Overwatch 2 Tier List (March 2026) Best Heroes Ranked

Welcome to the most comprehensive Overwatch 2 tier list for Season 18! With 44 heroes to choose from and the recent addition of the new support hero Wuyang, navigating the current meta can be overwhelming. As someone who’s spent hundreds of hours analyzing competitive play and hero balance changes, I’m here to break down exactly which heroes are dominating the meta right now and why.

Season 18 has brought massive changes to Overwatch 2, including a complete perk system refresh with over 60 new perks, hero progression 2.0, and significant balance adjustments that have shaken up the competitive landscape. Whether you’re climbing the ranked ladder or just want to understand the current state of the game, this tier list will give you the insights you need to make smarter hero picks.

What’s New in Season 18?

Before diving into the rankings, let’s quickly cover the major changes that are impacting the meta this season:

• New Support Hero: Wuyang – The water-bending support has joined the roster with unique healing and damage capabilities
• Perk System Overhaul – Every hero received at least one new perk, with some getting complete reworks to their major perks
• Hero Progression 2.0 – Faster leveling, permanent prestige features, and cleaner UI
• Competitive Refresh – Full rank reset and new hero skill rating system
• Stadium Mode Updates – New heroes added to rotation and payload race mode introduced

These changes have significantly altered hero viability, with some previously weak heroes becoming top-tier picks due to their new perk options.

Complete Overwatch 2 Season 18 Tier List

Here’s our complete tier list broken down by role. These rankings are based on competitive play data, perk effectiveness, and overall impact in the current meta.

S-Tier: Must-Pick Heroes

Role	Heroes	Why They’re S-Tier
DPS	Sojourn, Tracer, Torbjörn	Consistent high damage output, strong new perks, game-changing ultimates
Tank	Sigma, Zarya	Best defensive capabilities, high damage potential, excellent synergy with current meta
Support	Ana, Kiriko	Unmatched healing output, utility value, strong perk options

Sojourn remains the queen of DPS this season. Her railgun can deal devastating 200-damage headshots, and with her new perk options, she’s even more lethal than before. The ability to charge her weapon quickly and unleash devastating burst damage makes her a must-pick in almost any composition.

Tracer has seen a significant boost thanks to her new Kinetic Reload minor perk, which grants her extra ammo when dealing melee damage. This small change has made her even more annoying to deal with and increased her sustain in fights, solidifying her position as an S-tier flanker.

Torbjörn has surprisingly climbed to S-tier status with his revamped perk system. His new Hammer Time minor perk increases his movement speed by 20% while his forge hammer is equipped, making him much more mobile than before. Combined with his already strong turret damage output, he’s now a force to be reckoned with.

On the tank side, Sigma continues to dominate with his Hyper Regeneration minor perk, which converts 50% of his hypersphere damage into barrier health. This makes him incredibly durable while still dealing significant damage. His Gravitic Flux ultimate remains one of the most game-changing abilities in the game.

Zarya benefits tremendously from her new Energy Converter minor perk, which generates additional energy when hitting enemies with her secondary fire. This allows her to reach high energy levels much faster, making her a terrifying presence in team fights.

For supports, Ana and Kiriko remain the undisputed kings. Ana’s sleep dart and nano boost provide unparalleled utility, while Kiriko’s protection suzu and high damage output make her invaluable in almost every situation.

A-Tier: Strong Choices

Role	Heroes	Key Strengths
DPS	Echo, Ashe, Soldier 76, Venture, Genji, Pharah, Widowmaker, Freja	Reliable damage, good synergy, situational dominance
Tank	Doomfist, D.Va, Junker Queen, Ramattra, Winston	Strong frontline presence, good peel potential, viable in most comps
Support	Lúcio, Juno, Baptiste	Consistent healing, good utility, team fight impact

Echo continues to be a strong A-tier pick with her versatile kit and ability to copy enemy ultimates. Her recent perk changes have made her more consistent, though she requires more skill to play effectively than S-tier DPS options.

D.Va has adapted well to her new Precision Fusion major perk, which allows her to reduce her fusion cannon’s spread by 75% for 3 seconds when pressing reload. This makes her much more threatening at medium range while maintaining her excellent mobility and defense matrix utility.

Winston received the Barrier Toss minor perk, allowing him to throw his barrier projector forward. This simple change has significantly increased his utility, enabling him to protect teammates from a distance and create space more effectively.

