All Overwatch characters and abilities detailed

April 22, 2026: We added information about the leaked Overwatch characters to the guide.

Who are the Overwatch characters? The current Overwatch roster boasts 51 heroes, with Sierra being the latest addition to the game. New heroes are typically released every two seasons, so keep an eye on this guide to see who has been added to the game throughout 2026.

As of Overwatch Season 1, every hero has received a sub-role. These sub-roles provide unique buffs to your hero, so it's important to know what each one does before heading into battle. We should point out that while you can play as all the Overwatch heroes in most game modes, not every hero is available to play in Stadium. Check out our Overwatch Stadium guide to see which characters are available in the MOBA-like game mode.

Here are all the Overwatch characters:

Ana

Overwatch's resident harmacist, Ana, is a sharpshooting support who, in the right hands, can completely dictate the flow of the game. Ana's Biotic Grenade applies anti-heal, making tanks considerably easier to get through. Meanwhile, her Nano Boost is traditionally used as a big 'GO' button, providing a huge stat boost to her target.

• Role: Support
• Sub-Role - Tactician: You can gain excess ultimate charge, which carries over after using your ultimate ability.
• Biotic Rifle: A sniper rifle with shots that heal teammates and damage enemies. You can scope in by holding the right mouse button.
• Sleep Dart: Fires a dart that stuns the enemy for a few seconds.
• Biotic Grenade: A throwable grenade that heals teammates and increases how much healing they can receive while applying the opposite effect on enemies caught in its area of effect.
• Nano Boost (Ultimate): Supercharges an ally so they deal more damage and take less damage.

Anran

A star student at Wuxing University, Anran uses the fire technology created by Wuxing to burn enemies to a crisp. By joining the Overwatch team, Anran hopes to keep her younger brother, Wuyang, out of trouble. Anran is one of the only heroes with an ultimate ability that triggers when she dies, making her a constant threat.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Flanker: Health packs restore more health.
• Zhuque Fans: Throw two hand fans that trigger Anran's passive ability, setting enemies on fire.
• Fan the Flames: Double the amount of burning damage enemies take with a hot wind blast.
• Inferno Rush: Launch forward in a blazing inferno, damaging any enemies you rush through.
• Dancing Blaze: Phase through nearby enemies to deal damage or avoid incoming attacks; the invulnerability window increases with every enemy hit.
• Vermillion Ascent (Ultimate): Float in the air before diving down, crashing into a zone that pulls together enemies and sets them on fire.
• Vermillion Revival (Ultimate): If Anran dies with her ultimate ready, she automatically gets revived, triggering a fiery explosion.
• Ignition (Passive): Anran's attacks burn enemies upon hit.

Ashe

If you need a little more 'yeehaw' in your life, meet Ashe. This crack shot of a DPS can chain big hits from her rifle with the odd stick of dynamite here and there with explosive efficiency. When all else fails, throw in B.O.B. to shake up the fight.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Sharpshooter: Critical hits reduce your movement ability cooldowns.
• The Viper: A semi-auto rifle that can deliver power shots when scoping in.
• Coach Gun: A quick-fire, sawn-off shotgun blast that deals lots of damage and knocks Ashe back.
• Dynamite: A throwable explosive with a short delay. It can be shot for faster detonation.
• B.O.B. (Ultimate): A robot that can be spawned into the battlefield. He sprints forward, knocking enemies into the sky, and then shoots them with his wrist-mounted guns.

Baptiste

Combat medic Baptiste is the ideal squadmate to have your back out in the field, combining healing and shielding tools to keep you safe. His ultimate, Amplification Matrix, is especially juicy when combo'd with projectile-based heroes, doubling the damage of anything that passes through it.

• Role: Support
• Sub-Role - Tactician: You can gain excess ultimate charge, which carries over after using your ultimate ability.
• Biotic Launcher: The primary weapon is a burst-fire assault rifle that deals moderate damage; the alt-fire is a healing grenade launcher.
• Regenerative Burst: Heals yourself and nearby allies for an instant burst of health, followed by a slow heal-over-time effect. The instant heal effect is doubled if the target is below half health.
• Immortality Field: A throwable device that spawns a bubble, shielding any teammates inside from death. The device can be destroyed.
• Amplification Matrix (Ultimate): A shield that's projected a couple of meters in front of Baptiste, buffing the healing and damaging effects of any ally projectiles that pass through it.
• Exo Boots (Passive): A charged leap that can be used to access vantage points. Hold crouch to charge.

