In ranked, you are often damned if you do, damned if you don’t no matter what happens. This is especially true for support mains. There are plenty of factors that go into what makes a great support player. Great game sense, excellent communication skills, consistency and versatility. These are just some of the many characteristics that make a great support player.
The Overwatch League plays host to a large number of fantastic support players. While there are a few who stand out on their own, teams would be nothing without the combined efforts of their support lineups. So with less than a month to go before the Overwatch League begins, it’s time to take a look at the strongest looking support duos going into Season 2!
10. MASAA AND KODAK [ATLANTA REIGN]
Finnish support Petja “Masaa” Kantanen is coming into the Overwatch League from one of the biggest names in EU Contenders. Team Gigantti has been a birthplace for many star Overwatch League players over the years. Masaa managed to make a name for himself as a great Lucio player.
Steven “Kodak” Rosenberger impressed fans everywhere during Team Germany’s showing at the Paris Qualifiers. His nutty Zenyatta plays often had casters comparing him to the New York Excelsior’s Bang “JJoNak” Sung-hyeon.
There is a lot of hype regarding these two players individually. Despite some individual efforts, there is not a lot that is known about how well Masaa and Kodak will work together. However, with their individual strengths combined under the direction of Brad “Sephy” Rajani, Kodak and Masaa are going to be one of the stronger new healing duos coming into Season 2.
9. MOTH AND SLEEPY [SAN FRANCISCO SHOCK]
While the Shock had a rather dismal first season, things started to slightly look up for the Shock after Park “Crusty” Dae-hee took the team under his wing. The Shock have had an overall excellent offseason. They managed to beat the Los Angeles Valiant during the California Cup that was held last November. A lot of that success can be contributed to Grant “Moth” Espe and Nikola “Sleepy” Andrews.
Moth was a member of Team USA during the 2018 World Cup. He is a tremendous Mercy player with great leadership abilities. Sleepy is a good Zenyatta. While he might not be at the level of other Zenyatta players in the league, he does have the potential to join those ranks in due time. Where his Zenyatta skills might be lacking, his Ana skills are up there. He is a consistent healer, and that consistency is something the Shock desperately needs when looking at the rest of their roster.
Alongside Sleepy and Moth, the Shock have also signed on Park “Viol2t” Min-ki. Vio2t is a former player for 02 Ardeont, now simply known as 02 Team. Viol2t is a great pickup for the San Francisco Shock and this addition will help propel them forward during Season 2.
8. UNKOE AND CLOSER [DALLAS FUEL]
Last season was rough for the Dallas Fuel. From internal conflicts to getting rolled and smoked by other teams, the boys in blue went through a lot. However, key changes such as the addition of coach Aaron “Aero” Atkins helped the boys turn things around during stage four.
The addition of Benjamin “uNKOE” Chevasson to the roster also helped the Dallas Fuel out a great deal. uNKOE is a fantastic support player who popped off on Zenyatta multiple times throughout the later stages. His skills showed that not all hope was lost for the team who had the second-highest expectations on them coming into Season 1.
In comparison, his usual starting partner, Jonathan “HarryHook” Tejedor Rua struggled a lot. Before joining the Overwatch League, HarryHook was an excellent Lucio, but the dominance of Mercy Meta forced him onto the winged medic and it was obvious he was never comfortable playing her. Fans cannot be sure that he won’t continue to struggle, even with Lucio being a dominant pick in GOATS meta. However, the Dallas Fuel made another support acquisition during the offseason that might turn things around for them.
While Jung “Closer” Wong-sik did not see that much playtime on the London Spitfire, he is a clutch pickup. He is a dedicated Mercy player and has experience playing at the Overwatch League level. Even though Mercy is not currently meta, he is known to be a skilled Lucio and Ana player as well. He is a great player to have in the Fuel’s back pocket. The Dallas Fuel have an excellent chance of making it into Season 2 playoffs if their support line can hold everyone together.
