Credit: Dexerto Overwatch is a balanced game that didn’t feature any “broken” or unbalanced characters even in its early days. While some heroes are more beloved than others, the game is still an excellent example of balance in live-game games. Overwatch doesn’t feature a straightforward counter system and isn’t as consistent as many other popular titles. Instead, it relies on complex team interactions, individual matchups, and skill.
Game heroes seldom feature a “hard counter” they should avoid. Simultaneously, it is possible that certain characters are better against one another than others.
Counter-pick heroes in Overwatch are heroes who are specifically selected to challenge the playstyle or abilities of the hero on the other side. Switching to a counter-pick hero for the opposing team’s hero can help you break the deadlock when you find yourself right smack in the middle of a match.
Consequently, the composition of your team is critical in high-level gameplay. How your heroes interact can have a groundbreaking impact on how you play and what techniques you can use. Therefore, correctly using hero counters can enable you to prevail in almost any match. But, before we delve into the nooks and crannies of how to best counter each hero’s abilities, let’s first look at the significant classes and roles.
Overwatch Classes & Roles Overview
Overwatch has four main classes, sometimes called roles:
- Offense
- Defense
- Tank
- Support
Offense
The Offense class of heroes boasts high mobility and decent damage output, including high survivability. This class typically features two archetypes: frontline soldiers such as McCree and behind-enemy-lines assassins like Tracer. The offense class is the best place to begin if you consider yourself a “carry.”
Additionally, this class is often distinguished by its ability to be completely self-sufficient. Because they possess all the skills necessary to kill targets and run around the map, they can work independently.
Offensive characters have the primary goal of securing kills or clearing out enemies from an objective. Every class has its drawbacks, and some Offensive heroes have a low health pool. For example, a character such as Tracer could be killed by a Widowmaker and Hanzo in one shot.
You will need to use creative abilities such as Recall, Wraith Form, and Biotic Field to continue your assault behind enemy lines. Aggressive play can be rewarding, but it is critical to consider the enemy lines and which weapons and abilities might end your killing spree.
Defense
The Defense class has the highest overall damage output, and, as their name suggests, Defensive heroes are excellent at protecting objectives and areas from attackers. They set traps, wait for others to come by, or secure an area using turrets or other deployables.
If you want to create a well-rounded team, consider your preferred game mode and then think about what your friends are comfortable with. As healing is always a requirement, it’s best to have at least one support. Additionally, a wise rule of thumb is also to have one tank. Then, the four remaining characters can be chosen from the Offense, Defense, or Tank categories.
This class of heroes is the most closely related to Offense. However, unlike the Offensive ones, the Defensive heroes have fewer mobility options and skills that allow them to play on the back foot rather than taking on the enemy. Even so, defensive heroes are still worth considering during an attack round, especially for more skilled players.
Tank
Tanks are all about standing out in the middle of the action, drawing attention to your opponents, and disrupting their ability to damage allies. They are the most powerful and have the best health pools.
A Tank’s primary purpose is to guide your team towards achieving and pushing for objectives. Through the use of shields, Tanks can provide valuable support to any team. The Tank class is dependent on the other classes, unlike the Defense and Offense classes, which can work independently. However, you should never separate Tanks from their support. Roadhog is the only exception to this rule: he’s a “one-man apocalypse.”
Regardless, Tanks are capable of causing more damage than usual. Many suffer from a limited range, but fortunately, this handicap can easily be overcome with gap-closers and hooks.
Support
Any team’s backbone is the Support class, with the exception of Zenyatta. However, they can do a lot to help heal Tanks or disable enemy Offense heroes.
Symmetra said that the primary goal of any Support is to heal their teammates or get their dead allies back into combat. While you don’t have to get killed, it is crucial that you prevent death. Keep your Tanks healthy so that they can last longer in the engagements. Help your comrades who are running away, increase your teammates’ damage and movement speed, and make clever use of your game-changing ultimates.
Although it can be challenging and frustrating to be a support, you can still make a significant impact on the team just by being there.
