The Next Overwatch Hero is a Tank Named Orisa

[ffronw]

The Next Overwatch Hero is a Tank Named Orisa

The 24th Overwatch hero is a four-legged robot tank named Orisa.

Blizzard has been teasing a new hero for Overwatch for quite some time, and today it finally announced who that hero will be. No, it's not a Terry Crews-voice Doomfist [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/169186-Overwatch-Doomfist-Could-be-Terry-Crews] (although he does garner a mention in the origin story). Instead, it's another Omnic robot - a four-legged tank named Orisa.


Orisa was built from leftover parts from Numbani's short-lived OR15 defense robots. When the OR15s were destroyed by Doomfist, the program to build them was cancelled, and the remaining parts were sold off. One of the purchasers was 11-year-old Efi Oladele (have you heard that name before [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/169605-Could-this-be-Overwatchs-Next-Hero]?), who was already well-known for her knowledge of robotics and artificial intelligence. Orisa is the bot she created using those parts and a personality core of her own design.


Orisa's main weapons is the Fusion Driver. Basically an energy-based machine gun, it offers good range, but slows her when she is firing it. Its alt-fire is a single pulse graviton-like effect that works to reposition enemies. She has four unique abilities:

Fortify: Allows Orisa to temporarily reduce incoming damage. Also, while this ability is active, she is immune to action-impairing effects.
Halt!: Orisa launches her graviton charge. When detonated, it slows nearby enemies and pulls them in.
Protective Barrier: Orisa deploys a stationary barrier that can protect her and her allies from incoming fire.
Supercharger: Orisa deploys a device that increases the damage inflicted by all allies within Orisa's line of sight.

If you want to check out Orisa, she's live on the PTR now, but there's no word on when she'll go live.

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[EyeReaper]

"Think of it as a projectile-based machine gun"

What, as opposed to those melee-oriented machine guns?

In seriousness, I can't wait to try her out later, seems like new main material

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

"Think of it as a projectile-based machine gun"

What, as opposed to those melee-oriented machine guns?

In seriousness, I can't wait to try her out later, seems like new main material

Projectile as opposed to hit-scan.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

"Think of it as a projectile-based machine gun"

What, as opposed to those melee-oriented machine guns?

In seriousness, I can't wait to try her out later, seems like new main material

As opposed to Hitscan machine guns, like Soldier's. XD

I kinda wish that her barrier was a winston shield that moved along with her, but eh, this is cool too. That Zarya gravity blast looks like a...well...A blast!

 

[go-10]

who needs a Switch when spider bot is here!!!

 

[hentropy]

From what little I've been able to try of her in the PTR, she could be a real game changer, a real alternative to Rein and Zarya, as well as a real counter Bastion (which is sorely needed right now). Might be a little OP, but I prefer that to a new hero being launched completely useless like Sombra.

 

[American Tanker]

So just to ask: Is Orisa going to be more capable of being played as a long- or at least mid-ranged "support tank" kind of character rather than most of the Overwatch tank heroes that are short-ranged "face tanks"?

 

[Erttheking]

Played a few rounds as her. Her gun is damn satisfying to fire, she seems pretty well rounded, and overall I like her a lot.

Although I find that she's a bit vulnerable to Pharah and that her ultimate can have a drawback in that it shows which way fleeing heroes are going, making them a bit easier to track down.

 

[The Enquirer]

From what little I've been able to try of her in the PTR, she could be a real game changer, a real alternative to Rein and Zarya, as well as a real counter Bastion (which is sorely needed right now). Might be a little OP, but I prefer that to a new hero being launched completely useless like Sombra.

I didn't really feel the Bastion counter vibe from her. Her Barrier has 900 health. Bastion can burn through that in less than 2 seconds at 525 dps. She also can't move him while he's in sentry form with her right click. The only part of her that makes her a somewhat counter to him is her shift ability that reduces the damage she takes.

 

[The Enquirer]

So just to ask: Is Orisa going to be more capable of being played as a long- or at least mid-ranged "support tank" kind of character rather than most of the Overwatch tank heroes that are short-ranged "face tanks"?

She actually seems to play at more of a mid range manner since she can launch her shield up towards her team. None of her abilities are really close range oriented.

 

[IceForce]

From what little I've been able to try of her in the PTR, she could be a real game changer, a real alternative to Rein and Zarya, as well as a real counter Bastion (which is sorely needed right now). Might be a little OP, but I prefer that to a new hero being launched completely useless like Sombra.

Funnily enough, Sombra is a hard-counter to Bastion (the hardest counter, now, after his buffs). All you have to do is hack or EMP him, and he can't use his heal or his turret form.

I get the feeling Blizzard made Bastion that way (ie: overpowered to the point where his previous counters no longer work against him) on purpose, to give Sombra an actual use now and/or make her viable.

 

[hentropy]

I didn't really feel the Bastion counter vibe from her. Her Barrier has 900 health. Bastion can burn through that in less than 2 seconds at 525 dps. She also can't move him while he's in sentry form with her right click. The only part of her that makes her a somewhat counter to him is her shift ability that reduces the damage she takes.

Just from the testing I've done, it's the impression I get. No, the shield's not that strong, but if you pop it in front of Bastion, team starts focusing him, discord orb, he either has to bail or die. Orisa can pop her Fortify and get in closer, doing a good amount of damage even at longer ranges, or get closer/up in his face with a shield. Not a hard counter, nothing really is a hard counter at this point, but it certainly helps. Really the fact that she can throw out her shield at length makes a huge difference, makes it easier to temporarily wall off choke points without having to have a Rein sitting there, and her gun is actually useful at range unlike Rein's hammer. That's not mentioning the gravity gun which can counter Genji and Tracer better, which Rein also can't do as well.

