Overwatch 2: A Starter’s Guide to Heroes and Strategies

Here’s your 1000-word starter’s guide to Overwatch 2 heroes and strategies:

Tank Heroes: Leading the Charge and Creating Space

Tanks are the frontline protectors, designed to absorb damage, disrupt enemies, and create space for their team. Understanding their roles and abilities is crucial for both playing and countering them.

• Reinhardt: The quintessential shield tank. Reinhardt excels at pushing forward, protecting his team with his large barrier, and engaging in close-range combat with his Rocket Hammer.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Barrier Field: A large energy shield that absorbs damage. Managing the shield’s health is critical. Don’t let it break completely.
    • Rocket Hammer: A powerful melee weapon ideal for close-quarters combat. Learn the swing timing to maximize damage.
    • Charge: A devastating charge that pins enemies against walls, dealing significant damage. Use it strategically to isolate targets or create openings.
    • Fire Strike: A long-range projectile that passes through enemies, allowing Reinhardt to poke from behind his shield.
    • Earthshatter (Ultimate): A ground slam that stuns enemies in a wide cone. Use it to initiate fights or capitalize on enemy positioning errors.
  • Strategy: Reinhardt thrives in aggressive compositions. Coordinate with your team to push forward behind your shield. Use Charge judiciously to isolate key targets. Fire Strike helps keep your energy level up.

• D.Va: A mobile tank with exceptional burst damage. D.Va’s mech offers strong offensive capabilities, while her pilot form provides versatility.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Fusion Cannons: High-damage shotguns effective at close to mid-range.
    • Defense Matrix: Absorbs incoming projectiles, protecting D.Va and her team. Resource management is key. Don’t waste it on low-damage fire.
    • Boosters: Allows D.Va to fly and quickly reposition. Use it to engage, disengage, or chase down enemies.
    • Micro Missiles: A volley of missiles that deal burst damage. Use them in conjunction with Fusion Cannons for maximum impact.
    • Self-Destruct (Ultimate): Ejects D.Va from her mech, which detonates after a delay. Can be used to clear objectives or zone out enemies.
    • Call Mech (Ultimate): Summons a new mech, damaging enemies in the immediate area. Can be used defensively or offensively.
  • Strategy: D.Va excels at flanking and harassing enemy backlines. Use Boosters to dive onto vulnerable targets, unload your Fusion Cannons and Micro Missiles, and then use Defense Matrix to protect yourself while retreating.

• Orisa: A resilient tank who excels at holding ground. Orisa’s fortify and damage mitigation abilities make her a formidable defender.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Augmented Fusion Driver: A rapid-fire projectile weapon with a short travel time.
    • Fortify: Reduces incoming damage and prevents Orisa from being moved by crowd control effects. Use it to withstand heavy fire.
    • Energy Javelin: A throwable javelin that stuns and knocks back enemies. Excellent for interrupting abilities or displacing targets.
    • Javelin Spin: Spins Orisa’s javelin, destroying incoming projectiles and increasing movement speed while dealing damage. A great defensive and offensive tool.
    • Terra Surge (Ultimate): Creates a large energy field that pulls enemies toward it and empowers Orisa and her allies’ damage. Coordinate with your team to maximize its impact.
  • Strategy: Orisa is best played defensively, holding strategic locations. Use Fortify to absorb damage and Energy Javelin to disrupt enemy pushes. Use Javelin Spin to protect yourself and your team from projectiles.

Damage Heroes: Dealing Devastating Blows

Damage heroes are responsible for dealing the majority of their team’s damage. They come in various flavors, from long-range snipers to close-range assassins.

