1. Verify the game definitions
The planner requests the latest client version from the community Deadlock API and fetches version-pinned hero and item definitions. It compares a gameplay fingerprint with the reviewed reference, then rechecks the version before returning a plan. Changed or unavailable definitions produce a review/retry state.
The community API republishes game-file data; it is not Valve’s official API. The editorial reference was reviewed on 1 November 2026 against Build 6839. Historical public guides and saved snapshots remain dated.
2. Choose one hero path
Reviewed candidates follow a coherent damage and ability loop. Seven has Lightning Ball, Power Surge and Storm Cloud paths; Dynamo has support and Kinetic Pulse paths. Other heroes use the reviewed default. A counter must fit how the hero actually applies damage, not just the stat that scales it.
3. Respond to the lineup
Threat tags identify possible healing, control, damage and mobility responses. Main-threat and lane selections prioritise known enemies. The planner cannot observe enemy item purchases, skill, rank or match state unless you provide relevant inputs. It does not claim to solve every matchup.
4. Validate every purchase
There are nine initial universal inventory slots and up to three Walker unlocks. At most four owned items have separate actives. An upgrade consumes the components actually owned and charges the remaining payment. Shared components cannot be credited twice.
Low → High sorts the newly planned payments after component credit. The four stage names are price bands, not guaranteed minutes in a match. Match priority is an explicit alternative. A valid price order is not proof of the best tactical order.
5. Continue a long match safely
Enter your actual inventory, available souls, unlocked slots and updated enemy lineup. The continuation planner proposes up to three useful additions or upgrades. It considers a sale only for an item you explicitly mark replaceable, and still protects selected-path items, needed counters and manual keeps.
Normal sale refunds are 50% in the reviewed rules and appear separately from purchase payments. Immediate shop undo rules are excluded. Each step shows consumed components, inventory count, active count and the additional souls needed. Keeping the existing build is a valid outcome.
Provisional is an evidence label
All generated recommendations are provisional: reviewed tactical rules checked against current definitions. No statistical cohort is currently integrated. We do not invent win rates, pick rates, rank coverage or sample sizes. A future statistical feature must state patch, date range, rank, region, sample size and limitations.
Optional AI tactical focus
When enabled and configured, OpenAI selects up to three existing purchases to highlight for your hero path and enemy threats. It receives game selections and the verified plan, never your email, profile or private build notes. Names and explanations come from the reviewed planner. AI cannot add items, change costs, assign abilities or reorder purchases. It supplies no statistical evidence. Requests use store:false; OpenAI may still retain abuse-monitoring records under its API data policy.
Turn off optional AI focus in the planner to avoid these requests. If the primary provider credential fails, one configured backup is tried. If neither works, the core plan remains available with an honest unavailable message.
Your private archive
Cloud builds and hero lists require a real account. Each database row is scoped to its owner, revisions are immutable, and concurrent edits are checked before saving. Updating a historical build creates a separately reviewed revision. Guests can export JSON without signing in.
Sources
- Community API documentation
- Versioned item and ability definitions
- Community inventory and sale mechanics
- Patch reference and review status
DeadlockStrat is an independent fan project, unaffiliated with Valve. Hero and item artwork belongs to its respective rights holders. Advertising, payments and third-party analytics scripts are disabled in this implementation.