Bastion

Everyone's favorite happy robot of death, Bastion has long been the ideal Overwatch hero for bunkering down points or payloads, turning into a fast-firing mobile turret with the strike of a button. The ultimate glass cannon, only pick Bastion when your team comp is set up to keep you safe.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Specialist: Eliminating an enemy briefly increases your reload speed.
• Configuration: Assault: In this setup, Bastion is a slow-moving, tank-like hero with a devastating Gatling gun.
• Configuration: Recon: A more agile, walker-like stance with an accurate rifle.
• A-36 Tactical Grenade: A 'nade that can be bounced off walls or explodes on impact with enemies or the floor.
• Configuration - Artillery (Ultimate): A stationary artillery configuration that lets you select three locations to bombard.
• Ironclad (Passive): Reduces damage taken while transformed.

Brigitte

Brigitte fundamentally changed the trajectory of Overwatch due to how ridiculously overturned she was - particularly because Shield Bash used to stun struck targets. Nowadays, the plucky Swede is in a healthier spot, healing her team based on the damage she deals with her abilities and rallying them with her ultimate to charge into the enemy.

• Role: Support
• Sub-Role - Survivor: Using a movement ability activates passive health regeneration.
• Rocket Flail: A mace for bashing skulls.
• Repair Pack: Throw it at an ally to heal them for a short spell.
• Whip Shot: Knock an enemy back with an extended flail attack.
• Barrier Shield: Hold the right mouse button to deploy an energy barrier with lots of health.
• Shield Bash: When using the Barrier Shield you can charge forward to damage and knock enemies back.
• Rally (Ultimate): Buffs movement speed and health for all nearby allies.
• Inspire (Passive): This is a passive AoE healing effect that's triggered whenever you deal damage to enemies.

Cassidy

It's high noon, and Cassidy is on the case. The rootinest, tootinest cowboy in Overwatch makes expert use of his high-powered revolver, athleticism, and magnetic grenade to take down even the meanest foe.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Sharpshooter: Critical hits reduce your movement ability cooldowns.
• Peacekeeper: A high-damage revolver.
• Combat Roll: Get an instant reload and avoid incoming fire with a directional roll.
• Magnetic Grenade: A short-range grenade that magnetizes towards the nearest enemy and explodes, dealing extra damage if it sticks to them first.
• Deadeye (Ultimate): Enter a sharpshooter mode where you lock onto every enemy in sight before unloading a volley of lethal, highly accurate shots.

D.Va

Mecha enthusiasts, here's your perfect Overwatch hero. D.Va is an off-tank that utilizes her mech to dive into backlines, provide anti-projectile support for her team using Defense Matrix, and ultimately kaboom the enemy team by making her robotic counterpart self-destruct. Just be careful when you're de-meched, as D.Va is incredibly squishy.

• Role: Tank
• Sub-Role - Initiator: Staying airborne lightly heals you.
• Fusion Cannons: Primary damage dealers, work like full-auto shotguns.
• Light Gun: When out of the mech, D.Va's primary is an automatic pistol.
• Boosters: Jet through the air in the direction you're facing.
• Defense Matrix: Block incoming fire.
• Micro Missiles: Fire a small volley of mini rockets.
• Self-Destruct (Ultimate): Eject from the mech as it hurtles forward, exploding after a short delay.
• Call Mech (Ultimate): Survive out of the mech for long enough and you can spawn in a replacement.
• Eject (Passive): Ejects from the mech if it takes too much damage and continues the fight on foot.

Domina

Described as the first 'Poke Tank' since Sigma, Domina utilizes the technology created by the Vishkar Corporation to its fullest potential, giving her the tools to protect her teammates with her powerful defensive abilities. She's also equipped with the longest-range beam in Overwatch, capable of hurting enemies from across the battlefield.

• Role: Tank
• Sub-Role - Stalwart: Reduces knockbacks and slows received.
• Photon Magnum: A medium-range beam that builds to a burst shot when fired.
• Barrier Array: Deploy a large hard-light barrier with destroyable segments.
• Crystal Charge: Send forth a crystal that deals AoE damage.
• Sonic Repulsors: Send enemies flying backwards in a straight line, stunning them if they hit a wall.
• Panopticon (Ultimate): Contain enemies inside a barrier that blocks their damage and stops them from healing. After a short period of time, the barrier explodes, dealing damage to the imprisoned players.
• Reconstruction (Passive): Damage dealt using Domina's abilities restores her shields.

