Junker Queen was a tough hero to justify in the first game. With two total tanks, a frontline with lots of shields was necessary. Was there truly a place for a damage-first tank up front? With the deathmatch feel in Overwatch 2, Junker Queen is now one of the top requested tanks.
Berserker has been the term used to describe Junker Queen in Overwatch 2 and it is fitting. This tank is unique, dealing damage to stay alive. That's not a problem for her. With some expert advice, Junker Queen does more damage than about half of the DPS heroes in the game.
Playstyle
No hero truly requires less talent, some with many heroes, it's alright to be imprecise. This is not at all the rule for Junker Queen, who is capable of headshots and hooks, but only if she is accurate. She does need to be at the front of the line, but her skill set is more like a sniper's.
Junker Queen is more prone to death if she retreats when she's hurt. She heals herself with her damage-over-time effects. This hero is recommended only for aggressive players with an attack-first mentality. She can be one of the best tank heroes in the game even without shields or utility abilities.
Abilities
Scattergun
- Pump-action shotgun
This weapon is capable of headshots from a moderate range. New players to the franchise may rely too heavily on the "shotgun" nature of the weapon, but the damage for non-headshots is relatively low. The headshots, however, are not.
Adrenaline Rush
- Heal from all damage over time dealt by wounds.
Other characters applying damage over time effects don't help Junker Queen, but this is hardly relevant as nearly all of Junker Queen's abilities apply some kind of damage over time.
Jagged Blade
- Active: Throw blade. Re-activate to pull it back, along with any impaled enemy.
- Passive: Wound enemies hit by a quick melee or throw, dealing damage over time.
The Jagged Blade should be considered Junker Queen's signature ability. The throw is a bit slower than Roadhog's hook and is tougher to land, but the healing it provides is solid. Even if enemies aren't impaled, anybody it hits on the way back will still take damage and heal Junker Queen.
Commanding Shout
- Grants temporary health and movement speed to Junker Queen and allies.
Adrenaline Rush will help Junker Queen stay healthy in most situations, but even the best players will find she gets whittled down in sustained combat. Commanding Shout gives her some temporary health to stay in fights just a bit longer.
Carnage
- Wound all enemies in front, dealing damage over time.
The carnage has a lengthy charge-up time and an obvious animation, so enemies generally know to dodge it. However, if the opponent is slowed or if the Jagged Blade is in the process of bringing an opponent back, it's solid damage and a good heal for Junker Queen.
Rampage
- Charge forward. Wounds enemies, deals damage over time, and prevents them from being healed.
Rampage, much like Carnage, isn't too tough to dodge, especially for enemies just behind the tanks up front. But it's lethal for those who do get hit, damaging them and negating all healing effects for those hit by the skill.
Tips & Tricks
Despite the flavor of wild, frantic attacking, Junker Queen needs to be precise. The changes since the initial game have benefitted Junker Queen dramatically, but she still needs to aim for heads, time up her Carnage, and carefully consider easy targets for her Jagged Blade.
Some teammates don't like Junker Queen as a tank because she lacks a shield. To make up for that, Junker Queen needs to be causing total pandemonium up front. Although Junker Queen has mostly ranged skills, she needs to be using them from melee range to create a reliable frontline.
Combos
- Mei
If it wasn't clear enough, Junker Queen has some high-skill abilities to land. Enemies don't just stand still and let it happen. However, Mei's slows and stuns make Junker Queen's job that much easier. As one of the game's best DPS heroes, Mei can also help tank and "shield" with her wall, making up for potential shortcomings from Junker Queen.
- Ana
Junker Queen is pretty good about keeping herself healed, but that doesn't mean support isn't welcome. Ana's extra healing keeps Junker Queen topped off. Her grenade will prevent healers from healing Junker Queen's damage over time. Perhaps most importantly, Ana's ultimate, when placed on Junker Queen, makes for a nasty combo.
- Cassidy
With the frontline handled, Junker Queen will require help at range. Cassidy provides some of the best assistance. With a stun, Cassidy can help Junker Queen land her skills. Both heroes have incredible headshot potential and can kill tough heroes if they both target the same unit.
- Moira
Moira's healing and damage are not the most accurate, but that plays well to what Junker Queen does. By fighting around the orbs, Junker Queen's advantage becomes further cemented. Because of Junker Queen's self-healing, Moira is freed up to add more damage to her mix.
- Junkrat
The Steel Trap is an immobilization ability that Junker Queen can capitalize on. Junker Queen will maintain a good deal of focus on the front, so Junkrat will be pleased to know exactly where to lob his grenades.
Advantages & Counters
Heroes without shields or with limited mobility are fodder for Junker Queen. Pulling whoever she hits to the front, even a high-health hero such as Roadhog, is often fatal. Even Brigitte, who does have a shield, isn't going to last long against sustained damage from Junker Queen.
Many of the heroes that Junker Queen combos well with act as a counter to her for many of the same reasons. Without a shield, she's exposed to ranged headshot damage that can stop her despite her self-healing. Finally, look out for shields that block her abilities and render her not much more than a bump in the road.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.