Overwatch Season 6 Meta and Character Changes Guide

Here we discuss Overwatch’s ever-changing landscape! The meta is very much in flux due to recent tank buffs and a hero's pivotal rework. Expect tankier lineups and longer, more interesting engagements!

Overwatch Season 6 Meta and Character Changes Guide

RESURGENCE OF TRIPLE TANK

Dive comp first appeared in Season 4. It soared in popularity, overtook triple tank as the new meta, and dominated all of Season 5. Ana’s nerfs pre-Season 4 were the catalyst. It became harder for her to deal damage, and this opened up room for other supports. People began combo-ing Zen and Winston to secure quick picks. If an enemy healer went down, the fight would swing to their advantage and subsequent kills snowballed.

The wax and wane of a hero's relevance in the meta is a direct result of character balancing. And a recent string of balances have strengthened various tanks, namely Reinhardt, Zarya, and Roadhog. As a consequence, a new meta is brewing on the horizon. Current usage rates implicate a revival of triple tank and the return of deathball. We're likely to see the reign of dive comp deteriorate. 

Overwatch Tank Heroes

REINHARDT'S RETURN

Several updates have strengthened Reinhardt’s position in the game. Particularly, the introduction of Doomfist. His presence complements the Doomfist and McCree combo, a product to counter dive. The arrival of Doomfist was followed by an increase in McCree pick rate. Why? Because the two heroes work in tandem quite effectively. Doomfist provides McCree the breathing room he needs to deal with dive. Doomfist can distract and disorient enemies while cowboy shoots them down. Reinhardt advances this combo by providing a mobile shield.

Reinhardt shielding; King's Row
Another hero that benefits from his shield is Junkrat, who's now a top-tier DPS monster. He’s vulnerable out in the open and has trouble answering to ranged opponents like Pharah and Widowmaker. It makes sense to combo with Rein, especially on maps with chokes, corners, and tight alleys. Maps that Junkrat shines on include: King’s Row, Hanamura, Dorado, Anubis (first point), and Eichenwalde (first and last point).

ZARYA RISE

The various changes may also positively impact Zarya. After all, deathball means you’ll see team fights bundled in a relatively small space. (Hello six man Graviton!) Her ult is downright deadly nowadays. It was recently buffed so heroes that were once able to shimmy their way out are now immobilized with the exception of Orisa (Fortify) and Reaper (Wraith Form).

Zarya Particle Cannon; King's Row
The deathball playstyle is advantageous for Zarya because fights are slower paced and she's not the most mobile. She excels on the battlefield surrounded by a traditional lineup of DPS and healers standing behind a primary tank. Zarya needs a primary tank like Reinhardt and/or an off-tank like Roadhog to help gain charge. We're seeing more Reinhardt and Roadhog being played these days so the forecast is looking good for our favorite Russian.

ROADHOG IS BACK

Roadhog has become a poor man’s Reaper. He’s still able to inflict heavy tank damage, but it’s not as consistent. He was defensively buffed in July. The changes include taking -50% damage while using Take a Breather and being able to move at full speed while inhaling.

True Roadhog mains have learned to adjust to his new playstyle. He can still succeed as DPS if he plays behind shields, it just requires some team cooperation. As an initiator, Roadhog directs his teammates on who to focus fire via hook. He’s actually a decent finisher by himself, so long as the enemy isn’t full health.

Roadhog has the ability to deftly break down enemy shields, which proves useful in the face of rising Reinhardt and Orisa popularity.

Roadhog using Take a Breather during D.Va Self-Destruct; Junkertown
The defensive buff also indirectly expands his role. He can now protect and body block better than ever. The big piggy can even survive a D.Va ult. As long as he has at least 501 HP and inhales right when it detonates, (about 2.5 seconds after the start of “Nerf this!”) he won’t die.

NEW BALLISTIC D.VA  

D.Va pre-change was a watchful protector; D.Va post-change is the queen of clean-up. The nerf on her Defense Matrix means she can no longer protect a friendly one second, then engage an enemy the next. If she engages she better have DM up and not have used it on a support to mitigate incoming damage. She’s become more selfish in that regard. Her purpose has fundamentally shifted.

In exchange for DM’s reduced uptime, she now packs more offensive utility. D.Va can chase down a low-health squishy and swiftly secure the kill. To delete the enemy Zen, simply boost towards him while shooting, buffer missiles right as you're about to stop, continue shooting, and finish with a melee.

D.Va in Meka
Blizzard further tuned D.Va to feel like a classic dive tank à la Winston, encouraging aggressive and bully-style play. Her value now lies in focus firing important targets and closing gaps to deliver finishing blows. Defensive D.Va players will have to change their playstyle accordingly. She can still shut down ults like High Noon and nullify Dragonstrike, it just takes more precision timing.

It’s too soon to tell if new D.Va is still a must pick. If the meta is headed towards triple tank, D.Va may find herself competing with Roadhog for the DPS tank slot. Post-change D.Va hasn’t rolled out yet in Overwatch Contenders. They're still running the old patch. It’ll take a few weeks to see how these changes impact her performance and pick rate at a pro level.  

MERCY 2.0: A MUST PICK 

Mercy Guardian Angel
Making Resurrect a cooldown ability and adding Valkyrie vastly improved Mercy as a character. She feels more engaging to play and her skill floor and ceiling have been raised. Resurrect used to be a game changer. Now, it’s a pillar for sustaining team fights. With the ability to Rez every 30 seconds, new Mercy has strategic control over how long engagements last. It comes down to asking yourself: Who is the most valuable right now? If I bring this person back, what advantages will my team have? Is it numbers, resources, or simply staying power such as a tank to contest?

Her ability to erase solo casualties weaken heroes that rely on quick picks to swing the balance. The impact of Tracer’s bomb, Hanzo’s scatter, or Doomfist’s punch can potentially all be negated.

The Swiss medic now has the expansive role of enabling her teammates and dictating the flow and strategy of the game. For example, it might be better to let a baby D.Va die. Once you resurrect her, she can instantly call down a fresh mech and return to the fray.
 

Mercy Ultimate Valkyrie; Junkertown

The future's looking bright for Mercy, despite Overwatch being on the precipice of a meta change. At this point her kit is even more valuable than Ana’s. We can expect her to be a constant pick, even during triple tank. Ana may have higher burst healing, but Mercy’s potential to bring back a tank two to three times in the course of Valkyrie is the ultimate ace.

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