Overwatch is a fun 6v6 first person shooter that is easy to get and play immediately but mastering it takes a while. You need to play a lot to get better. Each hero is distinct and if you play with a group of friends, like a gaming laptop party in a common area, knowing each hero helps in getting all of you ranked. This will also result in being a more cohesive unit.
Party Composition
As discussed in one of our posts about the basics of Overwatch, there are four different types of heroes — Offense, Defense, Tank, and Support. It’s a good idea to learn at least one of each type. Before the match starts, the game will suggest which hero types are missing from the party. It’s not going to force you to take it, but it’s a good suggestion to follow.
A good party would consist of 1-2 Offense, 2 Defense, 1 Tank and 1-2 Support. So keep that in mind.
A quick run-through of the Offense heroes:
Offense heroes are the frontliners. They do the most damage and fulfill a lot of tasks like harassing, scouting, ambushing, and flanking in the hopes of messing up the opponent’s game plan.
Genji
He’s one of the quickest heroes; very mobile, can teleport, and able to climb walls. Plus, he has a unique ability to deflect ranged attacks of his opponents, even some Ultimates.
McCree
He’s one of the deadliest heroes to face up close, especially when he pulls off his flashbang/fan fire combo. His deals good damage and he catches his enemies unaware. He just has a problem with his mobility, so he needs the help of other teammates to “plow the field” for him, so to speak.
Pharah
Her rocket launcher does splash damage so she can do good damage control. Combine that with the ability to fly/hover and you can do one of the most annoying harassers in the game. Her only drawback is that she makes herself a target for everyone during melees. But maybe that’s part of her plan.
Reaper
If you love flanking, Reaper is your man. He can teleport around the map for ambushes and flanks. His double shotgun does a lot of damage when it’s shot in their face. He has also can be intangible; he can get out of sticky and deadly situations.
Soldier: 76
Really good at short and mid range combat, Soldier: 76 moves fast with his Sprint ability. He’s a bit of a field support leader with his healing support power.
Tracer
She’s also a great flanker. Her Blink ability allows her to move around in blinding speeds, allowing for a lot of backstabbing opportunities. She is a very effective harasser who is hard to put down because of her speed. Tracer’s Recall ability is an active heal ability as well.
A quick run-through of the Defense heroes:
They are there to defend objectives, vital team members, and choke points as well. They are mid to long range combatants. They have unique abilities that help in protecting their side.
Bastion
Bastion turns into a turret that deals insane damage to anyone in his field of view. He’s also able to heal himself, even in this form. His only drawback is that he is vulnerable in this mode because he can’t dodge.
Hanzo
An effective sniper, Hanzo has the ability to let him and his allies see enemies behind walls. He has some crowd control with his Scatter Arrow ability as well.
Junkrat
He has lots of traps and mines useful in scaring the enemy in going too aggressively on your side. Add to that his grenade spam. You get someone who is really good in stopping enemy pushes.
Mei
Her defense game is all about creating obstacles for her enemies. From her Ice Wall ability that blocks off people from moving forward, to her Cryo-Freeze ability that rapidly heals her and gives your teammates a shield. Her freeze gun can get deadly fast as well.
Torbjorn
He creates stationary turrets that defend his territory and adds to the number of things shooting at his enemies. Torbjorn also creates armor packs for teammates to add a little more toughness for them. His Rivet Gun is surprisingly good at any range.
Widowmaker
She is all about defense. Widowmaker is deadly in long distance. Excellent in suppression, she keeps the opposing team away from objectives and targets. She’s also mobile with her Grappling Hook, enabling her to find sweet sniping spots.
A quick run-through of the Tank heroes:
Tanks live up to their name. They take in damage and force your enemies to focus on them. They help push their team forward, and they normally have powers that give shields or barriers that add to their already impressive defense.
D.va
She can take a lot of damage because of her massive mech. D.va can also deal a lot of damage up close because of Fusion Cannon that doesn’t need to reload anymore. With the right timing, she can take in more punishment with her Defense Matrix ability. Finally, she can also blow up her mech for a lot of damage but can still move around with her blaster gun.
Reinhardt
He carries a big hammer, and it’s powerful enough to kill off most non-tank heroes with one charge attack. His most dominant team contribution is his shield. He has a massive shield that protects him and his party to close in on objectives. All of that is on top of his huge health pool.
Roadhog
He has the highest amount of health in the game, combined with the ability to heal himself fast and regularly. Roadhog is a character that is there to take punishment. Lots of it. He also has a frustrating power called Chain Hook that drags enemies towards him (and possibly his teammates) for a quick kill.
Winston
He’s another tough tank that comes with 500 health. He can also set up barriers to help him become harder to kill and assist the team to push more. Winston also leaps long distances and delivers a lot of high-powered punches that can scare enemies from taking him on one-on-one due it’s tremendous damage.
Photo source: playoverwatch.com/en-us/heroes/
Zarya
She’s a unique character, even more so as a tank. She has small health, half of which is her shield (which regenerates over time when not taking damage). Zarya’s barrier powers allow her and one other teammate to be invulnerable briefly. Her Particle Beam deals a lot of damage too.
A quick run-through of the Support heroes:
Support heroes aren’t tough nor do they deliver a lot of damage but they are ridiculously important for each party. They provide buffs for teammates, debuffs for opponents, and more importantly, heal. Having at least one support hero on your side can increase your team’s chance to win.
Ana
A new addition to the Overwatch roster, Ana excels in supporting her allies from afar with her sniper rifle. Her Rifle does two things: it can heal an ally or damage an enemy, from far away. She even turns any ally into a murder and death dispense for a short period.
Lucio
He can heal his allies within a certain range or make them move faster. He can also blow away enemies with his Soundwave ability, which is useful in maps with edges. Plus, he is the only one that can make the Payload move faster, which makes him valuable in those missions.
Mercy
Her heal is significantly stronger than Lucio, but she can only heal one teammate at a time. She can also boost the damage of the ally she decides to stick with. She can also fly. More importantly, Mercy is the only one that can revive a fallen ally.
Symmetra
She doesn’t heal, but she gives her team a shield that regenerates when not taking damage. Symmetra can also set up powerful defensive turrets and even a teleportation pad that makes her team get back to the scrap quicker.
Zenyatta
He can choose to heal a teammate slowly or amplify the damage done to an enemy by 50%. People love to use the latter more, for good reason. His ultimate is a powerful healing aura for his that can also block shots to protect his team. Talk about double protection.
***
It’s a good idea to try all heroes out. What may seem difficult or easy for one player might have a different result for another. Just learn to balance your hero with your team and you’ll get used to it. And if you have all your friends together, like a gaming laptop party as mentioned, you can even communicate your plans better and rank up in the game quickly.