Roadhog
The Best Solo Carry Heroes in Overwatch
For those looking to play Overwatch’s Competitive Mode, there are a few characters you might want to consider if you’re going it alone. While any hero can work, these four should be considered if you are having an issue climbing the ranks. However, that doesn’t mean you should never switch, as Overwatch relies on having a solid team composition that works nicely with each other. However, if you are looking for good characters that can help carry a team to victory these are our recommendations.
Roadhog is an off tank that’s capable of taking out a large amount of the roster with a single well timed combo via his hook and Scrap Gun. This makes him an exceptionally deadly combatant as he has the capability to remove key players from a fight in a matter of seconds. Given many battles are won or lost based on if a team’s healers are still around, Roadhog is an excellent choice for climbing through competitive. He has a rather alarming amount of self sufficiency, meaning if your team lacks a second healer you won’t need to worry as much about recuperating from damage.
Roadhog is also capable of holding his own against his counters such as Reaper, however, unless you land the hook it’s very likely you’ll be killed. Remember his alternate fire is most effective at about 20 meters away, meaning anything farther and you won’t be hitting for maximum damage. You can also manipulate where a target lands via his hook a little, which can allow a quick thinking player to literally force players over ledges or holes.
To do this, hook an enemy and then quickly turn in the direction you want them to go. Since his ability forces the enemy in front of Roadhog once hooked, you can literally drag them in front of you or over environmental hazards like the Well in Ilios. Use this technique to dispatch bigger targets like Reinhardt or Zayra, so you don’t have to spend time fighting them.
Ana
The Best Solo Carry Heroes in Overwatch
Ana is undoubtedly one of the most versatile healers in all of Overwatch, as her ability suite allows her to deal with multiple scenarios. While playing a support class is always difficult when it comes to solo carrying, Ana’s ability to shape an entire engagement cannot be overlooked. Her sleep dart can not only stop targets dead in their tracks, but interrupt ultimates and remove key players like a Mercy from an engagement. This allows a skilled Ana player to effectively carry a team if they can accurately place their sleep darts at a consistent level. Removing heroes temporarily turns fights in your favor, allowing your other teammates to focus down the incapacitated foes.
However, Ana’s burst healing capabilities are what allows this healer to stand above the rest, as a skilled player can easily keep their team alive in the middle of a firefight. A skilled user can bounce between healing targets quickly, making it especially difficult for an enemy to put down a target that’s backed up by Ana. She also combos nicely with the likes of Lucio, as the Biotic Grenade will increase the healing effectiveness of any target hit by it. Plus, being able to deny the enemy team healing when pulled into a Graviton Surge works wonders at neutralizing Zenyatta.
Soldier 76
The Best Solo Carry Heroes in Overwatch
Too put it plainly, Soldier 76 is just an insanely powerful character. His rifle can output an insane amount of damage from a fair amount of distance, allowing him to crack enemy shields quickly. Given how accurate his weapon is when burst firing, it’s important for players to not just hold down the trigger at all times. 76 is most effective as long range when you fire in quick, successive bursts as that will maximize the amount of damage you do.
Soldier 76 is effective against pretty much against any type of target, since his primary fire can cut down almost any offense, support, and even tank hero. Couple this with the massive amount of damage a Helix Rocket can cause and you have one of, if not the best current offense hero in Overwatch. He also comes with the ability to self heal and sprint, which offers him not only versatility, but survivability. A good Soldier 76 player can easily carry a team, especially given his ultimate has the potential to take out an entire team if timed correctly.
Zarya
The Best Solo Carry Heroes in Overwatch
Despite having her charge rate reduced some time ago, Zarya still stands as one of the best tanks to carry with in Overwatch. Once she reaches around 80% on her weapon charge, Zarya can easily cut through an entire group of enemies with little resistance. This is only enhanced by the incredible range of her beam, making escape for most characters nearly impossible. Her alternate fire is also quite potent as it offers a healthy amount of splash damage if you have a group of enemies clustered together in a tight room.
Zarya is also fantastic for soaking up damage and saving teammates lives via her barriers. These temporary personal shields not only increase your damage output but can save your teammates. Yet, proper bubble placement is key, so try to not use them haphazardly or as soon as you have them off cooldown. Try and wait for your Winston or Reinhardt to charge into combat and either bubble them right before impact or as they move in. This will not only get you a lot of charge, but take the focus away from the front line briefly. She is a character about exploiting opportunities to feed more energy into her weapon and turn the tables against foes.
Yet, it’s her ultimate that truly makes her a potent hero to rise through the ranks with. Graviton Surge can literally win entire matches if placed and used properly. Try not frivolously use Zarya’s ultimate, as you always want to make sure that you have back up to kill everyone dragged in. When starting up a game, look at your roster and ask yourself how the Graviton Surge can benefit your team. It will be critical to understand how to effectively combo it with other hero abilities and know which teams her powers are not suited for. Some heroes like McCree produce inconsistent results due most teams having a barrier to protect them from his Deadeye.
Remember, these aren’t the only heroes we recommend you play in Competitive Mode, but if you’re looking for a new hero for Season 4 give these a try. These are perhaps some of the most consistent choices for both attack and defense across all of Overwatch’s game modes that aren’t as reliant on others. Yet, that’s not an excuse to just be a lone wolf, as this is a team game at its very core, so always make sure to communicate and work together.
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