# Overwatch 2 Theorycraft

**[afnleaf's notes](https://afnleaf.github.io/notes.html)**

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**This article is pure speculation**
Nothing here should be taken as a fact, it is a thought experiment for the purpose of discussion.

## Some ideas on different 5v5

*1-2-2* is 1 tank, 2 dps, 2 support
This is what the devs want.

*2-2-1* is 2 tank, 2 dps, 1 support
This is something people were suggesting. The game needs more variety. I have some ideas about making 5v5 more diverse.

### basic idea
- 1 hero from each role mandatory
- 2 from each role maximum
- 1 tank, 1 dps, 1 support, 2 flex

You get your *2-2-2* in a microcosm while bringing back the *flex* role and with it all sorts of creative compositions. You can queue for your 4 roles, *tank*, *dps*, *support* and *flex*! There was a time and place before role queue when *offtank* was called *flextank*. There are many overwatch pros that excel at multiple roles currently, ex: Pelican, Viol2t, Rascal, Hotba. There were even more pros that could play multiple roles in the past. This game is meant to have flexible players. Bring it back!

*2-2-1*
![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![roadhog](https://i.imgur.com/g9wvxER.jpg "roadhog" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![ashe](https://i.imgur.com/mpQlxrs.jpg "ashe" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)

*2-1-2*
![reinhardt](https://i.imgur.com/wKkGxcz.jpg "reinhardt" =50x45) ![dva](https://i.imgur.com/J37idVM.jpg "dva" =50x45) ![mei](https://i.imgur.com/fMFe0Xh.jpg "mei" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45) ![baptiste](https://i.imgur.com/7GMdqFD.jpg "baptiste" =50x45)

*1-2-2*
![sigma](https://i.imgur.com/eslhlP7.jpg "sigma" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![echo](https://i.imgur.com/lHpRFQf.jpg "echo" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![brigitte](https://i.imgur.com/Hvj3YxE.jpg "brigitte" =50x45)

cons: queue times for DPS, this is a problem the devs are trying to fix with 5v5

solution to queue times for DPS -> make flex more fun to play
how?: make all the characters play more like DPS because it is the most popular role or...

### possible solutions
Make 2 dps mandatory

- 1 tank, 2 dps, 1 support, 1 flex

This would allow for tank style *2-2-1*, support heavy *1-2-2* or triple DPS *1-3-1*. DPS players might just queue for flex. Tank and Support players would complain about both their roles getting killed.

- 2 from each role maximum forces 1-2-2 or 2-2-1

That would be is bad because you will essentially force support players and tank players to compete for a slot.

- 2 dps, 3 flex

Prevents the return of goats style comps where no DPS are played. Allows for 5 dps shenanigans again.

### absolute best solution (imo..)

- 5v5
- no role lock

Game becomes hard to balance again but queue times are super fast.

Why was role lock implemented? One simple problem was games being lost on pick screen when one role isn't picked. Ex: 5 dps 1 support comps. In my opinion terrible queue times are worse than getting games like this in comp. Overwatch is meant to be played in a team environment where balanced compositions can be agreed upon. A better solution would be implementing a 5v5 team queue like current OD ladder but directly integrated with the client.

____

## The devs...

***1-2-2*** is what the devs want. It kinda sucks for various reasons but we gotta learn and adapt if no change is made. We can only theory craft based on what exists in the game right now and some changes that were highlighted in the developer update.

With only one tank in play, DPS oriented compositions should reign supreme. Supports designed to enable dps will then be amazing. A tank that doesn't require as many resources will synergize with this the best, because you can spend time pocketing the DPS.

### DPS
These heroes will all gain a move speed passive. We can try to rank them on how they strong they would be in a pure DPS environment.

