How to Play Shiv Like a Pro in Deadlock – Playstyle, Best Items, Build, Abilites and Counters

Shiv is one of the most versatile and powerful characters in Deadlock, and mastering him can give you a massive edge in high-tier gameplay. His ability to disrupt enemy formations, deal devastating bursts of damage, and tank incredible amounts of damage makes him a must-learn hero.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to play Shiv like a pro, including his abilities, ideal playstyle, best skill builds, and top-tier itemization strategies. If you’ve been struggling to dominate your games with Shiv, this guide will give you the tools to succeed.

Also check out: How to Play Haze Like a Pro in Deadlock – Best Build, Items, Best Abilites, and More

Shiv’s Abilities Breakdown

To master Shiv in Deadlock, you first need to understand how each of his abilities works and synergizes with one another.

Let’s break down the abilities, upgrades, and how to use them effectively.

Killing Blow (Ultimate)

• Active: Leap towards an enemy hero and instantly kill them if they’re below 20% health. If above the threshold, deal 200 damage instead.
• Passive: Damaging enemies fills you with rage. At max rage, Shiv gains 25% increased damage from all sources.
• Upgrades:
  • +2 meters per second move speed at max rage
  • +8% to kill threshold
  • Cooldown resets on kill

Pro Tip: Use Killing Blow for critical assassination moments, especially when an enemy is below the health threshold. The rage bonus is huge, so keep Shiv in combat to maximize his damage potential.

Serrated Knives

• Effect: Deal burst damage followed by damage-over-time (DoT). At max rage, knives ricochet to an additional enemy.
• Upgrades:
  • +1 knife charge
  • +2 second bleed duration
  • +40 burst damage and +5 DoT DPS at max level

Pro Tip: Focus on landing ricochets in tight groups of enemies. The bleed effect becomes overwhelming in clustered fights.

Slice and Dice

• Effect: Dash forward, dealing AoE damage. At max rage, an echo dash follows behind you, dealing additional damage.
• Upgrades:
  • -4 second cooldown
  • +85 damage boost
  • Final upgrade reduces cooldown by up to 12 seconds based on how many enemies you hit

Pro Tip: Dash through hallways or enclosed spaces to maximize echo damage. This ability can have nearly no cooldown if you position correctly.

Bloodletting (Passive)

• Effect: Defers 30% incoming damage over 10 seconds. At full rage, deferred damage increases by 15%, making Shiv tankier.
• Upgrades:
  • +5 seconds to damage defer time
  • -5 seconds cooldown
  • +25% deferred damage cleared

Pro Tip: Bloodletting makes Shiv almost unkillable in prolonged fights, especially if you build lifesteal to sustain him through deferred damage.

Deadlock Shiv’s Playstyle: Disrupt, Tank, and Dominate

Shiv is best played as a disruptor and tank. His goal is to engage fights, soak up attention, and deal massive AoE damage through his abilities.

Close-quarters combat is where Shiv shines, so focus on tight spaces to fully utilize his Slice and Dice and Serrated Knives abilities.

Look for opportunities to initiate fights, distract the enemy team, and disrupt their positioning, allowing your team to take control of the battlefield.

• Engagements: Always aim to start fights in narrow corridors or hallways where Shiv’s dash and ricocheting knives are most effective.
• Positioning: Stay in the middle of fights, leveraging Bloodletting to absorb damage and keep your rage maxed out.
• Burst Damage: Shiv’s Killing Blow is perfect for assassinating low-health enemies. Always look for opportunities to finish off stragglers.

Also check out: How to Play Yamato Like a Pro in Deadlock

Best Skill Build for Shiv in Deadlock

To maximize Shiv’s potential, your skill build should focus on enhancing his tanking and AoE damage capabilities. Depending on your playstyle, here’s how to best build Shiv.

Note: There is an in-game build for Shiv “Deathy’s Weapon Shiv – Top MMR Build”, which you can use to get items recommendations.

Skill Build Recommendations

1. Slice and Dice (Max First):
   • Cooldown reduction and damage upgrades make this perfect for early farming and skirmishing.
   • Perfect for both lane clearing and jungle camps.
2. Bloodletting (Max Second):
   • Increased deferred damage and reduced cooldowns make Shiv nearly unkillable in mid-game fights.
3. Serrated Knives (Max Last):
   • Increase your DPS significantly in team fights once your passive and Slice and Dice are already strong.

Best Items for Shiv in Deadlock

Choosing the right items can make a massive difference when playing Shiv.

Since there are no effective health regen items in the current patch, lifesteal is crucial to surviving longer battles.

Here’s a breakdown of items you should focus on:

Pro Tip: Always prioritize Extra Health early to maximize your survivability in lane and Berserker for massive damage boosts.

How to Counter Shiv in Deadlock

Despite Shiv’s strengths, he isn’t invincible. His major weakness lies in his reliance on lifesteal to recover health.

Opponents can take advantage of this by denying him healing opportunities in fights. Shiv also struggles against ranged opponents who can kite him effectively.

Be cautious when facing ranged heroes with crowd control abilities, as they can disrupt your flow.

For a video breakdown, feel free to check out amazing guide from Deathy:

Get the most out of your movement. Check out: Deadlock Advanced Movement Guide – Stamina, Dash, Slide, Movement Items, Jump, and Movement Dash Jump Slide Combos

Conclusion

Mastering Shiv in Deadlock requires a balance of precise ability usage, strong positioning, and smart itemization. Whether you’re slicing through enemies with Slice and Dice or tanking damage with Bloodletting, Shiv has all the tools you need to dominate your games. By following this guide and refining your playstyle, you can ensure that you’re always one step ahead of the competition. Stay aggressive, maintain your rage, and unleash your full potential with Shiv.