Overwatch 2 is out, and we’re pretty sure people are looking for what’s the best characters to play right now. Don’t worry, we got you. This list will be for all the real MVPs of Overwatch: the support players. Some may see the support characters as sub-par since they don’t do that much “damage.” However, Overwatch 2 is a very team-synergy-centric game, so a good team composition will make or break your strategies.
How to determine the best support heroes in Overwatch 2
Let’s establish the tier categories first. The heroes are grouped based on their fit into the current meta and ease of use. The strategies will also differ with the new character balance and new maps added to the pool. Old players of Overwatch might remember the 2-1-1-2 (2 DPS, 1 Main Tank, 1 Flex, 2 Support) strategy of the early age, or the toxic 3-1-2 (3 Tanks, 1 Flex, 2 Support) meta that features the unkillable tanks or the most recent double shield composition. These factors will dictate what heroes fit the meta.
Of course, just because a particular hero fits the current meta doesn’t mean you’ll always end up with great results. All these heroes have a learning curve, and some are just higher than others. Without further ado, here’s our current tier list for Overwatch 2‘s support heroes as of the start of Season 2. Take note that this list will be different as balance changes come.
S-Tier
- Lucio
- Mercy
Lucio
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Image via Blizzard
Lucio is a very well-rounded support hero. With the release of “Push,” he is more in need than ever since the farther your Robot pushes, the farther you’ll be on your initial spawn point. Plus, with Lucio’s speed boost, your team will be in front of the Robot again in no time. Also, it just feels good to boop someone in Illios to their death. Lucio is easy to start out on, but has a high skill ceiling. The best Lucio players can control the ebb and flow of battles, making the character one of the most powerful out there when used right.
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Image via Blizzard
Mercy
Mercy has always been a top-tier hero since she embodies the role well. The current meta revolves right now with the DPS characters running amok, so they need a support hero who can keep up. So, if you want to “baby” a player and heal and buff them, Mercy is the right hero for you.
A good Mercy player can carry the game on their back, but if you’re a new player, all you have to think about is not to let your primary damage dealer die.
A-Tier
- Kiriko
- Ana
Kiriko
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Image via Blizzard
It took Kiriko a short time to rise to popularity among Overwatch 2 players. We’ve always seen Ninjas as damage dealers (Shimada brothers), but this is the first time we’ve seen a character that embraces the support role and the coolness of a ninja.
But it’s not only her looks that made Kiriko a top pick for players; her kit is also very good. She has her homing Healing Ofuda, a move that instantly teleports her to a teammate in need, the crazy damage and attack speed buff from her Kitsune Rush Ultimate, and her Protection Suzu that provides brief invulnerability and cleanses debuffs.
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Image via Blizzard
Ana
Ana became a top-tier support hero during the Tank meta days (3-1-2). Her ability to amplify healing was very crucial to the success of that meta. Her sleep dart is also invaluable since stuns are less prevalent in Overwatch 2.
However, given her stature, Ana is now also one of the hottest targets of flanking enemies. If you don’t want to be the main target of these heroes, especially when you’re just a new player, Ana might not be for you. For this reason, she has a high learning curve (such as knowing when to disrupt your opponent’s healing and rhythm) that brought her down to A-tier.
B-Tier
- Baptiste
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Image via Blizzard
Baptiste
Baptiste is a situational support hero. While he can heal from afar and does good damage to help kill some of the enemies, we believe his best skill is still the Immortality Field. Baptiste shines when played in maps that make your team group up together and maps with tight spaces to fight on. Baptiste also shines on high verticality maps, since he’s able to leap high for good angles. However, he loses much of his effectiveness when he’s played on maps with a wide battle area.
C-Tier
- Brigitte
- Moira
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Image via Blizzard
Brigitte
It’s almost embarrassing to see how the mighty Brigitte has fallen. Brigitte broke the meta the moment she was released. She was so overpowered that Blizzard had to nerf her more than 19 times. With the removal of her Shield’s stun, Brigitte moved down into the realm of mortal tanks. In particular, she’s more used as a semi-tank, since her bash was buffed and is now dealing more damage. Her cooldowns were also reduced so she could provide more healing to her team.
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Image via Blizzard
Moira
Moira is also in this tier due to the massive nerf she got. Moira is well known for her high survivability, healing output, and consistent damage output, but after the nerf, she’s now more of a debuffer than a healer. This makes her more of a situational hero than she used to be. Before, you’d pick her almost every time for any map. But this time you’d only pick her if the enemy has DPS heroes or Tanks who dish out massive AoE damage, and you’d counter that with Moira’s Enfeebling orb.
Tip: You can survive D.Va’s Ult when Moira’s orb hits her.
D-Tier
- Zenyatta
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Image via Blizzard
Zenyatta
This one might be controversial. Before we go any further, we’d like to remind you of the factors we’ve considered when making this tier list: “Let’s establish the tier categories first. The heroes are grouped based on their fit into the meta and ease of use.”
Now, let’s look at our last support hero on the list, Zenyatta. Some players will say that Zenyatta is bad because he lacks mobility and utility, while others may say that he’s good because the pros love him. That’s where our problem lies. Looking at Zenyatta’s fit for the current meta and the players’ ease of use, Zenyatta failed on both factors.
Zenyatta’s true power lies in the ability of the player to use him. Zenyatta is more effective at a higher level of play. A top-tier Zenyatta player will use him more as a DPS than support because he can easily eradicate enemies with his Orb of Destruction. In contrast, his Harmony orb won’t be required as much, as fast-paced gameplay doesn’t require a lot of sustained healing. His Orb of Discord is useful on tanks, and generally speaking he should be considered if you’re up against the beefy Roadhog.
That about does it for our list of best Overwatch 2 support heroes. Remember that in Overwatch 2, sometimes the best support hero to use is the one who can counter the enemy team’s composition. Be smart, listen to your teammates, and get that win.