Overwatch Counters
Overwatch countermeasures have become essential during gameplay. However, it can be time-consuming and generally challenging to figure out who counters whom. Therefore, you’ll find everything you need to know about Overwatch hero counters below.
Damage-Dealers
Widowmaker
Strong gainst: Widowmaker acts as an Overwatch counter for Ana and Ashe, Baptiste.
Weak against: Widowmaker is weak against D.Va and Genji, Orisa Reinhardt, Winston, or Wrecking ball.
Tracer
Strong against: Tracer is an antidote for Ana, Bastion, Hanzo, Mercy, Orisa, and Zenyatta.
Weak against: You can counter Tracer by using Brigitte, Junkrat, Sombra, or Torbjorn.
Torbjorn
Strong against: Torbjorn has strong resemblances to Reinhardt, Winston, and Tracer.
Weak against: Torbjorn can be countered with Ana, Ashe, Baptiste, D.Va, Genji, Hanzo, Junkrat, and Orisa.
Symmetra
Strong against: Symmetra has a strong record against Orisa, Reinhardt, and Sigma.
Weak against: You can counter Symmetra with McCree, Pharah, Sombra, Widowmaker, and Winston.
Sombra
Strong against: Sombra is an opponent to Baptiste, Brigette, D.Va, Doomfist, Lucio, Mercy, and Reinhardt.
Weak against: Sombra can be countered with Hanzo, Junkrat, McCree, Mei, Reaper, and Roadhog.
Solider 76
Strong against: Solider76 is a counter to Baptiste, Bastion, Mercy, Pharah, and Torbjorn.
Weak against: This hero becomes counterable by using Orisa, Reinhardt, Roadhog, and Widowmaker.
Reaper
Strong against: Reaper is an opponent to Brigitte, Doomfist, Mercy, Orisas, and Reinhardt.
Weak against: You can counter Reaper using Ashe, Hanzo, Junkrat, McCree, and Pharah.
Pharah
Strong against: Pharah is able to counter Bastion, Brigette, Doomfist, Genji, Lucio, Mei, Junkrat, Reaper, Reinhardt, Symmetra, and Torbjorn.
Weak against: Ana, Ashe, and McCree can be used to counter Pharah.
Mei
Strong against: Mei is an excellent choice when facing D.Va, Genji, Reinhardt, Roadhog, Sigma, Sombras, Wrecking Ball, Mercy, and Zenyatta.
Weak against: Mei is not the best choice against Orisa, Pharah, Widowmaker, and Zayra.
Cassidy
Strong against: Cassidy is unable to stun enemies far away like Widowmaker and Bastion. However, his hitscan shots can also be countered by some of these heroes.
Weak against: Genji is able to deflect Cassidy’s High Noon ultimate. Sometimes, this action can result in the instant killing of Cassidy.
Junkrat
Strong against: Junkrat has a strong record against Bastion, Brigitte, and D.Va.
Weak against: Junkrat can be countered with Baptiste, Genji, Pharah, Widowmaker, and Zarya.
Hanzo
Strong against: Hanzo typically comes out on top when faced with Baptiste, Ashe, Bastion, Orisas, Reaper, and Sombra.
Weak against: Hanzo can be countered with D.Va, Genji, Tracer, and Reinhardt.
Genji
Strong against: Genji is strong against Ana, Ashe, Bastion, Hanzo, Junkrat, Mercy, Orisa, Torbjorn, Widowmaker, and Zenyatta.
Weak against: Genji can be countered with Brigitte, Doomfist, Mei, Moira, Pharah, Roadhog, Winston, or Zarya.
Echo
Weak against: Echo, like all flying heroes, is susceptible to hitscan shots from Soldier 76 but is also not an excellent match against Cassidy, Ashe, or Widowmaker.
Doomfist
Strong against: Doomfist can be used as an Overwatch counter to Ana, Ashe, Baptiste, D.Va., Genji, Reinhardt, Sigma, and Zenyatta.
Weak against: Doomfist can be countered with McCree, Orisa, Pharah, and Reaper.
Bastion
Strong against: Bastion can easily defeat Baptiste, Reinhardt, and Winston.