• Soldier: 76: A versatile hitscan hero with self-healing and a sprint ability, making him a reliable choice for beginners.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Heavy Pulse Rifle: A fully automatic rifle with good accuracy and range.
    • Helix Rockets: A volley of rockets that deal burst damage. Aim carefully for maximum impact.
    • Biotic Field: Deploys a field that heals Soldier: 76 and his allies. Use it to sustain your team during fights.
    • Sprint: Increases Soldier: 76’s movement speed. Use it to reposition, escape, or chase down enemies.
    • Tactical Visor (Ultimate): Automatically locks onto enemy targets, guaranteeing accurate shots. Use it to eliminate key targets or clear out a group of enemies.
  • Strategy: Soldier: 76 is effective at mid-range, providing consistent damage and healing support. Position yourself behind your tank and use Sprint to reposition as needed.

• Tracer: A highly mobile flanker with the ability to blink and rewind time, making her a difficult target to hit.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Pulse Pistols: Rapid-fire pistols effective at close range.
    • Blink: Allows Tracer to teleport a short distance. Use it to dodge attacks, flank enemies, or reposition.
    • Recall: Rewinds Tracer’s position and health to a previous point in time. Use it to escape dangerous situations or heal damage.
    • Pulse Bomb (Ultimate): A sticky bomb that deals high damage. Use it to eliminate key targets or clear out a small area.
  • Strategy: Tracer excels at harassing enemy backlines and disrupting their formation. Use Blink to get behind enemy lines, unload your Pulse Pistols, and then use Recall to escape.

• Genji: A swift ninja who can deflect projectiles and dash through enemies, making him a deadly assassin.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Shurikens: Throws three shurikens in a spread or a single projectile.
    • Deflect: Reflects incoming projectiles back at the enemy. Time it carefully to deflect key abilities.
    • Swift Strike: Dashes through an enemy, dealing damage. Resets on elimination.
    • Dragonblade (Ultimate): Draws a katana and slashes enemies for high damage. Use Swift Strike to quickly close the distance and eliminate targets.
  • Strategy: Genji relies on mobility and timing to outmaneuver his opponents. Use Swift Strike to engage and disengage, and Deflect to protect yourself from incoming fire.

Support Heroes: Healing and Enabling

Support heroes provide essential healing, buffs, and utility to their team. They are crucial for sustaining fights and enabling their teammates to succeed.

• Mercy: A dedicated healer who can fly to allies and provide consistent healing and damage amplification.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Caduceus Staff: Heals allies or amplifies their damage.
    • Guardian Angel: Allows Mercy to fly to a targeted ally.
    • Resurrect: Revives a fallen ally.
    • Angelic Descent: Slows Mercy’s descent while falling.
    • Valkyrie (Ultimate): Enhances Mercy’s abilities, allowing her to fly freely and heal or damage boost multiple allies at once.
  • Strategy: Mercy is a primary healer who should focus on keeping her team alive and amplifying their damage. Use Guardian Angel to quickly reposition and Resurrect to bring back fallen teammates.

• Lucio: A mobile support hero who can provide healing and speed boosts to his team.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Sonic Amplifier: Fires projectiles that deal damage.
    • Crossfade: Switches between healing and speed boost auras.
    • Amp It Up: Amplifies the effect of Lucio’s active aura.
    • Soundwave: Knocks back enemies.
    • Sound Barrier (Ultimate): Provides a temporary shield to all nearby allies.
  • Strategy: Lucio excels at providing sustained healing and speed boosts to his team. Use Crossfade to switch between healing and speed boost as needed, and Amp It Up to amplify the effect of your active aura.

• Zenyatta: A hybrid support hero who can provide healing and damage amplification while also dealing significant damage himself.

  • Key Abilities:
    • Orb of Destruction: Fires orbs that deal damage. Can be charged for increased damage and range.
    • Orb of Harmony: Heals a targeted ally.
    • Orb of Discord: Amplifies the damage taken by a targeted enemy.
    • Transcendence (Ultimate): Makes Zenyatta invulnerable and rapidly heals nearby allies.
  • Strategy: Zenyatta is best played defensively, providing healing and damage amplification from a safe distance. Use Orb of Discord to focus fire on key targets and Transcendence to counter enemy ultimates.