Knowing Overwatch hero counters is essential to outplaying the enemy team and achieving victory. Each hero in Overwatch 2 has strengths and weaknesses that determine how they perform against other heroes. Understanding these matchups is critical to gaining an advantage during a match. 

This guide will break down the Overwatch 2 character counters for each hero and provide a tier list for which heroes counter each other most effectively.

What are OW2 counters?

A counter refers to a hero that has an advantage over another hero in specific matchups due to their abilities or playstyle. For example, some heroes are naturally strong against certain types of enemies, such as close-range brawlers being countered by long-range snipers, or shield-heavy heroes being countered by shield-breaking abilities.

Overwatch counter picks importance 

If you know who counters who in Overwatch 2, you can adapt your game and hero to the current match, depending on the strengths and weaknesses of your own or the enemy's hero.

Overwatch Counter chart is an essential resource to help you master the game. Each hero has multiple counters, but you can adjust your gameplay to minimize their effectiveness. The list below is based on the hero’s abilities, positioning, and interactions with others in real-time battles.

Overwatch 2 counters chart

List of All Overwatch Counters

DPS Counters Overwatch 2

Ashe Counter:

• Genji: Deflects Ashe’s shots and can dive her.
• Winston: Can dive and disrupt her from long range.
• Tracer: Hard to hit for Ashe due to mobility.

Bastion Counter:

• Sombra: Hack disables his turret form.
• Widowmaker: Can outrange Bastion and kill him from a distance.
• Genji: Deflect is effective against Bastion’s high damage.

Cassidy Counter:

• Pharah: Cassidy struggles to hit airborne targets.
• Widowmaker: Can kill Cassidy from a distance where he can’t effectively fight back.
• Tracer: Can dodge his shots and harass him.

Echo Counter:

• Ashe: Can hit Echo from range, and dynamite is effective against her flight.
• Widowmaker: Can one-shot Echo mid-flight.
• Soldier: 76: Hitscan that can track Echo’s movements easily.

Genji Counter:

• Winston: Can dive and force Genji out of position.
• Moira: Locks on with her damage beam, making her hard to avoid.
• Pharah: Genji struggles to deflect or close the gap with airborne heroes.

Hanzo Counter:

• Winston: Can dive and disrupt Hanzo’s sniping.
• Widowmaker: Can kill him from further away.
• Genji: Can dive Hanzo and reflect his arrows.

Junkrat Counter:

• Pharah: Stays out of his range, and Junkrat struggles to fight airborne targets.
• Widowmaker: Can snipe him before he gets in range.
• D.Va: Defense Matrix can eat most of his grenades.

Mei Counter:

• Pharah: Mei has trouble reaching or freezing airborne targets.
• Widowmaker: Can snipe her before Mei gets in range.
• Reaper: Close-range burst damage that outpaces Mei’s freeze.

Pharah Counter:

• Soldier: 76: Hitscan fire and Helix Rockets can ground Pharah.
• Ashe: Hitscan shots make it easy to deal with Pharah.
• Widowmaker: Can snipe her from far away.

Reaper Counter:

• Pharah: Reaper can’t effectively hit airborne targets.
• Mei: Freeze shuts down Reaper’s close-range capabilities.
• Zenyatta: Discord Orb can melt Reaper before he gets close.

Sojourn Counter:

• Winston: Can dive her and disrupt her positioning.
• Genji: Can deflect Sojourn's primary fire and dive onto her.
• Widowmaker: Can out-snipe Sojourn’s railgun.

Soldier: 76 Counter:

• Genji: Deflect is effective against his continuous fire.
• Winston: Can dive Soldier and force him out of position.
• Widowmaker: Can snipe him from a distance.

Sombra Counter:

• Winston: Can dive and reveal her when she tries to stealth.
• Moira: Can reveal Sombra with her biotic energy.
• Pharah: Difficult for Sombra to hack flying targets.

Symmetra Counter:

• Pharah: Symmetra struggles to hit Pharah in the air.
• Junkrat: Can destroy her turrets and deal damage to her from afar.
• Reinhardt: Can block her turrets and beam with his shield.

Torbjörn Counter:

• Pharah: Destroys his turret easily and stays out of range.
• Widowmaker: Can snipe him and his turret from a distance.
• Genji: Deflects turret fire and can kill Torb quickly.

Tracer Counter:

• Brigitte: Shield Bash and her passive can deal with Tracer.
• Moira: Auto-targeting damage locks onto Tracer, making it hard for her to dodge.
• Cassidy: His grenade and accurate shots can burst down Tracer.

Venture Counter:

• Echo: Similar to Pharah, Echo's flight keeps her out of Venture's effective range. 
• Lúcio: With his Speed Boost and Wall Ride, Lúcio is a difficult target for Venture to hit. 
• Winston: Winston’s Barrier Projector can block Venture's Tectonic Shock ultimate, and his mobility lets him escape or pressure Venture when necessary​

Widowmaker Counter:

• Winston: Can dive her and disrupt her sniping.
• Genji: Can deflect her shots and dive her.
• Sombra: Can hack her and make it harder for her to escape.

