemy hero, slicing through enemies in his path. Slice and Dice is great for both initiating fights and escaping danger. When Shiv's rage is full, an echo of Shiv retraces his dash path after a short delay, doubling the damage potential and adding more flexibility to his movement. This allows Shiv to deal a lot of damage and outmaneuver enemies.
A well-timed Slice and Dice hit can initiate an engagement or provide a quick escape route. Remember that its effectiveness increases when your rage is full.
This ability allows Shiv to take only a portion of incoming damage immediately and defer the rest to be taken over time. Activating Bloodletting can also clear a portion of the deferred damage. When his rage is full, the deferred damage increases, making it essential for surviving burst damage. This mechanic means Shiv takes less damage upfront, enhancing his survivability in fights.
Since Shiv is often in the thick of battle, Bloodletting can be a lifesaver, especially against enemies with high weapon damage.
Shiv activates to leap towards an enemy hero and instantly kill them if their health is below the kill threshold; kill them if their health is low enough. Knowing the kill threshold is crucial to maximize the effectiveness of Killing Blow. Otherwise, Shiv gains an extra charge of Killing Blow and deals 200 damage, which still inflicts a lot of damage to the target.
As Shiv's rage is full, Killing Blow becomes even more potent, allowing for devastating plays. This ultimate can turn the tide of a fight, especially when used on priority targets.
In the early game, focus on building items that enhance Shiv's burst potential and mobility. A Basic Magazine or Swift Striker will boost his weapon damage and attack speed, allowing you to poke enemies and farm souls efficiently.
You may also want to grab Sprint Boots for the extra movement speed, ensuring you can get in and out of fights with ease. Maintaining your mobility in the early game will allow you to secure kills and avoid being ganked.
If you want to establish dominance in your lane, consider investing in items that provide spirit power and weapon damage, such as Frenzy or Vampiric Burst.
As the game progresses into the mid-game, it's important to transition into items that increase Shiv's survivability and enhance his burst potential. Consider building:
If the game is going in your favor, consider investing in spirit items to enhance your abilities. Items like Mystic Burst can amplify your spirit power, making you even deadlier in fights.
In certain situations, spirit lifesteal items can be highly effective on Shiv. Items that provide leech and armor help mitigate incoming damage and enhance Shiv's survivability. Building Soul Shredder Bullets can help Shiv deal with tankier enemies by reducing their armor, allowing your weapon damage to be more effective.
It's important to stay updated on the current meta, as certain items or abilities may have been nerfed. Adjust your build accordingly to ensure you're using the most effective items.
For extra utility, consider items that offer cooldown reduction. This will ensure your abilities are available when you need them, reducing vulnerability during cooldown windows.
The best items for Shiv often include those that enhance spirit power and weapon damage; tailoring your build to maximize these stats will increase your effectiveness in battles.
Always be ready to adapt your build based on how the game is going. If the enemy team is stacking armor, consider items that offer armor penetration. If you're facing heavy crowd control, items that provide tenacity or spell shields may be more beneficial.
Prioritize Serrated Knives early on to maximize your poke damage and bleed stacks. Put one upgrade point into Bloodletting and Killing Blow when available to gain the property of their respective abilities. Follow up with Slice & Dice to increase your mobility and damage potential in skirmishes. Upgrading Serrated Knives further allows your throwing knife to deal more damage and apply slows to enemies they bleed.
Consider upgrading Slice and Dice to gain an extra knife charge, allowing for more frequent use of this ability. This can be crucial when engaging or disengaging from fights.
The next two points can be allocated based on the match situation. If you need more survivability, focus on Bloodletting; if you need more damage, focus on Serrated Knives or Slice and Dice.
In the early game, Shiv excels at poking and harassing enemies with Serrated Knives. Focus on stacking the bleed effect to chip away at the enemy’s health, and look for opportunities to dash in with Slice & Dice to secure kills. Be mindful of your rage bar—when it's full, Shiv's abilities gain increased damage and special properties.
Farm soul orbs from troopers to scale into the mid-game, but be wary of enemy junglers who may look to shut you down early.
In team fights, your role as Shiv is to clean up low-health enemies and finish them off with Killing Blow. Stay on the outskirts of the fight and use Slice & Dice to dash in and out, dealing damage and avoiding danger.
Timing your Killing Blow is key. Use it on priority targets, such as enemy carries or heroes like Infernus, to quickly turn the tide of battle. Remember that since Shiv is squishy, positioning is crucial to avoid being focused down.
When Shiv's rage is full, his abilities become significantly stronger. This is an ideal time to engage and make use of the bonus spirit damage and special effects. Capitalizing on abilities that damage and slow an enemy can give you the upper hand. By slowing enemies with Serrated Knives, you can control their movements and set up for a Killing Blow.
Mastering Shiv in Deadlock requires strong map awareness and smart positioning. Use Slice & Dice to roam between lanes, applying pressure and picking off isolated enemies. Focus on securing jungle camps to build spirit power and help your team control key objectives like the Urn or Mid-Boss.
In the late game, prioritize eliminating squishy targets with Killing Blow when their health is below the kill threshold. Leverage Shiv's mobility to split push and create pressure across the map. Efficient use of cooldown reduction and items like Vampiric Burst will ensure you stay effective in team fights, allowing you to snowball the game in your team's favour.
Shiv is a highly mobile assassin in Deadlock who excels at punishing weak enemies and snowballing fights. His burst potential and execution ability make him a high-reward hero, but his squishiness means you’ll need to be careful with positioning. With the right items and strategy, including the best build in Deadlock, Shiv can dominate the battlefield and leave a trail of defeated enemies in his wake.
Want to learn more about the Deadlock heroes? Check out our other articles at SaveGame or our Deadlock lore article.
Disclaimer: This guide is based on the current patch and may change with future updates. For the most up-to-date strategies, be sure to check the latest guides and gameplay videos.
