Plenty has been said about Blizzard’s decision to switch to 5v5 gameplay in Overwatch 2, as many are divided on the change. However, it does seem to be going through, and the hero shooter’s cast of tanks will be changing as a result. Blizzard has already detailed some of these changes, such as Winston’s alternate fire and Reinhardt’s cancelable charge. However, Orisa is in a more interesting position.

While she is not designed for the “brawling” style of Overwatch 2 tanks, Blizzard will need to make her fit this system, and fans believe they know how this will be done. As shown in the Reinhardt animated short Honor and Glory, an OR15 Omnic uses a gauntlet blade to battle the German Knight. With Orisa being a more advanced OR15, it would make sense if she had the same functionality, leading many to believe that she will use this gauntlet blade in the sequel. If she does, the blade could change her meta in a massive way.

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Option #1: A Proper Secondary Weapon for Orisa

One possibility would see Orisa having a brand-new secondary weapon. While this may seem like a massive change, Winston getting an alternate fire shows that Blizzard is willing to make massive adjustments to its heroes so that they excel in a 5v5 setting. Further, with heroes like Reinhardt being built on melee attacks, systems would be in place that allow Orisa to have such an ability. If she were to get a proper secondary weapon, she could definitely thrive as a brawler.

With the Overwatch hero Mercy having a secondary weapon, a similar button press could be used to switch from Orisa’s Fusion Driver to the gauntlet blade. With Orisa already being one of the slower characters in the game, the blade could deal a fair amount of damage. After all, with Orisa having a much harder time closing in on a target than someone like Doomfist, ensuring that her strikes hurt is a must. A hard-hitting melee attack would also go well with her Halt ability, as the graviton ball could pull enemies to Orisa so she can deliver a killing blow.

While this may encroach on the territory of Overwatch 2’s new sword-based hero, it would fix the problems Orisa has at close range. While her Fusion Driver may struggle up close, the gauntlet blade would not, and it could allow her to have intense battles with the likes of Reinhardt and Sigma. While Orisa should still be a shield tank first, and her slowness should remain intact so that she stays balanced, giving her a melee weapon could keep her viable in the sequel’s “brawler” meta.

Option #2: A New Ability Or Ultimate For Orisa

If Orisa’s gauntlet blade were to be added in a different way, one option would see it being used as a brand-new ability. If this were to happen, it would need to be a bit flashier than a basic short sword, with Orisa doing more than swinging it left and right. One way to make it powerful would be to make it a targeted attack. Orisa could lock onto a target with the blade, and once the player has given the command, she could charge forward to deliver a devastating attack. Killing low-health heroes and heavily damaging tanks, this would make her much more of a threat.

To balance this out, Orisa would need to be damageable while charging, giving players a chance to gun her down before the stab lands. This could lead to a new level of tactical play, as Orisa could enter a specific animation before charging at her enemies. In turn, the opposing team would have a chance to make callouts, focusing their fire on Orisa. At the same time, this could force Orisa players to stategize, placing a shield in front of them before doing the attack or trying to activate it while close to an enemy. A lengthy cooldown would be needed as well, as gamers have already complained about Orisa being overpowered in the past.

This ability could also work as a second ultimate for Orisa, as she could keep her Supercharger and wield two Ultimates like the Overwatch hero Symmetra used to do. The gauntlet blade ultimate could make Orisa a lot more fun to play, and one game already provides the perfect example of how to make it worthy of an Ultimate slot. The Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Specialist Spectre had a gauntlet blade called the Ripper, and when they used it, they could chain to two more enemies for instant kills. Orisa’s gauntlet ultimate could work the same way, with the hero locking onto a new target after a kill. This could reward Orisa players for prioritizing weak characters, while her victims have a chance to get out of range before she charges.

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A Perfect Opportunity For Overwatch 2’s PvE Story Campaign

overwatch hero orisa

Regardless of how it is used, this rumored ability would be perfect for Overwatch 2’s story campaign. As shown in the past, players have deep skill trees to upgrade each of their heroes, taking their abilities in absurd new directions. Giving Orisa some kind of melee weapon or ability would open up the freedom for countless upgrade paths, allowing players to specialize the gauntlet blade in a number of ways. While players could have the choice to upgrade her other skills to make her more defensive, maxing out the melee skill tree could make her an awesome brawler.

Through the Overwatch 2 skill trees, players could give Orisa’s melee weapon elemental damage. A shock weapon could stun foes out of attacks, while a corrosive gauntlet blade could melt enemy health pools over time. If Blizzard were to make the blade an ability or an ultimate, letting Orisa run wild in PvE would be the right call. Like the proposed multiplayer ability, she could chain attacks, but a timer could be used instead of a kill limit. This could allow Orisa to shred through as many Omnics as she can in a 15 second window, with upgrades making the ability last longer.

As of now, there is no confirmation on how Orisa will be changing in Overwatch 2. However, it is hard to think of a better option than her gauntlet blade. Not only is it a weapon that has been used in official Overwatch canon, but it instantly solves the problems tied to Orisa not being a brawler. While Blizzard could surely think of other ways to make her more usable in the sequel, giving Efi’s creation a sword seems like a no-brainer. Both in multiplayer and PvE, a bladed Orisa could be a force to be reckoned with in Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

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