1. #1

    Know Your Role! A Beginners Overwatch Team Building Guide

    Know Your Role!
    A Beginners Overwatch Team Building Guide

    Update 11/17/2015

    Chapters:
    1-Intro
    2-Theory
    3-The Roles
    4-Heroes!
    5-Final Notes



    Introduction:

    Hello all, my name is Rengatsuo and I am looking to put together a comprehensive team building guide that will hopefully be a go-to resource used to help out those who are just entering the beta or who have had it and are trying it for the first time. This may feel a little redundant as the developers have done an Amazing job putting together the team builder interface to help people understand what it takes to create a balanced team, but I want to delve further into why we pick what we pick. Please understand that these are my observations from watching a large number of competitive Overwatch scrims between high level teams. (including matches against the developers). In addition please understand that I do not in fact play in the beta and these conclusions have been reached from countless hours of observation only so please take anything I write with a grain of salt. I am looking to update this frequently so feel free to disagree with everything I put down. All I ask is that you State your reasons behind your suggestions. I will ignore random flame posts as we are looking for constructive criticisms only. Thank you all for your help putting this information together and have fun playing Overwatch!



    My Theory:

    Every Hero in this game has the ability to fill several different archetypes and or roles within the team. The only problem is that when people chose the role of say Tank in a group and then run off to disrupt the enemy team it causes rage. Sometimes this is appropriate (D.va) sometimes not so much (Reinhardt). My point is that if the team needed that tank on the front line helping to push the payload and they are not doing so it is going to make things harder than they need to be. Not that they can't win, just that it can be more difficult than it should be. It is because Heroes have the ability to fill several roles that you can have doubles in a team and still maintain a nice balance.

    The point of creating a team composition is to know your goal and or strategy that you want to play within your team and for that map. Unfortunately there are so many factors in choosing that it can become extremely deep. When you start your game you are Blind to the enemy team so your choices are all about synthesizing your group to your game plan,but the second those gates open every plan in the game will go to hell, because the biggest factor to consider is Who is on the enemy team! This will ultimately decide who you should be playing as.

    I will be using a little different terms than those listed in game as all characters in this game have the ability to fill several roles, so bare with me please until I finish explaining why I have chosen these names and how they work. The reason that I will be using these terms is so that when you see an enemy composition you will know what they are planning to do on the map (offensively or defensively) and you will have the ability to change your team on the fly. The goal is to not only shut down a single enemy team member, but for your entire team to be flexible enough to handle whatever is thrown at them.



    The Roles (other wise known as)

    In a balanced team:

    Pusher 1-2 (Front line Tank)
    I lead the way! You keep your team moving forward toward the objective and/or are the one pushing the payload. While you do not want to take unnecessary damage it is better you than your team.

    Off Tank 0-2 (Anti-Disrupt/Rear Line Defender)
    I hunt for flankers! Your job is not about taking damage as it is preventing it. You need to keep the squishes alive! Aka everyone else in the team but your Pusher... This can be the hardest and least valued role. Pubs will not understand your choices of movement or Hero choice. Your main focus should be a combination of herding your team forward and killing off those annoying Disrupters (tracer, reaper, etc...)

    Disrupt 0-3 (Flanker/Anti-Siege)
    I fight behind the enemy line! Your entire focus should be pulling the enemy away from the objectives. Sometimes they will chase you and you can get a one on one kill. Sometimes you are able to catch a lone support running back to the fray. Either way whether you kill them or not keep them distracted. Every time you get a Reinhardt to turn around is a victory. Main note is try to not die. Get it hit them and get out. Kill or not make them deal with you and be such a pain that they have to assign more than one person to getting rid of you!

    Main Damage 0-2(Sniper/Siege)
    I kill stuff! You are the only person in the game who gets to focus solely on killing people! Just remember you objective is to keep the enemy off the point. You tend to be highly immobile characters however you dish out more than enough damage to make up for it. Your weakest point is that you are so squishy it isn't funny and need massive amounts of protection to be able to fulfill your role...

    Secondary Damage 0-3 (Specialized/Mobile)
    I fight With the front line! This is the role that changes the most often. One death you are Pharah/Junkrat pushing back the front line and killing a bastion. The very next re-spawn you need to be soldier 76 killing a Pharah bombarding your tank. Your main focus is to help your pusher do his job. Kill off those who are specialized to stop him or help out with indirect fire to keep they enemy tank at bay. You will need to know who counters who pretty intuitively (or have them up on a second monitor)

    Support 0-2 (yeah no real other names I have heard, Healer, but not all support can heal... nor should they...)
    I help fill out the needs of my team! It sounds crazy but your job is in the title. You help fill out the needs of the team. A lot of beginners associate this with only healing, but a good support comes in many forms. All the current supports in the game (but one) have the added capacity of filling additional roles other than support, so feel free to bring a second one into the game and assist with a secondary role outside of their known main.



    Heroes!:

    This is where I currently believe each Hero falls within my previous listed roles in no particular order. If anyone disagrees, please let me know why and I will change these as public opinion changes. I could give why each and every hero fits in their assigned slots with extreme detail, but we don’t need 10-12 pages of text in this document (I don't know how to use spoilers tags that would allow drop downs atm...) I will put my contact info down at the end if you have and questions as to why I made the choices that I did and I will respond to constructive criticisms in the posts below to update accordingly.

