Overwatch 2 | Tank Class Tips
There are some significant changes coming to Overwatch 2, but one of the most significant is that every team can only have one tank slot due to the new 5v5 format, as opposed to 6v6. That means much more emphasis is being put on the damage sponges that are the tanks, but with many of the Heroes in the class receiving changes to how much health they have, heroes like Roadhog, Orisa, and Reinhardt are going to be more equipped to lead the charge. We’ve put together a selection of Tank Class tips to help those new to Overwatch 2 who feel like they want to be the ones to be the unofficial leaders of their team.
Overwatch 2 | Tank Class Tips: Lead the charge
As a tank, you have multiple roles to fulfill within your team. One of the most important is to stay ahead of your teammates so you can protect them as best you can. One of the biggest changes to tanks specifically, is most shields have had their cooldowns increased and health reduced, however, Blizzard has countered this by providing many tanks with higher HP and armour that will take much longer to deplete.
Make Space
Another important change to all classes is the new passive ability relating to them. The tanks now have their knockback reduced. This will help players to remain grounded to their location without the fear of getting knocked back, allowing for more opportunities to stay up front and protect the team. You’re better equipped to press forward and build distance between the enemy and your DPS-based teammates, providing the space they need to destroy the opposition. Drawing away attention from teammates, or peeling, will be more difficult as there won’t be another tank to compliment your approach. However, creating space is just as important as it’ll mean everyone else on the team can focus on damaging the enemy.
Make use of your surroundings
Many of the maps have strong corner coverage. By incorporating these spaces into your own shields will mean added protection for your entire team. Making use of your surroundings is key to soaking up enemy bullets, so where possible, avoid standing in open spaces where you can. Obviously, it’s tougher to do when not on mic or with friends because strategies can’t be discussed, but most players accustomed to how Overwatch works will support you when you need it most.
Overwatch 2 | Tank Class Tips: Intimidate the enemy
As mentioned, most tanks have had shields reduced in how much damage they can take, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t intimidating. Seeing a good Roadhog main charge at you will give you nightmares, and can also draw attention away from what everyone else on the opposing team is doing. Using your own knockbacks on enemies will also be a key part of your offensive approach. Doomfist has a Rocket Punch that will send enemies forward, and Reinhardt’s Charge are two great examples of clearing a path, but also scaring the pants off of enemies.
Tanks can inflict a lot of damage, too
It can become comfortable to simply take damage, deflect attention away from teammates, and focus on creating space for them, but some tanks can also do a lot of damage. Sigma’s Accretion has now had an increase of damage output from 70 to 100, and Orisa’s Augmented Fusion Driver now does 12 instead of 10 with a critical hit bonus of 100%, so experimenting with Heroes in the practice room to see how they balance protection and damage dealing is an important part of picking the right tank to play as.
Pay attention to where your teammates are
Being aware of what your teammates are doing at all times should be another top priority. Peeling is the process of helping an ally who is getting attacked by multiple enemies at any one time, taking damage in their place, and being the one who soaks up their abilities. Support heroes will often be the targets of damage dealers as they have the ability to buff damage and restore health, so if you see Mercy getting attacked, go give her a hand because she’ll greatly appreciate it. Being the sole tank will be tougher when peeling, but it’s still going to happen, so be prepared.
