Overwatch 2 Season 11 Hero Tier List

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Overwatch 2 Season 11 Hero Tier List

As a long-time Overwatch player with countless hours logged into the game, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia mixed with disappointment when I see some of my favorite heroes relegated to the lower tiers. I remember the thrill of playing Reaper, dashing around the battlefield, taking down enemies in an instant. But these days, it seems like he’s just not cutting it against the meta.

Some fans were taken aback when Overwatch 2’s Season 11 midseason updates were released in tandem with the Transformers collaboration, leading to an earlier patch release than usual. Ever since the beginning of Season 11, the Overwatch 2 community has been clamoring for adjustments to certain overpowering heroes, voicing their displeasure with the game’s current meta. In response, Alec Dawson, Lead Hero Designer, declared that the “balance team is taking a more decisive approach” in Season 11, as shown by the modifications made to the hero shooter on July 9.

Significant improvements, or buffs, were made to the tank role in the patch notes, which is worth mentioning. However, on July 12, Team 4 implemented a hotfix resulting in adjustments to heroes such as Lucio, Pharah, and Zarya, but the popular team compositions this season have mostly remained the same. It’s important to keep in mind that individual skill and rank significantly impact a hero’s performance.

S-Tier – Overwatch 2 Heroes With Various Survival Abilities

  • Ana
  • Baptiste
  • D.Va
  • Mauga
  • Pharah
  • Sigma

In the Top 500 rankings, D.Va, Mauga, and Sigma are standing out due to their impressive performance as tank characters. These three have exceptional survivability and make it tough for opponents to take them down. For example, Mauga’s Berserker ability boosts his health when critically wounded, while D.Va’s Defense Matrix and Boosters enable her to block enemy abilities, protect teammates, and escape from risky situations. Additionally, Sigma has been strengthened this season with a 80% increase in Accretion (rock) damage.

Pharah continues to shine as the sole top-tier damage hero, despite recent adjustments that decreased her base health from 250 to 225 HP and eliminated damage from her Concussive Blast. Following her Season 9 update, Pharah has grown less reliant on Mercy’s protection, although she remains a formidable force when teamed with one. Her increased mobility enables her to outmaneuver enemy positions, allowing for quick healing while simultaneously raining down Rocket Launcher fire. With Cassidy’s range being scaled back, it’s evident that Pharah’s supremacy over hitscan heroes remains unchallenged.

“Pharah stands alone as the only true S-Tier damage hero.”

Ana and Baptiste are two support characters who deserve the top tier recognition mainly because of their usefulness and damaging capabilities. While Ana may be more susceptible to attacks from behind, her Sleep Dart still packs a significant punch, albeit with a shorter duration of 3 seconds on tanks. Furthermore, her Biotic Grenade is invaluable against tough enemies like Mauga and Roadhog. In the same vein, Baptiste stands out for his versatility. He can handle a lot of enemy aggression, and his healing abilities, Regenerative Burst, and Immortal Field make him an intimidating presence on the battlefield.

A-Tier – Top Counters to S-Tier Characters

  • Ashe
  • Echo
  • Illari
  • Junker Queen
  • Kiriko
  • Lucio
  • Ramattra
  • Tracer
  • Venture
  • Winston
  • Wrecking Ball
  • Zarya

Luckily, top-tier tanks continue to be popular options due to their durability and frequent appearances at the top of the rankings. Notably, Junker Queen received minor enhancements that boosted her movement speed and enhanced her ability to heal wounds. Ramattra went through major transformations with reductions in his base armor, health, and a longer cooldown for Nemesis Form. However, he remains a dependable selection, particularly valuable in team fights and long-range skirmishes. Furthermore, Winston provides an excellent substitute for D.Va, excelling at swiftly capturing high ground positions. When skillfully played, Wrecking Ball can approach immortality with his mobility and Adaptive Shields.

As a seasoned Overwatch player with hundreds of hours under my belt, I’ve come to appreciate the unique roles each hero plays in the game, especially when it comes to countering popular meta picks like Pharah.

“Ashe and Echo currently serve as the top counters to the Pharah meta.”

In terms of performance this season, Illari has surpassed her past seasons due to improved healing from her pylon, a longer time to defeat enemies, and higher damage output. Illari performs well not only in one-on-one battles against fragile heroes but also her ultimate, Captive Sun, shines in confined areas and situations where the match lasts long. Additionally, Lucio’s utility has remained stable since Overwatch 2 Season 10, though with a decrease of 10% in knockback power. However, his speed boost remains beneficial for several tank characters, particularly in game modes like Control, Flashpoint, and Push.

