When it comes to key players in the Overwatch League, look no further than the top 10 main tanks. As the new season approaches, it’s important for us to see who’s going to be making big moves as the games start to heat up. For most teams, that responsibility lies on the shoulders of the main tank role. The Winstons, Reinhardts and Orisas in the League have the responsibility of not only making room on a variety of maps for their teams to successfully push, but also covering their backline and ensuring that the supports are alive long enough to get the most out of their skill set.
To play a main tank means to face the brunt of the damage dealt from the enemy team, knowing full well that you’re putting yourself at the forefront of the battle. Last season, we saw some exceptional main tank play—sometimes, play that even shifted the outcome of a game or series. Heading into season two, we’re going to break down the top 10 main tank players you should be keeping an eye on.
10: Chang-hoon “rOar” Gye (L.A. GLADIATORS)
With an amazing showing in Contenders with KongDoo Panthera for the last year, Chang-hoon “rOar” Gye is more than deserving of cracking the top 10 main tanks in the upcoming season. Though he may be underestimated due to the big shoes he has to fill (Fissure certainly leaves a legacy with the Gladiators), rOar is more than up for the task and will bring a fresh face to a team on the incline.
With strong Reinhardt play and strong Winston play, rOar is sure to thrive in this tank-heavy meta. Additionally, with Fissure moving to the Seoul Dynasty, the Gladiators can rely on rOar to provide them with the same top tier Winston play they were seeing from the aggressive Fissure. It’ll be interesting to see how rOar fares in this new setting with new teammates.
9: Sangbeom “Bumper” Park (VANCOUVER TITANS)
A player that knows exactly what Overwatch is about is Sangbeom “Bumper” Park, a new member of the League. As one of the top 10 main tanks of the new season, Bumper has a strong advantage over a lot of the new main tank players. His teammates from the Contenders team RunAway all signed together to the Vancouver Titans; this gives them practice in synergy, team plays and overall domination of maps.
Like others, Bumper is also considered an extremely aggressive main tank player. However, while others might struggle to adapt, Bumper’s previous experience as a flex player gives him an upper hand. Knowing when to switch things up, tone things down and get serious gives up an edge up against his competition. His Reinhardt is undeniably epic, and his ability to switch to Winston in a pinch and compete with the best when it comes to GOATs is something to watch for when the lights hit the stage.
8: Junhwa “Janus” Song (WASHINGTON JUSTICE)
One of the most experienced players in the League is Junhwa “Janus” Song. Since 2016, Janus has been climbing the professional ladder, signing with the infamous NYXL for the inaugural Overwatch League. His Winston play most definitely assisted in some overall power moves for the NYXL during their dominance of the first season. His aggressive play style, matched with a knack for flanking (and as a main tank, nonetheless), makes it easy to see why Janus is among the top 10 main tanks in the League.
However, there’s concern heading into the new season. During the off season, Janus has left the NYXL and has signed with the Washington Justice, a newcomer to the League. The Justice, overall, don’t look very promising. Currently, it’s unsure of both how well Janus will perform with his new teammates and how the team will fare against new and old talent overall. Still, his own skill remains, and it’s something to keep an eye on once the games start up.
7: ChanHyoeng “Fissure” Baek (SEOUL DYNASTY)
It’s no doubt that ChanHyoeng “Fissure” Baek has earned his spot as one of the top 10 best main tank players in season one. A previous member of the L.A. Gladiators, Fissure redefined how their team played. With an aggressive play style, Fissure was often at the front of the attack, initiating team fights one after another. His Winston play is among the best in the entire League, and it’s no question that his in game choices contributed to the overall success that the Gladiators saw as the season progressed.
However, being one of the top 10 main tanks doesn’t dissuade the tentative doubts in mind. The way things ended with the Gladiators had Fissure out of the game before being transferred to the Seoul Dynasty. Though it’s known just how powerful he is, a sudden team change can affect synergy and player performance. Seoul has some powerful players ready to make moves, but doubt is still something to consider as we head forward.
6: Austin “Muma” Wilmot (HOUSTON OUTLAWS)
A driving force behind some amazing Winston play is Austin “Muma” Wilmot. Though the Houston Outlaws as a team found some bumps along the way towards the season one play-offs, Muma’s gameplay was consistently strong across the top 10 main tanks of the League. Ranked in the top 5 for best Winston, Reinhardt and Orisa play, it’s hard to deny the kind of power that Muma brings to the stage when it’s his turn to shine.
Altogether, the Outlaws are a strong team with great synergy. Looking forward, it’s expected that Muma will pull off similar strong performances, especially in a meta that favors Reinhardt so heavily. With a team that’s got a fire under them and the willpower to push through, Muma is sure to remain as one of the top 10 main tanks in the League. Make sure to keep an eye out for what he can do!
