'Overwatch' Skill Cap Tier List: Characters Ranked From Easiest To Most Difficult To Master

Overwatch is an extremely popular game right now, but getting into it might seem a little intimidating for some. With over 20 strong characters to choose from, it’s sometimes hard for new players to select the best one. In absence of concrete suggestions from Blizzard, one player has used a bot to create a tier list of skill caps that shows which heroes are the easiest and hardest to master.

The details arrive via GentlemanIntheSuit from the Overwatch Reddit community. Using a Python bot to analyze statistics on the official Overwatch website, this enthusiast was able to get a semi-accurate measure of how long it takes to learn each character. The algorithm determines the average hours necessary for the community to reach a win rate that’s above each hero’s average win rate.

The formula behind it may sound a bit confusing, but the results are what really matters. Here’s the latest tier list that determines just how simple or complex learning Overwatch’s characters can be.

Bastion: 7.4
Torbjörn: 11
Reaper: 11.6
Symmetra: 12.4
D.va: 13.4
Winston: 14.2
Zarya: 15.8
Reinhardt: 16.4
Junkrat: 17
Soldier 76: 17.4
Pharah: 19.4
Mercy: 19.8
Mei: 21.4
Zenyatta: 21.6
Ana: 22.4
Hanzo: 22.4
McCree: 22.8
Roadhog: 24
Widowmaker: 24.6
Lúcio: 25
Genji: 28
Tracer: 28.8

Looking at these stats, there’s reason to think that this generated tier list is at least passively accurate based on what players have experienced. Bastion has essentially gained a reputation for being a “noob” character, while Tracer remains an enigma for some of Overwatch’s most ardent fans. Small debates can certainly be had over the rest, Zarya is perceived to be a much more difficult choice, but this is an estimation not a guarantee.

With that in mind, it’s only fair to note some of the shortcomings with this particular ranking. For one, not all of Overwatch’s heroes necessarily rely on wins to be successful. Certain characters, like Reinhardt and Lucio, are better used for communication as opposed to physical play. Some heroes also operate better in teams too. Then there’s the fact that maybe the current Overwatch community still hasn’t mastered what certain characters are truly capable of. Underused heroes, like Symmetra, may be better than we think. No in-depth study is without pitfalls, and these numbers have a few.

To avoid flame wars. It’s also worth reiterating that this tier list does not suggest which Overwatch hero is best. What we’re looking at here is merely a measure of skill caps for which ones are the easiest and hardest to learn. For new players, we also have guides for competitive play, offense, support and defense.

Overwatch is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

What do you think of this latest character tier list? Is your main represented well? Tell us in the comments section!