Easiest Heroes To Play As, Ranked

The hit hero-shooter Overwatch 2 is now (mostly) free-to-play, bringing plenty of new players along with it. Overwatch 2 boasts a roster of nearly 40 playable heroes, with more to be added in the future. There are three roles to choose from: Tank, DPS, and Support — each with unique traits and responsibilities.

As a new player, it can be overwhelming to decide which heroes to play and master. While some are better used by the more experienced players and require mechanical skill, there are some heroes that, for various reasons, are great for beginners and FPS newcomers. Some of these require minimal aiming or learning abilities, while others are more self-sufficient or familiar. This list features the easiest heroes to play as in Overwatch 2.

Updated December 2nd, 2023 by Stephen LaGioia: Blizzard’s renowned hero shooter feels more akin to a virtual playground with an evolving ecosystem as opposed to just a game. Things are always in flux as the studio continues to release new maps, events, game modes, and heroes. This has only accelerated with the release of Overwatch 2.

With such a massive roster, shifting meta, and diverse lineup of gameplay options, diving into competitive play for the first time can be more intimidating than ever. And with talks of a few new heroes coming shortly down the pipeline, it seemed time to refresh and reload this list of the simplest, most effective heroes for Overwatch 2 beginners.

15 Illari

A Solid DPS-Dealing Healer

This recent addition to the Overwatch roster shines for her prominent use of both DPS and healing. The Peruvian warrior is effective in her ability to seamlessly transition from healing to damage, by way of a fairly thick, forgiving hitscan beam and sharp blaster.

For being primarily a Support hero, Illari is effective in getting much done on her own, and can even pick off targets with headshots. She wields a detecting Healing Pylon which is handy in that it focuses on restoring the hero in range with the lowest health.

Her Ultimate, Captive Sun, is especially impactful, as it blasts an explosive ball of solar energy. All in its path are bogged down in speed and explode after taking enough damage. Illari’s mechanics are pretty straightforward and familiar, while still boasting plenty of useful moves. It certainly helps that she thrives in the current meta.

14 Roadhog

A Great One-Two Punch

It’s unfortunate that Roadhog is in the bottom tier when it comes to the new meta, because he was once (and still can be) a powerhouse who’s tough to bring down. But while the current meta may have left this beefy tank in the dust, he still benefits from his handy ability to self-heal.

Of course, his bread and butter comes in the form of his deadly Chain Hook and Scrap Gun combo, which is still somewhat impactful despite getting a big nerf in 2023. It does take some practice to use the hook as a way to yank players into a pit, but it’s still disruptive in its own right.

His Scrap Gun is potent and easy to wrap one’s head around with its vast spread and compact nature. And players can let loose with his Whole Hog Ultimate, which will pin players against one of the many walls in a given map, or push them over a cliff.

13 Lucio

Swift Area-Of-Effect Healing

This energetic, music-loving hero is a fun and effective way for players to dip their toes in the support role. Thanks to his swiftness, mobility (largely through Wall Ride), and area-of-effect heals, Lucio can be quite effective to newcomers and franchise vets alike.

He sports a simple Sonic Amplifier, easily-shiftable (speed-increasing and healing) Crossfade, and a reliable Ult in Sound Barrier. As such, Lucio can cover much ground and keep a team propped up fairly easily. He’s also quite high on the totempole when it comes to the current meta, as teams find him useful to rally around when making pushes in Control, Escort, and Push.

12 Reaper

A Dual-Wielding Bringer Of Death

Though this ghoulish DPS has been nerfed a bit, he still stands as one of the most effective heroes for beginners and vets alike. Moreover, the more open layout of many OW2 stages particularly suits the brawler and flanker.

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With Reaper’s dual-wielding shotguns, players can melt opposing tanks and sluggish players easily. This is largely thanks to his Shadow Step move, which doubles as a great flanking tool and an escape method. Then there’s his Ultimate, Death Blossom, which can swiftly wipe out a group of targets, provided he doesn’t draw their attention.

