Infernus is one of Deadlock’s strongest heroes, combining high damage with great survivability to dominate both lanes and team fights. If you’re trying to practice with this hero, this Deadlock Infernus build guide will cover how to play Infernus, his optimal build, and strategies to help you understand his strengths.

Table of Contents
Infernus Best Build: Core Abilities and Leveling Order
Before you can master Infernus, you need to understand how his abilities work together to create a devastating combination of sustained damage and control. Here is a list of his abilities:
Ability | Description |
![]() Catalyst | Infernus spews napalm that slows enemies and makes them take more damage from him. • Base: 20% damage amplification, 50 damage, 30% slow movement, 8s debuff duration, 4s slow duration. • AP 1: +1 charges. • AP 2: Gains 12% Lifesteal against victims. • AP 5: +20% Damage Amplification and -33% Heal/Regen. |
![]() Flame Dash | Dashes forward quickly, leaving a burning trail that damages enemies and grants slow resistance. • Base: Moves at 12m/s and up to 20m/s, 40 DPS, 4s duration, 4.5m trail width. • AP 1: +30% Fire Rate Slow for 6s. • AP 2: +40 DPS. • AP 5: Enable ability charges and -15.0s ability cooldown. |
![]() Afterburn | His bullets cause a burning effect on enemies, refreshing with each hit. • Base: 15 DPS, 3s burn duration, 9% buildup per bullet, 14% deadshot buildup, 17 buildup decay time. • AP 1: Victims deal -25% Spirit Damage. • AP 2: +1s Burn Duration. • AP 5: +30 DPS. |
![]() Concussive Combustion (Ultimate) | Infernus transforms into a bomb, exploding after a delay to stun enemies. • Base: 13m radius, 125s stun duration, 160 damage, 3s explosion delay. • AP 1: -38s cooldown. • AP 2: +0.5s Stun Duration and +3m Radius. • AP 5: +115 Damage and 85% lifesteal from enemy heroes hit. |
Here’s Infernus’s best ability leveling order:
- Begin with Afterburn at level 1 as your main source of damage and lane control.
- Get Catalyst at level 2 to gain slow and damage amplification on enemies.
- Take Flame Dash at level 3 for mobility and additional burn damage.
- Unlock Concussive Combustion at level 4 for team fight control.
Early Game Items for Infernus (0-15 Minutes)
The early game is important for Infernus because it sets you up for success later. These items are picked to help you stay alive in your lane and start boosting your damage:
Item Name | Cost (Souls) | Purpose |
![]() Soul Shredder Bullets | 1,250 | Applies spirit amplification to targets and increases the user’s spirit lifesteal. |
![]() Enduring Speed | 1,750 | Provides movement speed, sprint speed, bonus health, and health regeneration. |
![]() Spirit Lifesteal | 1,250 | Grants more spirit lifesteal and bonus health. |
![]() Healing Booster | 1,250 | Increases healing effectiveness and provides spirit resist. |
![]() Duration Extender | 1,250 | Extends the duration of abilities. |
![]() Mystic Vulnerability | 1,250 | Increases spirit damage taken by enemies. |
![]() Quicksilver Reload | 1,250 | Reduces reload time and grants bonus fire rate upon reloading. |
![]() Suppressor | 1,250 | Applies debuff to enemies, reducing their effectiveness. |
![]() Improved Cooldown | 1,250 | Reduces cooldown times for abilities. |
Mid-Game Items for Infernus (15-25 Minutes)
By mid-game, focus on shifting from survival to taking control of fights. When you realize that Infernus becomes more powerful, your items should enhance that:
Item Name | Cost (Souls) | Purpose |
![]() Toxic Bullets | 3,000 | Causes bullets to inflict bleeding and reduces enemy healing. |
![]() Improved Spirit | 3,000 | Increases Spirit Power, health regeneration, and movement speed. |
![]() Mystic Slow | 3,500 | Applies a slowing effect to enemies. |
![]() Superior Cooldown | 4,250 | Reduces cooldown times for abilities. |
![]() Superior Duration | 3,000 | Extends the duration of abilities. |
![]() Surge of Power | 3,000 | Significantly boosts Spirit Power and overall effectiveness. |
Late-Game Items for Infernus (25+ Minutes)
The late game is when Infernus reaches full power. These items transform you from a strong damage dealer to a team-carrying force. Here is the list:
Item Name | Cost (Souls) | Purpose |
![]() Spiritual Overflow | 6,000 | Increases Spirit Power, enhancing ability damage output. |
![]() Ricochet | 6,000 | Bullets bounce to additional targets, dealing damage to multiple enemies. |
![]() Leech | 7,250 | Provides substantial Spirit and Bullet Lifesteal, improving survivability. |
![]() Boundless Spirit | 9,500 | Boosts Spirit Power, health, and sprint speed, enhancing overall performance. |
![]() Escalating Exposure | 7,250 | Abilities reduce enemy Spirit Resist, increasing damage taken. |
Situational Items for Infernus
Every game is different, so adapting your item build is key. Situational items help handle specific threats like heavy crowd control, burst damage, or the need for extra sustain. Knowing when to build these will improve your performance as Infernus in Deadlock:
Item Name | Cost (Souls) | When to Buy / Purpose |
![]() Enduring Spirit | 500 | When losing lane. This item provides additional health and spirit lifesteal for better lane sustain. |
![]() Healing Rite | 500 | In lanes with heavy poke. Offers health regeneration and healing active ability. |
![]() Infuser | 500 | Grants bonus health and an active effect to boost spirit power and lifesteal. |
![]() Extra Stamina | 500 | During extended fights. It increases stamina and health regeneration. |
![]() Superior Stamina | 3,500 | In team fights; it significantly enhances stamina and overall survivability. |
![]() Alchemical Fire | 3,000 | Adds explosive damage to attacks. |
![]() Siphon Bullets | 6,000 | Provides substantial lifesteal to maintain aggression. |
![]() Unstoppable | 6,000 | Against teams with heavy crowd control. |
![]() Diviner’s Kevlar | 6,000 | Facing enemies with high burst damage. It offers damage reduction and survivability. |
Also Read:
- Deadlock Jungle Camps: Tiers, Best Heroes, and Farming Tips
- How to Heal in Deadlock: All Methods to Restore Health
- Deadlock Teleporter Locations: How to Find and Use Them Effectively
Strategies to Play Infernus in Deadlock
Now that you understand the items and abilities, it’s time to put it all together. Here are some strategies to keep in mind while playing Infernus:

- Build up burn effects before fighting, and use terrain smartly with Flame Dash.
- Keep an eye on your charges and don’t waste Catalyst needlessly.
- Don’t use Flame Dash without vision.
- Never start fights with your ultimate unless needed.
- Keep farming souls in the late game and properly buy items to stay strong.
So that’s the end of our Deadlock Infernus build. He may seem simple, but mastering him comes down to good timing and smart decisions. You need to practice when to engage, manage your abilities well, and apply pressure to enemies without taking unnecessary risks. If you want to play other characters in Deadlock, you can check out our Hero Best Builds:
Abrams | Bebop | Dynamo | Grey Talon | Haze