Overwatch 2's first successful season is coming to an end, and many substantial changes have been made. Among them are brand-new maps, a cosmetic shop, and even some new heroes. The transition to a free-to-play model is the most significant change, bringing an influx of new players to the game.
With over 17 characters in Overwatch 2's 'Damage' category, many beginner players may need help with the current meta and knowing which heroes are the best and which ones are a no-go. This article lists all the Damage Ultimates in Overwatch 2, ranked based on effectiveness.
17 Bastion's Configuration Artillery
As a DPS hero, Bastion is among the strongest of the 17 available on the roster, capable of shredding enemy shields and dealing massive amounts of burst damage. However, despite being reworked, Bastion's Ultimate remains to be hugely disappointing.
Using Configuration Artillery, Bastion becomes immobile and can fire three intensely powerful artillery shots at the enemy team. It involves critical decision-making, as the player can space these shots out or clump them together in the hopes of killing one target. Unfortunately, Bastion's Ultimate is also incredibly obvious to the enemy team as it announces its arrival with a shrill alarm, giving the enemy team ample time to dodge.
16 Tracer's Pulse Bomb
Tracer has remained relatively unchanged since the original Overwatch, consistently frustrating support players everywhere. Her high mobility makes her a tough target to pin down, as she can use Recall and Blink abilities to confuse the enemy.
Pulse Bomb is one of the least threatening Ultimates in Overwatch 2. When activated, Tracer throws out a Pulse Bomb in the direction she is facing, which can attach to an enemy, detonating a second later. Due to her high skill cap, it can be difficult for Tracer players to land a kill with this Ultimate, making it one of the weakest in the game.
15 Torbjorn's Molten Core
Torbjorn is quite a situational hero, best used for objective-based maps like Control. His turret can dish out long-ranged damage, targeting any hero within its line of sight.
Torbjorn's Ultimate Molten Core is best used defensively. When used, Torbjorn fires out pools of molten lava that burn and damage enemies standing in it, dealing additional damage to armor. It is an excellent Ultimate that can zone enemies from objectives but rarely earns kills when used alone.
14 Echo's Duplication Module
Need help deciding which DPS hero to main? Echo is the perfect choice for players who feel conflicted about whom to play. Her Ultimate Duplication Module allows her to copy any character on the opposing team, right down to their abilities and Ultimates. She will appear to the enemy team as a translucent version of the champion she has chosen.
Duplication Module also allows Echo to gain the enemy health pool, hence why Duplication is best used on enemy tanks. It is temporarily reminiscent of the old-school Overwatch days with the two Tank meta. The duration of her Ultimate is short, and more often than not, Echo will be focused by the enemy before she gets a chance to utilize her duplicated form, so she reverts to normal.
13 Cassidy's Deadeye
Cassidy has received quite the downgrade since the launch of Overwatch 2. With the focus being taken away from crowd control abilities, Cassidy's fan-favorite Flashbang has been replaced by the Magnetic Grenade.
Deadeye is potentially one of the most famous Ultimate in Overwatch. As Cassidy says his iconic "It's high noon" voice line, his screen will turn amber, and if enemies pop their heads out of cover, it's game over for them. That being said, it is straightforward for enemies to dodge Cassidy's Ultimate and hide behind cover, hence why it ranks so low on this list.
12 Symmetra's Photon Barrier
Symmetra is another highly situational hero who can still be a strong pick against the enemy. Her laser turrets can slow the enemy and provide some excellent damage if they are placed carefully.
The problem is that despite being a DPS character, Symmetra's kit is entirely focused on defense. With her Ultimate Photon Barrer. Symmetra can project a global shield spanning the entire map until it expires. While her Ultimate is strong in its own right, there are better choices of DPS available.
11 Sombra's EMP
Sombra has seen some significant nerfs to her abilities in Overwatch 2, with her Hacked opponents only being locked out of their abilities for 1.5 seconds. She no longer does as much damage to Hacked enemies, with the damage multiplier dropped to 25%.
These nerfs apply to her Ultimate EMP. When activated, Sombra hacks all enemies in the radius while destroying shields, making them easy targets for some fast burst damage. EMP only really works when paired with another damaging ability, like D.Va's Self Destruct or Reaper's Death Blossom, and therefore requires team coordination to be effective.
10 Widowmaker's Infra-Sight
Widowmaker's Ultimate, Infra-Sight is more for utility and intel than damage dealing. Infra-Sight allows Widowmaker and her team to see the enemy team through walls and terrain for 15 seconds, allowing her team to plan their attack. Widowmaker can also easily line up headshots while this is active - one shot, one kill!
The downside is that Infra-Sight can be canceled if Widowmaker is killed before its duration is up, which can be a waste, especially if she is up against another better Widowmaker.
