Summary
- Sombra's rework in Overwatch 2 requires players to focus on countering her Stealth ability, not just her Translocator.
- D.Va's tank abilities make her a strong counter against Sombra, with Boosters for mobility and Defense Matrix for survival.
- Winston's mobility and Barrier Projector shield help draw Sombra away from allied supports, making him a good tank to counter her.
Coming up with counters to Sombra in Overwatch 2 became particularly important after her rework in October 2023. These changes aimed to make her kit more active and force her to commit to the fights she was adept at starting. This was a direct response to the biggest criticism Sombra faced. Before the rework, her Translocator ability was a get-out-of-jail-free card that could instantly teleport her to safety. While this is still a crucial part of her kit, Stealth is now just as important to consider when coming up with a counter to Sombra in Overwatch 2.
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The DPS hero isn't going anywhere soon, and fans may see more changes to her kit as 2024 progresses. In the meantime, she continues to be a nuisance to unprepared players, striking where they'd least expect it. That said, a few characters can turn the tables on the hacker and make her regret engaging them.
Updated August 18, 2024, by Amjad A. Asma: Coming up with counters for Sombra in Overwatch 2 can be tricky, given that she is a good, agile DPS hero. Her rework in October 2023 and recent tweaks to her kit have increased her pick rate. While she doesn’t have a lot of health, her Hack, Virus, and Translocator make her a dangerous hero to face on the battlefield. Since DPS characters now have a 10% healing reduction, she's ultimately more of a threat to any Damage enemy.
Given that Sombra’s kit depends on sneak attacks and burst damage, effective counters can vary depending on ranked or pro play. Despite this variability, some heroes have higher chances of countering Sombra effectively in Overwatch 2. This can either entail a bigger HP bar to outlast attacks, better movement to dodge or retreat, or even kits better suited to overall teamplay when going up against a line-up with Sombra as one of the DPS heroes.
10 D.Va
D.Va's Boosters Can Help Give Chase Or Retreat
- Boosters are incredibly helpful with moving around quickly. The AoE when moving can make Sombra vulnerable.
- Upon "death," D.Va gets a second life outside her mech. This adds some more lasting potential.
- Defense Matrix can help players survive follow-up attacks after Sombra's Hack is over.
D.Va is one of the most meta heroes in Overwatch 2 and a great counter against Sombra. The tank’s 575 health itself can help outlast sneak hack-and-burst damage. Such salvos make up most of Sombra’s attacks, and the ability to survive through one on its own makes D.Va a good pick. Another factor is that her Boosters can help players quickly give chase or retreat to the safeline to top off healing.
Another factor that makes Sombra’s sneak attacks so lethal is that the damaged hero can be gunned down by others quite quickly. D.Va’s Defense Matrix helps stave off these follow-ups and retreat. Further, her overall value as a tank, a “second life” with the mech off, and a great ultimate, make her a great all-rounder pick.
9 Winston
Jump Wherever Needed With The 360 Degrees Shield
- Winston is a great tank for diving at the backlines and drawing Sombra away from allied supports.
- The Barrier Projector shield can help Winston and teammates survive follow-up attacks.
- The Primal Rage ultimate can be very effective at holding foes at bay.
Sombra's plan to attack the back line means that mobile tanks are better suited to answer her. If their supports are being taken out, players can jump back and make her regret it. However, this does mean that Winston players are not leading the charge as tanks are meant to, and their attention is divided to counter Sombra in Overwatch 2.
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In the time Winston is away, the DPS can be picked off, or the opposing tank can gain ground, so it's always a gamble. The genius ape does have one thing about normal tanks in his shield. Sombra can't hack through shields, and Winston covers every angle in a circle (although its small size makes some call for a rework). Regardless, this means anyone inside is safe unless Sombra gets inside, in which case her cover is blown. As such, this tank is an effective counter to Sombra in Overwatch 2.
8 Ana
Put Sombra To Sleep (Just Don't Miss)
- The Sleep Dart can be very handy when taking out Sombra, but the skill ceiling is high.
- The Biotic Grenade has a decent AoE radius and can make the DPS sneak hero quite vulnerable.
- Ana's kit makes her a good pick for the overall team, aiding survival in many scenarios.
Ana is a good support for many reasons, but it almost always comes back to her Sleep Dart, which, when used right, can lead to some impressive plays, especially if it's a counter to Sombra in Overwatch 2. The Sleep Dart is a very powerful disruptor tool. If Ana manages to sleep and attack Sombra, they’re done for.
