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Overwatch 2 has arrived, bringing buffs, nerfs, and structural changes to Blizzard Entertainment's classic hero shooter gameplay. Although there are now only 10 players in each match instead of 12, each Overwatch 2 match still begins by picking either a Tank, Support, or DPS Hero.
One of the most popular DPS Heroes in Overwatch 2 is Soldier: 76, a straightforward but versatile Hero who is often recommended to new players. Soldier: 76 has been an Overwatch staple ever since the game launched, and is a particularly good starting point for players coming in from other FPS titles.
Soldier: 76's Playstyle in Overwatch 2
Soldier: 76 is one of the most well-rounded and versatile DPS Heroes in Overwatch 2, able to operate effectively at almost any range, protect himself and his allies, and Sprint across the battlefield. Soldier: 76's primary weapon is his Heavy Pulse Rifle, which is capable of sustained damage through its primary fire, or burst damage through its Helix Rockets. The Heavy Pulse Rifle's primary fire can be sprayed at close-range for heavy damage, or fired in short bursts to maintain accuracy and pick-off distant targets.
This versatility is matched in Soldier: 76's other Abilities. Unlike DPS Heroes like Widowmaker, Soldier: 76 has the ability to heal both himself and any teammates that enter his Biotic Field. A self-heal is a very unusual power for an Overwatch 2 DPS Hero, and Soldier: 76 is the only DPS capable of healing his allies. Finally, Soldier: 76's Tactical Visor Ultimate Ability allows him to quickly destroy evasive targets like Tracer or Genji, as well as pour relentless damage onto Tanks and Supports,
Soldier: 76's Abilities in Overwatch 2
Heavy Pulse Rifle
Soldier: 76's primary weapon is one of the simplest to use in the game. Although its damage has been nerfed slightly in Overwatch 2, the Heavy Pulse Rifle still has one of the most consistent damage-per-second values among the DPS Heroes. It can be used a short-range or long-range, though it's vertical recoil and bullet spread will increase drastically under sustained fire.
Helix Rockets
The secondary mode of Soldier: 76's Heavy Pulse Rifle fires a trio of tiny rockets that spiral out as a cluster and deal damage with a small splash wherever they impact. A direct hit from the Helix Rockets deals 120 damage, while the splash can deal 40-80 depending on how close the target is. This sudden burst of damage forms an excellent alternative to the constant damage of the primary fire mode, allowing Soldier: 76 to finish off weak or fleeing targets before they can activate Abilities or reach Support Heroes. Helix Rockets have a cooldown of 6 seconds.
Sprint
Very simple but endlessly useful, Sprint is an at-will Ability that increases Soldier: 76's movement speed by +50%. This can allow him to cross open ground, pursue fleeing enemies, flank, and get back into the fight quickly after respawning. Soldier: 76 can't fire while sprinting, or for 0.3 seconds after ending a Sprint, meaning players should release the Sprint key a second before they plan to start shooting.
Biotic Field
Biotic Field drops a 4.5 meter radius area which heals any allied Hero in it for 35 HP per second. The Field lasts 5 seconds, then takes 15 to cooldown. The Biotic Field is one of the most unusual DPS Abilities in Overwatch 2, not only increasing Soldier: 76's independent survivability with a self-heal, but also allowing him to take a pseudo-Support role by healing his teammates.
Tactical Visor
Soldier: 76's Ultimate Ability is Tactical Visor, which instantly reloads his Heavy Pulse Rifle and then grants it auto-aiming capabilities for 6 seconds. In practical terms, this means that each shot Soldier: 76 fires is guaranteed to hit an enemy that is in his view and not blocked by a Tank's Barrier. The auto-aim system will prioritize targets closer to the crosshair, but will only hit headshots if the crosshair is directly on the target's head.
Tactical Visor can be an incredibly powerful damage tool, particularly when fighting fast and evasive Heroes like Tracer, Lucio, or Pharah. The auto-aim will also target Junkrat's RIP-Tire, making it easy to destroy before it can come dangerously close. Tactical Visor no longer removes the Heavy Pulse Rifle's damage falloff in Overwatch 2, so it's better to use it at close to medium range. Finally, Tactical Visor can be devastating when combined with buffs like Ana's Nano Boost or Mercy's Caduceus Staff, putting down fast damage without wasting a single buffed bullet.
