Overwatch 2 Season 12 Hero Tier List

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Overwatch 2 Season 12 Hero Tier List

As a seasoned Overwatch player with years of experience under my belt, I must admit that the current meta is a breath of fresh air, particularly for Dive characters like Sojourn and Soldier: 76. It’s fascinating to see how heroes have evolved over time, and it’s clear that Blizzard has been listening to the community’s feedback.

In the 12th season of Overwatch 2, there were numerous thrilling changes such as introducing the 11th support character, a fresh core game mode, and an epic Mythic Reaper skin. Notably, the arrival of Juno has significantly sped up the game’s meta by introducing a fast-paced strategy dynamic. While some powerful characters from Season 11 remain influential, Juno’s utility has caused a slight power shift among them.

The mid-season adjustments and Season 12 changes have strengthened the current ranking of characters in Overwatch 2. Although an individual’s skill level and competitive standing are essential factors, almost every character feels useful at present. However, some heroes excel more than others based on team configuration and strategic map choices.

S-Tier – Best Performing Heroes in the Current Meta

  • Brigitte
  • D.Va
  • Juno
  • Kiriko
  • Sigma
  • Sombra
  • Tracer
  • Winston

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel thrilled about the prominent roles that Juno, Brigitte, and D.Va have assumed in Season 12 of Overwatch 2. The limelight particularly shines on D.Va, though her position has stirred up some debate. Her dominance, however, can be attributed to the Hyper Ring, which empowers her to excel as a frontline tank while skillfully protecting allies or overpowering targets. It’s worth mentioning that in the previous season, D.Va was an S-tier pick, and with Juno joining the fray, her effectiveness has been amplified even further.

Winston is similar to D.Va in terms of being an effective tank in 5v5 gameplay, but unlike D.Va who benefits from Juno’s Hyper Ring, Winston doesn’t get the same advantages from boosters. However, Winston has valuable abilities like Primal Rage, Barrier Projector, and Jump Pack that significantly increase his survivability. On the other hand, Sigma performs a role similar to Winston, but he’s often preferred on maps with long sightlines such as Circuit Royale or Havana.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve got to admit that Tracer and Sombra have truly solidified their status as top-tier characters. Even with the slight decrease in Tracer’s damage from 6 to 5.5 in the August update, she continues to thrive thanks to her speed boosts, rapid Pulse Bomb charging, and elusive nature. On the other hand, while Sombra’s Virus damage dipped from 90 to 75 at the beginning of Season 12, her arsenal still poses a significant threat to squishy heroes. To top it off, her EMP ability can be a real game-changer, particularly in Dive or Rush team compositions.

Sombra changes are being targeted for an upcoming patch.

Brigitte and Juno make up a powerful support team because they can shield each other effectively against D.Va attacks, and Juno’s healing capabilities are particularly strong. Similarly, Kiriko works well with Juno in a similar fashion as she does with Lucio, but since Juno provides more healing than Lucio, Kiriko has greater chances to attack the enemy team.

A-Tier – Alternative Options for S-Tier Characters

  • Ana
  • Ashe
  • Baptiste
  • Cassidy
  • Lucio
  • Mei
  • Moira
  • Ramattra
  • Venture
  • Zarya

In the latest midseason update for Overwatch 2, there was a shift in hero options, but it failed to make a substantial impact on the ongoing meta that’s been evolving since Season 12 debuted in August. For instance, Moira has moved up from B-tier to A-tier because her ultimate, Coalescence, now deals 85 damage per second instead of 70, with Blizzard Entertainment stating that the previous level didn’t seem threatening enough after health adjustments were made. In contrast, Ana and Baptiste haven’t undergone any changes recently, yet they continue to be formidable choices.

Lucio is still an A-tier hero, especially after his primary fire damage was increased from 18 to 22. While Juno’s Hyper Ring offers similar utility, Lucio distinguishes himself with his speed boost, which isn’t restricted by a cooldown and is only removed if he switches to healing. Furthermore, his ultimate, Sound Barrier, remains highly effective for initiating team fights or providing defensive support.

In the game, Cassidy and Ashe emerge as the most versatile characters to play. At present, however, Cassidy appears to hold a more competitive edge, primarily due to an enhancement in his Flashbang damage from 45 to 75. On the other hand, Ashe excels with her damage that decreases over distance. Mei and Venture are also proving effective at the moment, but for distinct reasons. Their utility is crucial for making strategic picks and boosting their teammates’ performance.