7. KRUISE PLUS ONE [PARIS ETERNAL]
Another set of newcomers, the Paris Eternal’s support lineup is nothing to sniff at. Harrison “Kruise” Pond was a standout during the 2018 World Cup. Fans were blown away by his clutch Lucio play and were ecstatic to see his name when Paris Eternal announced their roster last fall. Kruise is coming into the Overwatch League after playing for Boston Uprising’s academy team, formerly known as Toronto Esports. He was one of Team UK’s most significant players during the World Cup, and he will bring that same fire and passion into his gameplay for the Paris Eternal.
Many assumed that Damien “HyP” Souville would be the Eternal’s starting off-support player going into Season 2. However, the Paris Eternal announced the addition of Luis “Greyy” Perestrelo to their roster late last fall. HyP is coming into the Overwatch League from Eagle Gaming, while Greyy was on Team Portugal during the 2017 World Cup qualifiers. Both are great support players who can efficiently work well alongside Kruise. It is uncertain who the starting second support will be at this point, but fans can rest assured that the Eternal’s support duo will be one to watch out for this season.
6.TOBI AND RYUJEHONG [SEOUL DYNASTY]
The best word to describe the Seoul Dynasty’s inaugural season would be: interesting.
Initially thought to be the best team coming into the Overwatch League, the Dynasty disappointed with their lackluster gameplay and inconsistency. So desperate were they, the Dynasty threw their main support Ryu “Ryujehong” Je-hong on Winston at one point. It was painful to watch, especially knowing the team’s successful history coming into the Overwatch League.
Despite this, the Dynasty still has one of the better support lineups coming into Season 2. Ryujehong and teammate Yang “Tobi” Jin-mo are two incredibly talented support players. They have great chemistry that simply can’t be beaten. The Dynasty also added Lee “Jecse” Seung-soo to their roster during the offseason. Jecse is a former longtime member of Element Mystic. He is known for his excellent Lucio gameplay and has a ton of professional gameplay experience. With all of the additional offseason changes Seoul Dynasty has made to their roster, Season 2 has the potential to be their comeback season.
5. SLIME AND TWILIGHT [VANCOUVER TITANS]
The Vancouver Titans might be a new name in the Overwatch League, but the team itself has a long, turbulent history. The Vancouver Titans aren’t just a team – they’re a family. Formerly known as RunAway, the band of brothers has seen their fair share of highs and lows. Under the gentle guidance of Lee “Flowervin” Hyuna, RunAway became Season 2 champions of Contenders Korea.
Almost immediately after this victory, the entirety of RunAway’s roster was signed into the Overwatch League. Though they will be leaving Flowervin behind as she raises the next set of Contenders Champions, her influence will remain. With the close-knit bond the Titans share, it is a no brainer that they will be one of the stronger expansion teams coming into Season 2.
Their support line consists of Kim “SLIME” Sung-jun and Lee “Twilight” Joo Seok. SLIME is known for being a top-notch main healer who’s talent on Lucio helped push RunAway to victory. Twilight is also an exceptional Ana player; both he and SLIME work incredibly well together and their dynamic rivals that of other top support duos in the league. They will be the backbone of the Vancouver Titans going into Season 2 and fans are excited to see the RunAway magic on stage next season.
4. NEPTUNO AND BOOMBOX [PHILADELPHIA FUSION]
The Philadelphia Fusion got a lot of flack for being inconsistent last season, but the Fusion’s support line is one of the best. Alberto “NeptuNo” Gonzalez and Isaac “Boombox” Charles have proven to be a source of strength for the Philadelphia Fusion throughout the regular and offseason.
Neptuno is known for being the most bloodthirsty Mercy player in the Overwatch League. He strikes fear into the hearts of any player he comes into contact with. While his overzealousness can sometimes get the best of him, he is one of the standout support stars in the league. He has a great knowledge of the game and spent a good portion of the offseason streaming and educating his fanbase. He puts a tremendous amount of effort into Overwatch and his passion for the game definitely shines through on stage.
