Gameplay frequently asked questions!

General frequently asked questions regarding gameplay of Overwatch!

• How do Heroes Ultimate Abilities work?

  Ultimate Abilities can be used once you gain 100% in the meter.
  
  
  
  
  
  • How do you charge the ultimate ability meter?
    
    1. Dealing Damage to HP or shields
    2. Taking Damage to HP or shields
    3. Healing allies
       Mercy can gain charges from the Caduceus Staff ally damage buff.
       Zarya's Barries do not count as shield, no charge can be gained.

• Will there be fall damage?

  No, but if you go off the edge of map you will die.

• Are you able to jump and crouch?

  Yes, default key assigned for crouch is ctrl and spacebar for jump.

• Any sort of Hero restrictions or limits in team compositions?

  No restrictions, you are able to switch to any hero at spawn or at death.

• Any option to redo keybinds or have character-specific keybindings?

  Global keybindings available and character specific keybindings coming soon.

Closed Beta frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions covering the closed beta for overwatch!

• How will matchmaking and ranked matches work?

  Currently unknown but Blizzard has acknowledged the games potential for e-sports and competitive match play

• What will be Overwatch's business model?

  Will overwatch be f2p, one-time purchase or pay per hero is currently unknown.

• When is the beta to be released?

  Oct 27th, 2015 for closed beta, only flagged accounts will have access for this testing period.  They will also have open beta weekends to stress test servers and infrastructure.

• Will there be a spectator type of mode?

  Yes

• Any ingame voice communication or a ping wheel?

  Yes, both will be included

• What will be required computer specs to play Overwatch?

  
  Minimum System Requirements:
  CPU: Core 2 Duo E8200 2.66GHz or Phenom II X2 545
  GPU: GeForce GTS 250
  OS: Win 7 x64
  Direct X: DX 11
  HDD Space: 50 GB
  
  Recommended System Requirements:
  CPU: i5-760 2.8GHz or Phenom II X4 960T
  GPU: GeForce GTX 550 Ti or Radeon HD 7750 1GB GDDR5
  OS: Win 7 x64
  Direct X: DX 11
  

Preload game with out invite

How to preload Overwatch with out being invited yet via shortcut edit!

Go to the directory of your battle.net launcher app.

Create a shortcut for the file Battle.net.exe by right clicking on it then pressing the create shortcut option.

Then right click on the shortcut you just made and go to properties. Type --game=prometheus --install in the end of the target field.

Click on that shortcut and login, the download should be starting.

 Blizzard customer service twitter was ask if this is ok to do, they responded go ahead if you are able to do it!

Overwatch beta keys

How to get overwatch beta keys for todays beta testing?

Blizzard is not sending any overwatch beta keys for today's best testing.  Make sure you are not scammed by tweets or websites claims. Here is there official tweet about this very thing, check the following image:

If you are enabled to beta test overwatch make sure to check your account to see if its flagged. Go to the following url: https://us.battle.net/account/management/ to see if overwatch is listed for download.

Also another way is to use the Battle.net launcher and check the overwatch section to see if there is a download available.

Soldier: 76 guide

Soldier: 76 - Role Offense

Character abilities include the following:

• Heavy Pulse Rifle - fully automatic pulse fire with extremely low recoil. Ammo clip holds 25 with each hit doing 17 damage.
• Helix Rockets - fires a rocket that does powerful aoe damage in a small radius. This ability has a 8 second reload and does up to 120 damage.
• Sprint - a quick way to gain a massive speed boost for a short time.
• Biotic Field - aoe ground device that heals you and nearby teammates. This device lasts for 5 seconds and heals for 35 hp per second.
• Tactical Visor (Ultimate Ability) - this is basically a automatic aim that locks on whatever enemy is closest for a short period of time (around 6 seconds).

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Bring the deeps with the heavy pulse rifle and take out soft targets like support.  Use tactical visor for auto aiming against fast moving targets.  And don't forget to heal yourself and teammates with the biotic field ability. Main task for offensive role character is to scout, harass, press the objectives and deal high damage.