After Juno’s debut, Ramattra has been moving towards becoming an elite tank due to his ability to swiftly eliminate enemy backlines and offer healing that may outmatch what Lucio provides. Meanwhile, Zarya stands out as one of the top counters against D.Va, thanks to her Particle Barrier and escalating power as she accumulates charge. However, her limited mobility can make gameplay challenging on maps with expansive high ground like Dorado or Watchpoint Gibraltar.

B-Tier – Heroes With Carry Potential That Aren’t Hard Meta

  • Doomfist
  • Echo
  • Illari
  • Junker Queen
  • Mauga
  • Orisa
  • Pharah
  • Reaper
  • Reinhardt
  • Sojourn
  • Soldier: 76
  • Torbjorn

In a B-tier setting, these houses host the greatest number of characters, suggesting a robust and thriving game environment. Characters like Doomfist, Reinhardt, Orisa, Mauga, and Junker Queen each boast unique skills, yet they all demonstrate significant potential to carry a team effectively when skillfully handled. These heroes don’t quite fit the hard meta description, but neither do they become irrelevant in terms of competitive play.

“B-tier houses the most characters, which may indicate an overall healthy state of the game.”

heroes from DPS (Damage Per Second) class like Echo and Pharah remain valuable picks, mainly because of their flight abilities and high damage output. They work best in compositions that are more focused on poking rather than tankier teams with characters like D.Va or Winston. Sojourn has improved from her placement in Season 11’s tier list, no longer considered as weak, since she has restored some of the power she once had during the early seasons of Overwatch 2. However, her gameplay style has changed to be less aggressive, as she can no longer rely on a fully charged railgun for every encounter.

76 and Sojourn share a comparable role as they can both flank or take up frontline positions while dishing out consistent damage. Interestingly, Reaper is excelling more this season because the game’s setting now favors Dive heroes. On the other hand, Illari’s damage reduction hasn’t been beneficial in the Dive meta. She continues to be a reliable pick for dealing damage or securing eliminations, but she encounters difficulties when her teammates move away from her pylon or are out of her immediate vicinity, making it hard for her to heal them.

“…the game’s environment has shifted to favor Dive characters.”

C-Tier – Niche Characters That Thrive in Certain Situations

  • Bastion
  • Genji
  • Hanzo
  • Junkrat
  • Lifeweaver
  • Mercy
  • Roadhog
  • Symmetra
  • Widowmaker

In Overwatch 2, the lower-tier DPS characters aren’t generally weak, instead, they shine in specific scenarios, such as counteracting enemy team compositions. For instance, Hanzo now has his one-shot ability back, but because there are no global increases in projectile size, players will have to be extremely accurate with their arrow shots. Genji retains high carry potential, however, a recent bug fix on his wall-climbing has affected his ability to grab ledges. Characters like Widowmaker and Symmetra continue to perform better in certain map types; Widowmaker excels on long-range maps while Symmetra performs well in close-quarters environments.

Junkrat can pull off another one-shot combination, but it’s not possible with just a single bullet.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed that Lifeweaver got some serious upgrades to his toolkit, amping up his damage capabilities with more ammo and an auto-healing charge feature. He’s been great at keeping my teammates alive and dishing out the healing when needed, but since Juno joined the scene, he seems less effective. It’s a similar story for Mercy; her abilities remain the same, while Juno’s vertical agility and versatile movements are making her a force to reckon with.

Regardless of Roadhog’s redesign in Season 7, Blizzard states that he is still struggling to meet expectations. Originally intended for the off-tank role in 6v6 matches, Roadhog showed his strength as a flanker. However, he now struggles to maintain the frontline without turning into an ult ammo source for the enemy team. When confronted by a skilled Ana from the opposing side, this issue is further compounded because her abilities can counteract the healing from Roadhog’s Take a Breather skill.

D-Tier – Heroes Currently Struggling in the Meta

  • Wrecking Ball
  • Zenyatta

Regardless of being placed in the lowest tier, Wrecking Ball and Zenyatta can perform well depending on the map and a player’s skill level. However, with D.Va, Brigitte, and Juno dominating the meta, Zenyatta struggles to survive, as his strengths typically shine in Poke compositions. Wrecking Ball, while excellent at harassing the backline, isn’t the best choice for handling frontline damage like D.Va or Reinhardt might. If the enemy backline includes heroes like Juno and Brigitte, he faces an even tougher challenge in isolating them.

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2024-10-03 14:36