Known for his calm demeanor and love of memes, Boombox is an impeccable support player. He thrived on Moira during the later stages of season one and is a solid Zenyatta. He thrived alongside Kruise on Team UK during the World Cup, and he is sure to bring that success back in Season 2. Alongside NeptuNo and Boombox, the Fusion also have a fantastic pickup in Elijah Hudson “Elk” Gallagher. A top-notch Lucio and Ana, Elk is now a three-time champion for Fusion University. He is on a two-way contract between Fusion University and the Philadelphia Fusion, so he might not see that much playtime on the main stage. However, Elk is an excellent shot-caller and is one of the top support players in NA Contenders. He is a great asset to the team and fans of the Fusion can be sure that their supports will be the backbone they need to succeed next season.
3. NUS AND BDOSIN [LONDON SPITFIRE]
There is no denying that the London Spitfire has an insane amount of talent on their team. The Spitfire started strong last season by winning the stage one finals. However, their performance slipped during stages three and four. They ended up rounding out the season as fifth overall before they were crowned champions during Grand Finals.
The Spitfire maintained the majority of their core roster from Season 1, and their support line is one of the strongest in the league. Kim “NUS” Jong-seok is an incredible main healer who is not afraid to whip out Mercy’s pistol if need be. Choi “Bdosin” Seung-tae is a nutty Zenyatta who captured the hearts of many fans with his great sense of humor. Both of them did incredibly well during Season 1, and they are going to be one of the stronger duos coming into Season 2.
However, the Spitfire also added Jung “Krillin” Yung-hoon to their roster during the offseason. There is not a lot that is known about Krillin. He is a wild card. With pretty much nothing to go off of in regards to his gameplay, it will be interesting to see what he will bring to the table in comparison to NUS and Bdosin.
2. SHAZ AND BIGGOOSE [LA GLADIATORS]
Probably one of the most beloved support duos in the league, Jonas “Shaz” Suovaara, and Benjamin “BigGoose” Isohanni safely secure the number two spot on this list. The Los Angeles Gladiators were the most improved team overall during Season 1. They started out relatively middle of the pack and became a powerhouse towards the end of the inaugural season.
While many fans credit that success to Baek “Fissure” Chan-hyung, Shaz and BigGoose had a significant influence on the team. The duo have been playing together since Overwatch first started its competitive scene back in the APEX days. Both former members of Team Gigantti, Shaz and Goose share a bond that cannot be broken. More like brothers, they are incredibly in-sync with one another during battle, and it is always a joy to watch.
Shaz is a deadly Zenyatta player, which makes sense when you consider his DPS background before switching to support. He regularly pops off in the kill feed and is probably one of the few players who can go toe-to-toe with JJonaK. BigGoose is known for his fantastic communication skills; both he and teammate Aaron “Bischu” Kim have a positive influence on their teammates and keep morale high, even when faced with a loss.
After a major scare that the duo would be leaving the team, it was announced that Riku “Ripa” Tolvanen would be joining the ranks. It will be some time before we see Ripa hit the stage due to being suspended for toxicity and throwing matches. Once his suspension is lifted, the Finnish trio will be a group to keep an eye on throughout season 2.
1. JJONAK AND ARK [NYXL]
While the New York Excelsior didn’t make their way into season one playoffs, they were the number one seed. NYXL is a powerhouse of a team; they have so much talent on their roster that it should be illegal. Their DPS are rock stars, their tank line is impeccable, and their supports changed how people play Overwatch.
JJonaK rightfully earned his MVP title last season; his Zenyatta skills are out of this world. Very few Zenyatta players are close to his caliber of play. He and his teammate, Hong “ArK” Yeon-joon were able to pull off some incredible support plays last season. Jung “Anamo” Tae-sung was also an incredible asset to the team. The three of them work insanely well with one another, no matter who is starting. This is true of the entire roster. It is one of NYXL’s many strengths that sets them apart from the other teams in the league. With their support lineup behind them, the NYXL should have no problem maintaining their number one status next season.
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