Soldier: 76's hit points is set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a gun butt attack.

Support hero comparison

Listing the abilities of all the current support heroes of Overwatch!

Compare support hero's cheat sheet: 

 Main Weapons

• Mercy - Caduceus Blaster - sidearm pistol
• Symmetra - Photon Projector - short-range beam that locks on nearby enemies dealing more damage the longer its connected. Projector can also be used to release energy balls that deal high damage.
• Lucio - Sonic Amplifier - a sound projectile pulse with a knock back option.
• Zenyatta - Orb of Destruction - orb which can be fired individually or in a rapid-fire volley after a charge up.

 Buffs / Healing / Protection

• Mercy - Caduceus Staff - used to either heal or increase damage output of a teammate.
• Symmetra - Photon Shield - enables a bubble shield around a teammate that absorbs damage.
• Lucio - Crossfade - songs that can buff nearby allies, one is able to boost speed and the other assists with health regeneration.
• Lucio - Amp it up - boosts the effects of buffs.
• Zenyatta - Orb of Harmony - a orb that will regenerate health over time to a ally as long as Zenyatta is alive, only one of these orbs can be active at a time.

 Debuffs

• Symmetra - Sentry Turret - speed-reducing blasts at the nearest enemy withing range.
• Zenyatta - Orb of Discord - a orb that attaches to a opponent which amplifies damage they receive for as long as Zenyatta is alive, only one of these orbs can be active at a time.

 Movement

• Mercy - Guardian Angel - flies towards teammate very quickly
• Mercy - Angelic Descent - slows speed of descent from great heights.

 Ultimate Abilities

• Mercy - Resurrect (Ultimate Ability) - nearby dead teammates resurrect with full health.
• Symmetra - Teleporter (Ultimate Ability) - places a gate for respawn at Symmetra's current location. Allies can travel from starting point directly to the placed gate beacon.
• Lucio - Sound Barrier (Ultimate Ability) - protection shield for you and nearby allies.
• Zenyatta - Transcendence (Ultimate Ability) - immune to damage and automatically restores his health and other nearby allies for a short period of time.  Cannot use other abilities or attacks during this period.

Pharah guide

Pharah - Role Offense

Character abilities include the following:

• Rocket Launcher - launches rockets that do aoe damage in a wide radius. Ammo clip holds 6 and each hit does up to around 120 damage.
• Jump Jet - thrusters boost character high into the air.
• Hover Jets - hover over a spot for a couple of seconds.
• Concussive Blast - wrist rocket that knocks back enemies on contact.
• Barrage (Ultimate Ability) - bombardment of mini-rockets that targets multiple enemies.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Use the Jump Jet to move really quickly around the map or to avoid enemy fire.  As you jump around use the rocket launcher aoe blasts to soften up targets. Finish them off with the barrage ultimate attack. Primary task for offensive role character is to scout, harass, press the objectives and deal high damage to enemies.

Pharah's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a left punch attack.

Tank hero comparison

Listing the abilities of all the current tank heroes of Overwatch!

Compare tank hero's cheat sheet:

Main Weapons

• Winston - Tesla Cannon - short range electric shots
• Reinhardt - Rocket Hammer - thrusters propel the hammer in a wide arc dealing damage with every swing.
• Reinhardt - Fire Strike - overhead fling of the hammer produces a flaming projectile which can pierce and damage any enemy it encounters.
• Roadhog - Scrap Gun - short-range blasts of shrapnel or longer range shrapnel aoe ball.
• Zarya - Particle Cannon - close range beam weapon, also has option to launch explosive charges which does aoe damage.
• D. Va - Fusion Cannons - short range cannons that deal high damage with no reload, while active movement is slowed.

Movement

• Winston - Jump Pack - jumps and upon landing any nearby enemies take damage and are staggered.
• Reinhardt - Charge - burst speed in a straight line grabbing enemies in the path way, if a wall is present at destination of the charge, enemies will suffer extreme damage.
• D. Va - Boosters - launches the mech into the air carrying her forward, can be used to knock enemies back on hit.

