10 Heroes You Should Target First

Overwatch 2 has an incredibly large and diverse roster of heroes. It’s important to take out and target certain heroes in Overwatch 2, but this can often change from game to game. However, with so many different heroes and abilities, sometimes it can be difficult to figure out which of the many characters is providing the most value to the enemy’s team and should be eliminated first.

A general rule is to target support characters first, but this can change depending on each scenario. Sometimes a DPS will be doing amazing work and have to be killed off to protect a team’s flank or the enemy tank could be jumping into the team’s back lines and giving them trouble, meaning they have to be focused on imminently.

Updated January 14th, 2024, by Chris Harkin: Although Overwatch 2 is consistently changing a great deal, there are always some consistent heroes that need to be taken down quickly for a variety of reasons. With crossovers, new maps, different game modes like the 6v6 reintroduction, and new heroes always coming out, the game changes with the seasons rapidly. Despite there being many different situations where players should focus on one character first as a target, they should always be sure to work with their team, as going off alone is likely not just to get yourself killed but to put your team at a serious disadvantage immediately in the round.

10

Mercy

A Vulnerable Healer Who Can Resurrect Allies

• Support Character
• 225 Health

Mercy can be a tricky hero to kill. She has high mobility and a relatively small hitbox. Unfortunately, she should be one of the main priorities to kill during a fight, as she has an incredibly high healing output, and can sustain her team throughout various bouts of damage.

Overwatch 2 players should make sure they get rid of her as soon as possible if they suspect she has her Valkyrie Ultimate ready, as this can make her even more difficult to kill. One of the best ways to eliminate Mercy is to sneak up on her using flankers. Once she has been cut off from her team, she has little means to defend herself.

9

Sombra

A Devastating Phasing Warrior Who Can Destroy Back Lines

• Damage Character
• 225 Health

Sombra is a character that has gone up and down in how much she is used in Overwatch 2, but currently, and in general for a few seasons now, she has been regarded a devastating damage character. Capable of phasing through a team’s lines and appearing to gun down their healers, as well as being able to block healing points and stop the team from using their abilities temporarily, Sombra is devastating.

When Sombra is gunning through the lines of a team, it is imperative for them to get rid of her immediately. Someone like her, capable of stopping support characters from using their abilities and killing them quickly, can devastate an entire team without hesitation. Getting rid of an enemy team’s Sombra is key to winning a pitched battle between teams.

8

Moira

A Dangerous Support Character On The Front Line

• Support Character
• 225 Health

Moira has some extremely high healing output when used correctly, and she can sustain her team solo if the need comes to it. This is why players should prioritize eliminating Moira compared to other secondary healers, such as Lucio.

Once Moira has been removed, if the team only has one main healer, they likely won’t survive long. Moira is more than capable of defending herself in Overwatch 2, with her Fade ability and relatively high damage output. It’s best to deal with Moira from a range, where her beam cannot reach.

7

Hanzo

A Devastating Addition To Any Team’s Offense

• Damage Character
• 250 Health

Hanzo can be pretty problematic for many teams in Overwatch 2. He can take out some of the squishier Heroes in a single headshot, leaving the rest of the team incredibly vulnerable.

Most Hanzo players will try to focus on the enemy’s support, and this can cause some damage to their team. Hanzo has the most value when he has some distance from his enemies. This means one of the best ways to take him down is to dive into him. Some characters that excel at this include DVA, Winston, and Genji.

6

Lifeweaver

Can Pull Teammates Out Of Danger Immediately

• Support Character
• 225 Health (+50 Shields)

Support characters are generally important to try and knock out of an enemy team first since they will constantly heal the other units and make it much more difficult to bring down the others. Lifeweaver is even more annoying since his life-grip ability can pull his teammates away from danger, giving a huge boost and making Lifeweaver a priority to kill.

The problem with Lifeweaver is that he’s also hard to kill since he can generate platforms that raise him into the air on command. This makes it easy for him to escape dangerous situations, not just pull his teammates out of them. However, all this makes it more important, not less, that an enemy Lifeweaver should be focused on at all costs.

5

Widowmaker

The Ultimate Back Line Sniper To Be Eliminated

• Damage Character
• 200 Health

If players bring a good Widowmaker to the team, they can completely shut down the enemy team. Widowmakers will pick out vulnerable players and take them out with a single headshot, leaving the rest of the team shorthanded for their next fight. It’s most likely that the Widowmaker player will be targeting the other team’s support, which can be even more detrimental.

Whenever this occurs, Overwatch 2 players need to make sure they target the Widowmaker and eliminate her as soon as they can. Heroes that can dive quickly onto her, and can tank a lot of damage, are best suited for taking her out. This includes Heroes such as Winston and Wrecking Ball.

4

Pharah

Free Reign Over The Skies If Left Unchecked

• Damage Character
• 225 Health

Pharah can be a nuisance to a lot of players. Her high damage output and high mobility make her a menace in the skies. Players should prioritize eliminating Pharah in Overwatch 2 as soon as possible before she wipes out the team.

When paired with a Mercy, Pharah can be almost impossible to take down. Once the Mercy has been dealt with, players should focus on Pharah and force her to swap heroes. Some of the best heroes to take down Pharah are hitscan, and include Cassidy, and Solider 76.

3

Zenyatta

A Healer Who Can Deal Devastating Damage

• Support Character
• 75 Health (+175 Shields)

Zenyatta can be a bit pesky to deal with. He’s more than capable of defending himself, with his high damage output and Orb of Discord. However, the main reason Overwatch 2 players need to deal with Zenyatta is his Ultimate, Transcendence. This ability provides a huge bout of healing and will make it near impossible to deal much damage to the rest of his team.

Luckily, Zenyatta has very little mobility, so flankers in particular can quickly sneak up on him and take him out before he gets the chance to use Transcendence.

2

Tracer

Capable Of Ruining A Team Through Back Lines

• Damage Character
• 175 Health

A good Tracer player can prove to be an absolute menace to Overwatch 2 support players. Tracers will find their way into the back lines of a team and remove their support. She moves so quickly that many support heroes have very little means to defend themselves. This is why players must prioritize removing any Tracer players as soon as they can, and make sure they protect their supporters.

Whilst the support players are distracted, or worse, dead, they will be utterly useless, and unable to provide any healing to the team. Zarya and DVA are great picks to peel back quickly and protect their support players, whilst Torbjorn’s turret is an excellent way to slow the enemy Tracer down. Support players receiving little help from their team can try switching to Brigitte. She’s a bit more of a Tank, and can often handle herself.

1

Ana

The Sniping Healer Who Deals All Sorts Of Damage

• Support Character
• 250 Health

Ana’s kit comes with plenty of utility, and she is one of the most flexible supports in Overwatch 2. Her Biotic Grenade is extremely powerful, and when thrown at enemies, it causes an anti-healing effect. This can be detrimental, especially when thrown whilst her teammate is using an Ultimate. Without healing, a team will crumble.

For example, her Biotic Grenade can completely cancel the effects of Zenyatta’s Transcendence, one of the best support Ultimates in Overwatch 2. Luckily, Ana has very little mobility and can be taken out by flankers, such as Genji and Tracer.