Best Original DPS Heroes To Pick In Overwatch: Classic

Players can choose from the 12 original DPS Heroes in Overwatch 2’s Classic mode. This is a step-down in count from today’s 18 (Symmetra is a Support in Classic), but the roster is still varied enough to be fun. These 12 are also split into defense and offense-oriented, six each. And yet, players can easily go with whoever they like, since some have kits similar to what they do in the standard game.

Overwatch: Classic is a limited-time throwback mode to the first game’s launch. As such, the gameplay is a bit clunky and unbalanced, with broken OW1 heroes like Hanzo back in the spotlight. Since there are only five Tanks and four Supports, the DPS Heroes are the wildest influencing factors. Since there are 12 of them, it can be a bit tricky to choose who to pick.

Factors beyond raw power, such as being fun to play, impactful utilities, suitability in a team, and overall meta viability have been considered for ranking DPS Heroes in
Overwatch 2
’s Classic mode.

6 Mei

Terrific Primary Fire, Clutch Wall and Ultimate

This is what Mei’s kit looks like in Overwatch 2‘s Classic mode:

• Endothermic Blaster: Short-range spray weapon that freezes enemies.
• Endothermic Blaster: Long-range icicle launcher.
• Cryo-freeze: Become invulnerable and heal yourself.
• Ice Wall: Create a wall in front of you.
• Blizzard: Launch a weather control drone that freezes enemies in a wide area.

Players picking Mei as Overwatch: Classic’s DPS Hero may be surprised by what she has to offer. Her primary fire is single-target here, and it still slows down an enemy’s movement by a good chunk. But the biggest change is that it also freezes them for a few moments. This is incredibly helpful in taking down non-Tank Heroes single-handedly, and even canceling out many top Hero abilities in Overwatch 2‘s Classic mode.

Aside from that, another massive change is the Ice Wall ability. Each wall comes with 500HP, as opposed to the current standard of 250HP. This significant tweak is enough to save most teamfights, and even block enemies for a good length of time while support arrives.

Mei’s Ultimate and Cryo-Freeze remain the same. They haven’t undergone any meaningful changes, but they are still incredibly important. The Ultimate, especially, can turn the game around on its own.

5 Soldier 76

No-Recoil Primary Fire, Excellent Ultimate

This DPS Hero’s kit in Overwatch: Classic comprises:

• Heavy Pulse Rifle: Automatic assault weapon.
• Helix Rockets: Launch a volley of explosive rockets.
• Sprint: Run faster while moving forward.
• Biotic Field: Deploy a field that heals you and your allies.
• Tactical Visor: Automatically aims your weapon at targets in view.

The change to Soldier 76’s primary fire mechanic is what makes him one of the best DPS Heroes in Overwatch 2‘s Classic mode. In this throwback mode, the Heavy Pulse Rifle has no recoil whatsoever. However, he isn’t as broken as Cassidy, Hanzo, or Bastion.

This is because while there’s no recoil, the bullet spread increases the longer the button is held down, and the damage per bullet is only 17. As such, shooting in bursts at longer range or smaller hitboxes is preferred; going all-out on Tanks remains overpowered.

Aside from that, the Helix Rockets still deal an excellent amount of damage. His AoE healing ability becomes important in any teamfight, as well as his ability to run faster to reposition himself. Soldier 76’s Tactical Visor is an easy aimbot, and as important here as it is in the standard game. His accuracy and overall team help, even without the Ultimate, earn him a place on this list of the best DPS Heroes in Overwatch 2’s Classic mode.

4 Genji

Longer Ultimate And Counter To Meta Pick Bastion

Genji’s kit in Overwatch: Classic consists of these abilities:

• Cyber-Agility: Climb on walls and double jump.
• Shuriken: Throw an accurate burst of 3 projectiles.
• Shuriken: Throw a fan of 3 projectiles in an arc.
• Swift Strike: Rapidly dash forward and inflict damage on enemies. Eliminations reset the cooldown.
• Deflect: Deflect incoming projectiles towards the direction you are aiming and block melee attacks.
• Dragonblade: Unsheathe a deadly melee weapon.

Genji has some of the best lore in the Overwatch franchise, and fans will find that his kit is largely unchanged as a DPS Hero in Classic. There are, however, a few reasons why he’s a great pick in this mode. To start with, he’s more agile here. Since his double jump can be reset with a wall climb, players have better traversal options to flank a backline Hero or make a hasty retreat.

Apart from that, the biggest change is to his Ultimate. Dragonblade now lasts for 8s, which is usually plenty of time to kill more than half the team. It also deals more damage than in the standard game, so it’s easier to get more proper kills. There’s no Moira or Ana around to counter him either. Roadhog’s hook is still a deterrent, but he can be evaded.