Soldier: 76 Tips and Tricks
Soldier: 76 may be one of the most straightforward Heroes from the original Overwatch, but that doesn't mean there aren't some advanced tactics that he can use. Despite his lack of vertical mobility, Soldier: 76 functions very well from high ground positions, where his accurate Rifle, self-healing, and explosive Rockets can allow him to provide constant pressure. High ground positions will also help to protect him from close-range Heroes who might be able to overwhelm him at point-blank.
Alternatively, Soldier: 76 can be very effective when played in the heart of the action, pushing forward alongside a Tank Hero like Reinhardt or Sigma. The consistent damage of his Heavy Pulse Rifle will allow him to maintain a presence no matter whether the fight is a close or long range, and his Biotic Field can provide additional healing to his Tank and Support Heroes.
Soldier: 76 Combos in Overwatch 2
Soldier: 76 + Tracer
The powerful synergy between Soldier: 76 and Tracer is all about how their different roles complement each other. Soldier prefers to remain in a fairly static position on high ground, providing constant pressure and damage with high survivability for a DPS Hero. This pairs excellently with a fast, flanking Hero like Tracer who will hit-and-run and harass the enemy backline, forcing them to split their attention between the constant threat of Soldier: 76 and Tracer's burst damage.
Soldier: 76 + Genji
Similarly to Tracer, Genji also works very well with Soldier: 76 due to their complementary combat styles. With his mobility and ability to climb walls, Genji can not only flank and harass like a Tracer, but also clear distant high ground of long-range threats to Soldier: 76 like sniper Heroes Ashe or Widowmaker.
Soldier: 76 + Ana
There are few Ultimate Ability combinations that are stronger in Overwatch 2 than Ana's Nano Boost combined with Soldier: 76's Tactical Visor. Other Heroes will often waste a portion of the bonus damage from Nano Boost due to dodging enemies, bad shooting, or their own fragility. However, Soldier: 76's auto-aiming Tactical Visor will ensure that every Nano-Boosted bullet will find a target.
Soldier: 76 + Lucio
Because he can't match the burst healing of Support Heroes like Kiriko or Mercy, Lucio works best with Heroes that can take a hit and survive long enough for his passive healing to restore them. However, this healing is slow and the addition of a DPS Hero like Soldier: 76 who can not only self-heal but also heal the rest of the team is an incredibly powerful combo with Lucio's Support Abilities.
Soldier: 76 + Reaper
Despite their personal grudges in the Overwatch lore, Soldier: 76 and Reaper work very well together in the game. Like Tracer and Genji, Reaper is able to provide close-range aggression and harassment that pulls focus away from Soldier: 76's more consistent and mid-ranged damage. Reaper's survivability and Soldier: 76's Sprint allows the duo to be even more aggressive, pushing forward to break the enemy team's formation.
Soldier: 76's Advantages and Counters in Overwatch 2
Despite his versatility and status as the all-rounder DPS Hero of Overwatch 2, there are certain matchups where Soldier: 76 has a particular edge over his opponents. His Tactical Visor is a hard counter and almost guaranteed kill against Heroes that rely on their evasiveness and agility like Tracer and Lucio. It's also extremely effective against flying Heroes like Pharah, who normally rely on their flight to evade incoming fire.
Soldier: 76's consistent mid-range damage also lets him counter Heroes with short-range weapons and lower mobility like Torbjorn and Zarya. Torbjorn's Turret can be taken out from almost any range with just a quick burst of primary fire and a Helix Rockets shot, allowing Soldier to shut down a lot of damage with very little risk. Similarly, Soldier: 76 can stay well out of Zarya's weapon range while still dealing good damage, and is unlikely to accidentally shoot her Barrier due to his hitscan weapon.
Soldier:76 also has his share of counters, particularly Heroes who can force him out of his comfortable mid-range position. A skilled Widowmaker is a good counter to Soldier: 76, with her increased range and damage able to overwhelm his Biotic Field. Another sniper Hero who has some good tools against Soldier: 76 is Ana, with her Sleep Dart able to effectively cancel his Tactical Visor, and her Biotic Grenade able to block the healing of his Biotic Field.
When it comes to Tanks in Overwatch 2, Soldier: 76 is vulnerable to Heroes like D.va who can quickly mount the high ground and force him off it. He's also in major trouble if he gets hooked by a Roadhog, whose own self-healing and close-range damage can't be matched. Finally, a Tank Hero with a flexible Barrier like Sigma is an effective counter to Tactical Visor, particularly as his Kinetic Grasp is also able to absorb the shots from Soldier: 76's Ultimate Ability.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.