9 Reaper's Death Blossom
Reaper's Ultimate is Death Blossom which sees him spinning while shooting his deadly Hellfire Shotguns in all directions, decimating the enemy team. While it sounds intimidating, Death Blossom is best used on squishier targets like enemy supports to get the most value.
While performing Death Blossom, Reaper can easily be countered. He can be pushed away by Lucio or Brigitte or counteracted by defensive Ultimates like Zenyatta's Transcendence, negating all of Reaper's damage. He can also be stunned out of his Ultimate by a Sleep Dart or Chain Hook, so Reaper players will need to time their Ultimate well.
8 Hanzo's Dragon Strike
Hanzo's Ultimate, Dragon Strike, launches a projectile arrow that transforms into two slow-moving dragons that make their way across the map. They encompass a reasonable AoE, best used through walls, so the enemy can't anticipate where it is coming from.
Heroes like D.Va and Sigma can absorb Dragon Strike if timed right, completely negating its effects and making it useless. Since Dragon Strike moves so slowly, it can easily be dodged by most characters in the hero pool.
7 Pharah's Rocket Barrage
Pharah's Rocket Barrage is one of the deadliest in Overwatch 2, allowing her to launch a volley of explosive mini-rockets at the enemy team. With her silent but deadly hover jets, Pharah can sneak behind the opposing team and rain death upon them, easily wiping out most of the unsuspecting enemy.
A downside of Pharah's Ultimate is that she is immobile and will stay still in midair while using it. This makes her a prime floating target for the enemy team. However, the potential to wipe out the entire enemy team is often well worth the risk.
6 Ashe's B.O.B
Ashe's Ultimate ability, B.O.B summons her giant omnic butler in the direction she is facing. He charges forward until he hits a wall or an enemy hero. If he collides with an enemy hero, he will throw them into the air and target them first. B.O.B will then stay in turret mode for ten seconds before teleporting away.
B.O.B can be Hacked by Sombra or slept by Ana; both deactivate him for a short period. It is also extremely easy for Ashe players to send B.O.B running off the face off a cliff, dying as a result. As he counts as an extra teammate for his duration, B.O.B can be used to contest objectives, which is helpful for when the match clock runs into Overtime.
5 Soldier: 76's Tactical Visor
As one of the most versatile heroes, Soldier: 76 is recommended for beginner players coming from other FPS titles. His kit is basic, but he remains one of the more reliable characters on the roster.
Where Soldier: 76 truly shines is through the use of his Ultimate Tactical Visor. It grants him auto-aiming capabilities for six seconds, locking onto the heroes closest to his crosshairs. Tactical Visor synergizes well with Kiriko's Kitsune Rush or Baptiste's Amplification Matrix for deadly combinations.
4 Mei's Blizzard
Having just returned from a month-long hiatus, Mei has seen some significant nerfs to her unique abilities. She no longer freezes enemies with her Endothermic Blaster, instead slowing their movement speed to control the flow of the battle.
Her Ultimate, Blizzard, is the best part of her kit. Mei launches a weather control drone that creates a freezing zone, leaving enemies vulnerable and immobile for a short time. Mei can then easily pick off any stragglers with her Endothermic Blaster secondary fire icicle projectile.
3 Sojourn's Overclock
Sojourn is a headshot specialist in Overwatch 2, efficiently eliminating enemy shields and popping heads with her efficient Railgun primary and secondary fire. She is best played at mid-range.
Her Ultimate, Overclock, rapidly recharges Sojourn's Railgun for a short duration. Charged shots can pierce through multiple enemies, and one charged headshot means instant death. During Overclock, her weapon charges automatically without primary fire, allowing several devastating shots, especially if the enemy is grouped together. Her Ultimate, like the rest of her kit, heavily relies on aim and is best played by someone with decent mechanical skill.
2 Genji's Dragonblade
Genji is one of the most skill-capped heroes in the game, and in the right hands, this cybernetic ninja can be extremely deadly. His mobility is unmatched, as he can wall climb and double jump over enemies with ease.
Upon activating Dragonblade, Genji unsheathes his legendary katana, transforming his primary shuriken attack into a melee strike. He can quickly close the gap to squishy targets that lack mobility, as he can still use Swift Strike during his Ultimate. When paired with Ana's Nano Boost, a well-executed Dragonblade has the potential to wipe out an entire team.
1 Junkrat's Riptire
Junkrat is one of the strongest heroes in Overwatch 2, who can consistently spam his explosive rounds onto the enemy. He is also perfect for new players, as Junkrat's main battle strategy is to lob his grenades into the mass of enemies, which should then swiftly charge up his Ultimate ability.
Junkrat remains stationary while he revs up his controllable explosive riptire. It can climb over terrain and other obstacles before being manually detonated on the battlefield, dealing massive amounts of damage while also knocking back nearby enemies. It is potentially the most potent DPS Ultimate in the game, as it can secure team kills and is excellent for zoning the objective during Overtime.
Overwatch 2 is free-to-play on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.