Sinclair · Mystic
Sinclair 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
Sinclair is a mystic in Deadlock: misdirect and hex enemies. Over the last two weeks it is D tier: 44.0% win rate in 104,547 games, picked in 18.4% of matches. With the help of their unwilling assistant, <i>The Magnificent Sinclair</i> can confuse enemies with curving hexes and rapid bolts.
Strengths
- Long-range gun: damage only starts to drop at 25 m and bottoms out at 61 m.
- Where it wins most: Ascendant games (47.5%).
Weaknesses
- Dies a lot: 6.7 deaths for 5.2 kills per game on average.
- Weak right now: 44.0% win rate over 104,547 games of the last two weeks.
- Where it wins least: Seeker games (44.4%).
- Struggles against Victor in lane: only 37.6% of 5,220 games.
- Valve rates Sinclair as hard to play: expect a learning curve.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Sinclair: most played buildBalancedRecommendedThe items Sinclair players buy most in each phase of the game over the last two weeks (104,547 games measured), with how many buy them and how they do. Skill points in the most played order (5,072 games, 52.6% win rate).
- Sinclair: “RAIGEKI THE ULTIMATE WIZARD - RANK 1 SINCLAIR” (in-game build)UtilityAdvancedThe most favorited Sinclair build published in the game this patch: saved 32,038 times, last updated on 2026-09-16. Find it in-game in the Hero Builds browser by its ID: 280256. Its own categories are kept as notes on each item.
- Sinclair: highest win rate itemsOffensiveSituationalItems with the highest win rate when bought on Sinclair, among those bought in a meaningful share of games, placed by when they are bought on average. Win rate on items bought late is inflated by games that were already going well: read it as “what winning Sinclairs end up buying”.
- Sinclair: vitality buildDefensiveSituationalThe vitality items Sinclair players buy most, for games where you get focused or need to survive fights longer. Cheapest first.
Builds
Sinclair: most played build
When to use it
The items Sinclair players buy most in each phase of the game over the last two weeks (104,547 games measured), with how many buy them and how they do. Skill points in the most played order (5,072 games, 52.6% win rate).
Laning phase
Mid game
- 1Rapid RechargeBought by 56.5% of players in this phase · 42.6% win rate
- 2Mystic ExpansionBought by 50.3% of players in this phase · 43.5% win rate
- 3Trophy CollectorBought by 32.1% of players in this phase · 43.5% win rate
- 4Veil WalkerBought by 29.6% of players in this phase · 44.3% win rate
- 5Duration ExtenderBought by 28.9% of players in this phase · 44.5% win rate
- 6Enchanter's EmblemBought by 27.9% of players in this phase · 43.7% 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 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Sinclair: “RAIGEKI THE ULTIMATE WIZARD - RANK 1 SINCLAIR” (in-game build)
When to use it
The most favorited Sinclair build published in the game this patch: saved 32,038 times, last updated on 2026-09-16. Find it in-game in the Hero Builds browser by its ID: 280256. Its own categories are kept as notes on each item.
This build is published in the game: copy its ID and search it in the Hero Builds browser to load it.
280256Laning phase
Mid game
- 1Magic CarpetCore Items
- 2Alchemical FireCore Items
- 3Greater ExpansionCore Items
- 4Boundless SpiritCore Items
- 5Superior CooldownCore Items
- 6Transcendent CooldownCore Items
- 7Mercurial MagnumDamage - Gun
- 8Escalating ExposureDamage - Gun
Late game
Situational
Skill order
Max order:2›1›3
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · |
| 2 | 2 | · | · | · | 2 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 3 | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | · | · |
Sinclair: highest win rate items
When to use it
Items with the highest win rate when bought on Sinclair, among those bought in a meaningful share of games, placed by when they are bought on average. Win rate on items bought late is inflated by games that were already going well: read it as “what winning Sinclairs end up buying”.
Late game
Skill order
Max order:1›3›2
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 2 |
| 3 | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | 3 | · | 3 | · |
| 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | 4 | 4 | · | · | 4 | · | · |
Sinclair: vitality build
When to use it
The vitality items Sinclair players buy most, for games where you get focused or need to survive fights longer. Cheapest first.
Laning phase
Mid game
- 1Veil WalkerBought by 29.6% of players in this phase · 44.3% win rate
- 2FortitudeBought by 8.1% of players in this phase · 47.3% win rate
- 3Dispel MagicBought by 6.6% of players in this phase · 41.8% win rate
- 4Spirit ResilienceBought by 5.6% of players in this phase · 42.9% 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
- 1Vexing Bolt24sFire a bolt of magic that deals Damage, increasing as it travels. If you have an Assistant, they also cast Vexing Bolt at reduced damage. Press Ability 1 to redirect the bolt towards your crosshairs.
- Minimum Damage
- 60
- Max Damage
- 120
- Assistant Damage
- 50%
- Time for Max Damage
- 2s
- 2Spectral Assistant40sSummon an Assistant at the targeted location. The Assistant attacks whenever you fire your weapon, dealing Damage. While the Assistant is out, you can press Ability 2 to swap positions with your Assistant. Casting Spectral Assistant also reloads your weapon.
