Overwatch 2 is going to see a pretty major shift in the game’s meta. Not only has every hero received some form of change, but the new five-on-five format changes how teams are composed, and what needs to be prioritized. Namely, DPS characters are now way more important with faster reloads and movement after kills, while Tanks aren’t being used as much, since shields are less important.
The result is that big team fights are less common, and matches are more likely to hang on the results of duels or skirmishes. That said, just because something isn’t as good as it used to be doesn’t mean it isn’t still important, so we’ve created this ranking of all the different heroes and how they suit their roles.
Of course, we’re far from professional players and the meta is ever-shifting, but picking the high-tier heroes from this list will give you a solid footing in the world of Overwatch 2 which is both different and the same. New heroes won’t be making their way into competitive for a while yet, so we won’t be ranking them. However, based on the beta build we played, Sojourn is looking to be a top pick.
S-Tier Heroes - Overwatch 2
Damage: Genji, Ashe, Soldier: 76
Genji is the easiest pick in the world for this list and he’s barely changed at all from Overwatch 1, and the new DPS passive ability is such a huge boon to his abilities. Similarly, Solider: 76 has only experienced some minor nerfs, so he’s still as useful as ever. Ashe has benefited a lot from the reduced team size, as she can now put a lot more pressure on groups of enemy heroes.
Tank: Zarya, Doomfist, D.VA
The extra emphasis on duelling only makes Zarya even more powerful, as she can soak up damage and deal it back with bonuses. D.VA’s Defence Matrix ability is much stronger than before, and her damage has been unaffected, making her another great tank. Doomfist is a little less sturdy than other tanks, and his damage has been decreased a fair amount, but he makes up for it with added mobility.
Support: Lucio, Ana, Baptiste
In a world of duels, the passive healers are the kings, which makes Lucio the king of kings. All healers get some passive healing now, but Lucio’s in by far the strongest. Ana is still great at long range for both healing and damage, but the passive healing now means she doesn’t need to use her grenades on herself. Baptiste has had a small boost to his active healing, but other than that he’s been untouched, making him just as good as before.
A-Tier Heroes - Overwatch 2
Damage: Widowmaker, Sombra, Hanzo, Bastion
Windowmaker is virtually identical to before, only now she has more health, making her even better. Sombra can now hack while stealthed, which is a field ripe for big plays and shocking twists. Hanzo’s Storm Arrow now does less damage, but the rest of his abilities are still good to go and make him worthwhile. Bastion, however, has undergone huge changes. Their primary fire now has a much lower fire rate but much higher damage, their form change is not permanent but has mobility, and their ultimate now turns them into a long-range mortar.
Tank: Sigma, Orisa, Winston
Winston and Sigma are virtually identical to before, but Orisa has a new lease on life. Their alt-fire is a spear throw and now twirls their spear to absorb damage and deal it out to enemies, which is far better than the shield from before. On top of that their new ultimate sucks in enemies and does more damage the longer it lasts.
Support: Brigitte, Zenyatta, Mercy
None of these healers have had major changes, meaning they stay as viable as before. The only thing worth noting is that Mercy’s passive healing buff is stronger than other heroes.
B-Tier Heroes - Overwatch 2
Damage: Cassidy, Echo, Pharah, Mei, Reaper, Symmetra, Junkrat, Torbjorn
In this lowest tier, there are very few changes to these characters. Cassidy is the only one with anything to talk about here, as their grenade is now a seeking grenade instead of a stun bomb.
Tank: Wrecking Ball, Reinhardt, Roadhog
Reinhardt now has much better handling with his charge ability, making it far more useful, and his alt-fire has a second charge. Roadhog, meanwhile, is now a little bulkier and can pause his ultimate when firing.
Support: Moira
Nothing worth talking about with Moira, she’s still at the bottom of the pile when it comes to support characters.
Written by GLHF.
