Blizzard's shooting romp Overwatch can be rather tricky to get a firm grasp on, given the myriad of unique heroes, as well as the meta that seems to undergo frequent shifts. The DPS category is particularly vital to understand, as it's a key component to the game that features the widest variety of heroes.

It's usually the case for players to immediately jump on these heroes when starting a new match. Considering how limited these key DPS slots are in a given match, it's crucial to get acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of each and know where they all stand when playing.

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It's tough to pinpoint which of the DPS heroes are the overall best and strongest, as everyone's playstyle will differ—as will the meta itself. But there are some heroes that, generally speaking, can pump out more damage in a shorter time and have higher ceilings.

Updated December 2, 2021, by Stephen LaGioia: Blizzard and its renowned hero-shooter Overwatch have spent ample time in the spotlight—for a variety of reasons both positive and negative.

The game has continued its momentum going into the new year, thanks to the evergreen nature of its addictive gameplay, rotating events and challenges, as well as the building hype of its upcoming sequel. With the continually shifting meta and the ongoing popularity of DPS heroes, it was time to revisit our list of the best and strongest DPS heroes in Overwatch.

13 Bastion

overwatch bastion tombstone skin

Bastion is tough to rank, being something of an oddball in the DPS category. On the one hand, he's truly a machine when it comes to sheer damage, but his palette of skills is limited, making him a one-trick robot. Pro D.va and Doomfists can really bother this robotic hero when he Configures into his Sentry mode. Ultimately, Bastion is a situational hero that usually just slots well into specific scenarios.

At the end of the day though, this Overwatch character is one of the overall strongest. He can pump out an insane amount of damage in Sentry mode, assuming one does manage to post him up to a safe location. So in terms of sheer damage output, he's one of the best DPS choices in Overwatch. It's for this reason that Bastion barely makes this list despite most Overwatch pundits putting him in the bottom tier of DPS characters.

12 Mei

Overwatch Mei Blizzard Ultimate

In fairness, Mei can be a terrific situational hero—namely in her ability to hold a point, buy time for teammates, and serve as a pesky counter for heroes like D.va. But in terms of her overall damage output and versatility, there are better DPS options, especially for newer players.

With her Ice Wall as well and freezing abilities, Mei is better as a disruptive, defensive DPS than a straight-up damage dealer. Still, her Endothermic Blaster can be deceptively strong, pumping out frost blasts of 55 damage per second, and 75 damage with secondary fire. She's not the most versatile and comes with a bit of a learning curve—yet Mei can be a major game-changer; one that's great at holding down the fort and "cooling off" the opposition.

11 Sombra

Overwatch Sombra Translocating

There was a time when this slick hacker was a preferable choice, but shifting metas and nerfs have caused Sombra's stock to plummet somewhat. She can be effective in Capture the Flag, but that's another story.

With her unique skillset in hacking, Sombra can both enhance the resources and power of one's own team while hindering the opponent. This means that she'll require communication and synchronization to truly get the most out of her—which doesn't happen often outside of serious OW competitions.

Her Machine Pistol isn't quite what it once was in her early history, though it can still whittle away at foes with its swift rate of fire. It can pepper opponents with shots that can deal up to 8, which can still effectively delete squishier targets fairly quickly, especially given its rapid-fire rate of 20 rounds per second.

10 Doomfist

Doomfist posing with giant gold glove in Overwatch

For players that can get around the odd mechanics and fairly steep learning curve, this DPS truly packs a punch, as it were. Doomfist is insanely mobile and able to take out a target in one fell swoop. Players can quickly be wiped out by being blindsided or pounced on by the airborne fighter.

He sports some impressive versatility, speed, and diving ability to say the least. Sound Doomfist players can really bother foes by getting right in the face of opponents and knocking them around, spraying Hand Cannon shots and well-placed Rocket Punches.

In fact, the Rocket Punch alone can wallop a target for roughly 100 damage, and Seismic Slam can blast targets with up to 125! Flanking and breaking up teams are beneficial strategies, and make this swift hero all the more impactful.

9 Junkrat

Junkrat readying Rip-Tire in Overwatch

If it's a scenario rife with effective tanks, this maniacal damage spammer can be quite impactful. This is especially the case when keeping his prey confined to indoor and tight spaces. Overall though, his sporadic rocket projectiles aren't the most practical in the heat of the moment.

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But while not too reliable in terms of accuracy, Junkrat can be a solid and explosive damage-dealing character. Direct hits with the Frag Launch and Concussion Mines can be somewhat impactful with up to 130 and 120 damage output respectively. And that explosive Riptire can be a massive game-changer if positioned and timed well.

8 Reaper

Reaper aiming dual shot guns with glowing eyes in Overwatch

This specter has seen his highs and lows in the time following Overwatch's release, with his arch-nemesis Brigitte giving him headaches after her debut. Yet, the rise of shield-laden tanks and added value in flanking have again made Reaper a great offensive weapon in the right hands. Even if he's still lacking compared to his early days, Reaper's still useful as a frontline tank-buster, close-range brawler, and ambushing nuisance.

His double shotgun blasts can pummel the enemy with a maximum of 120 body shot damage per clip. He can drop the squishier targets pretty swiftly, while also greatly chipping away at shields and meatier tanks. Even when he inevitably gets into trouble, he can simply bust out Wraith Form and retreat back to safety. Assuming he's firing at close or mid-range, Reaper can really inflict some pain.