- Damage
- 15
- Duration
- 6s
- Max Swaps
- 2
- 3Rabbit Hex26sHex a target area and transform all enemies into a Rabbit for a limited duration. Rabbits are small and move faster, but take increased Damage and are unable to perform most actions. Hex does not interrupt abilities.
- Hex Duration
- 2s
- Damage Amp
- 15%
- Move Speed bonus
- +36%
- Radius
- 6.5m
- 4Audience ParticipationUltimate85sCopy the Ultimate of an enemy hero for a limited time. Reactivating the ability will use the Copied Ultimate instead. Copies will inherit this ability's upgrade points. Audience Participation will also copy the cooldown.
- Copy Duration
- 12s
- Copied Cooldown
- 40%
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 5072 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
1Abilities
What each of Sinclair's abilities does, as the game describes it:
- 1 · Vexing Bolt — 24s cooldown: Fire a bolt of magic that deals Damage, increasing as it travels. If you have an Assistant, they also cast Vexing Bolt at reduced damage. Press Ability 1 to redirect the bolt towards your crosshairs.
- 2 · Spectral Assistant — 40s cooldown: Summon an Assistant at the targeted location. The Assistant attacks whenever you fire your weapon, dealing Damage. While the Assistant is out, you can press Ability 2 to swap positions with your Assistant. Casting Spectral Assistant also reloads your weapon.
- 3 · Rabbit Hex — 26s cooldown: Hex a target area and transform all enemies into a Rabbit for a limited duration. Rabbits are small and move faster, but take increased Damage and are unable to perform most actions. Hex does not interrupt abilities.
- 4 · Audience Participation (ultimate) — 85s cooldown: Copy the Ultimate of an enemy hero for a limited time. Reactivating the ability will use the Copied Ultimate instead. Copies will inherit this ability's upgrade points. Audience Participation will also copy the cooldown.
2Skill order
The most played skill order (5,072 games, 52.6% win rate) goes 2 · 2 · 1 · 3 · 2 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 2 · 1 · 1. The one that wins most among the common ones (1,018 games) reaches 60.2%: 2 · 2 · 1 · 3 · 2 · 1 · 4 · 1 · 1 · 4 · 4 · 3 · 3 · 4 · 3 · 2.
3Items by phase
What Sinclair players buy most in the laning phase, mid game and late game:
- Extra Charge — 68.1% buy it · 43.0% win rate
- Extra Spirit — 62.1% buy it · 42.9% win rate
- High-Velocity Rounds — 50.4% buy it · 42.4% win rate
- Rapid Recharge — 56.5% buy it · 42.6% win rate
- Mystic Expansion — 50.3% buy it · 43.5% win rate
- Improved Spirit — 40.0% buy it · 41.7% win rate
- Greater Expansion — 57.0% buy it · 43.6% win rate
- Superior Duration — 53.4% buy it · 44.7% win rate
- Boundless Spirit — 50.4% buy it · 45.8% win rate
4A typical game
An average Sinclair game over the last two weeks: 5.2 kills, 6.7 deaths and 13.6 assists, 31,181 hero damage, 7,073 objective damage and 42,597 souls.
5Win rate by rank
By the average badge of the game:
- Initiate: 46.3% (1,870 games)
- Seeker: 44.4% (3,697 games)
- Acolyte: 45.3% (3,330 games)
- Sentinel: 45.0% (2,829 games)
- Mystic: 46.0% (3,250 games)
- Ritualist: 44.9% (3,121 games)
- Emissary: 45.2% (2,998 games)
- Oracle: 45.7% (4,008 games)
- Phantom: 46.0% (3,268 games)
- Ascendant: 47.5% (1,185 games)
- Eternus: 48.8% (361 games)
Tips
- Unlock order most players use: Spectral Assistant (2) → Vexing Bolt (1) → Rabbit Hex (3) → Audience Participation (4).
- Upgrade Rabbit Hex first, then Spectral Assistant; put points in the ultimate when you can.
- First buys: Extra Charge, Extra Spirit and High-Velocity Rounds.
- Your gun hits hardest within 25 m; past 61 m it deals minimum damage.
- 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.
Matchups
Weak against
- Victor37.7%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair only wins 37.7% of the 15,012 games measured against Victor in the last two weeks.
15K matches
- Graves37.9%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair only wins 37.9% of the 22,002 games measured against Graves in the last two weeks.
22K matches
- Paige39.6%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair only wins 39.6% of the 20,899 games measured against Paige in the last two weeks.
20.9K matches
- Kelvin39.9%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair only wins 39.9% of the 9,925 games measured against Kelvin in the last two weeks.
9.9K matches
- Haze40.2%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair only wins 40.2% of the 28,013 games measured against Haze in the last two weeks.
28K matches
Works well with
- Graves52.1%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair and Graves on the same team win 52.1% of 2,829 games measured in the last two weeks.
2.8K matches
- Victor51.8%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair and Victor on the same team win 51.8% of 4,310 games measured in the last two weeks.
4.3K matches
- Paige50.6%win rate in the matchup
Sinclair and Paige on the same team win 50.6% of 1,781 games measured in the last two weeks.
1.8K matches
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 2026-09-16.
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