    *(I should have one other person helping me in this role)

    Pushers
    D.va*, Reinhardt, Roadhog, Winston*, Zarya*,

    Off Tanks
    D.va, Hanzo*, Junkrat*, McCree, Mei, Pharah*, Reinhardt*, Roadhog, Soldier: 76*, Symmetra*, Winston, Zarya

    Disrupters
    D.va, Genji, Hanzo*, Lucio*, McCree, Mei*, Reaper, Roadhog, Soldier: 76, Tracer, Winston

    Main Damages
    Bastion, Hanzo, Torbjorn, Widowmaker

    Secondary Damages
    D.Va, Hanzo, Junkrat, McCree, Mei, Pharah, Reaper, Roadhog, Soldier: 76, Symmetra(anti-shields)*, Zarya, Zenyatta

    Supports:
    Lucio, Mei*, Mercy, Soldier: 76*, Symmetra, Torbjorn*, Zarya*, Zenyatta*



    Final Thoughts:

    Remember everyone that this is a Team Game. You will get nowhere if you try to do everything on your own. If a team mate is overlapping your role try to see if they can do it on their own or if they will need help. If they need only a little help switch to a hero who can assist them and still fill a need within the group. (Example) Some reason a guy on your team re-spawned as a mercy when you are already in the role. He was a Soldier: 76 helping out your Reinhardt. When you die consider changing over to a Zenyatta to help out your Reaper and then go help get orbs onto their tanks. Try not to rage when people overlap in your role, remember that in the middle of these games it is an every changing flux of heroes trying to gain an advantage over one another and doubling up is bound to happen.

    Thank you all very much for taking the time to listen to my thoughts on the matter. Feel free to reach me via PM at Rengatsuo#1287 and I look forward to seeing you all in game!!!

    repost from reddit

  2. #2
    Nice guide, thanks for that!

  3. #3
    A good guide, the most important thing is to focus on your game. Remember that in 33% of the games your team will be much weaker than the opposing team, in 33% your team will be stronger than the opposing team and in the remaining 33% your teams will be approximately equal and here your skill will mean everything.

  4. #4
    This is a classic example of how NOT to teach.

    Human brains are pattern-recognition machines. They instinctively look for patterns. They get excited looking for patterns. The WORST way to teach humans is to present abstract theory up front. The BEST method is examples up front. Unfortunately, our modern educational system is absolutely obsessed with teachers being as efficient as possible. Classroom teachers reach maximum efficiency by presenting abstract theory up front. This also leaves the most pupils confused and in the dark because its not how human brains work.

    On the other end of the spectrum, its interesting watching websites combat ad blockers. The pleas for removing ad blockers drop STRAIGHT into concrete examples of how to turn off your ad blocker on various browsers, with no abstract theory at all. That's actually a great example of correct teaching. Human brains learn by example and get excited by it. So that works. It amuses me that, when its something REALLY important to them, humans still know what works the best.

    This guide offers abstract theory up front and really doesn't give concrete examples. As such, its a poor introduction to Overwatch.
    TO FIX WOW:1. smaller server sizes & server-only LFG awarding satchels, so elite players help others. 2. "helper builds" with loom powers - talent trees so elite players cast buffs on low level players XP gain, HP/mana, regen, damage, etc. 3. "helper ilvl" scoring how much you help others. 4. observer games like in SC to watch/chat (like twitch but with MORE DETAILS & inside the wow UI) 5. guild leagues to compete with rival guilds for progression (with observer mode).6. jackpot world mobs.

  5. #5
    That's a lot of terminology and abstraction that literally nobody in the competitive OW scene uses. You should probably go learn how good players approach the game and think about that before writing a guide.

    Edit: Who necros a 5 year old useless post? Shame on you all.
    Last edited by Kharadin; 2019-12-25 at 02:53 PM.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Petrick View Post
    A good guide, the most important thing is to focus on your game. Remember that in 33% of the games your team will be much weaker than the opposing team, in 33% your team will be stronger than the opposing team and in the remaining 33% your teams will be approximately equal and here your skill will mean everything.
    That is some math!
    They always told me I would miss my family... but I never miss from close range.

  7. #7
    I'm really new to overwatch, just been playing tank so far to get the hang of it, I'm pretty shoddy, getting about 10 kills per game, mainly play reinhardt when available, any other characters I should try out? Easy ones for a noob please

  8. #8
    Pandaren Monk ThatsOurEric's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    1,974
    For healers, Mercy, for dps, Soldier 76. Always go to training mode to learn the heroes inside and out, and I can't
    stress enough to use vs AI to learn how to play them, moving on to Quick Play or Arcade Mode next when you're
    comfortable or confident enough.

  9. #9
    Is this guide still accurate ?^^

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by CelloGW2 View Post
    Is this guide still accurate ?^^
    You're the one spamming these posts, you tell us.

  11. #11
    Guide was posted in 2015... legit to ask !

  12. #12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •