With 35 heroes currently available in Overwatch 2, and Ramattra set to make his debut next month, there are a lot of different characters available that cover a wide range of categories. There are several melee-focused characters like Brigitte and Doomfist, shield-wielders like Reinhardt and Sigma, and gun users like Reaper and Soldier 76. Similarly, there are fully unique heroes to choose from like Wrecking Ball and Lucio. However, one type of character that had not been done yet is a Necromancer, and it could make for a perfect Support option.

With Blizzard confirming that the next two heroes after Ramattra will be Supports - something that is great news given the lack of healers that are currently available in Overwatch 2 - heroes 37 and 38 will provide perfect opportunities for a Necromancer. Currently, Mercy’s resurrect is the closest thing to a necromancer, though it fits her squeaky clean image and sees heroes coming back unscathed. A proper Necromancer character could be far darker, resurrecting heroes in a more intriguing manner.

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How a Necromancer Could Work in Overwatch 2

Obviously, the biggest part of a Necromancer’s kit would be some form of resurrect, but Blizzard would have to go out of its way to make this ability different from what the ever-popular hero Mercy uses. One way to do this would be to let the Support “pilot” the hero they resurrect. This way, they could briefly take control of a dead Reinhardt while the real one returns from spawn, commanding the German Tank as they sit back and their character remains still. While this would make them vulnerable, like Junkrat when he uses his tire, letting the Necromancer resurrect from a distance can help then position safely. Once the health of the controlled ally is whittled down, or after a certain amount of time, the puppet could crumble to the floor.

If Blizzard did not want to go the puppeteer route with this theoretical Necromancer’s resurrect ability, it could let players bring back AI-controlled versions of their teammates. They could then have to prioritize healing, as if they keep the zombie-like AI version of their ally alive for long enough, their teammate could resume control once the spawn timer runs out - saving them a trip back from spawn. A visual queue could be given to the enemy team when this has happened, like a green hue fading away. To keep this ability balanced since it is essentially a weaker, more complicated version of Mercy’s current resurrect, a team res could be possible for the Necromancer, letting them make zombies out of any dead allies nearby. With some missing the team resurrects of old, adding an extra step where the resurrected characters are AI-controlled could be a fair way to restore the concept.

As for this hypothetical Support hero’s main form of healing, totems could be an interesting option. Players have not seen a totem-like device since Orisa’s Supercharger was removed in her rework, and totems could function similarly. Players could protect and even heal the totem, and the Necromancer could choose between a damage boost totem or a healing one - adding a bit of decision-making to the mix.

Since the new Tank hero Ramattra wields a staff, making it less likely that another hero will be getting one anytime soon, the Necromancer’s weapon would have to be something else. A spell book would be an interesting option, with players casting spells from a distance that either deal damage or provide some targeted healing. These spell types could be triggered via the primary and secondary fires. Spell casting could be a ton of fun for the Necromancer from a visual perspective, with a variety of symbols and colors appearing on-screen.

There are many other directions that Blizzard could take a Necromancer, but an Ultimate ability that puts a fun twist on Mercy’s old team resurrection could result in an exciting character. Healing and damage boost totems would be a unique route to take for abilities, while spellcasting could lead to some visually distinct primary and secondary fire. Though there is nothing to suggest that such a character will come to the game, continuing to grow the villain pool within the Overwatch universe would be wise, and a Necromancer seems like an untapped well for Blizzard to tap into.

Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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