Stuff’s guide to every hero in Overwatch

Offence

Playing offence is easy, right? Just kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!

That is sort of the case, but you have to remember that many of these heroes are glass cannons: they shatter easily. That means that using them tactically is vital to causing maximum damage without getting killed.

Genji

Playing as:

Genji is hyper-mobile, especially once he activates his ultimate. Use this to your advantage by diving through enemies with Swift Strike to attack from behind. More importantly, wait until you’re reasonably close before activating Deflect, as it increases the chance that the returned damage will secure a kill, and lets you easily transition into Swift Strike.

Playing against:

In short, don’t let Genji get close. He’s a reasonable marksman at medium range but to cause real problems he has to get all up in your grill. Make him a high priority target for snipers and consider recruiting a Zarya or D.Va, who have plenty of health to withstand his burst damage.

McCree

Playing as:

McCree can output astounding damage in short bursts, but he’s delicate and not particularly fast. Surprise attacks are best, usually from a flank. Initiate with his Flashbang ability, then let off two rounds of your secondary attack. If that doesn’t kill your enemy, combat roll and repeat.

Playing against:

With the exception of Junkrat, no hero is as vulnerable as this McCree during his ultimate. Not only does it take time to channel, but he’s is rooted to the spot while it charges – find cover and then move in for the kill.

Pharah

Playing as:

A good Pharah is almost always in the air. Floating like an armored eagle above the enemy gives you a great vantage point as well as making you harder to hit. It’s a win-win. Just be careful not to run out of fuel whilst on top of a cluster of enemies. Manage fuel reserves carefully, frequently landing outside of the current killzone.

Playing against:

Pharah’s rockets are relatively slow compared to other, more rapid projectiles, and she has problems attacking fast targets. Move about as much as possible, or hide behind Reinhardt’s shield. A great counter character to Pharah is Roadhog, as a carefully placed hook can drag her down from the skies.

Her ultimate also makes Pharah a static target – when she’s still, even Junkrat can lob a couple of grenades her way with a high chance to hit.

Reaper

Playing as:

Most new Reaper players make the same mistake over and over: diving into a pack of enemies and unleashing Death Blossom, only to be killed right away. Leicester City are more likely to win the Premier Lea… oh damn. What I mean to say is that Reaper is an assassin, not an engager – wait until the battle is underway and your enemies are distracted, only then should you teleport behind the group and let loose your ultimate attack.

Playing against:

Reaper can teleport, make himself invulnerable and has high damage output, but he struggles against persistent aggression. Keep track of his movement on the battlefield and follow him if he comes into view. If he can’t get close or unleash his ultimate, he’s fairly useless.

Soldier: 76

Playing as:

He’s classed as an ‘offense’ hero, but Soldier: 76 is also extremely effective from medium to long range. When playing as him you should keep behind your tanks and whenever enemy fire comes your way, deploy Biotic Field. Remember, this also heals your allies! When deploying his ultimate, find a spot that affords plenty of cover but a broad view of the battlefield to maximise your damage.

Playing against:

Tanks tanks tanks. Reinhardt or Zarya will easily soak up damage from his primary and secondary attacks and his ultimate will do little to dent either’s defensive shields. D.Va could also be helpful in tracking down the annoying beggar as he tries to scuttle away with his extra-fast movement speed.

Tracer

Playing as:

No player is more annoying to the enemy than a good Tracer. Blood will boil, guaranteed. Her Blink and Recall abilities make her virtually impossible to hit at top-speed – use them to zip behind enemy lines and assassinate every squishy thing you see. Blink stores three charges – use each one to move out of your enemy’s field of view and by the time they’ve found you, their health will be near zero.

Also remember that Recall restores health lost in the two seconds previous, so use it whenever you’ve taken a bit of a beating. Tracer doesn’t have much health to lose!

Playing against:

Group up. Tracer is the most delicate hero in the game and relies on singling opponents out. Against groups of three or more, she’ll likely be spotted and swatted like the annoying insect she is. Just beware of her Pulse Bomb – if she places it right your entire team could go ‘BOOM’ in one foul swoop.

Defence

The best defence is a good offence? Don’t make me laugh.

The best defence is a good defence, and if you use these heroes right, your team will be king of the objectives.

Bastion

Playing as:

Bastion’s primary attack when in turret mode is the most powerful in the game – he can drain health bars faster than an iPhone battery. The key to playing well is constant movement. Once you’ve scored a couple of kills in one position, switch out to another spot or the enemy will quickly catch on and snipe you.

If you’re playing the Escort game mode, place yourself on top of the payload and go into turret mode – you’ll keep it moving and deal tonnes of damage.

Playing against:

There are a fair few hard counters to Bastion in turret mode: Pharah’s rockets can be fired from cover, Junkrat can bounce some grenades off walls without being in direct line of sight, Genji can use Deflect to get up close and reflect the barrage of bullets back, or Roadhog can use his chain to drag Bastion out of position. The choice is yours.

Hanzo

Playing as:

Hanzo is a sniper first and foremost. His rate of fire is modest but each arrow deals tremendous damage. Stay in cover and use Sonic Arrow to identify your targets. Don’t forget that Hanzo can also climb walls, which makes finding vantage points a breeze.

