The Overwatch 2 beta has made a number of changes to its predecessor's hero roster, and it has already introduced its first new hero by the way of Sojourn. Characters like Doomfist have also begun moving into other hero roles to more evenly space out the hero distribution. Even older heroes like Orisa and Bastion have been reworked to be more in line with the new PvP vision and 5-player-per-team system. But amidst all these changes, some heroes remain the same.
Heroes like Tracer, Genji, and Torbjorn haven't had anything in their kits changed and play exactly as they did in the first Overwatch. While this makes them familiar and easy to play for series veterans, the unchanged heroes tend to feel stale and left behind by the newly reworked ones, but one of the Overwatch 2 heroes that looks to be lagging behind in their respective roles is the tank hero Reinhardt.
Reinhardt's Unique Character Design and Melee Focused Kit Made Him Stand Out
Reinhardt was one of the original tank heroes introduced when Overwatch was released. His unique character design combined with his iconic Rocket Hammer and Barrier Field made him stand out in Overwatch's promotional material as well as in-game. His abilities were uniquely melee-centered as well, as his Barrier Field would let him and his allies close the distance to his enemies while his Fire Strike would allow him to shoot out a single ranged flaming projectile. Once in range, he would whack away at his foes with his Rocket Hammer or slam them with his Charge ability. Reinhardt's Earthshatter ultimate ability was also a game-changer, as it could knock down all opponents within its range for a full 2.5 seconds and give Reinhardt and his team more than enough time to eliminate them.
But as time went on and Overwatch changed, Reinhardt became less relevant. His kit was made subpar by other tanks with more versatile abilities and his melee nature allowed him to get bullied by the ever-increasing number of damage heroes. Overwatch 2 could have been a chance for Reinhardt to make a comeback, but judging by the beta, it seems that Activision Blizzard has no intention of bringing the big German tank back into the spotlight.
Reinhardt's Weapon and Abilities Are All Outdated
The sad truth about Reinhardt's kit is that it was best suited for Overwatch's earlier days. Back then, fewer heroes could deal with a shield-bearing hero, so this allowed Reinhardt to easily get in range where he could do the most damage. Should enemies shoot at him from a distance, Reinhardt's old Barrier Shield could soak up 2,000 points of damage before it broke - giving him time to retaliate with a Fire Strike or close the gap with his Charge ability. Even Earthshatter was a strong ultimate ability because it couldn't be countered easily.
The Overwatch of today is a very different beast than it was back then. More heroes can flank or bully Reinhardt, and characters like Sombra can outright disable his essential abilities such as his Barrier Field, making him a sitting duck for the enemy team. His shield was also nerfed and can now only take up to 1,600 points of damage before breaking. Both his Charge and Fire Strike have never been the strongest of abilities as they could easily be dodged, and his Earthshatter can now be avoided or countered by more defensive or mobile heroes.
The biggest problem for Reinhardt are the newer tank heroes. Shield tanks like Orisa and Sigma can attack from long range while still providing a shield for their allies to stand behind. Reinhardt, on the other hand, has to put down his Barrier Field to do any sort of damage. Likewise, off-tanks like Wrecking Ball can knock Reinhardt off-position from his team and into the line of enemy fire. Whether it's in doing what he does better or making it so that he can't be useful to his team, the other tanks just seem to outshine Reinhardt in any situation.
Overwatch 2 Widens The Gap Between Reinhardt And The Other Tank Heroes
The addition of Doomfist into the tank role in Overwatch 2 puts yet another high-health character on the list of heroes that can bully Reinhardt with their abilities. Even without his old Uppercut ability, Doomfist's updated Seismic Slam and trusty Rocket Punch can still put Reinhardt out of position and damage him through his Barrier Field. Speaking of the Barrier Field, Reinhardt's iconic shield now absorbs even less damage. Overwatch 2's deemphasis on shields has brought Reinhardt's iconic shield down to 1,200 health points, as opposed to its 1,600 health points in the current Overwatch.
The reworks to Orisa have also had a negative impact on Reinhardt. While she no longer has her Protective Barrier, Orisa has been given more health and damage-dealing abilities that keep her in the main tank role. When pitted against Reinhardt, Orisa's new Energy Javelin ability and reworked Augmented Fusion Driver weapon can whittle down his 1,200 health point shield at range. Should Reinhardt get close, Orisa can use her old Fortify ability to make herself tankier while knocking him back with her new Javelin Spin. Her new ultimate ability, Terra Surge, is a direct counter to Reinhardt's playstyle as it pulls in nearby enemies while fortifying Orisa and deals a huge amount of charged damage.
Even though Reinhardt is now one of the two shield tanks left (the other being Sigma), his weapon and abilities are still stuck in the past. Overwatch 2 may have given him an additional Fire Strike charge to increase his damage output, but it isn't enough to contend with the amount of damage that is aimed at him. Overwatch 2 is still at least a year away, so hopefully Activion Blizzard gives all of the heroes their due and updates them accordingly to fit with the new changes, Reinhardt included.
Overwatch 2 is currently in development.