7 Tracer

Tracer firing at shielding Reinhardt in Overwatch

The neat thing about Tracer is she's a very mechanical DPS hero with a high ceiling for anyone who's put in the time to practice with her. Regardless of the shifting conditions, stage, or meta—a seasoned Tracer can effectively chip away at enemies' health and disrupt the opposition. Her low HP and vulnerability are somewhat negated by her speed and ability to Blink and Recall.

Her speed and quick-firing pistols make her an absolute nightmare against the squishier, less mobile DPS and Support heroes like Zenyatta, Ana, and Hanzo. She can dart around extremely fast, pull herself out of trouble, and summon her Ultimate particularly quick, making her a game-changer that can run the table.

Basically, there's a reason some of the best DPS players in the Overwatch League favor this speedster.

6 Ashe

overwatch mardi gras event leak

This unique hero can be quite effective as she can inflict ample damage from close, medium, or long-range. Ashe is a sort of "Jack-of-all-trades" with her range of moves and explosive attacks. She's lacking somewhat when it comes to mobility, though her Coach Gunshots can alleviate some of this—and blast away some HP in the process.

Her Viper shotgun can pump out some solid damage, dealing up to 75. This damage output can really chip away at foes quickly and efficiently, thanks to its solid accuracy and zoom feature. Her Ultimate, a robotic killer named Bob, also acts as a sort of borderline OP sentry that can steamroll targets in his way.

5 Hanzo

Hanzo aiming bow close up in Overwatch

One neat aspect about Hanzo is that he can be effective in a number of scenarios. His bow can fire off quite a bit of damage to shields and tanks. This is useful given the recent release of Sigma and the importance of shield tanks in the game. At the same time, he sports some deadly accuracy at long range, which can make him a solid choice in an offensive push as well.

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He can also be devastating in competitive matches in which teams are coordinating Ult combos, as his Dragonstrike can be paired with Graviton Surge, for instance, to nail a team-wiping assault. Mechanically-inclined players will get a lot out of this deadly archer.

4 Widowmaker

Widowmaker aiming in the distance in Overwatch cinematic

This one comes with something of an asterisk—in that a good Widow will almost always need to be mechanically sound. Assuming one's sharpshooting skills are on point, though, this sniping assassin can be truly deadly. In fact, she's capable of inflicting up to 120 damage with her scoped sniper. And headshots grant a 2.5x multiplier for good measure.

Well-placed shots can swiftly pick off squishier targets from both close-range and from a safe distance. Being fairly vulnerable herself, Widow players will have to be alert for counter-attacks, but her Grappling Hook can get her out of a pinch. Aside from a pretty tepid Ult, this DPS is the real deal; with loads of damage potential that can control the whole flow of the game if a player's hitting their marks.

3 Echo

echo overwatch medium shot hand blizzard activition

Overwatch's most recent addition to the roster turns out to be one of the most effective; for those who can get the hang of her fairly odd mechanics. The skillset and overall feel of this evolutionary bot reside somewhere between Zenyatta and Pharah with her floaty physics, projectile-flinging, and ability to fly.

Landing the Tri-Shot and Sticky Bombs does take a bit of practice. Yet, when executed well, these can pump out lethal amounts of damage. The same is true for her 50 damage-per-second Focusing Beam (which does a whopping 200 per-second on low HP targets). Her Ditto-esque Duplicate ability is also distinctly helpful and versatile. It can throw off an enemy team and disrupt them with a swift Ult from the replicated hero.

2 Genji

Genji in attack position slashing blade in Overwatch

Much like Tracer, Genji is one of those heroes that will typically be dangerous in the right hands. This is why the Shuriken-flinging warrior tops this list of DPS heroes. He is quick, versatile, and strong, with his ability to climb walls, deflect enemy fire, and unleash 50-damage Swift Strikes. Vulnerability aside, Genji can run the table if the circumstances are right.

He may be tough to learn, but a practiced player is still capable of taking out four or five enemies in one fell swoop with solid play and a good Dragonblade, which inflicts 110 damage per swipe. This feat certainly can't be said about all, or even most DPS heroes. While he's lost some value in the current meta, there's no denying that a well-played Genji can be a deadly (and swift) weapon of choice.

1 Cole Cassidy

Overwatch McCree Cole posing in Hollywood desert

The recently-rebranded cowboy has been the talk of many Overwatch fans of late, partly because of the rising stock of this already potent, capable DPS. A true sharp-shooter, Cole can be a deadly force when in mid or long-range, and mechanical players can really milk a lot of value out of his strengths.

His ability to roll away and stun enemies with his Flashbang negates much of his vulnerability, allowing this sharp-shooter to shine even more offensively. Players who effectively utilize the deadly combo of stunning targets and fanning the hammer or his revolver can delete many a foe in an instant. Not only can he pick off opponents quickly with shots that deal up to 70 damage, but his aptly-named "Deadeye" Ultimate is one of the best in the game. He's been all over the map, but as it currently stands, Cole is perhaps the best DPS hero in Overwatch.

Overwatch was released on May 3, 2016, and is available for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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