'Overwatch' hero spotlight: How to suck less with Reinhardt
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 hulking, hammer-smashing meat-and-energy shield, Reinhardt.
Ability breakdown
Primary weapon: Rocket Hammer. Reinhardt's melee-only main attack involves swinging his giant hammer in a wide arc. It does moderate damage individually, but can hit multiple foes in one swing.
Barrier Field: A forward-facing energy shield that can absorb 2000 damage before disappearing. Shield charges at a moderate speed when not in use. Reinhardt can move but is unable to attack while the shield is active. There's also a 5-second cooldown before recharge when the shield is completely broken.
Charge: Reinhardt rushes forward in a relatively straight line -- you can steer him slightly to the left or right -- damaging anything in front of him. The first enemy struck is "pinned" to Reinhardt and sustains heavy damage if the Charge carries Reinhardt into a solid surface. Any subsequently struck enemies are tossed aside, taking light damage. 10-second cooldown.
Fire Strike: Reinhardt releases a fast-moving ball of fire that travels along a straight path and passes through barriers (including enemy Reinhardt shields), dealing high damage to anything it touches. 6-second cooldown.
Ultimate ability: Earth Shatter. Reinhardt slams his hammer on the ground in front of him, knocking any enemy in range off their feet and stunning them for a few seconds.
How to Reinhardt
Reinhardt may be the easiest Overwatch hero to get the hang of, provided you're a patient player.
Part of the trick to Reinhardt is just understanding the role a "tank" hero plays in a game like Overwatch. Tanks are there to soak up damage while their team's heavier hitters do most of the fighting.
Reinhardt's Barrier Field makes him uniquely well suited to soaking up lots and lots of damage. Keeping that shield active and in front of teammates should be the primary focus, always.
Barrier Field is especially effective when it's protecting a Torbjörn turret or a Bastion nestled in a corner or backed against a wall. Throw in a healer and/or Torb (to repair the turret) and you've got a defended position that even coordinated enemy teams will have a hard time breaking through.
Reinhardt's melee focus, large size and average speed means he's not the best choice for lone-wolf players. He's ideally the tip of the spear for an attacking team and the front line guard for defenders.
As Reinhardt, your first priority should always be defending your team. Fire Strike is useful for dishing out quick damage when the enemy clusters in front of you, but remember that the few seconds it takes to activate the ability is time that your shield is down.
Charge is great against tanks due to its high damage output, but a long wind-up means it's not a good thing for taking down groups head-on. Think of it as more of an ambush tool. Look for opportunities when you're rushing back to the battle after a respawn.
Really, Reinhardt's offensive capabilities depend heavily on the situation at hand. If your whole team is stacked up and firing from behind the shield, that's no time to go charging forward.
Look for opportunities, such as when one or more of the opposing team is taking refuge in a room, or after your allies have scattered to deal with other threats. Look for bottlenecks. Anytime you find yourself in close quarters and your teammates are relatively safe, let loose with that hammer. Swing wildly. Use that wide damage arc to your advantage.
Reinhardt's ultimate doesn't have a lot of forward range, but like his hammer strikes it covers a wide arc. Wait until an enemy team is about to break through your shield and then use it. Earth Shatter is especially effective when paired with Fire Strike and/or Charge, since both abilities can damage multiple enemies in one shot.
Best modes/maps: Reinhardt is one of those indispensable Overwatch heroes who works in any mode. He's not always the best choice on Control maps, but a skilled Reinhardt can be invaluable even there. Every team should have at least one tank always, and it's never a bad thing when that tank is Reinhardt.
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.
