Overwatch 2 is out now, with Activision Blizzard finally releasing the sequel to its class-based FPS game. While plenty of OW veterans are returning to the sequel, there will also inevitably be a number of new players trying it out and getting used to its roster of heroes. So which Overwatch 2 characters are best for new players and beginners?
| Best | Mercy, Moira, Reaper, D.Va |
| Good | Lucio, Bastion, Reinhardt, Roadhog |
| Worth Trying | Brigitte, Junkrat, Orisa |
Best Support Heroes For Beginners
Support is a vital role to see your team to victory, with support heroes typically in charge of healing their teammates along with providing them with buffs. Although the support role is difficult to master, it has a number of heroes who are easy to get to grips with.
Mercy
Mercy is an invaluable addition to the team, given that she almost exclusively focuses on quickly healing her team or providing them with a damage buff.
Mercy has experienced a bunch of changes over the years, and in Overwatch 2 she can now use her Guardian Angel ability to press crouch while flying towards a teammate in order to swiftly launch herself into the air. She still has her game-changing Resurrect ability that allows her to revive a dead teammate, and her ultimate basically supercharges all facets of her kit. She’s a self-explanatory hero who is ideal for beginners given the value she can bring to the team, even in the hands of the inexperienced.
Moira
Moira is an excellent pick for beginners who want to be useful while still doing some damage. She’s a Support, so her primary role is healing her teammates, but she can just as easily deal out punishment to enemies.
Moira uses her Biotic Grasp to either fire out healing energy or take away enemy HP, and the best thing about it is that it has a forgiving amount of auto-aim. Couple this with Biotic Orbs that can be fired out behind enemy shields to damage opponents, plus her Coalescence ultimate ability that shoots out a destructive beam that both heals allies and damages enemies, and she has a powerful toolset that anyone can quickly get to grips with.
Lucio
Lucio’s super-fast movement and wall-running makes him a little tougher to handle than Mercy or Moira, but his area-of-effect healing and speed buffs are easy to get to grips with for just about any player.
It may take a little time to start pulling off Titanfall-esque maneuvers across Overwatch 2’s maps, but Lucio is an excellent Support hero if you want fast action. His Sound Barrier ultimate ability, which provides opponents with an immediate boost of temporary health, also has the power to win a match for your team.
Best DPS Heroes For Beginners
DPS heroes arguably require the most skill of any role, given that they’re typically the squishiest heroes that are in charge of dealing the most damage. Given that you’re going to need as much damage output as possible in order to defeat your opponents, we’d recommend trying another role before you try your hand with these characters.
Solder 76
Soldier 76 is your default Call of Duty-esque FPS hero, who’s equipped with a bunch of the basics intended to get those unfamiliar with class-based shooters into the action.
His primary weapon is a pulse rifle that’ll be immediately recognize to anyone who’s played an FPS before, while he’s also equipped with a sprint ability and Helix Rockets for extra damage. His ultimate, Tactical Visor, automatically aims your weapon at targets in view, basically turning you into an unstoppable force without much effort on your part.
Bastion
Bastion has had a rework in Overwatch 2 and his usefulness is no longer limited to sitting on the Payload and being a stationary turret. While it remains to be seen just how much use Bastion gets in competitive play, his toolkit has been completely revamped, with him now being a much more active participant in firefights.
Bastion’s new Reconfigure ability is basically a shorter variation of his old ultimate, which allowed him to turn into a literal tank. Now he can do this after a brief cooldown, dramatically increasing his rate of fire. His new A-36 Tactical Grenade is a projectile that can bounce off walls and explodes after a brief period, while his ultimate sees him becoming immobile and firing out three explosive artillery shells.
Reaper
Reaper is to shotguns what Soldier 76 is to automatic weapons. Dual-wielding a pair of Hellfire Shotgun, this edgelord hero can deal a ton of damage if in close proximity to enemies.
His Wraith Form ability lets him move faster and become invulnerable to enemy attacks, while he can also teleport to a different location before unleashing his devastating Death Blossom ultimate ability, which sees him spin in a circle firing in all directions. If enemies are close to him while doing this, they’re almost certainly set to die. Reaper is great for beginners given the high amount of damage he can dish out and his relatively basic – but useful – abilities.
Best Tanks For Beginners
Tanks are great for beginners given that they can withstand a lot of damage. However, Overwatch 2 now only allows one tank per team, meaning that their job is more vital than ever. Tanks are supposed to be on the frontline of the battlefield, being damage sponges for their team. When you pick this role, make sure that you’re with your team more often than not, protecting them from your opponents.
D.Va
D.Va gives you the safety of a bullet sponge-y mech, a temporary shield that blocks incoming projectiles, and the ability to deal a bunch of damage if you get up close and personal with enemies.
This hero also has the benefit of what is basically a second life, as if she takes too much damage she’ll eject out of her mech. This mech can also be exploded with her ultimate ability, which immediately kills anyone who is out in the open and within proximity of the blast. With Overwatch 2 moving to 5 vs 5 with only one tank per team, having a basic-but-deadly tank like D.Va on your team’s side is very useful.
Reinhardt
Reinhardt has spent most of his time at the top when it comes to the best tank, to the point where he was all but a necessity in most teamfights. In Overwatch 2, the switch to one tank per team makes him a little less viable, but he’s still an excellent choice for beginners given how useful he can be.
Reinhardt’s primary ability sees him holding up a strong shield that will only break if it sustains enough damage. Given that he can walk while holding the shield, he can move his teammates into a ton of advantageous positions. Not only that, but his Charge ability sees him hurtling into the action, grabbing an enemy who wanders into his path. This, coupled with Fire Strike fiery projectile and his ground-quaking Earth Shatter ability, lets him propel himself into enemies and begin causing some real trouble.
If there’s a more experienced Reinhardt on your team, you’ll want to let them take the reins (ahem) given how much of a game-changer he can be. However, if you’re looking to learn tank in a beginner team, there’s no better option than Reinhardt.
Roadhog
Roadhog is one thicc boi, with a health pool of 700 making him the joint tankiest hero in the game alongside Wrecking Ball. On top of this, he also has his Take a Breather ability that lets him heal over time, making him a real problem to take down for enemies.
For beginners, his straightforward toolset and fun weaponry make him a good pick. Roadhog can use his Chain Hook to grapple enemies towards him, stunning them for a brief period and letting him fire his Scrap Gun right at them. For weaker enemies, this often results in a one-hit kill, and it’s super satisfying to pull off. Then there’s his ultimate ability, Whole Hog, which both damages and pushes enemies back – especially useful when you want to get players off the point.