Not to forget, Genji is an incredible counter to Bastion, one of the most played DPS Heroes in Overwatch: Classic. Bastion absolutely deletes any hero, and countering him in a match is often the top-most priority. The Deflect ability’s duration is lower at 1.5s, but it’s still crucial.

3 Bastion

Immobile, But Melts All Enemies

Bastion is an overpowered DPS Hero in Overwatch: Classic, and his abilities are:

• Configuration Recon: Mobile with a light automatic weapon.
• Configuration Sentry: Immobile with a powerful rotary cannon.
• Configure: Switch between weapon configurations.
• Self-Repair: Heals yourself.
• Configuration Tank: Mobile with a powerful cannon.

Bastion’s kit has undergone a couple of massive changes over the years. Now, in Overwatch 2’s Classic mode, newer players have a chance to see just how overpowered of a DPS Hero he was earlier.

For starters, he is immobile in the Sentry form. And yet, he is so much more powerful. He does great damage, and can stay in it for an infinite duration. He does have 200 ammo rounds, but the reload animation isn’t impractically long, so that disadvantage can be dealt with. Further, there’s no cooldown on changing back and forth between the two configurations. This means that players can plop down as a turret any time they want and melt even the best Tanks in Overwatch 2.

Another great part that makes Bastion a top DPS Hero in Overwatch: Classic is Self-Heal. Essentially, he can keep healing himself again and again, skipping the need for a dedicated healer to keep him topped up. Since the healing rate is also fairly good, he won’t die anytime soon.

Finally, Bastion’s Ultimate. His current version isn’t that good, but the variant in Overwatch 2’s Classic mode is terrific. He becomes a mobile cannon for 8s, dealing massive splash damage and knockback to whomever he targets.

2 Cassidy

Excellent All-Round Damage Dealer

Cassidy’s kit comprises the following abilities:

• Peacekeeper: Accurate, powerful revolver.
• Peacekeeper (Fan the Hammer): Wildly fire remaining rounds.
• Combat Roll: Roll in the direction you’re moving and reload.
• Flashbang: Stun enemies in front of you.
• Deadeye: Face off against your enemies. Press your Ultimate to lock on, then Primary Fire to fire.

Cassidy is perhaps the most used DPS Hero in Overwatch Classic, and it does make sense. He’s an excellent damage dealer, and is even more dangerous than in the game’s standard version.

To begin with, Cassidy deals a lot of damage per bullet, and it usually takes a maximum of two-to-three body shots to kill a non-Tank hero. But that’s from primary fire. When talking about the secondary fire, Fan the Hammer deals 70 damage per bullet. So, players who land all six rounds can “one-shot” every non-Tank Hero at full health. The recoil is a bit wild to control, but the damage it does is way too much to not stick with it.

The other great change here is that his second ability stuns targets. This leaves them vulnerable, giving players a sweet window to take down whoever they’re up against. Almost all Cassidy plays involve stunning targets and using Fan the Hammer to take them down in one go.

1 Hanzo

Excellent Any-Range Hero, And Scatter Arrow Is Back

Hanzo’s kit in Overwatch: Classic looks like:

• Storm Bow: Hold to charge then release to launch arrows further.
• Sonic Arrow: Reveals enemies for a short time upon impact.
• Scatter Arrow: Splits into multiple ricochet arrows on impact.
• Dragonstrike: Launch a deadly Dragon Spirit that devastated enemies it passes through.
• Wall Climb: Jump at wall to climb up them.

Hanzo is a broken hero in Overwatch 2’s Classic mode. The biggest reason is his Scatter Arrow ability, which is not a part of the game’s current version. For those who may not have tried out Hanzo yet, this is what makes him even more of a “cracked attacker” than he was previously.

Essentially, this broken ability scatters one arrow into multiple wild arrows, each dealing massive damage. This is great for holding choke points and in enclosed spaces, but there’s one more thing. Since it starts off with one arrow, players can shoot it right at an enemy’s foot and get all the arrows to hit them. Naturally, this kills almost all Heroes in the game, even Tanks.

Aside from Scatter Arrow, Hanzo’s primary attack still deals a great chunk of damage and can take out a non-Tank hero with a headshot. Sonic Arrow is also great for recon, and is an incredible utility for the whole team. Finally, his Ultimate is less easily avoidable than Cassidy’s, and it’s one of the best in the game.

Overall, Hanzo confirms his position as the best original DPS Hero in Overwatch 2’s Classic mode without a shadow of a doubt.