Overwatch 2 has brought fundamental updates and alterations to Blizzard's beloved hero shooter. The hero shooters' 6v6 compositions have since been replaced by 5v5 team compositions with a solo Tank as the designated team leader.
These changes put additional pressure on the lone Tank, as they are forced to make space and protect their team while pressuring the enemy. There are currently 11 Tanks in Overwatch 2, each with a unique Ultimate that can change a team fight instantly, but some Tank Ultimates are better than others.
Updated January 8, 2023, by Maya Sattar: Ramattra has been released for a solid month and cemented his place in the Overwatch 2 roster, as he has clearly made quite an impression on players. Ramattra is now a constant presence in both competitive games and quick play, and it's clear to see why. He is an absolute powerhouse, especially when using his Ultimate, Annihilation, making him virtually unstoppable as he is almost guaranteed to wipe the enemy team with little-to-no trouble. Overwatch 2's meta is always ever-changing, so Ramattra's place in the rankings has been shifted to reflect that, as well as some other slight placement changes.
11 Wrecking Ball's Minefield
Wrecking Ball is a hero struggling to find his place in Overwatch 2's new solo Tank meta. He's highly mobile, designed to flank and harass the enemy team. His complex abilities make him a rare pick in most low-elo games, as he is hard for players to capitalize on and play efficiently.
Wrecking Ball's Ultimate Minefield drops several proximity-based mines around his current position. His Ultimate is best paired with Grappling Claw and Piledriver, as Minefield spreads over a larger radius when dropped from a greater height, with Piledriver knocking enemies up into the explosives. It's a good Ultimate for area denial on objectives, but his high skill cap means that Wrecking Ball's Ultimate is one of the worst in Overwatch 2.
10 Junker Queen's Rampage
After being teased and referenced in Overwatch lore for years, Junker Queen was finally released alongside Overwatch 2's debut. She is the most aggressive Tank in the game, excelling at close-quarters combat as most of her abilities cause enemies to take damage from bleeding over time.
Junker Queen's Ultimate, Rampage, allows her to rush forward into the fray with her whirling magnetized ax. She slashes at all enemies in her path, inflicting an anti-healing debuff similar to Ana's Biotic Grenade for a short duration. Junker Queen's Ultimate is great for initiating an aggressive push, but it pales in comparison with other Tank Ultimates, and it is difficult to get effective use out of her kit.
9 Winston's Primal Rage
Winston is one of Overwatch's most agile Tanks, primarily used to harass the enemy backline and supports as his kit focuses more on mobility rather than protecting his team. His Tesla Cannon penetrates through enemy shields, making him a great Tank to annoy the enemy team, especially a Widowmaker, forcing them to switch to a different hero.
This intellectual primate has an aptly named Ultimate, Primal Rage. Activating this allows Winston to double in size and enter into an aggressive rage. He gains Overhealth, a movement speed buff, and cooldown reduction. However, he can only use his fists to swipe at enemies and move them - great for displacing a crucial enemy target. He can continuously jump into the enemy team, but it is rare for Winston to get kills with this Ultimate.
8 Sigma's Gravitic Flux
Sigma is an eccentric astrophysicist with an out-of-this-world personality. Due to an orbital science experiment accident, Sigma gained the power to control gravity. He is a shield Tank that can protect his team with his projected shield barrier and bouncing rock projectiles.
With his Ultimate Gravitic Flux, Sigma defies all laws of gravity and rises into the air. He can then target a circular area, lifting chosen enemies into the air for a short duration before slamming them back down to the ground. This is an excellent Ultimate for zoning enemies during Overtime, but it rarely gets kills on its own and would need to be paired with another hero's Ultimate.
7 Reinhardt's Earthshatter
Reinhardt is the quintessential Tank in Overwatch 2, a staple since the original game launched in 2016. He is one of the few Tanks in the game left with a Shield to protect his team. Coupled with his Rocket Hammer, Reinhardt is the double threat of damage and tankiness for any foes caught in his striking range.
Reinhardt's Ultimate Earthshatter causes him to slam his Rocket Hammer down in a devastating blow, knocking down and stunning any enemies in his radius. Although it can be blocked by shields and interrupted by stuns, it can turn the tide of any team fight. Earthshatter's stun lasts for several seconds, providing plenty of time for Reinhardt to inflict his deadly Charge and Fire Strike combo.
6 D.Va's Self Destruct
D.Va has long been a fan-favorite character and received little to no changes to her kit with the release of Overwatch 2.Her Defense Matrix is her primary strength, allowing her to block and absorb all incoming projectiles, including some enemy Ultimates like Zarya's Graviton Surge and Mei's Blizzard, to name a few.