Shield / Protection

• Winston - Shield Projector - extends a bubble shield that absorbs damage until its destroyed.  Teammates can also go into the shield and fire from side while being protected.
• Reinhardt - Shield - forward facing energy shield, while holding the shield you can not attack
• Zarya - Particle Barrier - personal shield to guard against incoming attacks
• Zarya - Projected Barrier - creates a shield around a teammate, protects them from enemy fire for a short time.
• D. Va - Defense Matrix - a projected targeting array that shoots incoming projectiles out of the air.

Other

• Roadhog - Take a Breather - restores health over time
• Roadhog - Chain Hook - exactly as it sounds, a hook that pulls the target close.

Ultimate Abilities

• Reinhardt - Earthshatter (Ultimate Ability) - slams rocket hammer to the ground causing nearby enemies to be knocked down and take damage.
• Roadhog - Whole Hog (Ultimate Ability) - high rate of fire shrapnel that knocks back enemies.
• Zarya - Graviton Surge (Ultimate Ability) - launches a bomb that vortex together enemies and deals damage as they are trapped together.
• Winston - Primal Rage (Ultimate Ability) - causes enrage which boosts health, melee attack and allows the Jump Pack ability more frequently. For the duration of primal rage Winston can only use melee and jump pack attacks.
• D. Va - Self-Destruct (Ultimate Ability) - ejects from mech and sets power reactor to explode dealing massive aoe damage to nearby enemies.

Defense hero comparison

Listing the abilities of all the current defense heroes of Overwatch!

Compare defensive hero's cheat sheet:

Main Weapons

• Junkrat - Frag Launcher - bounces out grenades
• Widowmaker - Window's Kiss - Sniper gun or a fully-automatic rifle, switch between the two.
• Bastion - Configuration: Recon - mobile, submachine gun that fires bullets at medium range.
• Bastion - Configuration: Sentry - stationary, forward-facing shield and gatling gun good for short to medium range attack.
• Torbjorn - Rivet Gun - long range fire or close-range burst.
• Hanzo - Storm Bow - arrow attacks
• Hanzo - Sonic Arrow - arrow with sonar tracking used to detect enemies in its pulse range.
• Hanzo - Scatter Arrow - fragmented arrow that bounces off walls and objects able to hit multiple targets.
• Mei - Endothermic Blaster - short range stream of frost that damages, slows and freezes enemies in place. Also able to switch to medium range mode shooting icicle projectiles.

Movement

• Widowmaker - Grappling Hook - use to launch a grappling hook which will then move the character to that spot. 
• Mei - Ice Wall - creates huge ice wall that blocks line of sight, prevents movement and attacks

Mine / Grenades / Traps

• Junkrat - Concussion Mine - able to throw a mine which can damage enemies, send them flying or can be used on self to propel into the air.
• Junkrat - Steel Trap - metal-toothed trap use to immobilize and injure enemies who get to close
• Junkrat - Total Mayhem - upon death, live grenades are dropped and explode
• Widowmaker - Venom Mine - launch a mine which will stick to a wall, when enemies are near it will explode with a aoe poison gas. 

Other

• Torbjorn - Forge Hammer - multipurpose hammer to build, upgrade and repair turrets.  Also can be use for melee attack.
• Torbjorn - Build Turret - autocannon that home onto enemies and attacks them. Collect scrap from dead enemies and allies to repair, upgrade which increases health and possibility to to add second cannon and a rocket launcher.
• Torbjorn - Armor Pack - upgrades armor to character or any allies who pick up the object from the ground.
• Bastion - Reconfigure - switch between recon and sentry modes.
• Bastion - Self-Repair - restores health, unable to move or fire weapons which in repair mode
• Mei - Cryo-Freeze - surrounds yourself with thick blocks of ice that enables self healing and ignores damage but disables movement and use of abilities.

