It may be a new year, but the Overwatch competitive meta still looks the same. Overwatch didn’t receive any balance changes or heroes tweaks since the start of December, and the meta has grown stale. There isn’t much diversity at the tank position, with many teams needing both Sigma and Wrecking Ball to stay competitive.
Unfortunately the DPS options are pretty scarce as well. Echo and Ashe have been the dominant pair on the ranked ladder due to their damage and flexibility. McCree and Tracer aren’t bad options, but with a Mercy in every game there isn’t a reason to not play a hero that can benefit from the pocket healer. Overall compositions are pretty set as far as ranked play goes, but an Experimental Card on the horizon could help open up things in the future
[Previous Tier List: December 2020]
Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
These characters are easily the most played heroes in competitive scene at the moment. They naturally synergize and provide so much value at each position. Best of all, each character has the ability to take over a game if left unchecked. Typically that makes both teams play the same compositions. Mirror compositions are the simplest answer to a strong opposition. Expect these characters to continue to be popular even after the experimental changes go through.
As far as characters on this list, Tracer and Zenyatta are miles closer to the first tier than the rest of the heroes. Zenyatta is borderline Tier 1 at the moment, but he does remain a tricky support to play in lower ranks. Tracer is similar in that respect, as both characters are mechanically demanding and easily punished if the player doesn’t know how to handle specific situations. The rest of the options here are good options based on maps and comps.
Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
It’s tempting to almost put every character here, considering how each map still dictates which heroes can succeed or which are weaker. Roadhog is an interesting hero as most ranked off tanks enjoy playing the damage-heavy tank. He pairs well with Sigma oddly enough, but can often times find himself in trouble without a team to back him up. Zarya can help, but the tank combo hasn’t been as effective since then end of the Overwatch League.
Although Reinhardt may be stuck down here, there is still plenty of room for the crusader to thrive. Reinhardt and Reaper both can still find a bit of success in pure Rush compositions, especially on maps like King’s Row. They don’t traditionally fit in the current meta thanks to the strength of Asher and Echo, but sometimes a comfort pick can still find a win.
Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
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