Levels in Deadlock are a signification of how many total souls a hero has gathered. Levels increase a hero's power by granting rewards at specific souls-gathered thresholds. A hero's level is most appropriately referred to by the number of souls they've gathered, which is displayed at all times for all players.

Level up notification for 4,500 souls gathered. Rewards an ability point and a power increase.
Level up notification for 4,500 souls gathered. Rewards an ability point and a power increase.

Leveling Up

Leveling up in Deadlock is based on a hero's total gathered souls. Level up rewards vary from level to level and are a mix of ability unlocks  , ability points, and power increases (Boons)  . The first three ability unlocks can only be used on non-ultimate abilities. When the fourth ability unlock is obtained at  3k it can be used to learn the hero's ultimate ability.

Level Up Rewards

All heroes level up at the same souls-gathered thresholds. The following table details the rewards given at each threshold.

Level Up Rewards
Souls Ability

Unlock

Ability

Point

Power

Increase

 0  
 400    
 800  
 1.2k  
 1.5k  
 2.2k    
 3k  
 3.5k  
 4.5k    
 5.2k  
 6k    
 7.5k    
 8k  
 9k    
 9.7k  
 10.5k    
 12k    
 13k  
 14k    
 15k  
 16k  
 18k  
 20k  

Level up rewards continue to be granted at the following soul thresholds, each one granting an ability point: 22k, 24k, 27k, 30k, 33k, 36k, 39k, 42k, 45k, 48k. The total amount of ability points available on the level up track is twenty-seven. Note that this is not enough points to unlock every ability tier which requires thirty-two ability points.

Power Increases

 
Haze's power increase profile.

Power increases serve to increase the base attributes of the hero. Levels occasionally grant Power Increases. The base attributes that are improved by power increases are: base bullet damage, base melee damage, and base health. Each hero gains unique amounts of base stats with their power increases. The differences in these power increase profiles can dictate which heroes are more powerful in the early stages of a game and which heroes become powerful in the late game.

As there are 11 Power Increases, if the base starting level is 1, then the max level is 12.
 

Ability Points

Ability points are obtained in various ways but primarily as level up rewards. Each ability has three levels, requiring one, two, and then five ability points to unlock. It is possible to spend ability points in any order, including saving them to spend on an ultimate ability or for the final level of an ability costs five ability points to unlock. Fully leveling up all of a hero's abilities requires a total of thirty-two ability points.