Ultimate Ability 

• Junkrat - Rip-Tire (Ultimate Ability) - a motorized wheel bomb that can be remotely triggered causing huge aoe damage.
• Widowmaker - Infra-Sight (Ultimate Ability) - able to see through walls and objects to reveal enemy locations, this information is also shared with teammates.
• Bastion - Configuration: Tank (Ultimate Ability) - turns into a tank with a long-range cannon that has a wide blast radius.
• Torbjorn - Molten Core (Ultimate Ability) - gains a significant amount of armor and scrap. Attacks, building and repairs is faster then normal.
• Hanzo - Dragonstrike (Ultimate Ability) - summons a ghost spirit dragon which devours enemies in its path way.
• Mei - Blizzard (Ultimate Ability) - deploys a drone that creates a blizzard which will do aoe damage, slow down enemies, and freeze opponents solid if they linger in the effected area.

Offense hero comparison

Listing the abilities of all the current offense heroes of Overwatch!

Compare offensive hero's cheat sheet:

Main Weapons

• McCree - Peacekeeper - pistol with 6 shots.
• Tracer - Pulse Pistols - dual wielding rapid-fire pistols.
• Reaper - Hellfire Shotguns - dual wielding shotguns.
• Pharah - Rocket Launcher - launches rockets that do aoe damage in a wide radius.
• Soldier: 76 - Heavy Pulse Rifle - fully automatic pulse fire with extremely low recoil.
• Soldier: 76 - Helix Rockets - fires a rocket that does powerful aoe damage in a small radius.
• Genji - Shuriken - throws 3 projectiles in quick succession either directly or in a wider spread.

 Movement

• McCree - Combat Roll - basically as listed a roll in whatever direction your character is facing.
• Tracer - Blink - teleport instantly several yards in the direction you are heading.
• Tracer - Recall - a way to replay a few seconds from before restoring health and ammo.
• Reaper - Wraith Form - turns into a ghostly figure which prevents any damage taken, is able to pass through enemies and is not able to fire or use other abilities.
• Reaper - Shadow Step - set a location on the battlefield, then will disappear from current location and then reappear at the marked spot.
• Pharah - Jump Jet - thrusters boost character high into the air.
• Soldier: 76 - Sprint - a quick way to gain a massive speed boost for a short time.
• Genji - Swift Strike - charges forward with katana in hand, if passed thru a enemy they will get hit with a dot bleed effect.  If enemies die while using this ability, it can be instantly used again.

 Grenades / Bombs

• McCree - Flashbang - grenade that explodes that stuns enemies in a small radius.
• Pharah - Concussive Blast - wrist rocket that knocks back enemies on contact.
• Soldier: 76 - Biotic Field - aoe ground device that heals you and nearby teammates.

 Ultimate Abilities

• McCree - Deadeye (Ultimate Ability) - automatically aim and shoot at the heads of all enemies in line of sight.
• Tracer - Pulse Bomb (Ultimate Ability) - a sticky bomb that emits a large pulse after a delay to all enemies within its blast radius for high damage.  
• Reaper - Death Blossom (Ultimate Ability) - massive damage to all nearby enemies via shotguns.
• Pharah - Barrage (Ultimate Ability) - bombardment of mini-rockets that targets multiple enemies.
• Soldier: 76 - Tactical Visor (Ultimate Ability) - this is basically a automatic aim  that locks on whatever enemy is closest for a short period of time. 
• Genji - Dragonblade (Ultimate Ability) - delivers killing strikes to any targets within his swords range.

Zarya guide

Zarya - Role Tank

Character abilities include the following:

• Particle Cannon - close range beam weapon, also has option to launch explosive charges which does aoe damage.  Ammo clip holds 100 and each hit does around 70 damage.
• Particle Barrier - personal shield to guard against incoming attacks, shield strength around 200, last around 2 seconds.
• Projected Barrier - creates a shield around a teammate, protects them from enemy fire for a short time, last around 4 seconds with a shield strength around 400.
• Graviton Surge (Ultimate Ability) - launches a bomb that vortex together enemies and deals damage as they are trapped together.

Daopa's Take on this character:
Use the cannon for short range beam attack on enemies. Protect yourself and teammates with the barrier shields. Use the vortex force group enemies together while lobbing explosives. Main task for tank role character is to protect your team, disrupt enemies and lead the charge.

