Deadlock Icons & Symbols: Full Meaning Guide

This guide explains every icon and symbol you will see in Valve’s hero shooter Deadlock, covering HUD elements, map markers, ability indicators, and shop icons. You’ll learn what each symbol means, how to read them in the heat of a match, and how to use that information to make better decisions.

Core HUD Icons

The main HUD (Heads-Up Display) in Deadlock is packed with icons that convey your hero’s status, your team’s progress, and the state of the match. Here are the most common ones you’ll see at the bottom of your screen:

• Health Bar (Green) – Your health. When it drops to zero, you die and respawn after a delay.
• Shield Bar (Blue/White) – A temporary shield that absorbs damage before your health. It regenerates after a few seconds of not taking damage.
• Stamina Pips (Yellow diamonds) – Show how many dashes or air-jumps you have left. They regenerate over time.
• Ability Icons (Q, E, Shift, Space) – Each ability has a unique icon. A dark overlay with a number means it’s on cooldown; the number is the seconds remaining.
• Active Item Slots (1-6) – Your purchased active items appear here. Their icons light up when usable and gray out when on cooldown.
• Soul Orb Counter (top-left) – Shows how many souls you’re currently holding. This is your currency for buying items.
• Team Score (top-center) – Displays each team’s total souls and the current state of the match (e.g., “Mid-Boss is up”).

Map Symbols and Markers

The minimap (bottom-left) and the full map (M) use a set of symbols to show objectives, enemies, and important events. Learning to read them quickly is essential for map awareness.

• Green Arrows – Your lane’s guardian (tower). A green arrow pointing up means it’s alive; a red X means it’s destroyed.
• Blue/Green Circles – Your team’s walkers (larger towers). They appear as larger circles with a shield icon when protected.
• Red Arrows/Circles – Enemy guardians and walkers. Same rules as above, but for the enemy team.
• Yellow Diamond – The Mid-Boss. It appears on the map when the Mid-Boss is alive and changes to a red skull when it’s been killed.
• Purple/Blue Dots – Neutral camps (jungle creeps). The color indicates the camp’s difficulty (e.g., blue for easy, purple for hard).
• White/Blue Shield Icon – Indicates a shrine (the last defensive structure before the base). When it’s destroyed, the base becomes vulnerable.
• Enemy Hero Icons – When an enemy is visible, their hero portrait appears on the minimap. A red eye icon above their head means they’re visible to your team.

Ability and Item Icons

Each hero has four abilities, and each item has a unique icon. While you don’t need to memorize every icon, understanding the color coding helps:

• Blue icons – Usually indicate a movement or utility ability (e.g., dash, teleport).
• Red/Orange icons – Typically damage-dealing abilities (e.g., grenades, projectiles).
• Green icons – Healing or defensive abilities (e.g., shield, heal).
• Purple icons – Often crowd control (e.g., stun, sleep).

Item icons follow a similar logic: weapons have gun-like icons, vitality items have heart or shield icons, and spirit items have mystical symbols. When you hover over an item in the shop, you’ll see its full description and stats.

Status Effect Icons

When you or an enemy is affected by a status effect, a small icon appears near the health bar. These are crucial for knowing what’s happening in a fight.

• Fire icon – Burning damage over time.
• Poison icon (skull with drip) – Poison damage over time.
• Shield icon (blue) – A shield is active.
• Chain icon – Stunned or rooted (can’t move).
• Zzz icon – Asleep or stunned.
• Eye icon – Revealed (enemies can see you through walls).
• Arrow down icon – Slowed or debuffed.
• Arrow up icon – Buffed (e.g., increased damage or speed).

These icons are color-coded: red for harmful, green for beneficial. If you see a red icon on yourself, try to disengage; if you see a green icon on an enemy, be cautious.

Shop and Currency Icons

The shop (B key) uses icons to help you quickly identify item categories and costs.

• Weapon icons – Crosshair or gun icon for weapon items.
• Vitality icons – Heart or shield icon for health and defense items.
• Spirit icons – Mystical orb or wand icon for spirit power items.
• Soul icon (golden orb) – The currency. The number next to it is the item’s cost.
• Active vs Passive – Active items have a small “A” or a lightning bolt icon; passive items have no such indicator.

Remember that items can be upgraded. Upgraded items have a glowing border or a star icon, indicating they’re a higher tier.

Common Misconceptions

One common mistake is confusing the shield icon on the minimap with the shield status effect. The minimap shield icon indicates a walker’s protective shield, not a player’s shield. Another is misreading the soul orb counter – it shows souls you’re carrying, not your total earned. Your total earned is shown in the scoreboard (Tab).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the yellow diamond on the minimap mean?

The yellow diamond marks the Mid-Boss location. When it’s alive, it appears as a yellow diamond. Once killed, it turns into a red skull, and the team that killed it gets a temporary buff and the Rejuvenator.

How do I know if an enemy ability is on cooldown?

You can’t see enemy cooldowns directly. However, if an enemy uses an ability, you’ll see the icon flash on your screen (if you have vision) or hear the audio cue. Some items (like Mystic Vulnerability) can reveal cooldowns, but that’s rare.

What does the blue shield icon above a hero mean?

That’s the shield from the item “Reactive Barrier” or a hero ability (e.g., Kelvin’s Ice Path). It absorbs damage and regenerates after a few seconds. Breaking it is often key to winning a fight.

Why do some map icons have a red border?

A red border on a map icon usually indicates that the structure is under attack or destroyed. For example, a guardian with a red border is being attacked by enemies. A red X means it’s destroyed.

Can I customize the HUD icons?

As of now, Deadlock doesn’t offer HUD customization beyond opacity and scale. You can adjust these in the settings menu under “HUD.” The icons themselves are fixed.

What does the “V” icon next to my ability mean?

The “V” icon indicates that the ability can be charged or has a secondary function. For example, Vindicta’s Assassinate can be charged by holding the button. The icon changes to show when it’s fully charged.

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