What’s Changed in Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 is finally here, ushering in an era of 5v5 battles and a new push mode! The devs introduced a ton of hero changes in addition to the following passive abilities:
- General passive – all heroes now refund up to 30% of ultimate power when they swap heroes.
- DPS passive – when you eliminate an enemy, you gain 25% increased reload speed and 25% increased movement speed for 2.5 seconds. This passive doesn’t stack, but you will reset the duration of the passive if you secure another elim.
- Support passive – these heroes will heal 15 HP per second if they avoid damage for 1.5 seconds. Mercy has the added benefit of receiving 22.5 HP per second with this passive.
- Tank passive – the big bois gain 30% knockback resistance to any crowd control abilities (think Lucio boop or Brig Whip Shot). Additionally, they now provide 30% less ultimate charge when they take damage.
While Overwatch 2 just launched on Tuesday, October 4, we’re already starting to see a meta forming. These are the best heroes to play in the first season of Overwatch 2 to win more games!
Best DPS in Season 1 of Overwatch 2
DPS characters are best known for highlight reel plays and typically have the greatest damage potential. You’ll want to learn several different DPS heroes so that you can adapt to different maps and team comps.
Genji
Given the dive-comp nature of Overwatch 2, it’s no surprise that Genji is at the top of the list. Genji has high mobility, great damage output, and really good survivability.
With the addition of the DPS passive in Overwatch 2, Genji’s ultimate ability now becomes even more terrifying. Dragonblade has always relied on Genji’s ability to chain together kills. The DPS passive boost to movement speed will allow Genji mains to more consistently get multiple kills with the ult.
Lastly, this ninja is one of the best heroes for quickly taking out Support characters. If you can jump in, quickly remove an opposing Support, and get back to your team, a decent Genji can turn the tide of a battle.
Soldier 76
Soldier continues to pump out some of the most consistent damage in Overwatch 2, even with the per bullet damage being slightly nerfed. The recoil of his rifle is easy to control and he is able to help quickly take care of the decreased amount of enemy shields.
Soldier’s Tactical Visor received a buff to start the first season of Overwatch 2. Players can now score headshots while using their ult by aiming at enemy heads.
Separately, Soldier has nice burst damage with the Helix Missiles, high sustain with the Healing Pad, and the ability to sprint around the map. He works great on high ground and, due to his hitscan weapon, is a great counter to the flying heroes in the game.
Best Tanks in Season 1 of Overwatch 2
Now that there’s only one tank to play around in Overwatch 2, all of them got major buffs and reworks. Each one is more “tanky” to sufficiently take and create space for the rest of the team.
Sigma
Sigma isn’t the overpowered machine that he was when he first launched in Overwatch, but he remains one of the best choices in Overwatch 2. As a tank, he is strong on maps where there are long-range engagements. By playing around his shield, Sigma can block incoming cooldowns from enemies and gradually close the gap to the opposite team.
He truly acts as a brawler tank. His base shield was increased, the damage of his Accretion rock has been buffed, and he still has the potential to lead his team in damage.
As Sigma, you’ll want to stay close to the team. Make sure to bounce his orbs off surfaces to hit enemies in cover and keep moving after you use his ult!
Winston
Winston is the premier dive pick in Overwatch 2 when it comes to tanks. While a case can be made for D. Va, this intellectual monkey boasts slightly more versatility.
Winston is another hero with high survivability given his impressive mobility. The jump pack allows him to surprise enemies, as well as quickly escape from danger. He can be played very aggressively in Overwatch 2, especially when his ultimate is ready.
In Overwatch 2, his primary weapon was given a new alternate fire mode. While the damage isn’t anything crazy, he does allow Winston to do decent ranged poke damage while he’s waiting for his cooldowns to be ready.
Winston has one of the most versatile shields in the game. Because of the geometry of the bubble, you can often block incoming heals to enemies. Additionally, you’ll want to practice bubble fighting – dancing in and out of the bubble – to increase your chances of winning duels.
Best Supports in Season 1 of Overwatch 2
Always remember that support heroes in Overwatch 2 are more than just healers! These characters can do everything from increasing damage output of the team to boosting speed of movement.
Lucio
Lucio’s great strength has always been the AOE speed boost, and this continues to be the case in Overwatch 2. He works perfectly in the current state of dive characters, quickly moving his team in and out of battle. Additionally, the best way to protect his team from ults like D. Va bomb is to speed them around a corner, away from any potential damage!
The AOE heals are nice, but you’ll likely spend more time in speed boost mode. Make sure to communicate with your team when you want to amp up the speed so you can have a coordinated attack on the opposing team.
Lucio has high survivability and is able to take many duals since it can be so difficult to hit him. He can be a great counter to enemy snipers and a solid option to get a pick on the enemy back line.
Kiriko
Kiriko may take the crown for the highest ceiling hero in Overwatch 2. She can heal, do damage, teleport, give a speed boost, increase healing output, increase damage output, climb walls, and cleanse a bunch of negative status effects!
She has high mobility and high healing, especially burst healing, which makes her an ideal support pick with dive comps.
In order to output high damage, you should focus on landing headshots on squishy enemies. This includes most DPS and support heroes in the game. Since tanks take less damage and have bigger health pools, you’re better off focusing on the 200 HP opponents.
Kiriko’s combination of great survivability and a ridiculous ult makes her incredibly valuable in Overwatch 2.
Overwatch 2 Season 1 Meta
Overwatch is a constantly evolving game, and there are sure to be many hero balances in the future. For now, we’ve got some strong picks to help you dominate your matches.
Since it is a team shooter, you’ll still need to have decent comms to create additional synergy. If you don’t feel like turning on your mic, the game has at least introduced a new ping system, similar to Apex Legends!
As with any game, practice will make you better. You can work on mechanical skills via aim trainers and develop your game sense by playing more matches. If you start to get frustrated, feel free to take a break and come back to the game later.
Here’s a quick recap of the best heroes to climb in Overwatch 2 Season 1:
- DPS – Genji + Soldier 76
- Tank – Sigma + Winston
- Support – Lucio + Kiriko
Who are your top picks for Season 1 of Overwatch2? Join the conversation in the comments section, below!
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