Whenever a new hero is released, it’s always fun to speculate who will be the best. With the release of hero 31, Sigma, many are wondering who will be the best. The problem, however, is that tanks are often the hardest roles to identify the greats. Tanks are not the ones making the flashy plays or are the most fun to watch. Even in the tank heavy composition GOATs, individual play making ability took a backseat for team synergy and coordination. Despite all that, there are some candidates that come to mind that could show the limits of Sigma. With the announcement that Sigma will be playable starting during season playoffs, it’s the perfect time to talk about who could be the best Sigma in OWL.
Before jumping to the players, it’s a good idea to establish what indicators will most likely translate to outstanding Sigma play. The community has come to the consensus that Sigma will most likely function as a main tank. Having a high health barrier and low mobility means that Sigma plays like a mixture of Reinhardt and Orisa. Players in OWL that have shown the ability to play Reinhardt, Orisa or both at a high level should find the transition to Sigma much easier.
Next, Sigma being a main tank like Orisa and Reinhardt means that the team will need to have excellent synergy. While he is not as sedentary as Orisa, he is still a very large hitbox with a shield that is easy to misuse. It will be up to the team to make sure Sigma doesn’t become an Ult battery.
Finally, players will need to have great game sense. Having the ability to eat Ults has shown to be one of the strongest things any hero can do. Kinetic Grasp does not reach as far as Defense Matrix so players will have to be even smarter with their positioning and cool down usage. With all that out of the way, here are the candidates.
Image courtesy of The Overwatch League
Gesture is one of the best Orisas ever seen. Most Orisa players now are focused on initiating the “pulled pork” combo in which she sends her halt above enemies and an allied Roadhog hooks said enemies to secure a kill. Gesture, however, has used halt to pull enemies into Dragon Strikes from Park “Profit” Joon-yeong.
While Sigma does not have an ability as impactful as Halt, it’s the team play, coordination and game sense that Gesture shows that makes him a prime candidate to be pioneer in Sigma gameplay.
Gesture halt to give Profit 4k
byu/bchang3 inCompetitiveoverwatch
Image courtesy of the Overwatch League
Shanghai has been on everyone’s mind since they won the Stage 3 Finals. Players like Yang “DDing” Jin-hyeok and Jin “YOUNGJIN” Yong-Jin have been stealing the show, but at the Dragon’s core is Gamsu. By no means a flashy player, Gamsu has been one of the most consistent main tanks in the league. His team plays around him well and he know how to assist his team when they need it. Sigma gives its user a lot of tools to assist the team as opposed to being the one in the spotlight. Gamsu should definitely be one to look out for.
Image courtesy of Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
The entire Chengdu squad have become the darlings of the Overwatch League by playing to their strengths and more importantly, playing their way. Ameng made his name know through his innovative and monstrously entertaining Wrecking Ball play. His ability to take a hero that many view as a fringe pick and excel is a skill that should not be overlooked. If anyone can find a place for Sigma in OWL, Ameng is your man.
While Sigma absolutely screams main tank, it’s not impossible that he may end up being played by some off tank players. The three players that have the most likely chance of playing an off tank Sigma are Choi “JJANU” Hyeon-Woo, Kim “Fury” Jun-ho and Choi “ChoiHyoBin” Hyo-bin. All three players have shown that they are inhuman on their role. Sigma having the ability to eat ults like Graviton Surge and Pulse Bomb will require players to have impeccable game sense and great mechanics.
Any of the players mentioned above could become the greatest Sigma in the world. The hero rewards intelligent play and may become the next most highlight-able tank. Hopefully you get to see some high level Sigma gameplay soon, be it in OWL or even the World Cup.
Follow Brad on Twitter @BradKillion for the latest opinions and musing about the world of esports.
Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.
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