Overwatch is a team-based shooter, with 25 characters as of right now. Because it’s a team-based shooter, you’ll need a well-rounded group to get the upper hand on opponents. This guide will highlight the offensive-minded heroes in Overwatch, noting each character’s strengths and weaknesses. Try all of the characters to find the one that is perfect for your play style!

Offensive Heroes

Tracer

The first offensive hero in Overwatch is also one of the most popular on the roster. Tracer is all about jumping in and out of combat using quick moves, so get ready to dance if you choose to play as her.

Tracer’s primary damage dealers are her two pistols. These are not very accurate, so getting in close to deal damage is important. This is where Blink comes in. Using this ability, Tracer will teleport a short distance in the direction she’s travelling, allowing you to easily flank enemies or get from one side of the map to the other quickly.

Tracer’s other unique moment ability is called Recall. This will rewind Tracer for three seconds, making her invulnerable in the process. Once done, you will be back where you were three seconds before, with the same amount of ammo and health you had back then, too. If you happen to survive a big attack, or one is coming right at you, hit Recall to get out of the way and recover the health you had just lost.

Tracer’s ultimate ability is the Pulse Bomb. This sticky grenade will attach to any surface or hero it touches first, and detonate a short time afterwards. The Pulse Bomb is both a great attack to stick onto enemies or a helpful trap, letting you rig a doorway or wall to blow up when an enemy is getting close.

McCree

McCree is a badass cowboy straight out of a Spaghetti Western flick. His main weapon, the Peacekeeper, is a six-shot revolver that does a good amount of damage when you land a headshot. Alongside the revolver, he also has a flashbang that does a little damage, but will stun nearby enemies.

McCree’s special abilities include the combat roll, the Fan The Hammer attack and his Deadeye Ultimate ability. The combat roll is a good defensive maneuver, allowing McCree to dodge out of the way of an incoming attack while also reloading his revolver.

Fan The Hammer allows McCree to shoot all six of his bullets at once at a target. To get the most damage, you’ll want to be standing close to an opponent, so stunning someone with a flashbang then running in to use Fan The Hammer should be a 1-2 punch for most characters.

The Deadeye ability guarantees you will hit your targets. Every enemy will get shot that is in McCree’s field of vision, and the longer they are in his field of vision, the more damage the shot will deal.

Reaper

Reaper is a spooky dude wearing a “Scream” mask while running around with two shotguns. He can be one of the most deadly characters in Overwatch if used properly. If you want to do it right, you’ll have to master movement.

Because of the shotguns, Reaper is best in close range. Thankfully, he has a whole line of movement abilities, including the Shadow Step teleport move and the Wraith Form ability.

To use Shadow Step, simply aim with your gun and press the right button. This move will allow Reaper to teleport anywhere on the map within your sight, so try this by getting behind enemies and sneaking up to blast them away.

Wraith Form allows Reaper to become invulnerable and immune to getting targeted for three seconds. The flip side is Reaper cannot use any offensive abilities while in this form. The Wraith Form ability can be used offensively, but it is best as a defensive move, for getting out of the way after unleashing some devastating blows. It does provide a nice counter to characters like Bastion who post up in one spot with a good sight line and mow down other players

Reaper is a spooky dude wearing a “Scream” mask while running around with two shotguns. He can be one of the most deadly characters in Overwatch if used properly. If you want to do it right, you’ll have to master movement.

Reaper’s ultimate ability is called Death Blossom. This move involves Reaper spinning around with his shotguns, shooting at everything within eyesight. This move is best paired with the Wraith Form, allowing Reaper to get right into a group of enemies, attack all of them, and get out unharmed.

Soldier: 76

If you’re looking for the most traditional FPS character in Overwatch, give Soldier: 76 a try. Featuring a sprint move and a pulse rifle, Soldier: 76 is one of the fastest heroes, and can excel at any range. Because the pulse rifle’s accuracy will go down the longer you are holding the shoot button, firing in bursts or single shots will allow you to take out enemies at long distances.

Soldier: 76 also comes with some Helix Rockets. These can be deadly if you hit your target, but also deal splash damage if your aim isn’t 100% there. A Biotic Field move can be used to heal both yourself and nearby teammates for five seconds at a time.

Soldier: 76’s ultimate ability is his Tactical Visor. Using this move allows players to automatically target the closest enemy and guarantees a hit. The Tactical Visor lasts for six seconds, and Soldier: 76 reloads faster when it is in use.

Because of Soldier: 76’s speed, you should always be using the Sprint move when you aren’t currently shooting a weapon. This will give you an edge against opponents, allowing you to win races to cover or health drops.

Genji

Genji is an awesome robot ninja that has the most versatile movement options of any Overwatch character. By holding the jump button while standing next to just about any surface, Genji will be able to climb up. Not only that, Genji can also double jump and change directions while in midair.

As for offense, Genji’s main attack is his shuriken. The main way to use these is to throw three out at once in a straight line. A secondary attack option allows you to instead throw them in a cone away from your body.

Genji also has the Swift Strike move. This propels Genji forward incredibly quickly, damaging any enemies who happen to be in his way. Swift Strike gets reset if you happen to KO an enemy with the move, so be sure to set up chains of enemies to Swift Strike from one to the next.

As for defensive abilities, Genji has his Deflect move. This move lasts for two seconds, and any projectiles coming to the front of Genji will get knocked back at the one who sent it (except for Winston’s Tesla Cannon, Symmetra’s Photon Projector and Zarya’s Particle Cannon). Genji is still vulnerable from the back while using this move, so be careful.

Genji’s ultimate ability is called Dragonblade. When using this move, a massive dragon will appear on the map and Genji will pull out his katana. The regular shuriken attack gets replaced by katana swings for eight seconds, which deal massive amounts of damage.

Pharah

Pharah is a unique character who is best used while in the air. She comes with a hover move, allowing her to remain floating above the battlefield for a long time. This comes in handy to share information with your teammates as well as scope out your own battle plan. To go with this, Pharah has a Jump Jet move that shoots her straight up into the air, making avoiding attacks or getting to a nice vantage point nice and easy.

Pairing perfectly with a hover move, Pharah also comes with a rocket launcher holding six rockets at a time. These all do splash damage, so rain down Hell on enemies while flying overhead unnoticed.

Alongside the Rocket Launcher, Pharah also has a Concussive Shot blast. This can knock out enemy shields and barriers or stagger an opponent, allowing you to get the upper edge in combat.

Pharah’s ultimate ability is called Barrage. This move deals massive amounts of damage to anyone in the impact area. Watch out though, as Pharah is vulnerable during the three-second duration of Barrage. Make sure your targets are caught in the blast before launching.

So what do you think? Do you find yourself playing as one of these offensive heroes when playing Overwatch? Are you more of a tank, support or defensive player? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.