Overwatch 2 had 44 playable heroes through Season 18 (August 2025): 13 tanks, 19 damage heroes and 12 supports. Blizzard keeps adding to the cast, so this page covers each Overwatch hero by role, when they joined, and what they actually do in a match.
How the hero roles work
Every hero belongs to one of three roles. In Role Queue, Overwatch 2’s standard 5v5 format puts one tank, two damage heroes and two supports on each team. Open Queue lets you stack roles, though Blizzard limits it to one tank per team.
Each role also has a role passive. Tanks take reduced knockback and give the enemy less ultimate charge when they’re hit. Damage heroes apply a short healing reduction to anyone they shoot. Supports regenerate their own health after a brief window without taking damage. Blizzard has adjusted the exact values several times, so check the in-game hero info screen for the current numbers.
The game added perks in Season 15 (February 2025). As you level up during a match, you pick one minor perk and later one major perk, which changes how your hero plays from round to round.
Heads up
Blizzard has added heroes after Season 18, including Jetpack Cat, which appears on current roster pages. We couldn’t verify every newer hero’s kit and role for this piece, so the tables below stop at the confirmed 44. Check the official hero page for the latest additions.
Tank heroes
Your tank creates space, absorbs damage and decides where the fight happens. With only one per team since Overwatch 2 launched in October 2022, the tank is the most influential slot in the lobby.
| Hero | Added | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| D.Va | 2016 launch | Mobile mech; Defense Matrix eats projectiles |
| Doomfist | July 2017 (tank since OW2) | Dive brawler built around Power Block and punches |
| Hazard | Season 14, Dec 2024 | Close-range bruiser with Jagged Wall and Violent Leap |
| Junker Queen | OW2 launch, Oct 2022 | Wound damage, Commanding Shout for team speed |
| Mauga | Season 8, Dec 2023 | Twin chainguns, Overrun charge, Cage Fight ultimate |
| Orisa | March 2017 | Javelin Spin and Fortify make her a sturdy anchor |
| Ramattra | Season 2, Dec 2022 | Swaps between ranged Omnic form and melee Nemesis form |
| Reinhardt | 2016 launch | Big barrier, hammer swings, Earthshatter ultimate |
| Roadhog | 2016 launch | Chain Hook picks and huge self-heal |
| Sigma | August 2019 | Floating barrier, Kinetic Grasp, Gravitic Flux |
| Winston | 2016 launch | Leaping dive tank with a Tesla Cannon |
| Wrecking Ball | July 2018 | Hamster in a mech; grapples and rolls into backlines |
| Zarya | 2016 launch | Bubbles build energy that powers up her beam |
Hazard is the tank most players haven’t mastered yet, since he arrived in December 2024. Wrecking Ball is the opposite. He has been in the game for years, and he rewards hundreds of hours of practice more than any other tank.
Damage heroes
Damage is the largest role. Your job is to secure eliminations, win duels and pressure the enemy supports.
| Hero | Added | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Ashe | November 2018 | Scoped rifle, Dynamite, summons B.O.B. |
| Bastion | 2016 launch | Transforms into turret Assault mode |
| Cassidy | 2016 launch (as McCree) | Revolver duelist; renamed Cassidy in 2021 |
| Echo | April 2020 | Flying hybrid; Duplicate copies an enemy |
| Freja | Season 16, April 2025 | Crossbow hunter with Updraft and Take Aim |
| Genji | 2016 launch | Cyborg ninja; Deflect and Dragonblade |
| Hanzo | 2016 launch | Archer with Storm Arrows and Sonic Arrow |
| Junkrat | 2016 launch | Grenade spam, traps, RIP-Tire |
| Mei | 2016 launch | Ice walls and freezing blaster |
| Pharah | 2016 launch | Rocket launcher from the air |
| Reaper | 2016 launch | Shotgun flanker with Wraith Form |
| Sojourn | OW2 launch, Oct 2022 | Railgun that charges as you land shots |
| Soldier: 76 | 2016 launch | Hitscan rifle, sprint, Biotic Field |
| Sombra | November 2016 | Stealth hacker who disables abilities |
| Symmetra | 2016 launch | Turrets and teleporter setups |
| Torbjörn | 2016 launch | Deployable turret and Overload |
| Tracer | 2016 launch | Blinks and Recall; the fastest flanker |
| Venture | Season 10, April 2024 | Drill-wielding digger who burrows under fights |
| Widowmaker | 2016 launch | Long-range sniper with Infra-Sight |
If you have aim habits from other shooters, Soldier: 76, Cassidy and Ashe carry over best because they reward the same tracking and flicks. Players coming from tactical shooters often tune their reticle the way they would a Valorant crosshair: a small, high-contrast dot works well on hitscan heroes.
