Paradox · Marksman
Paradox beginner guide
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Paradox is a marksman in Deadlock: manipulates Space and Time. Over the last two weeks it is D tier: 45.9% win rate in 188,027 games, picked in 32.8% of matches. In short: manipulates space and time.
Strengths
- Long-range gun: damage only starts to drop at 20 m and bottoms out at 58 m.
- Where it wins most: Eternus games (48.7%).
- Wins the lane against Mirage: 52.3% of 4,083 games with both in the same lane.
Weaknesses
- Where it wins least: Sentinel games (44.4%).
- Valve rates Paradox as hard to play: expect a learning curve.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
Builds
Paradox: most played build
When to use it
The items Paradox players buy most in each phase of the game over the last two weeks (188,027 games measured), with how many buy them and how they do. Skill points in the most played order (7,819 games, 50.8% win rate).
Laning phase
Mid game
- 1SharpshooterBought by 51.5% of players in this phase · 46.5% win rate
- 2TankbusterBought by 37.7% of players in this phase · 48.0% win rate
- 3HeadhunterBought by 33.8% of players in this phase · 45.5% win rate
- 4Trophy CollectorBought by 30.3% of players in this phase · 46.8% win rate
- 5Compress CooldownBought by 29.2% of players in this phase · 48.4% win rate
- 6Express ShotBought by 26.3% of players in this phase · 50.0% win rate
Late game
Skill order
Max order:3›2›1
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 |
 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | 2 | · | · | 2 | · |
 3 | · | · | 3 | 3 | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · |
 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | · | 4 | · | · |
Abilities
- 1Pulse Grenade32sThrow a grenade that begins pulsing when it lands. Each pulse expands the radius and applies spirit damage, time slow, and stacking increased damage for Paradox against the victim.
- Pulse Damage
- 35
- Damage Amp per stack
- 4%
- Radius Per Pulse
- +1m
- Pulse Interval
- 0.8s
- Amp Duration
- 8.0s
- 2Time Wall25sCreate a time warping wall that stops time for all enemy projectiles and bullets that touch it and increases the speed and damage of friendly bullets. Enemies that touch the wall will be briefly slowed.
- Movement Slow
- 64%
- Time Stop Duration
- 0.5s
- Ally Weapon Damage
- +30%
- Wall Width
- 8m
- Wall Height
- 4m
- 3Kinetic Carbine28sCharge up a powerful shot of time energy, dealing spirit damage and applying a Time-Stop to enemies hit. The damage dealt increases with weapon damage. Move speed is increased while charging. While in the air and charging, to timeslow your movement.
- Max Damage
- 5
- Max Time-Stop
- 0.4s
- Bonus Speed
- 25%
- Min Damage
- 5
- Charge Hold Duration
- 3.5s
- 4Paradoxical SwapUltimate110sFire a projectile that swaps your position with the target enemy hero.
- Swap Damage
- 150
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 7819 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:3›2›1
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 |
| 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | 2 | · | · | 2 | · |
| 3 | · | · | 3 | 3 | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · |
| 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | · | 4 | · | · |
Strategy
1Your abilities
Keys 1 to 4; 4 is the ultimate:
- 1 · Pulse Grenade — 32s cooldown: Throw a grenade that begins pulsing when it lands. Each pulse expands the radius and applies spirit damage, time slow, and stacking increased damage for Paradox against the victim.
- 2 · Time Wall — 25s cooldown: Create a time warping wall that stops time for all enemy projectiles and bullets that touch it and increases the speed and damage of friendly bullets. Enemies that touch the wall will be briefly slowed.
- 3 · Kinetic Carbine — 28s cooldown: Charge up a powerful shot of time energy, dealing spirit damage and applying a Time-Stop to enemies hit. The damage dealt increases with weapon damage. Move speed is increased while charging. While in the air and charging, to timeslow your movement.
- 4 · Paradoxical Swap (ultimate) — 110s cooldown: Fire a projectile that swaps your position with the target enemy hero.
2Where to put your first points
Unlock order most players use: Pulse Grenade (1) → Kinetic Carbine (3) → Time Wall (2) → Paradoxical Swap (4).
- Upgrade Kinetic Carbine first, then Time Wall; put points in the ultimate when you can.
Tips
- Last-hit troopers and shoot the soul orbs they drop: souls are your gold and your level.
- Deny the enemy's orbs when you can: every denied orb is souls they don't get.
- Spend your souls at the shop often: an unspent 3,200 is a tier 3 item you are not using.
- Parry melee attacks when you see them coming: a good parry stuns the attacker.
- Unlock order most players use: Pulse Grenade (1) → Kinetic Carbine (3) → Time Wall (2) → Paradoxical Swap (4).
- Upgrade Kinetic Carbine first, then Time Wall; put points in the ultimate when you can.
Matchups
Strong against
- Sinclair52.0%win rate in the matchup
Paradox wins 52.0% of the 18,225 games measured against Sinclair in the last two weeks.
18.2K matches
- Mirage51.6%win rate in the matchup
Paradox wins 51.6% of the 14,817 games measured against Mirage in the last two weeks.
14.8K matches
- The Doorman51.0%win rate in the matchup
Paradox wins 51.0% of the 18,741 games measured against The Doorman in the last two weeks.
18.7K matches
- Shiv50.8%win rate in the matchup
Paradox wins 50.8% of the 36,911 games measured against Shiv in the last two weeks.
36.9K matches
- Viscous50.3%win rate in the matchup
Paradox wins 50.3% of the 18,807 games measured against Viscous in the last two weeks.
18.8K matches
Weak against
- Victor38.5%win rate in the matchup
Paradox only wins 38.5% of the 26,658 games measured against Victor in the last two weeks.
26.7K matches
- Graves38.7%win rate in the matchup
Paradox only wins 38.7% of the 37,805 games measured against Graves in the last two weeks.
37.8K matches
- Kelvin40.4%win rate in the matchup
Paradox only wins 40.4% of the 18,057 games measured against Kelvin in the last two weeks.
18.1K matches
- Paige40.9%win rate in the matchup
Paradox only wins 40.9% of the 39,480 games measured against Paige in the last two weeks.
39.5K matches
- Seven40.9%win rate in the matchup
Paradox only wins 40.9% of the 31,193 games measured against Seven in the last two weeks.
31.2K matches
Works well with
- Graves53.6%win rate in the matchup
Paradox and Graves on the same team win 53.6% of 5,690 games measured in the last two weeks.
5.7K matches
- Victor52.5%win rate in the matchup
Paradox and Victor on the same team win 52.5% of 6,822 games measured in the last two weeks.
6.8K matches
- Seven51.0%win rate in the matchup
Paradox and Seven on the same team win 51.0% of 5,578 games measured in the last two weeks.
5.6K matches
- Paige50.5%win rate in the matchup
Paradox and Paige on the same team win 50.5% of 5,348 games measured in the last two weeks.
5.3K matches
- Kelvin50.2%win rate in the matchup
Paradox and Kelvin on the same team win 50.2% of 3,421 games measured in the last two weeks.
3.4K matches
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 2026-09-16.
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