Doomfist

Inspired by popular fighting game characters, Doomfist can punch his way through enemies with ease. This tanky disruptor is not only efficient at clobbering squishies, but he can peel your own high-value targets quickly should they get ganked.

• Role: Tank
• Sub-Role - Initiator: Staying airborne lightly heals you.
• Hand Cannon: A short-range primary weapon with a shotgun-like spread. Reloads automatically.
• Rocket Punch: Charge power punch that launches you forward and knocks the target back. Extra damage if you knock an enemy into a wall.
• Seismic Slam: Jump up and then smash back into the ground, dealing AoE damage.
• Power Block: A small energy shield that blocks damage and converts it into charge for your Rocket Punch.
• Meteor Strike (Ultimate): Leap through the air and then aim the reticule to decide where you land before striking the targeted area and dealing massive damage.
• The Best Defense (Passive): Dealing damage with abilities creates temporary overhealth.

Echo

One of the only worthwhile uses of AI we've seen, Echo is a highly dangerous robot who can rapidly adapt to any combat situation. She can fly, she has a cool beam, and she can transform into an enemy hero to provide an extra burst of compositional versatility.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Recon: You detect enemies below half health through walls after damaging them.
• Tri-Shot: Fires three projectiles in a triangular arrangement.
• Sticky Bombs: A small barrage of sticky bombs detonates after a short fuse.
• Flight: A quick, forward-facing burst of flight followed by a short duration in which you can fly freely.
• Focusing Beam: A beam of very high damage that does even more damage to targets who are low on health.
• Duplicate (Ultimate): Copy a targeted enemy or ally to bolster your ranks.
• Glide (Passive): Instead of jumping and falling, Echo can glide after jumping.

Emre

A former Overwatch member, Emre left the organization when he felt the group had lost sight of its original purpose. Since parting ways with Overwatch, he's aligned himself with Vendetta, earning cybernetic upgrades that appear to have brainwashed him. Emre's abilities aren't too dissimilar from Soldier 76, sporting a burst rifle, grenades, and exceptional mobility.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Specialist: Eliminating an enemy briefly increases your reload speed.
• Synthetic Burst Rifle: An assault rifle that fires three-round bursts.
  Take Aim: Aim down the Synthetic Burst Rifle's sights using a scope, tightening the burst pattern. This ability doesn't reduce Emre's movement speed while active.
• Siphon Blaster: A pistol equipped with life-stealing explosive bullets. Increases movement speed and jump height while equipped.
• Cyber Frag: Throw a grenade that can bounce off walls before exploding.
• Override Protocol (Ultimate): Emre transforms into a different being, gaining the ability to temporarily fly. While in this form, Emre equips a cannon that fires explosive shots. You can choose to fire the shots individually, or you can charge the cannon to create a massive explosion.
• Altered Vitals (Passive): Emre's passive health regeneration not only triggers faster, but he instantly gains 30 health when it activates.s

Freja

Danish deadshot Freja blends agile movement mechanics with pinpoint precision. She fulfills a similar power fantasy to Hanzo, though she sacrifices information gathering and the raw power of Dragonstrike for her excellent mobility and a layer of crowd control from Bola Shot.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Recon: You detect enemies below half health through walls after damaging them.
• Redraw Crossbow: Freja's primary fire rapidly fires automatic bolts from her crossbow. Can be used while Take Aim is reloading.
• Take Aim: Freja's secondary fire slows down her momentum before lining up and letting off a fast, explosive bolt. Quick Dash refreshes Take Aim.
• Quick Dash: Freja vaults in the direction she's moving, refreshing Take Aim in the process.
• Updraft: Freja launches upward with a gust of wind.
• Bola Shot (Ultimate): Freja fires an explosive bola. Hitting an enemy wraps them up and pulls them in, alongside other nearby enemies.
• Bounty Hunting (Passive): Freja gains bonus ultimate charge every three final blows.

Genji

If farming TikTok clips is your forte, then you'll love Genji. This ridiculously mobile, high-skill-ceiling hero blends parkour with precise strikes to devastate backlines as he darts about the map. Unleash his Dragonblade for big, choppy action.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Flanker: Health packs restore more health.
• Shuriken: A precise burst of three shurikens with your left mouse button or an arced horizontal throw if you use the right mouse button.
• Deflect: Send incoming projectiles back at the enemy, blocking melee and projectile damage too.
• Swift Strike: A fast dash attack in which you strike an enemy with your sword. Any elimination you get as Genji resets this dash.
• Dragonblade (Ultimate): Buffs Genji's sword attack so you deal more damage, can dash further, and strike more often.
• Cyber-Agility (Passive): Wall-climb and double-jump.