Be sure to deploy his ultimate, Dragonstrike, in choke points or during busy team fights when your opponents can’t escape. If they see it coming it’s easy to dodge.

Playing against:

Hanzo’s arrows are often one-hit kills, but his rate of fire is terrible and hitting fast moving targets is extremely hard. Pharah, Tracer, and McCree (if he gets close enough) all pose problems for him.

Hanzo champions also often spend a lot of time focusing in a single direction to find kills around choke points, so flanking generally takes them off guard, just be sure that he’s used his Sonic Arrow and the effect has worn off – that’s when he’s at his weakest. Whatever you do, don’t try the same angle of attack again and again – you’ll end up with an arrow in your head every time.

Junkrat

Playing as:

How to be a good Junkrat? Blow everything to smithereens, cobba! This insane mechanic is all about zone control – litter the area around your objective with grenades. When faced with a nearby opponent, throw a mine in their face and detonate immediately to send them flying, this gives you time to fire off more grenades. When deploying Junkrat’s ultimate, always send it via back alleys where the enemy team can’t see it coming.

Playing against:

Get as close as possible. Junkrat struggles against high-mobility heroes who can avoid his grenades. Tracer is his worst nightmare, as she can zip around him with little to fear from any of his abilities. Zarya and Genji are also valid counter picks.

Mei

Playing as:

This ice-queen is one of the more challenging Overwatch heroes to play as. Don’t focus on racking up kills, but insteaf disrupt the enemy as much as possible – try to place ice walls that block choke points or prevent escape. Approaching an enemy from behind is always advantageous as her primary attack may freeze them in place before they can turn around.

The key here is a well-timed ultimate. Wait until the enemy is clustered around an objective and unleash a Blizzard!

Playing against:

Bait out her abilities and then go in for the kill. Once Mei has deployed Ice Wall and Cryo-Freeze she’s extremely vulnerable. It’s often a great idea to hang around until she pops out of her frozen chrysalis to pick her off.

Torbjörn

Playing as:

This hobbity engineer’s auto-turrets aren’t as deadly as his Team Fortress 2 predecessor’s, but cunning placement is still key to success. Be sure to build your static emplacements in hard to hit corners or unexpected locations. Remember that when Torbjörn deploys his ultimate he gains a truckload of armor and becomes incredibly hard to take down – don’t be afraid to be highly aggressive.

Playing against:

A two-stage strategy is best: first destroy Torbjörn’s turret, preferably from a distance. Once this is down, the little blighter should be a relatively easy kill. If you don’t follow sequence it’s always possible for him to give you the run around and let his turret whittle you down. Tanky heroes are most suited to the job of killing him.

Widowmaker

Playing as:

Making widows is mostly a case of finding a suitable hiding spot and picking foes off from a distance, but don’t forget that this sniper is also highly mobile. Use Grappling Hook to escape tight spots, but like Hanzo and Bastion, it’s also vital to change position before the enemy discovers where you are.

Her ultimate, Infra-Sight, also grants vision of the enemy to all allies, so it’s still viable to use even when you’re not in the thick of battle and you just need to give your teammates an edge.

Playing against:

To paraphrase Darth Vader ‘Find her and destroy her’. By constantly poking behind enemy lines it’s possible to deny Widowmaker safe places to hide and snipe. If Tracer or Genji are wreaking havoc in the background, this continental assassin can’t work her magic.

Tanks

Often slow, large and easy to hit, tanks make up for it by being awesome bullet-sponges.

Generally your job here is to soak up the enemy’s fire so that your more fragile allies can do the damage and claim the objectives. Judicious use of your abilities is essential if you’re going to be an effective human (or robot/ape) shield, though.

D.Va

Playing as:

Fun fact – D.Va is a former pro-gamer who decided to use her gaming prowess to better the world from the inside of a monster mech. Strange but true, at least in Overwatch Land. This Korean pilot is great at soaking up damage and blocking attacks outright with Defense Matrix – use this when you’re going in for an assault rather than defending and you can push objectives with ease.

Playing against:

D.Va is at her squishiest when her mech is destroyed – don’t let her get away and call down another one! Of course, this means you have to destroy the mech in the first place. Her modest damage output puts her at a disadvantage against other tanks – try using Reinhardt or Roadhog to bring her close or block her attacks.

Reinhardt

Playing as:

Shield shield shield shield and shield. Did I mention shield? Reinhardt’s Barrier Field can soak up a tonne of damage while your allies bring the pain. Keep yourself front and centre, only leaving the fray to let the ability recharge. Most new players are tempted to use Charge to fling themselves forward – don’t, you’ll end up mincemeat. This tank is far more useful when timing his offensive abilities very carefully, usually after the assault has already begun.

Playing against:

Barrier Field blocks damage and abilities, but doesn’t protect Reinhardt’s flanks. Attacking from the side will quickly drop the not-so-gentle giant. Tracer’s ultimate, or that of D.Va are both great couters here.