**S**
![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45)
Tracer is the premier dueling DPS character.

**A**
![widowmaker](https://i.imgur.com/IY1TzoS.jpg "widowmaker" =50x45) ![ashe](https://i.imgur.com/mpQlxrs.jpg "ashe" =50x45) ![echo](https://i.imgur.com/lHpRFQf.jpg "echo" =50x45) ![sombra](https://i.imgur.com/25DeGBZ.jpg "sombra" =50x45)
Long range or excellent mobility.

**B**
![genji](https://i.imgur.com/E0LfjfL.jpg "genji" =50x45) ![hanzo](https://i.imgur.com/bxRfivm.jpg "hanzo" =50x45) ![mccree](https://i.imgur.com/gvXShkD.jpg "mccree" =50x45)
Less consistent versions of their above tier counter parts

**C**
![torbjorn](https://i.imgur.com/0essngl.jpg "torbjorn" =50x45) ![pharah](https://i.imgur.com/qExt1w2.jpg "pharah" =50x45) ![soldier](https://i.imgur.com/iLUFcbc.jpg "soldier" =50x45) ![doom](https://i.imgur.com/DO3V7co.jpg "doom" =50x45)
Niche characters. Doom could be insanely powerful for his unique kit.

**D**
![bastion](https://i.imgur.com/CdYsCS3.jpg "bastion" =50x45) ![junkrat](https://i.imgur.com/gkVlamG.jpg "junkrat" =50x45) ![mei](https://i.imgur.com/fMFe0Xh.jpg "mei" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![symmetra](https://i.imgur.com/ElYyQ3D.jpg "symmetra" =50x45)
Tank busting characters in a world where you don't need to destroy tanks but win duels in lane are a liability.

Some tanky DPS characters might actually be very strong and fill a hybrid tank/dps role. This tier list could be very wrong.

### Supports
These heroes will gain a passive healing ability allowing them to be more self sustaining.

**A**
![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45) ![brigitte](https://i.imgur.com/Hvj3YxE.jpg "brigitte" =50x45)

These 3 heroes are all about enabling DPS with damage boosting abilities and single target *pocket* healing. Brigitte could be very strong as a tank/support hybrid while also being the best peeling character.

**B**
![baptiste](https://i.imgur.com/7GMdqFD.jpg "baptiste" =50x45) ![ana](https://i.imgur.com/GKmy4Z9.jpg "ana" =50x45)

These play to enable tanks more but can also take duels with DPS. Their high single target healing potential could enable tanks really hard.

**C**
![moira](https://i.imgur.com/bVjeL8C.jpg "moira" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)

If we assume tank oriented playstyles to drop in power we can expect deathball style supports to be a lot weaker.

## Tanks
Tanks will define the main win condition you want to play for. Look for key synergies between tanks, dps and supports. Try to create 1-1-1 comps then add another 2 heroes.

- Win conditions
- 1-1-1 Synergies

### DVa

**Spam** -> Matrix and High Ground Space Control
![dva](https://i.imgur.com/J37idVM.jpg "dva" =50x45) ![ashe](https://i.imgur.com/mpQlxrs.jpg "ashe" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45)
- DVa trades poke well with DM, can peel back to help Zen
- Ashe and Zen are great at poking

**Brawl** -> Enable Brawl heroes to walk in with Matrix
![dva](https://i.imgur.com/J37idVM.jpg "dva" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)
- Use DM as a tool to escort a brawl DPS into the enemy's face
- Reaper and Lucio are both fast and mobile

**Dive** -> Mobility
![dva](https://i.imgur.com/J37idVM.jpg "dva" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45)
- Use mobility to set up dive engages with Tracer
- Can always play to peel and enable Zen

### Orisa

**Spam** -> Pull, Shield
![orisa](https://i.imgur.com/4XbbwcI.jpg "orisa" =50x45) ![echo](https://i.imgur.com/lHpRFQf.jpg "echo" =50x45) ![baptiste](https://i.imgur.com/7GMdqFD.jpg "baptiste" =50x45)
- Pull + Sticky bombs
- Bap pockets Orisa from distance, cycle shields, fortify, lamp

