Blizzard’s shooting romp Overwatch can be rather tricky to get a firm grasp on, given the myriad of unique heroes, as well as the meta that seems to undergo frequent shifts. The DPS category is particularly vital to understand, as it’s a key component to the game that features the widest variety of heroes.
It’s usually the case for players to immediately jump on these heroes when starting a new match. Considering how limited these key DPS slots are in a given match, it’s crucial to get acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of each and know where they all stand when playing.
Updated November 16th, 2020 by Stephen LaGioia: For the record, it’s tough to nail down a definitive “one size fits all” list, given player preferences and the changing meta. But we’ll seek to compile an overall list of the strongest and weakest DPS heroes in Overwatch. We’ll factor in the current 2020 meta, but we’ll also account for general usefulness and damage output.
15 BEST: Echo
Overwatch‘s recent addition to the hero roster turns out to be one of the most effective – for those who can get the hang of her fairly odd mechanics. The skillset and overall feel of this evolutionary bot resides somewhere between Zenyatta and Pharah, what with her floaty physics, projectile-flinging, and ability to fly. Landing the Tri-Shot and Sticky Bombs does take a bit of practice. Yet, when executed well, these can pump out lethal amounts of damage. The same is true for her 50 damage-per-second Focusing Beam.
Her Ditto-esque Duplicate ability is also distinctly helpful and versatile. It can throw off an enemy team and disrupt them with a swift Ult from the replicated hero.
14 WORST: Mei
In fairness, Mei can be a terrific “situational” hero — namely in her ability to hold a point, buy some time for her teammates, and serve as a pesky counter for heroes like D.va. But in terms of her overall damage output and versatility, there are better DPS options than Mei, especially for newer players.
With her Ice Wall as well and freezing abilities, Mei is better as a disruptive, defensive DPS than a straight-up damage dealer.
13 BEST: Widowmaker
This one comes with something of an asterisk – in that a good Widow will almost always need to be mechanically competent. Assuming one’s sharpshooting skills are on point, though, this sniping assassin can be truly deadly.
Well-placed shots can swiftly pick off the squishier targets from both close-range and from a safe, vast distance. Being fairly vulnerable herself, Widow players will have to be astute for counter-attacks, but her Grappling Hook can get her out of a pinch fairly easily. Aside from a pretty tepid Ult, this DPS can really deal a lot of damage and run the table if a player is hitting their marks.
12 WORST: Sombra
There was a time when this slick hacker was a preferable choice, but shifting metas and nerfs have caused Sombra’s stock to plummet somewhat — circa late 2020 that is. She can be effective in Capture the Flag, but that’s another story.
With her unique skillset in hacking, she can both enhance the resources and power of one’s own team while hindering the opponent. This means that she’ll require communication and synchronization to truly get the most out of her – which doesn’t happen often outside of serious OW competitions. Her once-powerful Machine Pistol now leaves something to be desired, too.
11 BEST: Pharah
Like Widowmaker and Echo, this combat pilot takes some getting used to — namely learning to fly while firing on a distant enemy on the ground. But those who can manage her tricky mechanics and fast-depleting fuel will find Pharah to be an effective disruptor.
In terms of raw damage output, there are better choices, but stealthy Barrages and well-placed Concussive Blasts can really throw a team off their game. She can also help make Mercy harder to hit by carting her around in the air. She can help lead a push that can be tough to counter and will often force the opposition to answer with effective hitscan.
10 WORST: Bastion
While additions like Sigma have made Overwatch a more shield-heavy game, the meta has more recently shifted to an increasingly mobile, frantic style.
As a result, the very immobile Bastion tends to get left in the dust. Current popular picks like Doomfist and D.va can really bother this robotic hero when he Configures into his Sentry mode. And let’s face it; ultimately, Bastion is still largely a situational hero that usually just slots well into specific scenarios.
Disregarding these dynamics though – this DPS hero can still pump out an insane amount of damage in Sentry mode, assuming you do manage to post him up to a safe location. It’s for this reason that Bastion doesn’t plummet farther down on our list despite many Overwatch pundits putting him in the bottom tier of DPS players.
9 BEST: Doomfist
If you can get around the odd mechanics and fairly steep learning curve, this DPS truly packs a punch, as it were. Doomfist is insanely mobile, and able to take out a target in one fell swoop, simply by pouncing on them and spraying Hand Cannon shots and a well-placed Rocket Punch. In fact, the Rocket Punch alone can wallop a target for roughly 100 damage, and can even reach critical mass of 250 damage!