B-Tier: Situational Picks

Role	Heroes	When to Pick Them
DPS	Bastion, Cassidy, Junkrat, Mei, Symmetra, Sombra, Reaper	Specific map situations, counter picks, specialized team comps
Tank	Orisa, Reinhardt, Wrecking Ball, Hazard	Need specific frontline presence, map-dependent, counter strategies
Support	Mercy, Illari, Wuyang, Brigitte, Moira	Niche healing needs, specific team compositions, player preference

Wuyang, the new support hero, lands in B-tier for now. While he has interesting water-bending mechanics and good healing potential, he’s still being figured out by the community. As players learn his optimal perk combinations and playstyle, he may rise in the rankings.

Reinhardt has received some love with his new Barrier Re-Charge minor perk, which regenerates his barrier field based on distance traveled while charging. This makes him more sustainable in long fights, though he still struggles against the current dive-heavy meta.

C-Tier: Niche Heroes

Role	Heroes	Major Limitations
DPS	Hanzo	Highly skill-dependent, inconsistent, easily countered
Tank	Roadhog	Struggles against current meta, limited mobility
Support	Zenyatta	Low mobility, vulnerable to dives, requires team protection

Roadhog has seen some changes with his new Shrapnel Launcher minor perk, extending his secondary fire range and tightening its spread. However, the removal of his Pig Pen ability and the current meta favoring mobile heroes has kept him in a lower tier.

D-Tier: Avoid If Possible

Role	Heroes	Why They Struggle
Tank	Mauga	Limited utility, easily countered, low impact
Support	Lifeweaver	Inconsistent healing, high skill ceiling, low impact in current meta

Mauga continues to struggle despite his new Pyromaniac minor perk. His large hitbox and limited defensive options make him an easy target in the current DPS-heavy meta.

Role-by-Role Breakdown

DPS Tier List Deep Dive

The DPS role has seen significant shifts this season with the perk system overhaul. Let’s break down the top performers:

S-Tier DPS Analysis

Sojourn remains the pinnacle of DPS heroes for good reason. Her ability to charge her railgun quickly and unleash devastating 200-damage headshots makes her a threat at any range. With the current meta favoring burst damage and pick potential, Sojourn excels at eliminating key targets like supports and squishy DPS.

Key strengths:

• Devastating burst damage potential
• Good mobility with power slide
• Strong ultimate that can win team fights
• Effective at all ranges

Tracer has received a significant boost with her Kinetic Reload minor perk. This seemingly small change – granting 20 extra ammo when dealing damage with melee hits – has made her much more sustainable in fights. Combined with her already excellent mobility and burst potential, she’s now a top-tier flanker who can consistently pressure backlines.

Torbjörn‘s rise to S-tier is one of the biggest surprises this season. His new Hammer Time minor perk (20% increased movement speed with forge hammer equipped) has made him much more mobile, while his Overloaded Turret major perk continues to provide incredible area control. He’s now a viable pick on almost every map.

A-Tier DPS Contenders

Echo remains a strong A-tier pick with her versatile kit. Her ability to duplicate enemy heroes gives her unparalleled flexibility, though she requires more skill to play effectively than S-tier options. Her recent perk changes have made her more consistent, but she still has a higher skill ceiling.

Ashe continues to be a reliable pick with her long-range pressure and Bob ultimate. While she’s not as dominant as the S-tier DPS, she provides consistent value and can carry games in the right hands.

Genji has maintained his A-tier status thanks to his excellent mobility and pick potential. While he’s not as dominant as in previous seasons, he’s still a strong choice for players who can hit their shurikens consistently.

Tank Tier List Deep Dive

The tank role has undergone significant changes this season, with several heroes receiving major perk overhauls:

S-Tier Tank Analysis

Sigma continues to dominate the tank meta with his excellent defensive capabilities and surprising damage output. His new Hyper Regeneration minor perk, which converts 50% of hypersphere damage into barrier health, makes him incredibly durable while still allowing him to deal significant damage.

Key strengths:

• Excellent defensive capabilities with experimental barrier
• Strong damage output with hyperspheres
• Game-changing ultimate in Gravitic Flux
• Good synergy with most team compositions

Zarya benefits tremendously from her new Energy Converter minor perk, which generates additional energy when hitting enemies with her secondary fire. This allows her to reach high energy levels much faster, making her a terrifying presence in team fights. Her Graviton Surge ultimate remains one of the most powerful in the game.

A-Tier Tank Options

Doomfist has received significant changes this season, including the removal of his Seismic Empowerment major perk and the addition of Aftershock. His new One-Two minor perk, which reloads his hand cannon and overfills ammo by 2 when hitting enemies into walls with Rocket Punch, has made him much more consistent.

D.Va has adapted well to her new Precision Fusion major perk, which allows her to reduce her fusion cannon’s spread by 75% for 3 seconds. This makes her much more threatening at medium range while maintaining her excellent mobility and defense matrix utility.