Zarya's hit points is currently set to 400 w/shield on and a melee option is available which is a left punch attack.

Reaper guide

Reaper - Role Offense

Character abilities include the following:

• Hellfire Shotguns - dual wielding shotguns. Ammo clip holds 8 and can do up to 140 damage.
• Wraith Form - turns into a ghostly figure which prevents any damage taken, is able to pass through enemies and is not able to fire or use other abilities.
• Shadow Step - set a location on the battlefield, then will disappear from current location and then reappear at the marked spot.
• Death Blossom (Ultimate Ability) - massive damage to all nearby enemies via shotguns.

Daopa's Take on this character:
Use Shadow Step to fast track around the map. If you get into troubles turn on Wraith Form and find your support teammate. Prime task for offensive role character is to scout, harass, press the objectives and deal high damage to enemies as you uncover them.

Reaper's hit points is currently set to 250 and a melee option is available which is a right gun butt attack.

Tracer guide

Tracer - Role Offense

Character abilities include the following:

• Pulse Pistols - dual wielding rapid-fire pistols. Ammo clip holds 40, each shot does around 1 to 6 points of damage depending on falloff.
• Blink - teleport instantly several yards in the direction you are heading.
• Recall - a way to replay a few seconds from before restoring health and ammo.
• Pulse Bomb (Ultimate Ability) - a sticky bomb that emits a large pulse after a delay to all enemies within its blast radius for high damage. This can also hurt / kill Tracer so make sure to either blink or teleport out fast.

Daopa's Take on this character:
Use blink to teleport into areas and recall if there's a overwhelming force. Another blink strategy is using it to get behind enemies without them knowing. This is very effective against Bastion in turret mode. Also make sure you have recall up when you use the pulse bomb, drop the pulse bomb and then immediately recall back. Foremost task for offensive role character is to scout, harass, press the objectives and deal high damage.

Tracer's hit points is currently set to 150 and a melee option is available which is a right gun butt attack.

Zenyatta guide

Zenyatta - Role Support

Character abilities include the following:

• Orb of Destruction - orb which can be fired individually or in a rapid-fire volley after a charge up. Ammo clip holds 20, each shot does around 45 damage when fired individually, or 35 damage on charge up.
• Orb of Harmony - a orb that will regenerate health over time to a ally as long as Zenyatta is alive, only one of these orbs can be active at a time. Heals 25 per second until death, if no healing is occurring it will not charge ultimate meter.
• Orb of Discord - a orb that attaches to a opponent which amplifies damage they receive by 50% for as long as Zenyatta is alive, only one of these orbs can be active at a time.
• Transcendence (Ultimate Ability) - immune to damage and automatically restores his health and other nearby allies for a short period of time. Cannot use other abilities or attacks during this period.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Make sure to use the buff and debuff orbs to max efficiency. Main task for support role character is to heal, buff and use utility specials when necessary.

Zenyatta's hit points is currently set to 150 and a melee option is available which is a right kick attack.

Hanzo guide

Hanzo - Role Defense

Character abilities include the following:

• Storm Bow - arrow attacks doing up to 120 damage with a 0.5 second cast time.
• Sonic Arrow - arrow with sonar tracking used to detect enemies in its pulse range. This ability has a 20 second reload timer.
• Scatter Arrow - fragmented arrow that bounces off walls and objects able to hit multiple targets. Each scattered arrow does around 75 damage while the combined unscattered can do 200 HP damage. Scatter arrow has a total of 6 arrows which can bounce up to 3 times.
• Dragonstrike (Ultimate Ability) - summons a ghost spirit dragon which devours enemies in its path way.  This ultimate ability pierces through walls and shields.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Use the sonic arrow to locate enemies faster.  Scattered arrow is great for hitting multiple targets in a  tunnel type of a area. Use wall climb get to into different areas by pressing spacebar and jumping towards walls. Main task for defensive role character is to guard locations / objectives, create choke points and establish a front.

Hanzo's hit points is set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a right palm attack.