11 Pharah

The High-Ground Advantage

Pharah’s playstyle in Overwatch 2 is fairly simple; she excels from the skies, raining damage from above with her long-range explosive Rocket Launcher. While there’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to her flight, this also makes her tough to hit, giving players a nice safety net. Her attacks yield AoE splash damage, so accuracy isn’t that important, though she does deal more damage if she lands her shots directly onto an enemy.

Pharah can use her Rocket Jets to boost up into the air, and then her Hover Jets to stay in the air for as long as possible. Since she is mostly airborne, Pharah can be quite silent and pesky. She can easily sneak behind the opposing team and rain death from above using her Barrage Ultimate; it is certain to take out any unsuspecting victims.

10 Orisa

Reworked Into A More Mobile Powerhouse

Orisa began as a tough tank to master, especially in chaotic fights or hitting multiple targets all around her. But the Omnic has seen a revamp since the sequel’s release, making her a more capable brawler and offensive threat rather than just a defensive powerhouse.

Despite the near removal of shield-tank status, her reworking more than justifies her defensive backstep. Her base armor has been bumped up, and her new Augmented Fusion Driver can pummel targets with loads of damage. And she can still break out the Fortification when the team is in a pinch, granting Overhealth and preventing critical damage.

9 D.va

A Mechanized And Mobile Tank

While the game’s meta and tier lists continue to shift, this mech-based pro gamer has stayed near the top. It’s easy to see why, as D.va proves a versatile, nimble tank that can slot into different roles. Not only does her rocket-powered mech allow her to get around and escape with ease, but it also grants her a sort of “extra life” if players are effective with her Light Gun when “de-meched.”

While fairly brief, Defense Matrix is an effective on-the-fly shield that adds to her damage-absorbing nature. Players can also rock the Fusion Cannons and Micro Missiles, as they’re infinite and don’t require reloading. Finally, there’s her satisfying Self-Destruct Ult, which blasts anyone nearby into oblivion.

8 Ashe

A Sharp-Shooting And Versatile Gunslinger

Ashe can seem a bit intimidating given the peculiar mix of tools in her kit, but these do her a great service. She has a lot of versatility for a DPS — and smooth, steady hitscan mechanics that allow DPS newbies to deal damage at medium range and headshots from afar.

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The explosive Coach Gun can bail her out of trouble by bringing swift separation between her and her foes. Meanwhile, her Ultimate, a robotic pal named B.O.B., essentially is a super-powered turret that deals loads of damage without even having to move.

7 Sojourn

A Powerful And Resourceful DPS Machine

Sojourn is an excellent DPS pick for beginner players, as she can deal plenty of her damage using her Railgun. It has two methods of damage-dealing; the first is firing with primary fire-generated energy when hitting enemies, which can be used for her secondary fire. Her secondary fire is a high-impact hitscan shot that is almost a guaranteed headshot kill. Her Overclock Ultimate allows her to use her Railgun’s alt-fire without consuming any energy.

Another useful ability is Sojurn’s Power Slide. She can use it to either reach enemies or use it as an escape method, and she can reach higher altitudes if jumping mid-slide. Her Disrupted Shot is an AoE ability that slows and deals damage to any enemies that walk through it, and it is best used when enemies are grouped together.

6 Mercy

A Swift Healer That’s Easy To Control

Mercy is a Support hero that offers much utility for allies, without the problems of aiming. Her Caduceus Staff can damage-boost or heal allies quickly and simply. Her Guardian Angel ability also offers her a means of escape, or she can fly to allies that require urgent healing, and her Angelic Descent passive allows her to gracefully float to the ground; perfect if coupled with a flying Pharah.

Arguably her most useful ability is Resurrect, which allows her to revive a fallen teammate before they respawn. This can easily turn the tide of any battle in her team’s favor. Valkyrie, Mercy’s Ultimate, allows her to fly for a short duration, allowing her to gain height and provide ample healing or damage amplification for her whole team with efficiency.

