Violet Abilities & Beginner Playstyle in Deadlock

This article explains Violet’s abilities in Deadlock and outlines the best beginner playstyle for her. You’ll learn what each skill does, how to build her effectively, and the core tactics that make her forgiving for new players. By the end, you’ll know how to poke, secure kills, and survive teamfights.

Formula

The calculator above works out your raw damage per second (DPS) and the time to kill a target with 1000 health. The formula is simple:

DPS = Damage per shot × Fire rate

Where Damage per shot is the average damage of one bullet (after resistances) and Fire rate is the number of shots per second. Time to kill (TTK) is 1000 ÷ DPS. This ignores headshots, ability damage, and reloads, so it’s a baseline, not a perfect prediction.

Worked Example

Using the defaults: 100 damage per shot, 1.5 shots per second.

• DPS = 100 × 1.5 = 150
• TTK = 1000 ÷ 150 = 6.67 seconds

The calculator shows 150 DPS and 6.67 seconds to kill a 1000 HP target. That’s the same result you’d get with a stopwatch and a training dummy.

Who Is Violet?

Violet is a hybrid gun/ability hero in Deadlock. She’s classified as a “gunnerâ€� with a moderate skill floor. Her kit rewards steady aim and smart positioning more than mechanical twitch reactions. She has strong poke damage, a reliable escape, and an ultimate that can turn a teamfight if used correctly.

For beginners, Violet is a good choice because she doesn’t require perfect combos. You can contribute to fights with just your primary fire and one or two abilities. She also has a get-out-of-jail card that helps when you overextend.

Ability Breakdown

Here’s what each of Violet’s four abilities does, in simple terms:

• 1 – Ricochet (Q): Fire a projectile that bounces off walls and hits multiple enemies. The bounce damage is lower than direct hits. Use it to poke around corners or to finish low-health enemies hiding behind cover.
• 2 – Void Tether (E): Throw a tether that attaches to an enemy, slowing them and dealing damage over time. If they stay tethered too long, they get stunned. This is your main crowd control and combo setup.
• 3 – Phase Dash (Shift): Dash in a direction, becoming briefly invulnerable and leaving a copy behind. The copy can be shot by enemies, but it also blocks some projectiles. This is your escape and repositioning tool.
• 4 – Singularity (R): Create a black hole that pulls enemies toward its center and deals damage over time. Enemies caught are also silenced. This is a teamfight ultimate – use it when multiple enemies are grouped.

Beginner Playstyle: Poke and Survive

The best beginner playstyle for Violet is a poke-and-survive approach. You stay at mid-range, use Ricochet to harass, and only commit when an enemy is low or your team has a numbers advantage. Here’s how to execute it step by step:

1. Lane phase: Focus on securing souls with your primary fire. Use Ricochet to hit enemies behind cover, but don’t spam it – it costs ammo and can push the wave unintentionally.
2. Mid game: Rotate to help teammates, but always keep a Phase Dash ready. If you get caught, dash out before using your ultimate.
3. Teamfights: Wait for the enemy to clump up, then use Singularity. Follow up with Void Tether on a high-value target, then shoot them while they’re stunned.
4. Late game: Stay behind your frontline. Your job is to deal consistent damage and clean up kills with Ricochet. Don’t be the first one in.

The key is to never use Phase Dash aggressively unless you’re sure you can secure a kill. Beginners often waste it to engage, then die when they need to escape. Keep it as an escape 80% of the time.

Item Build for Beginners

Your item build should focus on three things: ammo efficiency, movement speed, and cooldown reduction. Here’s a general priority list:

• Early: Buy a basic magazine item (like Extra Ammo) and a healing item (like Monster Rounds) to sustain in lane.
• Mid: Get items that increase your fire rate and bullet damage. Also pick up a movement speed item – it makes Phase Dash even more effective.
• Late: Look for cooldown reduction so you can use Singularity more often. Also grab a defensive item like Improved Bullet Armor if the enemy has heavy gun damage.

Avoid pure ability damage items early. Violet’s abilities scale, but her gun is her primary source of consistent damage. You want a balance, but lean gun-heavy until you’re comfortable with her combos.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Here are the most frequent errors new Violet players make, and how to avoid them:

• Using Phase Dash to engage: You end up with no escape. Save it for disengaging or dodging a big enemy ability.
• Holding your ultimate too long: You wait for the “perfectâ€� five-man Singularity, but the game ends. Use it on two or three enemies – that’s already a good fight.
• Forgetting Ricochet’s bounce: It’s not just a damage tool. You can use it to check corners or hit enemies behind walls, but only if you aim the bounce correctly.
• Not buying ammo items: Violet’s magazine is small. Without ammo items, you’ll reload constantly and miss kill opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Violet good for beginners? Yes, she’s one of the more forgiving heroes because of her escape and her ability to deal damage from range. She doesn’t require precise combos, so you can learn the game while playing her.

What’s the best ability to max first? Most players max Ricochet first because it’s your main poke and wave-clear tool. Some prefer Void Tether for the longer stun, but Ricochet gives you more consistent damage.

How do I land Void Tether reliably? Use it after a Ricochet hit. The slow from Ricochet makes it easier to land the tether. Also, use it when the enemy is focused on your teammates, not on you.

When should I use Singularity? Use it when the enemy team is grouped, especially around objectives like the mid-boss or a pushed lane. Also use it to peel – if an enemy is diving your carry, drop Singularity on them to pull them off.

Should I buy ability cooldown or attack speed? For a beginner, attack speed and ammo are more valuable because they improve your gun damage. Cooldown reduction only helps if you’re using abilities often, which requires good positioning. Start with gun items, then add cooldown later.

How do I survive against assassins like Wraith? Keep Phase Dash ready and stay near your team. If you get jumped, dash away, then use Void Tether to slow them. Don’t try to duel them alone – you’ll lose most of the time.

Summary

Violet is a versatile gunner who rewards patient play. Beginners should focus on poking with Ricochet, using Phase Dash strictly for escape, and holding Singularity for teamfights. Build gun damage and ammo early, then add cooldown reduction later. With practice, she’ll carry you through your first matches.

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in t | Game time | min | 10 | 0 | 60
in d | Your damage per shot | - | 100 | 0 | 10000
in r | Fire rate (shots/sec) | - | 1.5 | 0 | 20
out dps | Burst DPS | - | d * r | 0
out ttk | Time to kill 1000 HP | s | 1000 / (d * r) | 2