Torbjorn guide

Torbjorn - Role Defense

Character abilities include the following:

• Rivet Gun - long range fire does around 55 damage per hit or close-range burst doing around 100 damage, ammo clip holds 20.
• Forge Hammer - multipurpose hammer to build, upgrade and repair turrets.  Also can be use for melee attack which does 75 damage per hit.
• Build Turret - autocannon that home onto enemies and attacks them. Collect scrap from dead enemies and allies to repair, upgrade which increases health and possibility to add second cannon and a rocket launcher. Turrets have no ammo usage and repairing turrets has no cost.
  
  • Level 1 Turret - 250 HP, one barrel, 14 damage per shot
  • Level 2 Turret - 375 HP, two barrels, 14 damage per shot
  • Level 3 Turret - 500 HP, two barrels and rocket launcher, 14 damage per shot, 65 damage per rocket
• Armor Pack - upgrades +50 armor to character or any allies who pick up the object from the ground.  This ability costs 50 scrap, you gain scrap from a passive ability and it does not stack.
• Molten Core (Ultimate Ability) - gains a significant amount of armor +300 and scrap. Attacks, building and repairs is faster then normal.
  • Decreases build / update time by 100%
  • Removes scrap cost of building and upgrading turrets
  • Increases rate of fire by 50%

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Build turrets in key points as you keep repairing and upgrading them. Use armor pack to add a extra armor layer for yourself or a teammate. Main task for defensive role character is to guard locations / objectives, create choke points and establish a front.

Torbjörn's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a left punch claw attack. 

Lucio guide

Lucio - Role Support

Character abilities include the following:

• Sonic Amplifier - a sound projectile pulse with a knock back option. Ammo clip is set to 20 with 4 rounds per second fire rate, 1.25 second reload and 20 damage per round.
• Crossfade - songs that can buff nearby allies, one is able to boost speed and the other assists with health regeneration. Healing song regenerates 25 HP per 2 seconds to nearby allies.
• Amp it up - boosts the effects of buffs, healing song regenerates 120 per 3 seconds.
• Sound Barrier (Ultimate Ability) - protection shield for you and nearby allies. Shield strength is 500 HP and last up to 6 seconds.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Follow your teammates and keep the songs buffs going as much as possible. Use speed to avoid enemy attacks and the regenerate song to keep your teammates alive. Jump at walls to ride them but keep note you cant do this consecutively on the same wall. Main task for support role character is to heal, buff and use ultimate ability when necessary to keep the team up.

Lucio's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a left punch attack.

Symmetra guide

Symmetra - Role Support

Character abilities include the following:

• Photon Projector - short-range beam that locks on nearby enemies dealing more damage the longer its connected. Projector can also be used to release energy balls that deal high damage. Ammo clip hold 100 and damage application is depended on lock time with beam.
  
  • 1 second - 30 DPS
  • 2 seconds - 60 DPS
  • 3 seconds - 120 DPS
  • Charge shot, more charge more damage from 25 to 125 which can pierce enemies and enemies shields.
• Sentry Turret - speed-reducing blasts at the nearest enemy withing range.
• Photon Shield - enables a bubble shield around a teammate that absorbs 50 damage. Shield last for the life of player its attached to and will recharge after 3 seconds of receiving damage.
• Teleporter (Ultimate Ability) - places a gate for respawn at Symmetra's current location. Allies can travel from starting point directly to the placed gate beacon.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Follow around teammates and protect them with the photon shield.  Use the sentry turrets to make choke points to slow down enemies. Main task for support role character is to heal, buff and use utility specials when necessary.

Symmetra's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a left palm attack.

McCree guide

McCree - Role Offense

Character abilities include the following:

• Peacekeeper - pistol with 6 shots doing 70 damage per hit.
• Combat Roll - basically as listed a roll in whatever direction your character is facing, 8 second cooldown. Also will instantly refill your ammo for the pistols.
• Flashbang - grenade that explodes doing 25 damage and stuns enemies in a small radius for 0.5 seconds.
• Deadeye (Ultimate Ability) - automatically aim and shoot at the heads of all enemies in line of sight.  