5 Winston

Accuracy Not Required With This Mobile Monkey

Winston is a great hero for beginner players to test out, with his rather straightforward abilities. He’s a simple Tank with a solid bubble shield that can be dropped quickly to guard himself and others near him. His primary weapon, the Tesla Cannon, deals moderate damage, pierces through shields and automatically targets enemies in front of him, so he demands little when it comes to aiming.

Winston can also quickly move about and cover a lot of ground for a tank. This allows him to escape if he’s in a tricky situation, as well as disrupt foes at will. Winston players can bail him or others out swiftly with the placeable barrier if things get out of hand. The trickiest part of Winston’s kit is his Ultimate, Primal Rage.

It grants immense health, but he can only punch enemies and leap about when using it. However, on maps with cliff edges, players can really take advantage of the Ult, easily sending enemies flying to their deaths. It’s also an effective survival method and a sort of “get out of jail free” card.

4 Reinhardt

A Massive Shield That’s Easy To Grasp

Reinhardt is a great Tank pick for new players, as he’s now one of the few characters with a shield — and a large one at that — to protect himself and his teammates. His Firestrike ability now has two charges, and can pierce through enemy shields to deal major damage. Reinhardt’s Charge can displace enemies, and can also be canceled if players change their minds halfway through.

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Reinhardt’s lethality comes from his Ultimate, Earthshatter. When used, it will stun and knock down all enemies in front of him, and Reinhardt can use all of his abilities in his arsenal to set up deadly combos. His Rocket Hammer is deadly in close proximity, so if playing this useful tank, it’s best to charge into the fight and limit standing around while constantly keeping the shield raised. However, there will be times when Rein can be quite effective simply shielding and guarding the team.

3 Soldier: 76

A Self-Sufficient Super Soldier

Players coming from games like CS:GO or Call of Duty will likely find Soldier: 76 is the hero that feels most familiar. His abilities are all pretty straightforward to wrap one’s head around. His Biotic Rifle, coupled with his Helix Rockets can deal deadly damage, and he’s a solid DPS pick that can fit into most team compositions.

He can heal self-heal by deploying his Biotic Field, and can easily sprint across the map without triggering cooldown. His Ultimate, Tactical Visor, automatically targets enemies within its range absent the need to aim.

2 Brigitte

The Support Survivor

Brigitte is a melee Support with some Tank mechanics; she has a Barrier Shield with 250 health that she can use to protect herself and her allies. With this, she can Shield Bash into opponents, knocking them back and dealing some decent damage. While swinging her Rocket Flail around and hitting enemies, she also gradually heals her nearby allies with her passive, Inspire. This kit makes her distinctly versatile.

She can also provide useful long-distance healing with her Repair Packs. Rally, her Ultimate, grants a movement speed boost and provides all nearby allies with additional health that lasts until they are damaged. It can be a great Ultimate to use in preparation for a brawl.

1 Moira

Easy To Grasp Duel-Wielding Heals And Damage

While her stock has dropped somewhat in the current meta, Moira is a great choice for players looking to dabble in the Support role; her abilities are easy to use while being quite beneficial to the team. Her Biotic Grasp easily heals and damages enemies by using primary or alternate fire. Her damaging Biotic Grasp also soft-locks onto opponents, so pinpoint accuracy is not necessary.

Moira also has an easy means of escape with her Fade ability allowing a brief respite as she becomes temporarily invulnerable. Her Biotic Orbs — like her primary weapon — can heal or damage from afar. Her Coalescence Ultimate fires a large, potent beam of light that simultaneously heals allies and damages foes in her path, bringing a perfect mix of both.

Overwatch 2

Platform(s)

PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Switch, Xbox One S, Xbox One X, PC

Developer(s)

Blizzard

Genre(s)

Shooter