5: Quilin “guxue” Xu (HANGHZOU SPARK)
A newcomer to the League, there’s so much to see when it comes to Quilin “guxue” Xu of the Hangzhou Spark. Starting off his career with a year’s worth of experience in Contenders with LGD Gaming, guxue only pushed forward. With a dominating performance on Team China at the most recent Overwatch World Cup, it makes sense that guxue is among the new faces signed to the League. His pinpoint perfection and knowledge of Winston’s kit brings a new take on one of the most picked characters in the roster. Additionally, the usage of Primal Rage (along with ultimate control) has nearly redefined the way people play main tank.
Though it’s known just how well guxue can play, exercising caution is still smart going forward. After all, this is the very first season for the Hangzhou Spark. It’s undeniable that, of the expansion teams, Hangzhou look extremely promising. However, making sure that they can settle into a roster of 12 teams that’ve already prepared for a year for the new season of the Overwatch League is important. Overall, guxue is more than worthy of earning a spot among the 10 best main tanks of the new season.
4: Minseok “OGE” Son (DALLAS FUEL)
The Dallas Fuel finally found their footing in stage four of the inaugural season, and that’s thanks in part to their amazing main tank player, Minseok “OGE” Son. A top five Winston player, OGE managed to turn himself into one of the top 10 main tanks in the entire League with his quick ability to learn Reinhardt at such a high level. With his quick mechanical skills, OGE easily gave the Fuel a tactical advantage as they stomped their way to an amazing and incredible stage four.
His Reinhardt play reads very defensive, with a focus on protecting his team and making sure everyone else around him is safe. Consciously, OGE chooses to keep away from the dive tendencies that aggressive Reinhardt players can show. Instead, he assumes that the enemy Reinhardt is always ready with a tide-changing Earthshatter, which causes him to think more protectively and cautiously in team fights. With the Fuel only getting stronger in this meta, OGE is a player to keep an eye on once the season starts up.
3: Pan Seung “Fate” Koo (L.A. VALIANT)
A recent member of the South Korean Overwatch World Cup team, Pan Seung “Fate” Koo has been consistently among the top 10 main tanks in the entire League. With the L.A. Valiant only rising in the ranks throughout season one, Fate has played extremely well in every situation. His flexibility is also admirable—when switching tank partners after the departure of Kang-Jae “envy” Lee and the addition of Indy “SPACE” Halpern, Fate’s skills remained top tier.
A threat on Winston, Reinhardt, Orisa and even Hammond, Fate has placed in the top five for every main tank in the League. In addition to his mastery of nearly every main tank in the game, Fate has also shown incredible consistency. Across the board, he is performing at above average levels. Additionally, he provides his team with a solid foundation in team fights, map scores and even a victory in the stage four title match! With the Valiant at the head of the pack for teams to watch out for, make sure Fate is among the key players to keep an eye on.
2: Dong-gyu “Mano” Kim (NYXL)
Being the main tank for the top team (statistically speaking) in the League could give some players on stage jitters. For Dong-gyu “Mano” Kim, however, it’s a motivator to be one of the top 10 main tanks in the entire League! Mano can be often looked over, due to his more defensive and safe play. Though other players prefer to be aggressive, Mano remains a powerhouse of a main tank. His tentative play style allows him to be one of the main tanks with the best survivability, earning him a spot as one of the least-dying main tanks.
With how aggressive and well coordinated the rest of the NYXL is, Mano is allowed to push the point and create a presence at various contesting areas. This makes him a real threat against any enemy team in terms of point control. By being supportive, staying with his group as much as possible and allowing his rockstar DPS duo control the area with flanks, Mano can keep his eyes on the prize. A space creator, Mano is definitely a player making constant moves. As the NYXL proceed into their second Overwatch League season, Mano can only climb.
1: Jaehui “Gesture” Hong (LONDON SPITFIRE)
A powerhouse across the board, there’s no denying that London Spitfire’s main tank Jaehui “Gesture” Hong is a beast to behold. Slated as the best Winston and the best Orisa in the entire League, Gesture’s play style redefines what it means to be a main tank. Choosing a more defensive stance, Gesture allows himself to peel for his team, while also disrupting the enemy team in the process. Additionally, this cautious approach to fighting gives him the status of main tank who’s died the least in the League. This gives him incredible survivability when it comes to team battles and pushing through choke points.
A main tank shot-caller, Gesture is absolutely someone to keep an eye on when it comes to the top 10 main tanks in the League. Coming off the heels of a grand finale win, it’s safe to say that Gesture’s spirits are high coming into the new season. Given the tank heavy meta that Overwatch has gravitated towards, Gesture can only get stronger. Expect to see some excellent tank play from him as the games fire up.
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