Winston received the Barrier Toss minor perk, allowing him to throw his barrier projector forward. This simple change has significantly increased his utility, enabling him to protect teammates from a distance and create space more effectively.

Support Tier List Deep Dive

The support role remains crucial in Season 18, with healing output and utility being more important than ever:

S-Tier Support Analysis

Ana continues to be the queen of supports with her unparalleled utility and healing output. Her sleep dart can completely shut down enemy ultimates, while her nano boost can turn a teammate into a game-winning machine. In the current burst damage meta, her ability to quickly heal tanks and provide defensive utility makes her invaluable.

Key strengths:

• Unmatched healing output with biotic rifle
• Game-changing utility with sleep dart
• Strong ultimate in nano boost
• Effective at all ranges

Kiriko remains a top-tier support with her excellent healing output, damage potential, and protection suzu. Her ability to provide temporary invulnerability to teammates can completely turn team fights around, while her high damage output makes her a threat even when focused on healing.

A-Tier Support Options

Lúcio continues to be a reliable pick with his speed boost and consistent healing. His new perk options have made him more versatile, though he still requires good positioning to be effective. His ability to provide speed boost can be game-changing on certain maps and in specific team compositions.

Juno remains a strong A-tier support despite some nerfs in previous seasons. Her mobility and healing output make her a valuable asset to most teams, though she’s not as dominant as the S-tier supports.

Baptiste provides excellent area denial with his immortality field and strong healing output. While he’s not as dominant as in previous seasons, he’s still a solid pick for teams that need area control and burst healing.

New Hero Analysis (2026): Wuyang

Wuyang, the new support hero introduced in Season 18, brings water-bending mechanics to the support role. Let’s break down his abilities and current tier placement:

Wuyang’s Abilities

• Primary Fire (Xuanwu Staff): Heals allies in a stream
• Secondary Fire: Damages enemies with water projectiles
• Ability 1 (Flow State): Creates a water current that speeds up allies
• Ability 2 (Aqua Barrier): Creates a protective water barrier
• Ultimate (Tidal Wave): Summons a massive wave that damages enemies and heals allies

Current Tier Placement: B-Tier

Wuyang currently sits in B-tier for several reasons:

1. Still Being Figured Out: As a new hero, optimal perk combinations and playstyles are still being discovered
2. High Skill Ceiling: His abilities require precise timing and positioning to be effective
3. Situational Effectiveness: While strong in certain situations, he doesn’t provide the consistent value of S-tier supports
4. Competition: He faces stiff competition from established S-tier supports like Ana and Kiriko

Potential for Improvement

As players become more familiar with Wuyang and discover optimal perk combinations, he has the potential to rise to A-tier. His unique mechanics and ultimate ability provide value that no other support can match, making him an interesting pick for teams looking for something different.

Perk System Impact on Tier List

The Season 18 perk system overhaul has had a massive impact on hero viability. Let’s examine some of the most significant perk changes and their effects:

Major Perk Changes

Several heroes received completely new major perks that significantly changed their playstyle:

• D.Va: Lost Heavy Rockets, gained Precision Fusion (reduces spread by 75% for 3 seconds)
• Doomfist: Lost Seismic Empowerment, gained Aftershock (enemies hit by Seismic Slam are slowed)
• Orisa: Lost Deep Wounds, gained Willy-Willy (increases Jagged Blade radius and damage on recall)
• Reinhardt: Lost Crushing Victory, gained Ignited Fury (increased attack speed after Fire Strike hits)

Minor Perk Changes

Many heroes received new minor perks that addressed their weaknesses or enhanced their strengths:

• Tracer: Gained Kinetic Reload (extra ammo on melee damage)
• Torbjörn: Gained Hammer Time (increased movement speed with forge hammer)
• Sigma: Gained Hyper Regeneration (hypersphere damage restores barrier health)
• Zarya: Gained Energy Converter (extra energy on secondary fire hits)

Overall Meta Impact

These perk changes have created a more balanced meta where previously weak heroes are now viable options. The emphasis on new, more impactful perks has rewarded players who take the time to learn optimal perk combinations for their favorite heroes.