Support heroes
Supports heal, provide utility and often decide fights with their ultimates. Twelve heroes share the role.
| Hero | Added | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Ana | July 2016 | Sniper healer; Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade |
| Baptiste | March 2019 | Immortality Field, Amplification Matrix |
| Brigitte | March 2018 | Melee support with Repair Packs and Rally |
| Illari | Season 6, Aug 2023 | Solar rifle, Healing Pylon, Captive Sun |
| Juno | Season 12, Aug 2024 | Martian medic; Glide Boost, Hyper Ring, Orbital Ray |
| Kiriko | OW2 launch, Oct 2022 | Protection Suzu cleanse, Swift Step teleport |
| Lifeweaver | Season 4, April 2023 | Life Grip pulls allies; Petal Platform |
| Lúcio | 2016 launch | Speed and healing auras, Sound Barrier |
| Mercy | 2016 launch | Beam healer with Resurrect |
| Moira | November 2017 | Biotic Grasp healing, Coalescence |
| Wuyang | Season 18, Aug 2025 | Water staff, Restorative Stream heals |
| Zenyatta | 2016 launch | Orbs of Discord and Harmony, Transcendence |
Kiriko’s Suzu shows why supports carry so much weight. One well-timed cleanse can erase an enemy Nano, Sleep Dart or Junker Queen wound in an instant.
Every hero in release order
The cast grew in three clear waves:
- Original Overwatch launch (May 2016): 21 heroes, including Tracer, Reinhardt, Mercy, Genji and Widowmaker.
- Overwatch 1 additions (2016 to 2020): Ana, Sombra, Orisa, Doomfist, Moira, Brigitte, Wrecking Ball, Ashe, Baptiste, Sigma and Echo, bringing the roster to 32.
- Overwatch 2 era (October 2022 onward): Sojourn, Junker Queen and Kiriko at launch, then Ramattra, Lifeweaver, Illari, Mauga, Venture, Juno, Hazard, Freja and Wuyang through Season 18.
Since Ramattra, Blizzard has released a new hero roughly every second season. That pattern held from Season 2 to Season 18 and alternated fairly evenly between roles.
How to unlock Overwatch heroes
Blizzard removed the battle pass hero lock in Season 10. Existing accounts got every hero for free, and new heroes now arrive unlocked for everyone on release day.
Brand-new accounts are the exception. You unlock the base roster gradually by playing matches during the new-player experience before you get full access.
Quick steps: picking your first main
- Play Quick Play on one hero per role.
- Pick the role with the shortest queue that you enjoyed.
- Learn two heroes in that role who counter different comps.
- Add a third pick only once both feel automatic.
Shotcaller's note
Your tank fills 1 of 5 slots on the team, so 20% of your lineup has to answer the enemy tank alone. Tank mains who climb usually keep a pool of two or three heroes, such as Reinhardt, Sigma and D.Va, so they can swap when they get countered.
Which role should you play?
Pick tank if you like making calls and don’t mind taking the blame. A tank who loses space usually loses the round.
Pick damage if your aim is your strongest skill. It’s the deepest pool, but it’s also the role with the most competition for queue spots.
Pick support if you track the whole fight well. Healing numbers matter less than knowing when to spend Suzu, Immortality Field or Lamp.
FAQ
How many Overwatch characters are there?
Overwatch 2 had 44 heroes through Season 18 in August 2025. Blizzard has added more since, including Jetpack Cat, so the live count is higher. The official hero page always shows the current total.
Are all Overwatch 2 heroes free?
Yes, on established accounts. Since Season 10, every hero is unlocked for free, and new heroes arrive free at launch. New accounts unlock the roster by playing through the new-player experience.
Which role has the most heroes?
Damage, with 19 of the 44 confirmed heroes. Tank has 13 and support has 12.
Who was the first hero added in Overwatch 2?
Sojourn, Junker Queen and Kiriko all arrived together when the game launched on October 4, 2022. Ramattra was the first hero added after launch, in Season 2.
What are the best Overwatch heroes for beginners?
Soldier: 76, Reinhardt, Mercy and Moira are the most forgiving. Their kits are simple, and they teach positioning without demanding perfect aim or tricky combos.