Weak against: This hero can be countered with Ana, Ashe, and Genji.
Ashe
Strong against: Ashe can counter Baptiste, Mercy, Pharah, Reaper, and Torbjorn.
Weak against: You can counter Asha by using Doomfist, Genji, Reinhardt, Widowmaker, and Wrecking ball.
The Best Counters to Tanks
Zarya
Strong against: Zayra can be used to counter D.va, Genji, Junkrat, Roadhog, Sigma, Torbjorn, and Mei.
Weak against: Zayra can be countered with Baptiste, Bastion, Pharah, Reaper, and Zenyatta.
Wrecking Ball
Strong against: Wrecking Ball can defeat Ashe, Baptiste, and Sigma.
Weak against: Ana, Bastion, Brigitte, Mei, Reaper, Sombra, Torbjorn, and Roadhog.
Winston
Strong against: Winston is an opponent to Ana, Baptiste, Genji, Hanzo, Lucio, McCree, Mercy, Sigma, Sombra, Symmetra, Tracer, and Widowmaker.
Weak against: Winston can be countered with Bastion, D.Va, Reaper, or Roadhog.
Sigma
Strong against: Sigma is an opponent to Ashe or Roadhog.
Weak against: You can counter Sigma with Doomfist or Lucio.
Reinhardt
Weak against: anybody who can disable his barrier. Sombra, Hack, Cassidy, Ana, and Mei can make it happen, while Brigitte and Mei can stop him from deploying the barrier.
Due to their high burst damage, Junkrat or Pharah also make excellent barrier-busters.
Orisa
Strong against: Orisa can be a counter to Baptiste, Doomfist, Mei, Solider76, Torbjorn, Widowmaker, and Mei.
Weak against: Orisa can be countered with Genji, Hanzo, Moira, Junkrat, and Reaper. Symmetra is also an option.
D.Va
Strong against: D.Va is strong against Ana, Ashe, Bastion, Hanzo, McCree, Mercy, Moira, Sigma, Torbjorn, Widowmaker, and Winston.
Weak against: D.Va can be countered with Baptiste, Brigitte, Doomfist, Junkrat, Mei, Reaper, Roadhog, Sombra, and Zarya.
Supports
Ana
Strong against: Baptiste, Bastion, Lucio, Moira, Pharah, Roadhog, Torbjorn, Wrecking Ball, and Zenyatta.
Weak against: Ana is weak against Doomfist.
Baptiste
Strong against: Baptiste is an opponent to D.Va, Junkrat, Moira, and Torbjorn.
Weak against: You can counter Baptiste with Ana, Bastion, Doomfist, or Hanzo.
Brigitte
Strong against: Brigitte is strong against D.Va, Genji, and Tracer.
Weak against: Brigitte can be countered with Junkrat, Pharah, Reaper, Sombra, and Torbjorn.
Lucio
Strong against: Lucio is an Overwatch Counter to no one in particular.
Weak against: Lucio can be countered with Ana, McCree, Pharah, Roadhog, Sombra, and Winston.
Mercy
Strong against: Mercy doesn’t counter anyone in particular.
Weak against: Mercy can be countered with Ashe, D.Va, Genji, McCree, and Mei.
Moira
Strong against: Moira is an opponent to Genji, Orisa, and Reinhardt.
Weak against: Moira is weak against Ana, Baptiste, D.Va, and McCree.
Zenyatta
Strong against: Zenyatta is an effective Overwatch counter to Pharah, Roadhog, Bastion, Zarya, and D.Va.
Weak against: Zenyatta can be countered with Ana, Doomfist, McCree, Mei, Reaper, Sombra, Tracer, and Widowmaker.
How do Hero Counters Help In Betting?
Overwatch counters are a sign that a team wants to gain an edge. The opposing team must take preventive measures to make sure that the counter doesn’t disrupt their game plan if a team switches to one counter during a game.
Just like any other betting activity, Overwatch betting is all about determining which team will win. If players from elite Overwatch competitions perform better than other teams, they could have a competitive advantage. Check out our Overwatch Betting Guide for professional tips and tricks on how you can gain an edge over other competitors.
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