Funnily enough, Sombra is a hard-counter to Bastion (the hardest counter, now, after his buffs). All you have to do is hack or EMP him, and he can't use his heal or his turret form.

I get the feeling Blizzard made Bastion that way (ie: overpowered to the point where his previous counters no longer work against him) on purpose, to give Sombra an actual use now and/or make her viable.

She's better now for sure, but dive-hacking the Bastion and getting out of dodge can only do so much. If it's a Bastion fortification with a Rein shield and Mercy, you basically have to coordinate really well to actually confirm that kill, since the hack doesn't really last all that long and Bastion's recon mode gun and self-healing is much better. You have to coordinate with Orisa, as well, which is why I say there's no real hard counter to the Bastion meta- if there was, it wouldn't be the meta.

 

[Shadefyre]

Sounds like she's voiced by Athena's VO as well.

 

[IceForce]

Funnily enough, Sombra is a hard-counter to Bastion (the hardest counter, now, after his buffs). All you have to do is hack or EMP him, and he can't use his heal or his turret form.

I get the feeling Blizzard made Bastion that way (ie: overpowered to the point where his previous counters no longer work against him) on purpose, to give Sombra an actual use now and/or make her viable.

She's better now for sure, but dive-hacking the Bastion and getting out of dodge can only do so much. If it's a Bastion fortification with a Rein shield and Mercy, you basically have to coordinate really well to actually confirm that kill, since the hack doesn't really last all that long and Bastion's recon mode gun and self-healing is much better. You have to coordinate with Orisa, as well, which is why I say there's no real hard counter to the Bastion meta- if there was, it wouldn't be the meta.

Fair enough. In a situation like that, you'd have to use EMP (which lasts a little longer than the standard hack, and would also take out the Rein shield too if Bastion is hiding behind one).

But you're right, Sombra is terrible at 1v1-ing anything, and always needs the support from her team to do anything. She's more 'utility' than raw killing power.

 

[hentropy]

Fair enough. In a situation like that, you'd have to use EMP (which lasts a little longer than the standard hack, and would also take out the Rein shield too if Bastion is hiding behind one).

But you're right, Sombra is terrible at 1v1-ing anything, and always needs the support from her team to do anything. She's more 'utility' than raw killing power.

EMP is an ult, though, many ults can break up a Bastion-Rein-Mercy combo, a D.Va ult can force them out of position and even confirm a kill or two. You also have to charge the ult, which can difficult to do considering she can't 1v1, like you said. Maybe if Overwatch had more game modes she'd be more useable, but I'm not sure if she's still better than a replacement for support or DPS. Like Widow, you basically have to have god-tier instincts and aim to get optimal utility out of her.

 

[IceForce]

EMP is an ult, though, many ults can break up a Bastion-Rein-Mercy combo, a D.Va ult can force them out of position and even confirm a kill or two. You also have to charge the ult, which can difficult to do considering she can't 1v1, like you said. Maybe if Overwatch had more game modes she'd be more useable, but I'm not sure if she's still better than a replacement for support or DPS.

Yeah but, EMP charges ridiculously fast. In fact, it's one of the fastest charging ults in the game. Because of this, it can actually just be used as a 'standard' ability (like Tracer's bomb) without having to save it or conserve it (like Zarya's grav).

The trick is, Sombra gains ult charge off of hacked health packs her teammates use. Hacking one in a 'high traffic' area that gets commonly used not only denies it to the enemy, but it's also free ult charge for you every time you or one of your team uses it.
If played well, it's not uncommon for Sombra to have ult available in almost every team fight. (Reminds me of the good old days where I would have Mei ult in basically every team fight. Ahh, the salt from the enemy team was always so so delicious...)

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Doesn't look to be an Overwatch character- doesn't have that feel like Sombra did. But heh, it could end up growing on me if given enough time. Still, not happy with how strong the new champion is when they should try to balance Bastion since he's too much right now.

They're trying.

PTR has changed his Ironclad passive to 20%, down from 35% damage reduction. Not sure if that will be enough...or why they didn't do it to begin with when the PTR feedback overwhelmingly stated that Bastion was too strong.

But Blizzard's bizarre treatment of PTR patches is a subject for another thread.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Doesn't look to be an Overwatch character- doesn't have that feel like Sombra did. But heh, it could end up growing on me if given enough time. Still, not happy with how strong the new champion is when they should try to balance Bastion since he's too much right now.

They've released new balance changes for him on the PTR too. His passive grants 15% less damage reduction now.

 

[American Fox]

I was right, I've been saying this for weeks, I just misspelled her name.

 

[IceForce]

Doesn't look to be an Overwatch character- doesn't have that feel like Sombra did. But heh, it could end up growing on me if given enough time. Still, not happy with how strong the new champion is when they should try to balance Bastion since he's too much right now.

They're trying.

PTR has changed his Ironclad passive to 20%, down from 35% damage reduction. Not sure if that will be enough...or why they didn't do it to begin with when the PTR feedback overwhelmingly stated that Bastion was too strong.

But Blizzard's bizarre treatment of PTR patches is a subject for another thread.

That's hilarious.

And yeah, I really do have to wonder what the point of the PTR is, because Blizzard never seems to listen to any of the feedback they get on it.