B-Tier – Reliable but Skill-Dependent Choices

  • Brigitte
  • Cassidy
  • Doomfist
  • Orisa
  • Soldier: 76
  • Widowmaker

Doomfist and Orisa are less popular tank heroes that don’t fit the current game trend. Orisa initially had an issue making her Energy Javelin deal critical hits, which was later corrected. While she may not be as tough as before, she remains a dependable choice against Winston and Reinhardt due to her robustness. On the other hand, Doomfist is excellent at snatching up enemy heroes and moving around freely between their lines, despite his challenging learning curve. He’s doing well for now but might receive improvements or bug fixes in the future.

Sadly for players who rely on hitting targets quickly from a distance, Cassidy’s reach with his falloff damage has been reduced to around 20-30 meters. While he now boasts a revamped Flashbang grenade, Cassidy may struggle against champions that don’t require close combat. Despite his continued popularity, demonstrated by the Top 500 rankings, Cassidy’s effectiveness in the Pharah-dominated playstyle has noticeably declined.

“Although Cassidy remains a popular pick, his usefulness has diminished in the Pharah meta.”

As a long-time Overwatch player, I’ve had my fair share of battles against various heroes and have come to form some opinions based on my experiences. 76 is a dependable choice for me due to his impressive Sprint ability and Biotic Field. However, he falls short when it comes to taking down airborne heroes like Pharah or Soldier: 76. His time-to-kill can be quite lengthy, even with precise aiming.

C-Tier – Playable Heroes With Niche Functionality

  • Bastion
  • Genji
  • Mei
  • Mercy
  • Moira
  • Reinhardt
  • Roadhog
  • Sojourn
  • Sombra
  • Symmetra
  • Torbjorn
  • Lifeweaver

The C-Tier group has the most heroes in it, which could be a sign of an issue in the game right now. While some of these heroes may seem stronger based on rank, they typically shine in unique situations. For example, Reinhardt and Roadhog are valuable picks, but they struggle against certain opponents like Mauga.

“The C-Tier category includes the largest number of heroes.”

I’ve noticed Genji’s victory rate taking a hit, falling to 35% on Overbuff. This could be because of the increasing number of heroes with flying abilities and high mobility. Bastion and Torbjörn have remained reliable sources of damage output and shield protection, but they are often picked specifically to counter certain characters. Mei stands out for her ability to stall enemies effectively, thanks largely to her ultimate, Cryo-Freeze, and Ice Wall.

Sojourn has consistently made headlines due to her unwavering presence in the S or A-Tier category. However, following Blizzard’s adjustment to her rail shot damage, she seems to share a predicament with Soldier: 76. While her enhanced primary fire rate provides gratification, it results in dealing less harm. In confrontations against Pharah and Mercy, Sojourn may not be the ideal option, but she remains far from useless.

In simpler terms, Symmetra and Sombra have specific jobs and aren’t as adaptable as other heroes. For instance, Sombra’s abilities work well against certain characters like Doomfist, Mercy, Wrecking Ball, and Widowmaker. But, she struggles against popular choices such as Pharah and Tracer. Symmetra is often picked on maps with close quarters combat like Lijiang Tower, but she encounters similar difficulties as Sombra.

Mercy benefits when facing skilled Pharah or Ashe opponents, but unfortunately, her usefulness lags behind supports like Ana and Baptiste. Moira is a great choice for players who want to deal damage while also supplying substantial healing. She shines in Control, Flashpoint, or Push situations due to her potent abilities. Similarly, Lifeweaver is challenging to corner and thrives on saving teammates using Petal Platform and Life Grip. However, despite his renowned healing capabilities, he doesn’t currently hold a prominent place in the meta due to his more defensive than offensive nature.

D-Tier – Struggling Heroes Outside the Meta

  • Hanzo
  • Junkrat
  • Reaper
  • Zenyatta

Blizzard is considering adjustments for Hanzo and Reaper, wanting to keep their unique characters while ensuring fairness in the game. Their power as damage dealers against tanks has been affected by recent tank improvements. Furthermore, Junkrat’s one-shot ability is back, but he finds it hard to counter aerial heroes. Lastly, Zenyatta brings substantial utility through Transcendence and Discord Orb, yet his restricted mobility makes him susceptible, especially against popular heroes such as Pharah, Tracer, and Widowmaker.

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2024-07-20 13:54