How is Reinhardt going to fare when Overwatch 2 drops in October?
People who got lucky to end up in the Overwatch 2 closed beta or those who’ve purchased access to it can try out some of the game’s new heroes. Of course, players can also test the existing tanks, DPS, and supports from Overwatch and see what’s new.
Some heroes did not receive that many changes, which means they are more or less the same. For example, Hanzo only deals slightly less damage than before, but his playstyle and popular combos remain the same. However, this does not apply to some heroes, one of which is Reinhardt.
Everyone who plays Overwatch knows that this is one of the most popular tanks in the game. In fact, some people think it is the most picked tank in every skill bracket. Reinhardt also had a key role for many professional teams over the years.
Thanks to his massive shield, high HP pool, and massive melee damage, the hero can easily fit in most setups. With that being said, Overwatch 2 changed some of his abilities, so let’s learn more about him.
Changes
As mentioned, Reinhardt is one of the heroes in Overwatch 2 that has a couple of new things. Starting with his passive ability, Steadfast is no longer a part of the game. This thing was handy in Overwatch because it allowed Rein to be less vulnerable to stuns. However, since every tank in the game now has this passive ability, Rein no longer has access to it.
Another change to Reinhardt is related to his Baser armor and HP. Instead of having 200 armor and 300 HP, the hero now comes with 300 armor and 325 HP. This makes him one of the most robust tanks in the game and one of the main reasons why he continues to play an essential role for many players.
The bad news that will upset some Overwatch fans is that Rein’s shield is not as strong as before. Barrie Field’s HP is down to 1200 from 1600, and the regen rate is down to 144 per second. Previously, it could regenerate 200 HP per second. The weaker shield means that some of the popular combos with Rein will have to adapt to the meta.
Another thing that is new is Reinhardt’s Charge Steering rate, which is now 50% higher than before. What’s more, people have the chance to cancel it simply by pressing the same button that activated it. This can have a massive impact and help in all sorts of scenarios.
Speaking of Charge Pin, this ability has 2 seconds less cooldown than before. However, it deals only 225 damage, which means Rein won’t be able to one-shot every DPS and Support.
Finally, Fire Strike now deals 90 damage, but it has two charges. In other words, Rein can deal up to 180 damage from a distance.
Is the hero worth it in Overwatch 2?
The answer to this question is yes, Reinhardt is worth picking in Overwatch 2 because the hero has a lot of things to offer. With that being said, people who pick the hero have to be more careful because he won’t work in every scenario.
His weaker shield means that Rein’s teammates can’t rely on it as much as before. It continues to be the strongest barrier in the game, but Rein can’t just stay there and soak all of the incoming damage. The good news is that he has more HP and armor, so he should be able to survive even when his shield is down.
Speaking of the shield, the fact that it has less HP than before means you’ll have to be very careful when and how you use it. Some people used their barrier in Overwatch for pretty much anything, but this won’t be an option anymore. In other words, people who play with Rein have to decide when and in which situations to use the shield.
There will be cases where it is better to tank some of the incoming damage so that you will have your barrier for what is to come. It all depends on the situation, and you must be ready to adapt.
Other than that, Rein remains relatively the same in terms of the combos and the scenarios he works in. He can do wonders in the setups that rely on pushing and weaker DPS and Supports that need protection. What’s more, most combos with Reinhardt are good against teams that rely on snipers, such as Widowmaker. Even though this hero is a lot stronger now because the barriers in OW 2 are not as strong, Rein continues to be a pain for her.
Rein’s counters in Overwatch 2
The fact that Reinhardt is one of the best tanks in Overwatch 2 and works in many scenarios doesn’t mean he does not have any counters. In fact, he needs to be aware of a couple of heroes, including other tanks.
Normally, Rein has no problems dealing with most other tanks, but Junker Queen is different. She may not be able to 1v1 Rein in a direct clash, but once she starts kiting him, she will be able to defeat him after a couple of seconds.
Another hero that Reinhardt has to be aware of is Reaper, a hero that is not that popular in Overwatch 2 yet. Reaper is the best hero to pick against opponents that have to stay in melee range and have loads of HP. Due to his incredible damage output and the fact that he has more HP, Reaper can efficiently deal with Rein.
The last hero that Rein players need to be aware of is Cassidy, a.k.a McCree. The latter received a couple of notable changes, such as adding a new grenade that can deal a lot of damage. In addition to the grenade, McCree also deals a lot of damage, and he can stay at a safe distance from Rein’s right clicks. Needless to say, this makes him incredibly strong.
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