Let's be honest: Overwatch isn’t the toughest game out there. But for new players, there is a significant learning curve, and the large selection of heroes can make choosing a main almost impossible.
Thankfully, some heroes are easier to learn than others, and beginners might want to choose someone a little more forgiving than difficult heroes like Sombra or Zarya. We’ve made this easier for you by compiling the 10 easiest heroes for Overwatch beginners to try when getting their bearings in the popular multiplayer game.
Updated on May 6th, 2020 by Anastasia Maillot: Overwatch is an ever-changing game, with brand new heroes scheduled three times a year and as of late, numerous balance patching seeking to address the powerful metas that reign in the game. Because of this, its heroes are constantly evolving, and some have even seen radical changes in their playstyles.
With Overwatch 2 on the horizon possibly for the end of this year if fans are lucky, there's a lot of change coming to the franchise. With five more heroes that are easy to master for those only just getting into the game, and an updated rundown on the ten already listed heroes, this guide should help newcomers choose their main easily.
15 Roadhog
One of the highest damage tanks, Roadhog is in a great position for any player who wants to play a hero that not only can do a lot but also be self-sufficient. His scrap gun does an immense amount of damage and doesn't rely on too much precision. It also has two modes: a short-range and a long-range, which provides versatility.
His best feature is his ability to survive thanks to his Take a Breather ability, which restores a significant chunk of his health and is hard to out damage. Moreover, his Chain Hook is one of the most powerful and easiest to land stun abilities in the game.
14 Symmetra
Although Symmetra is nothing like how she used to be with her previous powerful lock-on beam, she's still somewhat easy to get value out of. With a teleporter on cooldown, and three turrets that do an immense amount of damage and can be placed just about anywhere, she can dish out a lot of damage in a short amount of time.
Symmetra's also one of those heroes that can help the entire team thanks to her teleporter, which can instantly transport a team deep into the enemy backline to secure a kill, or even to claim a high ground. On defense, she's particularly nasty thanks to her turrets, and her ultimate is basically a massive shield wall, the strongest in the game.
13 Torbjörn
Torbjörn might seem like a daunting character due to having an actual turret he needs to manage, but the good thing is the player doesn't have to do much of anything else to get real value out of him. He can plop down his turret just about anywhere, which will be a big annoyance to the enemy.
Moreover, he's actually quite resilient to damage thanks to his Overload ability, which gives him a boost of armor and speed. This is great for getting out of situations or when trying to win 1 vs 1 battles against enemy damage heroes. His Molten Core ultimate basically coats a surface with high damage lava, and can ward off the enemy from the point in a blink of an eye.
12 Lúcio
While Lúcio's movement and wallriding is one of the trickier things to master in the game, new players won't need to take advantage of it immediately to get raw value out of him. As a mobile healer capable of healing a group of people around him or speeding his entire team forward, he's the bread and butter of supports.
He's also a support capable of fending for himself, due to his Amp It Up ability, which can momentarily boost healing or speed, depending on what he or his team needs. He can speed out of a tough situation or heal himself in a pinch. His ultimate, Sound Barrier, is also one of the strongest defensive ultimates in the game, and provides a temporary protective barrier to himself and any teammates around him.
11 Mei
Although Mei is rated at three stars of difficulty by the game, she's actually incredibly forgiving to play. Like Reaper, she has an extra 50 points of health, which makes her a bit sturdier than most damage heroes. In a pinch, she can also use her ice block to restore her own health, or her ice wall to block off damage from the enemy.
While her secondary fire of icicles might be hard to get used to due to it being projectile, her primary fire is a burst of ice which can freeze up enemies and make them super easy to kill. For those wanting instant value out of a hero, Mei's the way to go, especially just how powerful her ultimate Blizzard is, able to freeze anyone caught in its vicinity.
10 Soldier: 76
Soldier: 76 is a perfect gateway to Overwatch for players who are used to more traditional FPS games like Call of Duty. He basically plays like a traditional first-person shooter avatar: he can run, shoot his rifle, fire a powerful burst shot, and heal himself.
For new players who aren’t used to relying on healers, the ability to stay alive in the heat of battle is crucial, and Soldier: 76 is among the most self-sufficient heroes in the game. For those who are just getting used to Overwatch, Soldier is a smart pick.
9 Brigitte
While Brigitte's playstyle has changed a lot since her nerfs, which has forced her to become more of a defensive healer rather than an aggressive mini tank, she remains a solid addition to any team in the current meta, mainly thanks to her ultimate Rally.
