'Overwatch' hero spotlight: How to suck less with Reaper
Want help with a different hero? Click here to check out our master Overwatch guide, where you'll find links to tips and strategies for each hero in the game.
Each Overwatch hero is a special snowflake.
Different guns, different abilities, different movement speeds, different quirks. Learning to excel with one hero doesn't mean you've mastered Overwatch.
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Playing a hero the "right" way only gets you so far, of course. Positioning, team formation (on both sides) and overall skill level are still important; you can play a hero perfectly and still lose. But you probably won't win until you learn to play whoever you're using right.
We've got you covered. Read on for tips, strategies and ideal maps/modes to help you suck less at using Overwatch's hooded, way emo flanker, Reaper.
Ability breakdown
Primary weapon: Hellfire Shotguns. Dual-wielded hand shotguns that deal high damage at close range. Damage falls off quickly as distance to target increases. 8-round clip.
Wraith Form: Reaper assumes his shadow form, increasing movement speed and rendering him invulnerable to damage for up to three seconds. 8-second cooldown.
Shadow Step: Reaper teleports to the targeted location within a medium distance, leaving himself vulnerable and immobile during the 2-second casting time. 10-second cooldown.
The Reaping: All downed enemies release a Soul Globe that Reaper can collect to restore his health. Each Soul gives 50 health.
Ultimate ability: Death Blossom. Reaper spins around in a circle, firing his shotguns all the while. Deals high damage to any nearby enemies, though Reaper has limited movement and is vulnerable to damage throughout Death Blossom's 3-second duration.
How to Reaper
Reaper is a flanker nuke. He has the ability to slip behind enemy lines unseen, pick a target and unload extreme damage on that target, then slip away to safety. He's not very fast, but neither are the tanks he tends to target.
If fellow flanker Tracer harasses and harries using hit-and-run tactics, Reaper thins out the ranks with targeted precision.
Shadow Step is very handy for moving invisibly around the map. Look for positions behind and/or off to the side of the main enemy force. Once you have a destination in mind, activate Shadow Step from a concealed position -- it's easy to be cut down while casting -- that has a line of sight on your target.
Wraith Form offers less concealment -- everyone can see Reaper when he's in this state -- but the speed boost and invulnerability combined make it easy to zoom past firefights. The big advantage Shadow Step offers is verticality; you can teleport to positions that Reaper couldn't otherwise reach.
Wraith Form is also best saved as a defensive measure. Once you've found your flanking route, a standard strategy is to run or Shadow Step in, dish out whatever damage you can and Wraith Form out.
Picking up Soul Globes during a flanking maneuver like this helps to keep Reaper in play that much longer, but escape should always be on your mind. A flanking Reaper is always a juicy target for the enemy team, both because of the danger he represents and his inability to survive for long under focused fire.
Also: Reaper can still collect health pickups while in Wraith Form. Whether it's the health packs that spawn around the maps or the Soul Globes left behind by his victims, Reaper can heal while he's making an escape.
Death Blossom works best as a sneak attack, preferably while the enemy is facing another threat. Reaper's transformation into death tornado can wipe out an enemy team, but his limited movement leave him extremely vulnerable to anyone outside of Death Blossom's range.
Pairing Death Blossom with Shadow Step or Wraith Form can be very effective, since both abilities make it easy to wade into enemy ranks without taking damage. Just trigger Death Blossom the moment you reappear.
Alternatively, trigger Death Blossom in mid-air when you're dropping down on top of enemies. Attacking from above offers an added element of surprise, which is crucial for avoiding retaliatory damage.
Best maps/modes: Reaper is a situational flanker that works well in any mode, but moderation is key. His utility as a hero is too limited for a team to benefit from more than one Reaper under most circumstances. As long as a good team is around to create opportunities, Reaper is a strong choice in any mode or map.
Topics Blizzard Entertainment Esports Gaming
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