Tank counters Overwatch 2

D.Va Counter:

• Zarya: D.Va’s Defense Matrix can't block beam attacks, and Zarya’s bubbles prevent her from diving effectively.
• Mei: Mei’s freeze can trap D.Va, making her vulnerable.
• Roadhog: A well-timed hook can drag D.Va out of position and burst her down.

Doomfist Counter:

• Sombra: Hack disables his mobility, rendering him much less dangerous.
• Orisa: Fortify negates Doomfist's punches and makes her harder to burst.
• Zarya: Bubble protects from his abilities, and her beam deals consistent damage.

Junker Queen Counter:

• Ana: Biotic grenade cancels her healing and reduces survivability.
• Pharah: Difficult for Junker Queen to deal with airborne heroes.
• Orisa: Fortify and Javelin Spin block much of Junker Queen's aggression.

Mauga Counter:

• Ana: Anti-heal negates his self-sustain from abilities.
• Reaper: Close-range fighter who can out-burst Mauga.
• Bastion: High-damage output can melt Mauga’s large health pool.

Orisa Counter:

• Reaper: Can shred through her with close-range damage.
• Sombra: Hack can disable Fortify, leaving her vulnerable.
• Roadhog: Hook can displace Orisa, and his high damage can punish her after Fortify expires.

Ramattra Counter:

• Pharah: Ramattra struggles to reach airborne targets.
• Mei: Freeze can immobilize him during Nemesis form.
• Ana: Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade are strong against Ramattra's aggressive playstyle.

Reinhardt Counter:

• Pharah: Airborne threat that Reinhardt can’t deal with easily.
• Mei: Wall can block his charge, and freeze can immobilize him.
• Bastion: High damage output can shred his shield quickly.

Roadhog Counter:

• Ana: Anti-heal nullifies his ability to self-heal.
• Orisa: Fortify and Javelin Spin make her resistant to hooks.
• Zarya: Bubble can block hooks, and beam damage bypasses his bulk.

Sigma Counter:

• Sombra: Hack disables his shield and Kinetic Grasp.
• Reaper: Deals high damage at close range, where Sigma is weak.
• Zenyatta: Discord Orb can melt his health quickly.

Winston Counter:

• Reaper: Shreds Winston in close combat.
• Mei: Freeze can shut down Winston's dives.
• Bastion: Hard for Winston to survive Bastion’s high damage output.

Wrecking Ball Counter:

• Sombra: Hack prevents him from using his mobility.
• Mei: Freeze can stop him from escaping.
• Roadhog: Hook can punish Ball’s mobility.

Zarya Counter:

• Bastion: High consistent damage that Zarya struggles to block with bubbles.
• Reaper: His close-range burst can outdamage Zarya’s bubbles.
• Pharah: Zarya struggles against airborne heroes like Pharah.

Support counters Overwatch 2

Ana Counter:

• Genji: Can dive her and force her out of position.
• Winston: Can dive and disrupt her healing.
• Sombra: Hack disables her abilities, making her easier to kill.

Baptiste Counter:

• Sombra: Hack disables his Immortality Field and Exo Boots.
• Reaper: Can burst him down in close quarters.
• Genji: Can reflect Baptiste’s shots and dive him.

Brigitte Counter:

• Pharah: Brigitte struggles against airborne heroes.
• Junkrat: Can deal heavy damage with his explosives, breaking her shield.
• Widowmaker: Can outrange Brigitte and pick her off from afar.

Illari Counter:

• Genji: Can dive and pressure her into using her healing pylon early.
• Winston: Can jump on her, making her turret useless.
• Sombra: Hack disables her turret and healing.

Kiriko Counter:

• Sombra: Hack can prevent Kiriko from teleporting.
• Genji: Can dive her and pressure her.
• Tracer: Can harass Kiriko and force her out of position.

Lifeweaver Counter:

• Sombra: Hack disables Lifeweaver’s mobility.
• Pharah: Lifeweaver struggles to deal with aerial pressure.
• Genji: Can dive and chase down Lifeweaver effectively.

Lúcio Counter:

• Pharah: Lúcio has trouble hitting airborne targets.
• Reaper: Can quickly burst him down in close combat.
• Mei: Freezing Lúcio makes it easy to kill him when he tries to skate away.

Mercy Counter:

• Sombra: Hack makes it harder for Mercy to escape.
• Winston: Can dive Mercy and her pocket target.
• Widowmaker: Can snipe Mercy while she’s healing or reviving.

Moira Counter:

• Sombra: Hack disables Moira’s fade, making her easier to kill.
• Reaper: Can burst her down in close range.
• Pharah: Moira struggles against high airborne damage.

Zenyatta Counter:

• Winston: Can dive and easily burst him down.
• Genji: Can dive and deflect his orbs.
• Sombra: Hack leaves him vulnerable without his defensive abilities.

Juno Counter:

• Winston: He can leap onto her high-ground positions and disrupt her with his Tesla Cannon.
• Soldier: 76: A hitscan hero like Soldier can track and damage Juno consistently, especially when she is airborne.
• Genji: Juno’s hover ability makes her susceptible to agile heroes like Genji, who can swiftly reach her in the air and apply pressure.

Conclusion

Thanks to this Overwatch counter list, you'll be able to optimally select the right hero to counter other players. The main thing is to know how heroes' abilities work and how to use them correctly to realize their potential against potential counter picks.