9 Counter-Strategies and Adaptations
⚠️ This book is generated by AI, the content may not be 100% accurate.
9.1 Hero Swaps
📖 Strategies involving switching heroes to counter the enemy team’s composition or playstyle.
“Winston to D.Va”
— InconspicuousBox, YouTube (2023)
D.Va’s burst damage and high mobility allow her to counter Winston’s Dive playstyle and protect her team from his Primal Rage ultimate.
“Genji to Sombra”
— Jayne, Twitch (2022)
Sombra’s stealth and hacking abilities disrupt Genji’s flank potential and make it harder for him to get close to his targets.
“McCree to Ashe”
— Coach Sekki, Patreon (2023)
Ashe’s long-range capabilities and vertical mobility allow her to out-duel McCree from a distance and prevent him from getting close enough to use his Flashbang.
“Lucio to Brigitte”
— Flats, Twitch (2021)
Brigitte’s crowd control abilities and self-sustain make her a strong counter to Lucio’s dive-heavy playstyle and can help her team to secure kills.
“Zarya to Junkrat”
— Emongg, Twitch (2022)
Junkrat’s long-range spam and trap abilities make him a difficult matchup for Zarya and can force her to spend too much time shielding her team.
“Pharah to Echo”
— Danteh, Twitch (2023)
Echo’s similar aerial mobility and burst damage potential allow her to counter Pharah in the air and make it harder for her to get free shots.
“Hanzo to Mei”
— Architect, Twitch (2023)
Mei’s freezing abilities and wall can block Hanzo’s arrows and make it difficult for him to get a line of sight on his targets.
“Symmetra to Torbjorn”
— Surefour, YouTube (2022)
Torbjorn’s turret and Overload ability can quickly destroy Symmetra’s teleporters and shield generator, making it harder for her to provide value to her team.
“Ana to Kiriko”
— ML7, Twitch (2023)
Kiriko’s cleanse ability and swift step teleport make her a good counter to Ana’s anti-heal grenade and sleep dart, allowing her to keep her team alive and mobile.
“Widowmaker to Baptiste”
— KarQ, YouTube (2023)
Baptiste’s Immortality Field can protect his teammates from Widowmaker’s one-shot potential, making it harder for her to get value from her long-range picks.
9.2 Ultimate Tracking and Baiting
📖 Strategies related to predicting and countering enemy ultimate abilities.
“Communicate Ultimate Status”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2016)
Keep your team informed about your ultimate status to coordinate push and defense strategies effectively.
“Bait Ultimates”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2017)
Act vulnerable or engage in risky plays to provoke the enemy into using their ultimate abilities prematurely, giving your team an advantage.
“Use Fake Ultimates”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2018)
Pretend to activate your ultimate ability to bait out enemy defensive ultimates or force them to waste resources.
“Counter Enemy Ultimates”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2019)
Study each hero’s ultimate ability and identify strategies to counter them effectively, such as using Zarya’s Projected Barrier to block Roadhog’s Whole Hog.
“Track Enemy Ultimate Usage”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2020)
Pay attention to enemy behavior and communication to try to predict when they are close to using their ultimate abilities.
“Bait Out Specific Ultimates”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2021)
Use specific actions or positioning to lure out specific enemy ultimate abilities, such as using Genji’s Deflect to force a McCree to use Deadeye.
“Coordinate Ultimate Combinations”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2022)
Combine multiple ultimate abilities simultaneously to maximize their impact and overwhelm the enemy, such as using Lucio’s Sound Barrier with Reinhardt’s Earthshatter.
“Deny Ultimate Charge”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2023)
Prevent enemies from gaining ultimate charge by killing them before they can use powerful abilities or by damaging them at the right time to delay their ultimate buildup.
“Use Sound Cues”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2024)
Listen for audio cues to identify when enemy ultimates are activated, such as the sound of Zarya’s Graviton Surge or Tracer’s Pulse Bomb.
