Overwatch 2has just under a month of gameplay remaining in Season 5 of Blizzard’s hero shooter. Although many are waiting expectantly for the debut of the sixth season in August, there is still content to look forward to in the coming weeks, such asOverwatch 2’s Mischief and Magic game mode. This season also saw the return of the Summer Games which are currently playable.
While Season 5 ofOverwatch 2hasn’t been the flashiest in terms of new maps or heroes, it has been widely regarded as one of the most balanced seasons yet. According to the developers, there have been very few patches because the game is in a good place. Still, there are heroes in the game that deserve a higher ranking than others due to their kits, though this doesn’t mean that a player’s individual skill can’t make a lower-tier hero better.
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S-Tier
SinceRamattra was revealed as the newest tank, he’s been able to hold lobbies captive with his abilities. This tank does extremely well in close-quarter combat which is similar to Reinhardt, except he can play at a longer range because of his Void Barrier. Ramattra also comes equipped with a Nemesis form which grants him 225 hp of armor that can be used as a saving grace to back out of a fight or to put pressure on the other team. His ultimate, Annihilation, while not nearly as robust as it was in Season 2, is especially helpful for overtime situations and zoning areas.
On the other hand, while Ana and Tracer both have high skill ceilings, they do well in several team compositions.Tracer’s Pulse Bombis nothing to scoff at, and if the player is hitting shots her ultimate is quickly built. Additionally, Ana’s Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade are two of the best support abilities in the game. While Kiriko’s protection suzu can cleanse a target, her cooldown lasts longer than Ana’s.
A-Tier
This patch may have the most well-balanced characters yet, especially afterOverwatch 2buffed Mei and Cassidywho are both quality picks with their hindering and slowing capabilities. With the recent nerf to sniper characters, Soldier: 76 is doing well because he can deal a lot of damage without worrying about being one-shot as much. Other DPS that are consistently strong includes Hanzo, Ashe, Reaper, Pharah, and Symmetra, the latter of whom received a buff that allows her to double-tap squishes with a fully charged burst shot.
Tanks and support characters that are great include Sigma, specifically on Circuit Royale, Reinhardt, and Junker Queen. If it were stillSeason 4 Junker Queenwould be S-Tier. Baptiste, Kiriko, and Mercy are all also well-suited for this because of their kits, which increase their odds of surviving a team fight.
B-Tier
Overwatch 2’s B-Tier heroes are many, which is good. Not having characters placed incredibly high or extremely low is probably best for balancing the hero shooter. Junkrat, Bastion, Genji, Torbjorn, and Sojourn are good options, though Genji is at his best with an Ana while Sojourn performs better with a Mercy pocket. A Junkrat with good mobility can be powerful, and his spam damage has great potential to get a much-needed pick.Bastion is also good at breaking barriersand mowing down the enemy team, though his turret form can be baited out fairly easily.
Brigitte, Lucio, Moira, and Zenyatta are each support heroes that can perform well in the right situations, with Brigitte often paired with an Ana to stop dives. Lucio excels in rush comps with his speed boost while Moira can output massive damage and healing stats. Arecent Zenyatta nerf went livethat weakens his Discord Orb, but the Omnic is still optimal for outputting a good amount of damage.
Lastly, D.Va, Orisa, and Zarya are all considered to be situational tanks, though they can perform well on nearly every map.D.Va is helpful for securing the high groundon maps such as Numbani, Junkertown, and Dorado. Alternatively, Orisa and Zarya are good at sustaining themselves by cycling their abilities.
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C-Tier
Six heroes could be argued to be in a bit of a rough spot, with Widowmaker being the first after having her one-shot capability weakened and no increase to her hp.A Sombra rework inOverwatch 2is expected to come shortly after Season 6. This means the hacker DPS is at her best in capable hands. Echo is considered a counter to Pharah if players are having a hard time on a hitscan, though she’s mechanically more intensive and requires players to understand other heroes in the game for an effective ultimate.
For tanks, Winston is fine with his Primal Rage ultimate and high-ground potential, though D.Va can out-sustain him because of her re-mech ability. Additionally,Doomfist has several known bugsthat still need to be addressed. Wrecking Ball is best in overtime situations or with a coordinated team, but with CC features being added back to the game he needs to be more careful.
D-Tier
The only two heroes that need help the most are Roadhog and Lifeweaver, though the second has been buffed since his release and could be argued to be in a better spot. His healing stats are higher now, but Lifeweaver’s Tree of Life leaves a lot to be desired, and his damage output is still low compared to other support heroes. Unfortunately for Roadhog mains, this tank isn’t going to receive a rework until “Season 7 or beyond”, according to theOverwatch 2content roadmap.
With Season 6 ofOverwatch 2on the horizon, the list will likely adjust as updates come out. Thenew Flashpoint game modemay even have its own meta, for example. It may be too soon to say who the dominant heroes will be, but it’s likely to stay relatively the same as the developers don’t often change a lot at once.
Overwatch 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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