**Brawl** -> Fortify Battle Cattle
![orisa](https://i.imgur.com/4XbbwcI.jpg "orisa" =50x45) ![doom](https://i.imgur.com/DO3V7co.jpg "doom" =50x45) ![ana](https://i.imgur.com/GKmy4Z9.jpg "ana" =50x45)
- Pull + Doom engages
- Pull + Nade, Ana pockets Orisa frontline, Nano Doom

### Reinhardt

**Brawl** -> Swing
![reinhardt](https://i.imgur.com/wKkGxcz.jpg "reinhardt" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)
- Use Shield to rotate and close distance, have massive melee damage
- Alternatively charge in, Reaper and Lucio can also use mobility to get in

**Spam** -> pls play rectangle man we need a shield he is the only shield guy
![reinhardt](https://i.imgur.com/wKkGxcz.jpg "reinhardt" =50x45) ![bastion](https://i.imgur.com/CdYsCS3.jpg "bastion" =50x45) ![baptiste](https://i.imgur.com/7GMdqFD.jpg "baptiste" =50x45)
- eh

### Roadhog

**Spam** -> Fat damage pig
![roadhog](https://i.imgur.com/g9wvxER.jpg "roadhog" =50x45) ![junkrat](https://i.imgur.com/gkVlamG.jpg "junkrat" =50x45)![ana](https://i.imgur.com/GKmy4Z9.jpg "ana" =50x45)
- He is a DPS with a cool one shot
- Junkrat is his buddy so there is obviously natural synergy there
- He needs healing, Ana enables solo tanks

### Sigma

**Spam** -> Excellent at trading poke and playing for spam
![sigma](https://i.imgur.com/eslhlP7.jpg "sigma" =50x45) ![widowmaker](https://i.imgur.com/IY1TzoS.jpg "widowmaker" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45)
- All heroes play for spam and angles
- Sigma enables Zen LOS with his shield really well

**Brawl** -> Can enable DPS to walk in with Shield
![sigma](https://i.imgur.com/eslhlP7.jpg "sigma" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)
- throw shield forward, reaper walks in behind with speed

### Winston
**Dive** -> jump engage to burst and take space with mobility
![winston](https://i.imgur.com/xLXrWXU.jpg "winston" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![ana](https://i.imgur.com/GKmy4Z9.jpg "ana" =50x45)
- Tracer and Winston go together like peanut butter and peanut butter
- Ana enables with Nano and strong long range pocket healing

**Brawl** -> Can enable DPS by taking a lot of attention with bubble engage
![winston](https://i.imgur.com/xLXrWXU.jpg "winston" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)

### Wrecking Ball

**Spam** -> Can duel with DPS in poke phase
![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![pharah](https://i.imgur.com/qExt1w2.jpg "pharah" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)
- Use amazing mobility to set up angles

**Dive** -> Dive engages are pretty simple
![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45)
- Ball and Tracer dives are super strong
- Zenyatta enables burst with Discord, Harmony keeps them up

### Zarya

**Brawl** -> Bubble Brawl DPS in
![zarya](https://i.imgur.com/YzMdJtz.jpg "zarya" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)
- use bubbles to close distance in rotation

**Dive** -> Doom Dive
![zarya](https://i.imgur.com/YzMdJtz.jpg "zarya" =50x45) ![doom](https://i.imgur.com/DO3V7co.jpg "doom" =50x45) ![ana](https://i.imgur.com/GKmy4Z9.jpg "ana" =50x45)
- bubble doom engage
- Ana good at pocketing tank when walking forward
- Nano Doom or Zarya strong, Nade to combo with engage

**Spam** -> Peek with Bubbles
![zarya](https://i.imgur.com/YzMdJtz.jpg "zarya" =50x45) ![hanzo](https://i.imgur.com/bxRfivm.jpg "hanzo" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)
- Zarya can play slow and trade poke with bubbles to gain charge
- Grav Dragon :DDDD
- probably her weakest style

## Potential comps

Take two *1-1-1* synergies with tanks and you can create a composition from it.

ex, **Ball Dive/Spam Hybrid**
|![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![pharah](https://i.imgur.com/qExt1w2.jpg "pharah" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45) | + | ![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) | = | ![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![pharah](https://i.imgur.com/qExt1w2.jpg "pharah" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)|

<br>

Assuming a map/lane control oriented playstyle is best because it plays into DPS then we can assume some of the best comps could look like this.

