Overwatch 2 Reaper guide: lore, abilities, and gameplay
In Overwatch 2, Reaper is still bossing it
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InOverwatch 2, Reaper has quickly become a fan favorite for new and veteran players alike. With the help of his trusty shotguns, this DPS hero is a reliable choice for those who like to get up close and personal.
This black-robed terrorist has cemented himself as one of the most viable choices inOverwatch 2, partly thanks to his ability to counter almost any tank that dares face him. Reaper is self-sufficient in offense and defense, which relieves pressure on teammates and provides a deadly consequence for the enemy team.
What to know how to take this simple but deadly DPS hero to the next level? Read on for the complete guide to Reaper’s lore, abilities, and gameplay.
Overwatch 2 Reaper
Overwatch 2 Reaper guide: story and background
InOverwatch 2, Reaper, or Gabriel Reyes, is somewhat of a fallen angel. Once an esteemed member of the Overwatch task force as its first strike commander and the subsequent leader of Blackwatch, a covert ops which housed heroes such asGenji,Moira, andCassidy, Gabriel, Reaper has since left the hero organization in disgrace.
Frustrated with Overwatch’s bureaucracy and red tape that prevented him from seeking true Justice after the capture ofDoomfist, Reaper was persuaded to join the terrorist organization known as Talon.
Believed dead after an attack on Overwatch’s Swiss Headquarters, Reaper now travels the globe hunting down Overwatch operatives. This journey even brought him to cross paths with his former teammatesAnaandSoldier 76; while everyone walked away from this fight, there is no telling what this mercenary will do in the future.
For more information on Reaper’s story and fall from grace, check out the short storyCode of Violence.
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Overwatch 2 Reaper guide: abilities breakdown
Primary Weapon: Hellfire Shotguns
Description:Short-range spread weapons
InOverwatch 2, Reaper’s Hellfire Shotguns is one of the deadliest short-range weapons, besidesRoadhog’s Scrap Gun andJunker Queen’s Scattergun. Dealing up to 108 damage per shot, Reaper can eliminate DPS and Support heroes within two hits. However, the fall-off range for these guns is 10 to 20 meters, so the closer, the better.
Some tips and tricks for this weapon:
Ability: Shadow Step
Description:Teleport to a targeted location
Shadow Step is the only way Reaper can scale heights quickly (unless stairs are lying about). AsOverwatch 2has a ton of verticality, this ability will come in handy when chasing down enemy heroes or picking a spot to hide and surprise attack the opposing team.
The max range on Shadow Step is 35 meters, so you can get to some exciting and creative spots if you try hard enough.
Some tips and tricks for this ability:
Ability: Wraith Form
Description:Move faster and become invulnerable
Wraith Form Reaper can travel up to 24.75 meters for up to 3 seconds with a 50% speed buff. This power gives Reaper good horizontal mobility. As the cooldown for this ability is 8 seconds, you should time Wraith Form well, as you won’t always be able to rely on it.
Some tips and tricks for this ability:
Passive Ability: The Reaping
Description:Dealing damage to enemy heroes heals you
InOverwatch 2, Reaper is one of the few non-support heroes that can heal himself, the others being Roadhog, Soldier 76, Tracer, Mei, and Junker Queen. This passive ability counts any damage Reaper inflicts, whether with a weapon or a melee and heals 35% of the total damage dealt.
Some tips and tricks for this passive ability:
Ultimate: Death Blossom
Description:While spinning, Reaper unloads both Hellfire Shotguns damaging all nearby enemies.
Death Blossom deals 170 damage a second per target, with a duration of 3 seconds. This ultimate has the potential to wipe out the entire enemy team. However, timing and location are vital to securing that team kill.
The area of effect is 8 meters, so you’ll have to wait until the opposition is grouped tightly together. Mitigating this ultimate is possible thanks to abilities likeKiriko’s Suzu andD.Va’s Defense Matrix. Therefore, your safest bet is to wait until you see these heroes dish out their abilities and then immediately go for the kill.
Some tips and tricks for this ultimate:
Overwatch 2 Reaper guide: gameplay breakdown
InOverwatch 2, Reaper thrives in close combat, especially when he’s up against tanks. Due to his passive ability, The Reaping, he can slowly seep health away from enemies meaning that the bigger the target’s health bar, the more health he can steal. Therefore, if Reaper has a tank like a Roadhog, he can live much longer in a fight than your average DPS hero.
This ability speaks to Reaper’s purpose in every fight. Instead of a cautious long-range hero like Widowmaker orAshe, whose purpose is to cover sightlines, Reaper is best used on the front lines supporting his tank.
This way, Reaper can whittle down the opposing tank’s health to nothing while the other DPS is targeting the backlines of the enemy team. However, while Reaper can happily go up against any tank, fighting fellow DPS heroes is paradoxically more challenging. This is thanks to DPS heroes having less health and access to ranged attacks; the same goes for Support heroes with good mobility. If you can distance yourself from an attacking Reaper, then the masked terrorist will be at a disadvantage.
So really, the key to Reaper is to be relentless in chasing down your enemies, and never let them get away.
Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.
Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they’ve taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.
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