Roadhog

Playing as:

Surprisingly, what makes Roadhog the most persistent tank isn’t his Chain Hook ability, but Take a Breather, which recovers a significant amount of his health. Use this as often as possible and you’ll rarely be forced to leave the front lines.

A good Roadhog knows who to hook, and when to hook. You generally don’t want to pull Reinhardt or Winston your way, make sure you’re aiming for high-damage/low-health opponents.

Playing against:

Roadhog’s biggest weaknesses are his lack of mobility and slow rate of fire. It takes the giant porker a couple of seconds to reload his scrap gun and it only stores four rounds in the chamber. Avoid his first couple of attacks and use the reload time to burst him down. Snipers, as long as they’re sufficient distance away to avoid Chain Hook, are also a big problem as he is massive target, literally.

Winston

Playing as:

This ape is undoubtedly the hardest Tank to master – his Telsa Cannon is short range and he can easily jump into trouble with no means of escape. When playing Winston you must remember that Barrier Projector is a lot weaker than Reinhardt’s shield, so try to be disruptive and focus on single targets rather than launching yourself into a horde of enemies. Also, you’re a great counter against Tracer as the Tesla Cannon doesn’t require you to aim – SQUISH HER.

Against:

Keep your distance and Winston is fairly impotent. His ultimate is great at tearing through clustered enemies so when he cracks out Primal Rage spread out, or just run away.

Zarya

Playing as:

This Russian behemoth is at her best when soaking damage, and not just because it protects her teammates – when Particle Barrier intercepts attacks it strengthens Zarya’s particle beam. Being a good Zarya involves being a combat sponge – try to draw as much fire as you can. You’re at your most dangerous when you shield yourself and an ally, so it’s key to always remain in the company of others and to not go wandering alone.

Always try to use your ultimate near an offensive ally, such as Pharah, so that they can mop up the trapped enemies with splash damage.

Playing against:

The best counters to Zarya are Lúcio and Zenyatta, who both possess area-of-effect healing abilities. If Lúcio pops his ultimate just as everyone is sucked in by Graviton Surge, then the group will likely emerge unharmed.

Support

Support is vital to success in Overwatch, and these chacters provide it in a variety of ways, from healing allies to protecting them with super-shields and turrets.

An entire team’s success or failure rests on effective support perhaps more than any other class, so read-up and become the real MVP!

Lúcio

Playing as:

Speed is Lúcio’s greatest assett – he’s a nightmare to lock down when you engage his speed boost. When playing as him staying alive is the best thing you can do for your team as his passive healing ability engages on any ally that is within line of sight. As long as you’re in the fray and your mates can see you, their health will climb. Be sure to use Sonic Amplifier’s secondary attack to knock enemies off ledges and out of control points.

Playing against:

The key to reducing Lúcio’s effectiveness is baiting out his ultimate, and then attacking after the group shield has dissipated. If you know that he recently used Sound Barrier, go in for the kill before it recharges.

Mercy

Playing as:

Everyone claims that their favourite hero’s ultimate is a gamechanger, but in Mercy’s case it’s plain fact. When playing as her be sure to keep to the rear and constantly heal allies so that your ultimate is ready to deploy when several fall in battle. It’s also worth noting that Guardian Angel, which allows Mercy to fly toward teammates, is great as an escape tool in addition to moving her closer to the fray. In short – don’t die so that you can revive your allies can revive over, and over, and over.

Playing against:

We at Stuff don’t advocate murder but never is the ‘kill the support’ adage more true than in Mercy’s case. Honestly, she’s pretty useless in a one-on-one fight against any other hero, so countering her constant healing is a simple case of tracking her down and ending her as quickly as you can. Even if you die in the process, the sacrifice will likely be worth it for you team.

Symmetra

Playing as:

Symmetra’s primary weapon is less than impressive, but five of her turrets put out enough damage to turn most squishy foes into irradiant goo. The key to playing her properly is two fold: placing turrets in difficult to reach locations, and placing them in high volume. One turret by itself is little more than an annoyance.

When it comes to placing her teleporter, the obvious advice is the most helpful: keep it secret, keep it safe (yeah, that’s a Gandalf quote – what of it?). Sometimes it’s better to keep the teleporter well away from the battle so it doesn’t get blown up, rather than place it nearer the action and watch it get destroyed immediately.

Playing against:

Yep, you guessed it, you’ve got to play hunt the teleporter as much as possible. If one of these is active, it should be your top priority to destroy it. Sentry turrets dotted over the map are a massive pain for Tracer and Genji, who die very easily, so it’s probably best to send Pharah on an aerial hunt for the offending portal.

Zenyatta

Playing as:

He’s the most offensively capable support out there, so if you’re playing Zenyatta you should be firing as many energy orbs as possible and constantly switching your orb of harmony between allies that need healing. Don’t bother wasting Transcendence on non-crucial healing, instead only activate your ultimate when storming an objective – you’ll be nearly impossible to stop for a few seconds.

Playing against:

Whatever you do, don’t try taking down Zenyatta while Transcendence is active as he’s invulnerable for the duration. Instead try to block his (and his team’s) path using Mei’s ice wall or a well placed mine from Junkrat until the ability finishes.