**Ball Dive**
![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![sombra](https://i.imgur.com/25DeGBZ.jpg "sombra" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![brigitte](https://i.imgur.com/Hvj3YxE.jpg "brigitte" =50x45)

**Ball Spam**
![ball](https://i.imgur.com/EroZpJL.jpg "ball" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![ashe](https://i.imgur.com/mpQlxrs.jpg "ashe" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)

**Sig Spam**
![sigma](https://i.imgur.com/eslhlP7.jpg "sigma" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![ashe](https://i.imgur.com/mpQlxrs.jpg "ashe" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)

**Double Sniper**
![sigma](https://i.imgur.com/eslhlP7.jpg "sigma" =50x45) ![widowmaker](https://i.imgur.com/IY1TzoS.jpg "widowmaker" =50x45) ![hanzo](https://i.imgur.com/bxRfivm.jpg "hanzo" =50x45) ![zenyatta](https://i.imgur.com/LtrummE.jpg "zenyatta" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)

**Orisa Spam**
![orisa](https://i.imgur.com/4XbbwcI.jpg "orisa" =50x45) ![echo](https://i.imgur.com/lHpRFQf.jpg "echo" =50x45) ![ashe](https://i.imgur.com/mpQlxrs.jpg "ashe" =50x45) ![baptiste](https://i.imgur.com/7GMdqFD.jpg "baptiste" =50x45) ![mercy](https://i.imgur.com/q64GA3L.jpg "mercy" =50x45)

**Doom Dive**
![zarya](https://i.imgur.com/YzMdJtz.jpg "zarya" =50x45) ![doom](https://i.imgur.com/DO3V7co.jpg "doom" =50x45) ![tracer](https://i.imgur.com/4NrjTQO.jpg "tracer" =50x45) ![ana](https://i.imgur.com/GKmy4Z9.jpg "ana" =50x45) ![brigitte](https://i.imgur.com/Hvj3YxE.jpg "brigitte" =50x45)

**Brawl**
![reinhardt](https://i.imgur.com/wKkGxcz.jpg "reinhardt" =50x45) ![mei](https://i.imgur.com/fMFe0Xh.jpg "mei" =50x45) ![reaper](https://i.imgur.com/mrLp0CS.jpg "reaper" =50x45) ![moira](https://i.imgur.com/bVjeL8C.jpg "moira" =50x45) ![lucio](https://i.imgur.com/M3hs7pk.jpg "lucio" =50x45)

Keep in mind anything could work, this is just early speculation.

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## Some closing thoughts

A lot of OW1's problems in the competitive scene stem from the number of tank players. For various reasons people do not want to play tank.

#### - long queues for non-tank roles
This makes streaming the game unpopular as there is too much downtime when watching the best players stream. This in turn lowers the number of people willing to make content, decreasing the reach of the title. People aren't playing overwatch, that is a problem.

#### - shortage of MTs in T3+
The maximum number of teams is directly co-related to the number of players in the least popular role. Having more teams in the scene could create a more competitive environment. Of course quality does not relate to quantity but more teams able to play at one level could be neat.

**5v5 helps fix these issues**
To me not all is doom and gloom surrounding the possible changes. This could have a positive impact on the growth of the game in the long term. Personally if there is a way for the most basic fundamentals of overwatch to stay intact then I think it will be fun game.

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