How to counter Pocket in Deadlock
Spirit hero. Counter items for lane, mid and late game, and tips for the hero you play.
Updated for patch 10-05-2026. Counter profile from 2026-10-06.
Threat profile
Spirit mage. Barrage fires a spread of damage, Flying Cloak moves him around, Enchanter's Satchel hides him in his suitcase, and Affliction is an ult that puts a long damage over time on everyone around him.
Key principle
Pocket kites with Flying Cloak. Slow him to catch him. Affliction can't be dispelled, so stop it before it lands.
Lane phase items≈ 0-10 min
- Enchanter's Emblem spirit damage.
- Slowing Hex silences Flying Cloak, the easiest way to catch him.
- Spirit Sap lowers his spirit power.
- Mystic Slow your spirit damage slows him.
Mid game items≈ 10-25 min
- Counterspell How to use: this is the main answer to Affliction. Parry as the ult goes off and you don't get the damage over time. Dispel Magic can't remove Affliction afterwards.
- Knockdown grounds him.
- Spirit Resilience core spirit armor.
- Silence Wave silence him before he can cast Affliction.
- Weighted Shots your bullets slow him and shorten his dashes, and the 22% debuff resist helps against his debuffs.
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Late game items≈ 25 min +
- Witchmail heavy spirit resist.
- Cursed Relic full lockdown.
- Capacitor slows him hard and silences his movement.
- Silencer for gun heroes, cuts his spirit damage by 25%.
- Arctic Blast freezes him and stops his stamina, so Flying Cloak can't save him.
- Inhibitor for gun heroes, cuts his damage by 30%.
- Scourge spirit resist, debuff resist and shorter debuffs for you or a teammate, plus a damage aura.
Patch note
10-05-2026: no direct Pocket change (he was nerfed in recent patches, Flying Cloak weapon damage duration and Affliction cooldown). IMPORTANT: Affliction is an ULTIMATE tier debuff, Dispel Magic will NOT remove it. Your answer to a landed Affliction is to break LoS / wait it out, or pre empt the cast with Counterspell.
Tips for your hero against Pocket
Abrams
- Shoulder Charge him out of Flying Cloak; slow him so he can't kite, brawl him down.
Apollo
- Riposte his Barrage; Sigil slow his Cloak, burst him when grounded.
Bebop
- Hook him out of Flying Cloak; Sticky burst him when he can't kite.
Billy
- Bashdown his Cloak; silence him, brawl him when grounded.
Calico
- Match his kite; Gloom Bombs him, slow his Flying Cloak.
Celeste
- Float burst him; slow his Cloak, don't chase his kite into open ground.
Drifter
- Stalker's Mark him out of Cloak; Rend him when grounded.
Dynamo
- Kinetic Pulse his Cloak; Singularity him, slow his kite.
Graves
- Grasping Hands his Cloak; Deadheads pressure his kite.
Grey Talon
- Charged Shot him; Spirit Snare his Cloak lane.
Haze
- Sleep Dagger his Cloak; out DPS him when grounded, slow his kite.
Holliday
- Spirit Lasso him out of Cloak; slow him, Crackshot him grounded.
Infernus
- Afterburn sticks through his Cloak; Napalm slow his kite.
Ivy
- Entangling Thorns slow his Cloak; Air Drop your carry onto him when grounded.
Kelvin
- Frost Grenade grounds his Cloak; Frozen Shelter eats Barrage.
Lady Geist
- Essence Bomb him; Malice slow his Cloak, burst him grounded.
Mirage
- Traveler slow his Cloak; Traveler onto him when grounded.
Mo & Krill
- Burrow stun his Cloak; Combo ult him grounded.
Paige
- Bookwyrm pressures his kite; Captivating Read locks his Cloak.
Paradox
- Time Wall his kite lane; Kinetic Carbine him out of Cloak.
Rat King
- He kites well. Grenade where he lands from Flying Cloak and swarm him so he burns dashes.
Rem
- Naptime him out of Cloak; keep your carry topped vs his Barrage poke.
The Doorman
- Door his kite lanes; Luggage Cart him out of Cloak.
The Magnificent Sinclair
- Illusions bait his Barrage; Rabbit Hex him when grounded.
Venator
- Snap Trap his kite lanes; Gutshot him, slow his Cloak.
Victor
- Hard for you to catch him. Aura while he hides in his Satchel, and pair with a teammate's slow.
Vindicta
- Assassinate him; Crow stun his Cloak, don't chase the kite.
Vyper
- Out ammo him at range; Petrifying Bola his Cloak, don't chase the kite.
Warden
- Binding Word during his Barrage animation, he's locked in the cast. Don't fight him on rooftops or open ground; drag to chokepoints.
- Last Stand traps him out of Flying Cloak range, he can't escape the tether.
Wraith
- Telekinesis lift him out of Cloak; Full Auto him grounded.
Yamato
- Flying Slash him out of Cloak; Power Slash him grounded.