She’s ranked as an easy hero by the Overwatch team, and it’s easy to see why—her flail requires little to no aim, and her Inspire healing aura doesn’t require much precision, either. That being said, managing the three armor packs she can dispense to her teammates is key, but won't require excellent mechanical skill.
8 Reinhardt
Like Brigitte, Reinhardt doesn’t rely on aim to land damage on his opponents. He basically just swings his gigantic hammer, and the rest is history. His charge does require a little bit of aim, as well as a whole lot of luck, but for the most part, Reinhardt is best used for his shield, which can protect teammates as they push the opposing team back.
Playing Reinhardt is a great way to help the team without requiring much skill, and teammates will likely thank players for playing a shield tank—especially if they're still getting used to the game.
7 Moira
Compared to more complicated picks like Ana and Zenyatta, Moira's pretty simple. Her biotic grasp latches onto nearby enemies without much aim required, meaning she can deal significant damage with very little coordination.
Her healing abilities do ask for a little more skill in terms of managing the resource meter effectively, but lobbing a biotic orb across the room can help a team or hurt enemies significantly with very little effort on the part of the player. Moira makes it easy for players to become a thorn in the other team’s side while also helping teammates to succeed in taking the point or defending the payload.
6 Reaper
With his recent buff which increases the amount of health he regains with every successful shot, Reaper is a natural choice for those wanting to play DPS without too much in the way of skill and aim.
He’s one of the most powerful characters in the game when used correctly, and his dual shotguns coupled with his ability to escape combat quickly with his wraith form makes it easy to get some damage in before retreating back behind the team’s defenses. In general, it’s a good idea to practice before choosing a DPS hero, as a team relies on them to deal significant damage. Still, Reaper is one of the most forgiving picks for new players.
5 D.Va
Another easy-to-learn tank is D.Va, the South Korean gamer-turned-mecha pilot. There's a reason she's so popular among players of all types. While her guns don’t do too much damage, she also doesn’t have to recharge — and, like Reaper, her boosters make it easy to escape combat quickly and heal herself.
Her defense matrix can be a little trickier to master, but the ability to nullify damage and protect her teammates make D.Va a useful pick for those hoping to gain their team’s favor. Like other tanks such as Winston, D.Va is better used as a supportive hero than a damage dealer, but, when used correctly, D.Va can be a game changer.
4 Mercy
Possibly the easiest healer to use in the game, Mercy doesn’t have to worry about doing too much damage—though some do choose to play a battle Mercy and more power to them. For your first few games, it’s better to simply focus on healing and boosting damage for teammates, and Mercy’s relatively powerful healing make her an excellent choice for a healer.
Generally, most players prefer to play a DPS hero rather than a healer, so choosing Mercy is especially helpful for teams with inexperienced players. Players who master her will soon be playing more difficult heroes like Zenyatta and Lucio.
3 Junkrat
As Junkrat always says, aiming is overrated. One of the most powerful heroes in the game based on sheer damage done, Junkrat’s grenades are extremely potent, and often shooting randomly will land a hit on at least one of the other team’s heroes. His mines can propel him to higher ground, giving players a significant advantage, and a well-placed trap can make heroes like Tracer much less of a nuisance.
One of the most forgiving damage heroes in the game, Junkrat is easy to use but difficult to master—meaning players will have to put in lots of hours to reach his full potential. Thankfully, he’s an absolute blast to play.
2 Winston
Tank heroes are, in general, pretty tough to take down, meaning that a mistake or two from a new player often won’t mean an instant death the way it might for weaker heroes like Tracer.
Winston’s tesla cannon has lots of range and can dispose of pesky heroes like Genji easily, and his barrier, while weaker than those of Orisa or Reinhardt, can help protect teammates from sniper shots or attacks from heroes like Soldier or Pharah. With his new leap cooldown, it's simple even for new players to jump in, do damage and jump back out to safety to get healed.
1 Bastion
Possibly the easiest hero to use in the game, Bastion is extremely powerful in its sentry form, and can take out an entire team if they’re not careful—there’s a reason it gets so many play-of-the-game highlights. While a more experienced team can dispose of an enemy Bastion fairly easily, new players matching with amateur teams will likely get lots of mileage out of Bastion’s high damage and mobility in his recon form.
Hide behind an Orisa and Reinhardt or even a Sigma, and he can make the enemy team completely unable to move forward; climb on top of a moving payload and watch the other team’s heroes fall like dominoes. Bastion may not have longevity for experienced players, but for newbies, he’s hard to beat.