Daopa's Take on this character:
Use this character dps in the vicinity of a team tank or support for backup. Main task for offensive role character is to scout, harass, press the objectives and deal high damage.

McCree's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a left punch attack. 

Roadhog guide

Roadhog - Role Tank

Character abilities include the following:

• Scrap Gun - short-range blasts of shrapnel or longer range shrapnel aoe ball
• Take a Breather - restores 300 health, and disables movement for a small duration.
• Chain Hook - exactly as it sounds, a hook that pulls the target close.
• Whole Hog (Ultimate Ability) - high rate of fire shrapnel that knocks back enemies.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
With out playing the game or this character I will assume the chain hook ability will be most beneficial but it maybe tricky to use since you will have to make sure you hit the target with it. Offensive characters move very fast but if caught they will most likely be very easy to take down. Main task for tank role character is to protect your team, disrupt enemies and lead the charge.

Roadhog's hit points is currently set to 600 and a melee option is available which is a left hook attack.

Reinhardt guide

Reinhardt - Role Tank

Character abilities include the following:

• Rocket Hammer - thrusters propel the hammer in a wide arc dealing damage with every swing dealing 75 damage.
• Shield - forward facing energy shield with 2000 hp shield strengh, while holding the shield you can not attack
• Charge - burst speed in a straight line grabbing enemies in the path way dealing 50 damage, if a wall is present at destination of the charge, enemies will suffer extreme 300 hit damage.
• Fire Strike - overhead fling of the hammer produces a flaming projectile which can pierce and damage any enemy it encounters for 100 damage on hit.
• Earthshatter (Ultimate Ability) - slams rocket hammer to the ground causing nearby enemies to be knocked down for 2.5 seconds and take 100 damage.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Use charge to burst thru areas and drag enemies in your way. Fire Strike is great for long range damage application, focus on support targets. Shield is great to force your way closer to a group of enemies or to protect your teammates from extreme damage. Main task for tank role character is to protect your team, disrupt enemies and lead the charge.

Reinhardt's hit points is currently set to 500 and has no quick melee ability.

Mercy guide

Mercy - Role Support

Character abilities include the following:

• Caduceus Staff - used to either heal for 50 HP per second or increase damage output of a teammate by 50%.
• Caduceus Blaster - sidearm pistol. ammo clip hold 20 and does around 20 damage per hit.
• Guardian Angel - flies towards teammate very quickly
• Angelic Descent - slows speed of descent from great heights.
• Resurrect (Ultimate Ability) - nearby dead teammates resurrect with full health.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Stay by your teammates and use Caduceus Staff to healbot someone or boost their damage. Main task for support role character is to heal, buff and use the ultimate ability to restore your teammates.

Mercy's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a staff hit attack.

Bastion guide

Bastion - Role Defense

Character abilities include the following:

• Configuration: Recon - mobile, submachine gun that fires bullets at medium range. Ammo clip amount set at 20 with around 8 rounds per second rate of fire with a 2 second cooldown. Each shot does around 20 HP damage.
• Configuration: Sentry - stationary, forward-facing shield and gatling gun good for short to medium range attack. Ammo clip amount set at 200 with around 30 to 40 rounds per second rate of fire. Shield has 1000 HP strength and will regen 50 HP per second after 3 seconds. The gatling gun does around 15 HP damage per hit.
• Reconfigure - switch between recon and sentry modes.
• Self-Repair - restores health, unable to move or fire weapons which in repair mode. This ability is channeled, and heals 100 HPS.
• Configuration: Tank (Ultimate Ability) - turns into a tank with a long-range cannon that has a wide blast radius.

Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
Find a nice spot and switch into sentry mode to blast away enemies.  Get into trouble run away and go into self repair mode. Main task for defensive role character is to guard locations / objectives, create choke points and establish a front.

Bastion has 250 HP and while in Tank mode HP goes up to 400. Self-Repair can be used in all configuration modes.