The professional-gamer-turned-mech-hero has an interesting Ultimate. Self Destruct allows D.Va to launch her mech into the air as an exploding time bomb. If timed right, it can prove explosive and get some kills. However, it can sometimes be too easy to completely whiff Self Destruct and hit no one. Luckily, Self-Destruct recharges fairly quickly, and can always be used as a zoning Ultimate to keep the enemy from touching the point, even if it gets no kills.
5 Doomfist's Meteor Strike
Doomfist has been drastically revamped in Overwatch 2, converted from a DPS powerhouse into a brawler Tank with less damage potential. That being said, he is still a pain to go up against as he still packs a punch, allowing him to gain Overhealth when dealing damage with his abilities. When paired with a dive composition, Doomfist applies plenty of pressure that will cause the enemy team to panic.
His Ultimate Meteor has remained the same as he leaps into the sky and can aim a targeting circle to strike. Meteor Strike can be used offensively or defensively, depending on the situation's requirements. When low health, Meteor Strike can be used to escape certain death, while it can also focus enemies with no mobility, like Ana or Zenyatta, for a guaranteed kill.
4 Zarya's Graviton Surge
With her barriers and tanky health pool, Zarya is destined to be upfront in battle. She can draw in enemy fire using her Particle and Projected Barrier to gain charge for her Particle Cannon and her Ultimate Graviton Surge. She can be extremely effective once she has reached at least 50% charge on her weapon, which is a critical element of her gameplay.
Graviton Surge launches a ball of gravity from Zarya's Particle Cannon, drawing in any nearby enemies. This holds them there for a few seconds while her team decimates them. Graviton Surge is one of the strongest Ultimates in Overwatch 2, as it is inescapable once enemies are trapped inside. It synergizes well with offensive Ultimates like Reaper's Death Blossom or Genji's Dragonblade to keep the enemy stationary.
3 Orisa's Terrasurger
A hero that has recently seen an extensive rework is Orisa, whose entire kit and Ultimate are now utterly different in Overwatch 2. Orisa is now virtually unkillable, with her damage-nullifying Javelin Spin and Fortify, which allows her to gain Overhealth and prevents her from being stunned. Her new Ultimate Terrasurger replaced Supercharger and is way more aggressive and upfront, matching her new combative playstyle.
Errasurger pulls in all nearby enemies while granting Orisa the defensive effects of Fortify. Orisa players can then choose when to unleash her powering Ultimate. The issue with Terrasurger is that enemies can easily escape its AoE like Kiriko can use Swift Step or Protection Suzu to negate the effects, and barriers from Reinhardt can block the unleashed damage. Orisa players need to learn when to unleash the power they have charged for maximum value, but it is still a great Ultimate to group up enemies and charges up reasonably quickly.
2 Roadhog's Whole Hog
In the ever-changing meta, Roadhog is currently the most overpowered Tank in Overwatch 2. He can be classified as a bruiser, as most of his damage comes from being up close and personal with the opposing team. He has incredible damage potential with both his Primary and Secondary fire and can easily sustain himself with his healing Take A Breather ability. Roadhog's mere presence on the battlefield is enough to scatter the enemy forces for fear of being grabbed by his Chain Hook and subjected to his one-shot combo.
Roadhog's Ultimate was slightly reworked to become a channeled Ultimate. Players can now pick and choose when they use Whole Hog while using Roadhog's other abilities, like Take A Breather or Chain Hook. Whole Hog is incredible for clearing an objective due to its sheer knock-back and damage potential. He also cannot be stunned, or CC'd out of his Ultimate, making him a virtually unstoppable behemoth of a Tank. When Whole Hog is paired with friendly Kiriko's Kitsune Rush, the enemy team has no chance of escaping the bullet hell.
1 Ramattra's Annihilation
The most recent addition to the Tank roster is Ramattra, the leader of the antagonist militia Oomnic group, Null Sector. His mechanics are unique alongside his dual forms: his regular form with projectile attacks and his melee, bulkier Nemesis. Ramattra's Ultimate Annihilation temporarily transforms him into his Nemesis form, as an energy aura will surround him, damaging enemies caught in its radius
While using Annihilation, Ramattra can continue using his Nemesis abilities, like Pummel, Block, and Ravenous Vortex to batter enemies. Although his Ultimate's duration should only last three seconds, it will be paused for as long as any enemies are being damaged by his Annihilation swarm, meaning he can continue indefinitely. While using Annihilation, Ramattra is extremely hard to counter and can easily drain the life force of his enemies within mere seconds, which is why Annihilation is the best Tank Ultimate in Overwatch 2 at the time of writing.
Overwatch 2 is available to play on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.