Hanzo

Overwatch's ranger character, Hanzo makes liberal use of different arrow types to provide info to his team and amp up his damage. Hanzo can be a beast in the hands of certified aimers, but if you're having an off day, then let his Dragonstrike take care of business for you.

• Role: DPS
• Sub-Role - Sharpshooter: Critical hits reduce your movement ability cooldowns.
• Storm Bow: A bow and arrow that can be charged for a more damaging shot.
• Storm Arrows: The next five arrows ricochet and fire instantly at reduced damage.
• Sonic Arrow: Shoot an arrow that detects any nearby enemies for a short duration.
• Lunge: Double-jump.
• Dragonstrike (Ultimate): Fires a Dragon Spirit forward, dealing massive damage to any enemy it passes through.
• Wall Climb (Passive): Jump towards a wall and Hanzo will start scrambling up it.

Hazard

The Scottish mobile tank is a prickly customer, as he can dish out damage with his Bonespur shotgun while creating new terrain to disrupt and isolate targets.

• Role: Tank
• Sub-Role - Stalwart: Reduces knockbacks and slows received.
• Bonespur: Arm-mounted shotgun that fires a burst of spikes.
• Spike Guard: Hazard protects himself, firing homing spikes at nearby enemies. Hazard gains damage reduction and regenerates ammo while guarding.
• Jagged Wall: Hazard launches a spiked wall that knocks back and damages enemies with its radius.
• Violent Leap: Lunge forward. Reactivating slashes enemies, knocking them back.
• Downpour (Ultimate): Rains down spikes, immobilizing any enemies hit.
• Vault (Passive): Hazard can scale short walls and grab ledges.

Illari

Illari uses her railgun to either attack enemies or heal allies while utilizing Outburst to reposition or peel away from assailants. Healing Pylon is a pylon that heals, and Captive Sun deals damage and applies a big debuff to struck foes.

• Role: Support
• Sub-Role - Survivor: Using a movement ability activates passive health regeneration.
• Solar Rifle: Fires damaging shots with left click and a healing beam with the right.
• Outburst: Launches Illari in the direction they are moving and can also blow enemies back.
• Healing Pylon: Fire an object, a Healing Pylon, which sticks to a surface and provides healing for your team within a certain radius. Lasts until redeployed or destroyed.
• Captive Sun (Ultimate): Illari launches into the air and fires a ball of energy that deals damage, slows enemies, and marks them. Marked enemies will explode if they take additional damage.

Jetpack Cat

Making her appearance in Gibraltar as a stray cat, Brigitte quickly adopted her and gave her a new home. After being kitted out with the latest technology, she's now ready to take on the battle against Talon. Jetpack Cat marks the newest type of support hero, allowing her to transport her teammates around the map, opening up possibilities for interesting team combos.

• Role: Support
• Sub-Role - Tactician: You can gain excess ultimate charge, which carries over after using your ultimate ability.
• Biotic Pawjectiles: Fire mid-range projectiles that damage enemies and heal allies.
• Lifeline: Pick up teammates from the ground and attach them to a tether, transporting them around the map.
• Frenetic Flight: Burn some fuel to gain a temporary speed boost. Fuel recovery is slower while carrying other players.
• Purr: Create a pulsing healing area that increases in frequency with time. The zone will knock back nearby enemies when it activates.
• Catnapper (Ultimate): Dive into the ground and knock down enemies in the blast zone. The closest nearby enemy is attached to Jetpack Cat's tether, allowing you to temporarily displace the enemy.
• Jetpack (Passive): Permanent flight.

Junker Queen

The second Overwatch hero to be added to the game during the beta, Junker Queen is a one-woman army who is at her best when facing down multiple enemies at close range. Get in, inflict wounds, and heal from wounds inflicted. Easy.

• Role: Tank
• Sub-Role - Stalwart: Reduces knockbacks and slows received.
• Scattergun: Pump-action shotgun for close-range fights.
• Jagged Blade: Throw this knife to deal damage, then use the skill again to pull it back to you, tugging any stuck enemy along with it. Inflicts a wounding effect on enemies, which deals damage over time.
• Commanding Shout: Gain temporary health and movement speed buffs for you and any nearby teammates.
• Carnage: Wound all enemies in front of you.
• Rampage (Ultimate): Charge forward, wounding enemies. This deals damage over time and prevents them from healing.
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