Map-Specific Tier Considerations

While our general tier list provides a good overview of hero viability, it’s important to consider map-specific factors that can dramatically change hero effectiveness:

Control Maps

On control maps like Ilios and Nepal, heroes with strong area denial and close-range effectiveness excel:

• S-Tier: Zarya, Doomfist, Tracer
• A-Tier: Winston, D.Va, Kiriko
• B-Tier: Reinhardt, Cassidy, Baptiste

Escort Maps

Escort maps like Route 66 and Dorado favor heroes with good ultimate charge and defensive capabilities:

• S-Tier: Sigma, Sojourn, Ana
• A-Tier: Orisa, Ashe, Lúcio
• B-Tier: Roadhog, Widowmaker, Mercy

Hybrid Maps

Hybrid maps like King’s Row and Blizzard World require versatile heroes that can adapt to different phases:

• S-Tier: Zarya, Echo, Kiriko
• A-Tier: D.Va, Soldier 76, Baptiste
• B-Tier: Reinhardt, Pharah, Brigitte

Pro Play vs. Ranked Play Considerations in 2026

It’s important to note that hero viability can differ significantly between professional play and ranked play:

Pro Play Meta

In professional play, coordination and teamwork amplify the effectiveness of certain heroes:

• Higher Emphasis: Ana, Zarya, Sojourn
• Lower Emphasis: Solo carry heroes like Tracer and Genji
• Niche Picks: Heroes that excel in specific coordinated strategies

Ranked Play Meta

In ranked play, individual impact and consistency are more important:

• Higher Emphasis: Tracer, Torbjörn, Lúcio
• Lower Emphasis: Heroes requiring team coordination
• Solo Queue Friendly: Heroes that can create value independently

Counter Picks and Team Composition

Understanding hero counters and team composition synergy is crucial for success in Overwatch 2:

Common Counter Picks

Hero	Strong Counters	Weak Against
Sojourn	Winston, D.Va, Sigma	Tracer, Genji, Sombra
Zarya	Pharah, Echo, Widowmaker	Reaper, Doomfist, Tracer
Ana	Winston, Tracer, Genji	Pharah, Echo, Cassidy
Tracer	McCree, Sombra, Roadhog	Winston, Zarya, Brigitte

Team Composition Synergy

Certain heroes work exceptionally well together:

• Dive Composition: Winston, D.Va, Tracer, Genji, Lúcio
• Brawl Composition: Reinhardt, Zarya, Cassidy, Mei, Ana
• Poke Composition: Sigma, Orisa, Ashe, Widowmaker, Ana
• Speed Composition: Lucio, Brigitte, Tracer, Genji, Winston

FAQ

What makes a hero S-tier in Overwatch 2 Season 18?

S-tier heroes in Season 18 are characterized by their strong perk options, high impact in team fights, versatility across different maps and compositions, and consistent performance at all skill levels. These heroes typically have strong ultimates, good survivability, and the ability to create value independently.

How have the new perks changed the meta?

The Season 18 perk overhaul has significantly impacted hero viability by addressing previous weaknesses and enhancing strengths. Many B-tier heroes from previous seasons have risen to A or S-tier due to their new perk options, creating a more balanced and diverse meta.

Is Wuyang worth learning as a new support player?

While Wuyang is currently in B-tier, he has unique mechanics and potential that make him worth learning. As the community discovers optimal perk combinations and playstyles, he may rise in the rankings. His water-bending abilities offer a fresh take on the support role.

Which heroes are best for climbing in competitive play?

For climbing competitive play, focus on S-tier heroes like Sojourn, Tracer, Sigma, Zarya, Ana, and Kiriko. These heroes have the highest impact and are most likely to carry games. However, it’s also important to play heroes you’re comfortable with and that fit your playstyle.

How often should I expect the tier list to change?

With regular balance patches and the new perk system, the tier list can change significantly between patches. Major updates typically occur every 2-3 months, with smaller balance adjustments happening more frequently. It’s important to stay updated with the latest patch notes and meta shifts.

What’s the best way to improve with a specific hero?

To improve with a specific hero, focus on mastering their mechanics, understanding optimal perk combinations, learning positioning, and practicing in different scenarios. Watch high-level players, analyze your gameplay, and gradually work on improving specific aspects of your play.

Conclusion

This comprehensive Overwatch 2 tier list for Season 18 should give you a solid foundation for making informed hero picks in your matches. Remember that while tier lists provide valuable guidance, personal skill and comfort with a hero often matter more than their theoretical ranking.

The Season 18 meta is more balanced than ever thanks to the perk system overhaul, with previously underutilized heroes now becoming viable options. Whether you’re climbing the competitive ladder or just enjoying casual play, understanding the current meta will help you make smarter decisions and improve your win rate.

Keep in mind that the meta is constantly evolving, so stay updated with the latest balance changes and community discussions. Most importantly, have fun and experiment with different heroes and perk combinations to find what works best for you!

For more detailed guides on specific heroes and game modes, check out our Ultimate Overwatch 2 Season 18 Patch Notes Guide and Best Overwatch 2 Stadium DPS Builds. And if you’re looking to maximize your loot box collection, don’t miss our guide on the Ultimate Overwatch 2 Event: 77 Free Loot Boxes.

Happy gaming, and may your ranked climb be swift and rewarding!