Offense in Overwatch
Overwatch is one seriously intense game. Bullets whiz by as you make your way to objectives, all the while battling enemy heroes as they take pot shots at you from behind cover or high vantage points. What helps to make things go well for you and your team is that everyone plays their role. One of those roles is offense, and those players are tasked with dealing out damage to clear the way for allies.
Of course, there isn’t just one offensive hero in Overwatch. There are six, and choosing which one is the best depends on what you’re looking for. To help you out we’ve ranked all six of them. This ranking is based on destructive power. While each hero has his/her own special uses to consider, power is one of the components that will prove to be very important, especially for newer players.
6. Genji
Genji is far from a bad hero. In fact, none of the characters in Overwatch are. He is, however, difficult to use which puts him at odds with the other offense-focused heroes in the game.
As a ninja, Genji relies on his katana and shuriken. The shuriken are fast and have a decent range, but they aren’t as potent as other ranged weapons in the game. His katana, on the other hand, has power but requires a bit of timing and accuracy, as well as proximity. Seeing as how offense characters have some of the smallest pools of health, Genji is constantly at risk, making his life quite difficult if he doesn’t have a support friend in tow.
5. Tracer
Tracer is possibly one of the most recognizable heroes in Overwatch. Her spunky demeanor, quick wit, and speedy movement have made her a standout. She’s very useful in a fight if you know how to use her, but she isn’t as powerful as other characters under the offense tree.
Tracer’s primary attributes are her speed and teleportation. This extra mobility puts her above Genji since although she has lower health than him, she can get in and out of harms way relatively easily. Her Pulse Pistols aren’t the most terrifying weapons out there, but at close to medium range, they can definitely get the job done. She does present a higher degree of survivability thanks to her Recall ability, but that is heavily reliant on skill and timing.
In the end, Tracer is a great offensive hero for those willing to take the time to learn how to use her, but her lack of consistent damage dealing means she’s better left to the pros.
4. McCree
McCree is sort of an odd duck when it comes to the offense heroes. He’s powerful, that’s for sure, and his attack speed is pretty high, but McCree’s movement speed leaves a little to be desired. Still, he packs a wallop, and intelligent use of his dodge roll make up for his lack of movement speed during firefights.
He’s one of the few heroes who relies pretty heavily on just his primary weapon, even with his Ultimate ability. But that Peacekeeper of his often proves to be more than enough for any opposition. Combined with McCree’s Flashbang, his six-shooter can decimate most enemies, even a few defense-focused opponents. Deadeye also proves to be quite useful if you get the drop on a contested objective.
Lining up shots and dropping enemies like flies is what McCree is all about.
3. Soldier: 76
Soldier: 76 is easily the most balanced offense hero in Overwatch. Players used to standard first-person shooters, or those looking for a solid entry point into combat will feel right at home with this guy, plus he looks cool.
This particular hero’s artillery consists of a heavy pulse rifle, some rockets, a healing field, and the ability to sprint. Soldier: 76 employs these to run around and add a bit of Call of Duty flair to Overwatch’s insane action. You would think that it wouldn’t work out, but that level of balance and simplicity often spells death for those who overreach.
In true CoD fashion, Soldier: 76’s Ultimate, Tactical Visor, provides unprecedented aim assist. He quickly locks on to whoever is closest to his crosshairs, missing zero shots. If used at the right time you can pull off an impressive killstreak all without breaking a sweat.
2. Pharah
None should be surprised at how high Pharah ranks among her fellow offense heroes in Overwatch. In fact, she could easily be swapped with first place considering how deadly they both are. It all comes down to a matter of preference.
Pharah has a lot of things going for her, particularly her highly useful splash damage, and ability to launch herself out of a tough spot. She’s a menace when up against multiple foes, and Pharah’s Barrage Ultimate can easily clear out an objective. The ability to rain down hell from above is invaluable, making her mobility an ace up her well-armored sleeves.
There’s a reason why so many people praise Pharah, one need only step into her boots to see why. Team her up with Mercy and there is no hope for even the toughest of Overwatch players.
1. Reaper
Reaper, like Pharah, is one of those heroes who is just devastating when it comes to clearing out crowds. What Pharah has in mobility, though, Reaper makes up for with weird invulnerability, and an Ultimate perfect for closed spaces.
Reaper is one of the slower offensive heroes in Overwatch, but his Hellfire Shotguns are deadly at close to medium range, and kills drop souls which allow him to heal mid-battle. Wraith Form allows Reaper to turn invincible for a few seconds while upping his movement speed. This can not only be used to get out of a tight spot, but to also distract enemies and pull attention, allowing your team to flank your opponents. There’s just something about seeing a dark Wraith coming right for an enemy that makes them freak out.
Reaper’s biggest selling point is easily his Death Blossom Ultimate. With a sudden burst of speed and malice, he starts firing his shotguns quickly and in a full 360-degree range to deal an impressive amount of damage to his surrounding area. With little effort, he can easily clear out entire teams and lock down an objective. May Overwatch have mercy on you if Reaper teams up with a solid support player.
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