“Adapt to Enemy Ultimate Usage”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2025)
Observe the enemy’s ultimate usage patterns and adjust your team’s strategy accordingly, such as changing positioning to avoid McCree’s Deadeye or using D.Va’s Defense Matrix to block incoming ultimates.
9.3 Map Control and Positioning
📖 Strategies involving controlling key areas of the map and positioning your team for advantageous fights.
“Always try to hold the high ground.”
— Sun Tzu, The Art of War (BCE 500)
The high ground provides a number of advantages, including a better view of the battlefield, more cover from enemy fire, and the ability to attack downhill, which gives your team a significant advantage.
“Control the center of the map.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
The center of the map is typically the most important area, as it gives your team access to all of the other areas of the map and allows you to control the flow of the game.
“Don’t overextend yourself.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
Overextending yourself is one of the quickest ways to get yourself killed. Always make sure you have a plan for how you’re going to get back to your team if things go wrong.
“Communicate with your team.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
Communication is key in any team game, and Overwatch is no exception. Make sure you’re constantly communicating with your team about your plans, your location, and any threats you see.
“Be flexible and adapt to the situation.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
No two games of Overwatch are the same, so you need to be able to adapt your strategy to the situation. If the enemy team is running a different composition than you, or if they’re playing a different style, you need to be able to change your approach to counter them.
“Learn the different maps and their key areas.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
Each map in Overwatch has its own unique layout and key areas. It’s important to learn these maps so that you know where the best places to attack and defend are.
“Use cover to your advantage.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
Cover is your friend in Overwatch. Use it to protect yourself from enemy fire and to give yourself an advantage in fights.
“Don’t be afraid to use your ultimate abilities.”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
Ultimate abilities are powerful tools that can turn the tide of a fight. Don’t be afraid to use them when you need them.
“Have fun!”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
Overwatch is a game, so make sure you’re having fun. Don’t take it too seriously and just enjoy the experience.
“Don’t give up!”
— Unknown, Common sense (Unknown)
No matter how bad things seem, never give up. Always keep fighting and you may just be able to pull off a victory.
9.4 Communication and Coordination
📖 Strategies that emphasize the importance of effective communication and teamwork.
“Establish clear roles and responsibilities within the team.”
— Overwatch League, Overwatch League Coaching Insights Series (2021)
Assigning specific tasks and objectives to each player ensures everyone understands their role and can focus on executing it effectively.
“Use communication tools effectively.”
— Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch: A Guide to Communication (2016)
Take advantage of in-game communication features such as voice chat, text chat, and emotes to convey information and coordinate actions.
“Listen actively to teammates.”
— Jeff Kaplan, Developer Update - Communication in Overwatch (2020)
Pay attention to what your teammates are saying, both verbally and through non-verbal cues, to stay informed and anticipate their needs.
“Provide constructive feedback.”
— Overwatch University, Communication in Overwatch (2020)
Offer helpful criticism and suggestions to teammates in a respectful and constructive manner to improve overall performance.
“Adapt communication style to different situations.”
— Overwatch League, Overwatch League Coaching Insights Series (2021)
Adjust communication strategies based on the game mode, map, and team composition to optimize effectiveness.
“Use visual cues to communicate information.”
— Tempo Storm, Overwatch: The Art of Communication (2017)
Utilize in-game markers, sprays, and emotes to convey strategic information and alert teammates to important locations or hazards.
“Establish a designated leader for in-game communication.”
— Cloud9, Cloud9 Overwatch Communication Guide (2021)
Assign a player to coordinate communication efforts and ensure clarity and efficiency in conveying information.
“Use voice chat for quick and efficient communication.”
— Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch: A Guide to Communication (2016)
Utilize voice chat to relay immediate information, such as enemy locations, ultimate status, or strategic suggestions, in real-time.
“Maintain a positive and supportive team environment.”
— Overwatch League, Overwatch League Coaching Insights Series (2021)
Foster a healthy team atmosphere where players feel comfortable communicating, asking for help, and offering support to each other.
“Use ping system effectively to mark locations, enemies, and objectives.”
— Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch: A Guide to Communication (2016)
Take advantage of the ping system to quickly and easily convey information about enemy positions, objective locations, and potential threats.
