More Insanely Important Overwatch Tips

Below the surface, Overwatch is a complicated game with a lot of nuance. For newer and less experienced players, these tips should help improve performance whether they’re attacking or defending.

Give No Mercy for the Support.

Pun intended. If you see the enemy team has a Mercy, kill her as soon as you can. She will undo all of your hard work with a quick healing focus on weakened teammates, or a well-timed resurrect, wiping out your entire push. She is particularly weak to flankers such as Tracer or Genji, but her low HP and slow movement speed make her an easy target for a variety of characters.

But beware, Mercy can fly to visible teammates with Guardian Angel and her pistol can be deadly to the careless.

Learn the Difference Between Health, Shields, and Armor.

Health is the default hp, everyone in Overwatch has it. It doesn’t regenerate on its own, and you’ll need a health pack or healing ability (unless you are Mercy) to replenish your Health.

Armor does not regenerate on its own, but it can be restored with health packs or healing abilities as long as the Armor is not granted by an ability. Armor also reduces incoming damage by half, up to 5 points of damage (per hit). It is particularly effective against low damage weapons that rely on high rate of fire, like Tracer’s pistols.

Like Health, Shields can be restored by health packs and healing abilities. Shields, however, also regenerate over time and are always depleted first, before Armor or Health. So, from an offensive standpoint, it is good to target weakened characters such as Zarya, Zenyatta, and Symmetra before their Shields have a chance to recover.

Play the Objective,

Both attacking and defending teams can benefit from focusing on playing the objective, all Overwatch match types benefit from this whether it is an Escort, Control, or Hybrid map.

As an attacker, making sure you get on the objective is key to moving the payload or capturing the point. A single player on the payload can mean the difference between victory and defeat, as a Lucio sneakily pushing the payload can slip under the noses of the defending team while they are distracted. Flankers may not always be able to capture a point solo when the defending team is still around, but they can cause mayhem for the defense by forcing retaliation and creating an opening for their team.

For the defending team, contesting the objective is a great way to wear down the attackers’ time and win the match or game. On Control, your percentage will continue to tick up while the point is contested, getting you ever closer to that 100%. Contesting the payload stops it dead in its tracks, buying your team time to travel, respawn, or kill the attackers. Contesting a point while attackers are capturing it keeps them from making progress, and can buy your team the precious seconds that can win a game.

As a Team!

While a single team member can make a difference when playing the objective, in Overwatch matches it’s best to stay together and coordinated. When working together, it is much more difficult to be wiped out by the enemy. You are incredibly vulnerable when attacking or defending alone, as the enemy will likely not be working in the same way. It can be quite frustrating when not everyone on your team has this same idea, but a little coordination can go a long way.

Another aspect of playing the objective as a team is to let your teammates play their strengths. Maybe Tracer should be given the freedom to wreak havoc, rather than being tied down pushing the payload. Try to pick and use a team composition that will make the most effective attack or defense.

Use the Payload.

While this is limited to Escort and Hybrid maps, it is still insanely important. When attacking or defending, use the payload as cover; you will be harder to hit and playing the objective. It also offers slight healing for the attacking team, so take advantage of that when you can. Defenders can also utilize the payload by pushing it back to easier held positions and choke points when the attack moves it too far. And for both teams, the payload also offers the potential for a moving platform for static defenses such as turrets and a Bastion in sentry mode, making characters like Bastion, Symmetra, and Torbjorn a little more flexible.