Winston guide

Winston - Role Tank

Character abilities include the following:

• Tesla Cannon - short range electric shots, ammo clip holds 200 with damage around 40 to 50 per hit.
• Jump Pack - jumps and upon landing any nearby enemies take 50 damage and are staggered.
• Shield Projector - extends a bubble shield that absorbs 1000 damage until its destroyed.  Teammates can also go into the shield and fire from side while being protected.
• Primal Rage (Ultimate Ability) - causes enrage which boosts health, melee attack and allows the Jump Pack ability more frequently. For the duration of primal rage Winston can only use melee and jump pack attacks.

Daopa's Take on this character:
Use the jump pack and charge onto enemies.  If you see teammates in trouble pop the shield projector and shield them from dying. Main task for tank role character is to protect your team, disrupt enemies and lead the charge.

Winston's hit points is currently set to 500 and a melee option is available which is a left punch attack.

Widowmaker guide

Widowmaker - Role Defense

Character abilities include the following:

• Window's Kiss - Sniper gun or a fully-automatic rifle with ammo clip holding 30 rounds.
• Grappling Hook - use to launch a grappling hook which will then move the character to that spot.
• Venom Mine - launch a mine which will stick to a wall, when enemies are near it will explode with a aoe poison gas dealing 75 damage to all.
• Infra-Sight (Ultimate Ability) - able to see through walls and objects to reveal enemy locations, this information is also shared with teammates and lasts around 15.5 seconds.

Daopa's Take on this character:
Use the grappling hook to get into nice sniper spots and snipe away at enemies. Main task for defensive role character is to guard locations / objectives, create choke points and establish a front.

Widowmaker's hit points is currently set to 200 and a melee option is available which is a left punch attack.

Junkrat guide

Junkrat - Role Defense

Character abilities include the following:

• Frag Launcher - bounces out grenades around 5 per 3 seconds with a cooldown of 1.5 seconds. Direct hits from grenades do around 120 damage.
• Concussion Mine - able to throw a mine which can damage enemies, send them flying or can be used on self to propel into the air.  This ability does around 120 damage with a 8 second cooldown.
• Steel Trap - metal-toothed trap use to immobilize and injure enemies who get to close. Cooldown set to 10 seconds, damage is around 80 to enemies.
• Total Mayhem - upon death, live grenades are dropped and explode
• Rip-Tire (Ultimate Ability) - a motorized wheel bomb that can be remotely triggered causing huge aoe damage.

 Daopa's guide and personal take on this character:
This character strong points seem to be the mine and trap abilities.  Being able to immobilize and throw mines at enemies seems to be a great combo. Make note that both concussion mine and steel trap can be destroyed prematurely by enemy fire. Main task for defensive role character is to guard locations / objectives, create choke points and establish a front.

Junkrat's hit points is currently set to 200 and the rip-tire hp is set to 50.  A melee option is available which is a left punch attack.

Overwatch Beta information

Overwatch Beta starts Oct 27, 2015, sign up link is available.

Primary goal for the public beta is feedback, balance suggestions and making the game as fun as possible. Secondary is to stress test the hardware infrastructure. The close beta will be limited with a small amount gaining access to the game.

They are also going to have beta testing weekends, for more server stress testing.

Sign up for beta here

About Overwatch

What is overwatch?

Overwatch is a team-based shooter set on a near-future earth. Players must cooperative with others using a cast of various heroes, each with there own special powers, roles and abilities within a team. Teams are made of 6 heroes so its 6 Vs 6.

There are four character roles which are as follows:

• Offense characters with high speed and attack but low defense
• Defense characters meant to form choke points for trapping enemies
• Support characters that provide buffs and debuffs for their allies and enemies respectively
• Tank characters have tons of armor and hit points to withstand enemy attacks

Game modes so far include:

1. Payload, one team must escort a vehicle to a delivery point before times runs out, while the other team attempts to stop them.
2. Point Capture, one team is trying to capture points around the map, while the other team attempts to stop them.

More game modes intel will be coming out soon.  Not clear if this game is going to be on a free to play model either, waiting to see how this turns out also.