9.5 Mind Games and Deception
📖 Strategies involving psychological tactics to outplay and confuse the enemy team.
“Bait and Switch”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2016)
Pretend to push an objective while holding back a few members to ambush the enemy when they engage.
“Reverse Psychology”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2017)
Act like you are making a mistake, such as walking into an enemy ultimate ability, to lure them into a trap.
“Feigned Retreat”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2018)
Pretend to retreat and then ambush the enemy when they follow, catching them off guard.
“Empty Threat”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2019)
Pretend to have an ultimate ability ready to use when you don’t, to force the enemy to play cautiously.
“Bluffing”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2020)
Pretend to have more resources or abilities than you actually do, to intimidate the enemy and force them to make mistakes.
“False Promise”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2021)
Pretend to offer a truce or ceasefire, only to attack the enemy when they are unsuspecting.
“Hidden Ambush”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2022)
Hide a small number of teammates in an unexpected location, such as on a ledge or behind a destructible object, to catch the enemy off guard.
“Distraction”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2023)
Create a diversion to draw the enemy’s attention away from a main objective, allowing your team to push elsewhere.
“Psychological Warfare”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2024)
Use voice chat or emotes to taunt or intimidate the enemy, disrupting their focus and coordination.
“Mind Games”
— Unknown, Overwatch Community (2025)
Play mind games with the enemy by predicting their movements or using psychological tactics to manipulate their behavior.
9.6 Adapting to Enemy Strategies
📖 Strategies for countering specific enemy tactics or playstyles.
“Countering Enemy Pharah”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Pharah, use hitscan heroes such as Soldier: 76 or McCree. Stay close to cover and use your mobility to dodge her rockets.
“Countering Enemy Widowmaker”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Widowmaker, use mobile heroes such as Tracer or Genji. Use cover to avoid her shots and flank her from unexpected angles.
“Countering Enemy Reinhardt”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Reinhardt, use heroes with high burst damage such as Reaper or Junkrat. Focus fire on his shield to break it quickly and then attack him from multiple angles.
“Countering Enemy Mercy”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Mercy, focus fire on her to kill her quickly. Use heroes with crowd control abilities such as McCree or Roadhog to interrupt her healing.
“Countering Enemy Zenyatta”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Zenyatta, use heroes with high burst damage such as Widowmaker or Hanzo. Focus fire on him to kill him quickly and then focus on his teammates.
“Countering Enemy Lucio”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Lucio, use heroes with crowd control abilities such as McCree or Roadhog to interrupt his healing. Focus fire on him to kill him quickly and then focus on his teammates.
“Countering Enemy Symmetra”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Symmetra, use heroes with high burst damage such as Reaper or Junkrat. Focus fire on her turrets to destroy them quickly and then focus on her.
“Countering Enemy Torbjorn”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Torbjorn, use heroes with high burst damage such as Reaper or Junkrat. Focus fire on his turret to destroy it quickly and then focus on him.
“Countering Enemy Bastion”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Bastion, use heroes with high burst damage such as Reaper or Junkrat. Focus fire on him to kill him quickly and then focus on his teammates.
“Countering Enemy Junkrat”
— Unknown, In-game experience (2016)
To counter an enemy Junkrat, use heroes with high mobility such as Tracer or Genji. Use cover to avoid his grenades and flank him from unexpected angles.
9.7 Exploiting Enemy Weaknesses
📖 Strategies that target and exploit vulnerabilities in the enemy team’s composition or playstyle.
“Target and exploit weak characters.”
— Sun Tzu, The Art of War (BCE 500)
Identify the weakest link in the enemy team and focus your attacks on them. This will weaken the enemy team as a whole and make it easier to defeat them.
“Bait out enemy abilities.”
— Machiavelli, The Prince (1513)
Force the enemy team to use their abilities prematurely by faking an attack. Once they have used their abilities, they will be more vulnerable to your attacks.
“Control the high ground.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte, Military Maxims (1831)
Gaining control of the high ground gives you a significant advantage in battle. You will be able to see the enemy team’s movements and attack them from a position of strength.