Flanking and breaking up teams prove to be beneficial strategies, particularly with this current meta, which makes this swift hero all the more impactful.
8 WORST: Junkrat
If we’re talking a scenario rife with effective tanks, this maniacal damage spammer can be fairly useful. And of course, Junkrat certainly still thrives in tighter, indoor locales. Overall though, his sporadic rocket projectiles aren’t the most practical in the heat of the moment.
Direct hits with the Frag Launch and Concussion Mines can be somewhat impactful with up to 130 and 120 damage output respectively. But the issue with Junkrat is that it’s not particularly easy to nail these shots down in the first place.
7 BEST: Tracer
Though her stock has fallen somewhat in the current dynamic of Overwatch, the neat thing about Tracer is she’s a very mechanical DPS hero with a high ceiling for anyone who’s put in the time to practice with her. Regardless of the shifting conditions or stage, a seasoned Tracer can really inflict some damage and disrupt the opposition. Her low HP and vulnerability is somewhat negated by her speed and ability to Blink/Recall.
Her speed and quick-firing pistols make her an absolute nightmare against the squishier, less mobile DPS and Support heroes like Zenyatta, Ana, and Hanzo. She can dart around extremely fast, pull herself out of trouble, and summon her Ultimate particularly quick, making her a game-changer that can run the table.
6 WORST: Ashe
This unique hero has somewhat had her time in the sun, but she’s since lost some value in this increasingly frantic meta. She takes on something of a “Jack-of-all-trades” role with her array of close-range, long-range, and explosive attacks. Though the issue with this is that many DPS heroes tend to take on some of her traits to a stronger degree.
With McCree’s stock currently on the rise, and Widowmaker being her usual lethal self, there just aren’t too many areas where Ashe can fill in right now. Her Viper shotgun can pump out some solid damage, but its falloff damage in addition to its lengthy reload time makes it a somewhat dicey option offensively.
5 BEST: Hanzo
One neat aspect about Hanzo is that he can be effective in a number of scenarios. His bow can fire off quite a bit of damage to shields and tanks. This is useful given the recent release of Sigma and the high stock of Orisa and Reinhardt. At the same time, he sports some deadly accuracy at long range, which can make him a solid choice in an offensive push as well.
He can also be devastating in competitive matches in which teams are coordinating Ult combos, as his Dragonstrike can be paired with Graviton Surge, for instance, to nail a team-wiping assault.
4 WORST: Symmetra
Symmetra has typically been one of those heroes that, like Bastion, tends to only thrive in a few distinct situations, which are usually of a defensive nature. When it comes to defense and zoning, she can be an option to consider.
But in terms of straight-up offensive prowess, she leaves a bit to be desired with her Proton Beam spray, which does single-target damage. Planting her arsenal of Sentry Turrets do little to make up for this either, as they can be taken out rather easily by opponents astute to them.
3 BEST: Reaper
This close-range brawler has seen his highs and lows in the time following Overwatch‘s release, with his arch-nemesis Brigitte giving him headaches following her debut. Yet, the rise of shield-laden tanks and added value in flanking have again made this specter a mighty offensive weapon in the right hands.
His double shotgun blasts can pummel the enemy with a maximum of 140 body shot damage per clip. He can drop the squishier targets pretty swiftly, while also effectively chipping away at shields and meatier tanks on the front lines. Even when he inevitably gets into trouble, he can simply bust out Wraith Form and retreat back to safety.
2 WORST: Torbjorn
This quirky defensive hero has never quite gotten his time to shine, given Overwatch‘s increasing emphasis on offensive damage-dealers. Being more of a vulnerable, immobile, and passive DPS, the dwarf almost resides in a category of his own. After all, he’s clearly no tank, and the elimination of his armor ability has stripped him of any Support traits.
While the added Overload and his tweaked Molten Core Ult have nudged him in more of a DPS direction, he’s still not usually going to do much damage. He and his turret can make some noise on the defensive end, but he’s very tough to use effectively on offense. Basically, there’s a reason very few pro players opt for this situational hero.
1 BEST: Genji
Much like Tracer, Genji is one of those heroes that’s likely always going to be dangerous in the right hands. This is why the Shuriken-flinging warrior makes it to the top of our list of DPS heroes.
He is quick, versatile, and strong, with his ability to climb walls, deflect enemy fire, and unleash 50-damage Swift Strikes. Vulnerability aside, Genji can run the table if the circumstances are right.
He may not be considered top tier in the current meta, but a practiced player is still capable of taking out four or even six of an enemy team with solid play and a good Dragonblade. You certainly cannot say that about all, or even most DPS heroes.
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