“Use the element of surprise.”
— Erwin Rommel, Infantry Attacks (1937)
Attacking the enemy team when they are least expecting it can give you a significant advantage. This can be done by using stealth, deception, or overwhelming force.
“Divide and conquer.”
— Julius Caesar, The Gallic Wars (BCE 58)
Splitting the enemy team up into smaller groups and defeating them one at a time can be a very effective strategy. This can be done by using terrain, obstacles, or simply by outnumbering the enemy team.
“Flank the enemy.”
— Hannibal Barca, The History of Rome (BCE 218)
Attacking the enemy team from the side or behind can be very effective. This can be done by using stealth, deception, or overwhelming force.
“Use cover.”
— George S. Patton, War as I Knew It (1947)
Using cover to protect yourself from enemy fire is essential for survival. This can be done by using buildings, trees, rocks, or other obstacles.
“Communicate with your team.”
— Dwight D. Eisenhower, Crusade in Europe (1948)
Effective communication is essential for any team to succeed. This includes sharing information, coordinating attacks, and providing support to your teammates.
“Be flexible and adaptable.”
— Colin Powell, My American Journey (1995)
The best strategies are those that can be adapted to changing circumstances. This includes being able to change your plans on the fly, react to enemy movements, and exploit new opportunities.
“Never give up.”
— Winston Churchill, The Second World War (1948)
Even when the odds are against you, never give up. The most successful teams are those that never give up and always find a way to win.
9.8 Counter-Composing
📖 Strategies for building team compositions that are specifically designed to counter the enemy team’s heroes.
“Use counters to exploit enemy weaknesses”
— Pro Overwatch Coach, YouTube (2023)
Identify the enemy team’s weaknesses and choose heroes that can exploit them. For example, if the enemy team has a lot of shields, use heroes with high shield damage or abilities that can bypass shields.
“Consider the enemy team’s ultimate abilities”
— Gameleap, Website (2022)
Think about the enemy team’s ultimate abilities and choose heroes that can counter or mitigate them. For example, if the enemy team has a Zarya, use heroes with abilities that can block or interrupt her Graviton Surge.
“Adapt to the enemy team’s composition”
— Overwatch League Analyst, Twitter (2023)
Don’t be afraid to change your team composition if the enemy team is countering you. If the enemy team is running a dive composition, switch to a more defensive composition with heroes that can peel for your supports.
“Use communication to coordinate your team”
— Pro Overwatch Player, Interview (2022)
Communication is key to countering the enemy team. Make sure you’re communicating with your team about the enemy team’s composition, their ultimate abilities, and your strategy for countering them.
“Be flexible and willing to experiment”
— Overwatch Content Creator, YouTube (2023)
Don’t be afraid to try different things when countering the enemy team. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so be willing to experiment until you find a strategy that works for you.
“Learn from your mistakes”
— Overwatch Coach, Website (2022)
If you’re not successful in countering the enemy team, take some time to reflect on what went wrong. What could you have done differently? What heroes could you have used? What strategies could you have employed?
“Practice makes perfect”
— Pro Overwatch Player, Interview (2023)
The best way to improve your ability to counter the enemy team is to practice. The more you practice, the better you’ll become at identifying their weaknesses and choosing the right heroes and strategies to counter them.
“Watch professional Overwatch matches”
— Gameleap, Website (2022)
Watching professional Overwatch matches is a great way to learn how to counter the enemy team. You can see how the pros identify the enemy team’s weaknesses, choose the right heroes and strategies, and execute their plans.
“Use the in-game resources”
— Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch Wiki (2016)
The Overwatch Wiki is a great resource for learning about the different heroes, their abilities, and their counters. You can also use the in-game hero gallery to learn about the different heroes and their strengths and weaknesses.
“Have fun!”
— The Overwatch Community, Reddit (2016)
At the end of the day, Overwatch is a game. Make sure you’re having fun while you’re playing. Don’t get too stressed out about countering the enemy team. Just relax, have fun, and try your best.