While this is easier said than done, it gets easier when her target is close, something a Sombra often does to improve their accuracy. Then, if that doesn’t work, Ana’s biotic grenade provides a nice healing boost and doesn’t need precise aim. However, once those two abilities are used up, Ana will be out of tricks and will be easy pickings for a Sombra lying in wait.
7 Cassidy
Hinder And Burst Damage Can End An Aggressive Sombra
- Cassidy's grenade now flashes and hinders movement by 50%, effective in countering Sombra in Overwatch 2.
- His shots are precise and deal good damage. It can be difficult to land shots, but even a couple will do the trick.
- The secondary fire and Combat Roll ability provide a good chance at surviving Sombra attacks.
Cassidy remains a dominant DPS character in Overwatch 2's meta, despite his Magnetic Grenade ability undergoing what is technically a nerf. Instead of a stun, it now flashes the enemy and hinders their movement speed by 50% for 1.2 seconds. For many players, this may serve as a more effective Sombra counter in Overwatch 2. If there's a Brigitte in the team, a well-balanced support counter to Sombra, she can use her Whip Shot to land a good hit as well.
Although the damage of Cassidy's secondary fire has been reduced from 50 to 45, it still remains an effective deterrent or even final move against Sombra. When paired with the flash, even inexperienced hit-scan players will get a good chance to take down the fleet-footed character. Aside from being an effective counter to Sombra in Overwatch 2, Cassidy complements almost any team with his precise shots and the Deadeye ultimate.
6 Reaper
Lifesteal and Wraith Form Can Help Survive Almost Any Sombra-Dive
- Reaper's lifesteal shots are great for taking on any Sombra main.
- His Wraith Form makes him invulnerable and quick, allowing for both chases or retreats.
- Shadow Step is great for pressuring opponents or rushing to aid a teammate under Sombra's attack.
Reaper is one of the strongest close-combat heroes in the game, which, in turn, makes him a great Sombra counter in Overwatch 2. Reaper underwent a balance tweak in June 2024 that resulted in his bullet spread becoming tighter and Shadow Step's cast time being reduced a tiny bit. These changes will help him become more of a menace to smaller and agile targets, with Sombra and Tracer being some of the most annoying present.
The additional factor that makes Reaper a great counter for Sombra in Overwatch 2 is how effective his abilities are in the game. Shadow Step's teleport is very handy to escape death or chase, but Wraith Form's immediate invulnerability is what will help players survive certain defeat. Plus, his shots have lifesteal and allow him to go toe-to-toe with Sombra in many scenarios. Not to forget, his Death Blossom ultimate remains a very strong team-delete ability.
5 Genji
Chase Sombra Down When She Tries To Disengage
- Genji has great agility, even over walls, and this aids in evading Sombra's strikes.
- His Swift Strike can greatly damage Sombra in one hit.
- Genji's ultimate, Dragonblade, adds a lot of benefits to teamfights.
Sombra's Translocator can be used to get out of a sticky situation. In this situation, players need a character who can run her down, and few are better at this than Genji. The latter's great agility, especially with Swift Strike, can be a very helpful counter for Sombra in Overwatch 2.
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Whether she throws it vertically or horizontally, Genji's dash and wall climb are perfect tools to catch her. Playing him against Sombra is sort of like a cat-and-mouse chase. If she hacks a Genji player, they become the mouse. But if Genji players can disrupt her game plan, they will be the cat and can take her out.
4 Hanzo
Switch Between Sonic And Storm Arrows To Adapt To The Situation
- Hanzo's Sonic Arrow can detect Sombra's presence, which can be immensely helpful in informing allies in advance.
- His Wall Climb ability enables him to create new routes for himself, thus usually evading Sombra.
- Hanzo's Storm Arrows can be very helpful in taking out Sombra through corners or at least keeping her at bay.
While most snipers are easy picking for Sombra, the same isn't true for Overwatch 2's iconic character, Hanzo. His Sonic Arrow is a great tool for revealing an invisible Sombra. This ability can be used to help the team pinpoint her location or fire it nearby.
Hanzo's Storm Arrows are great for close-range combat. As long as he can land four, Sombra is done for (although that's easier said than done). If that doesn't work, his Lunge is a good mobility tool that can help him create some distance. A well-placed arrow can easily force a Sombra to retreat or, if players are lucky, send her back to spawn.
3 Kiriko
Kiriko Can Cleanse Sombra's Debuffs
- Kiriko comes with great damage potential and can handily keep Sombra at bay.
- Her Swift Step can help her teleport to allies in need or make an escape when needed.
- Kiriko's Protection Suzu comes in crucial when protecting teammates from an aggressive Sombra.
Kiriko has quite a few tools that can directly answer Sombra. Not only can she teleport to the safety of her allies if the latter tries to take her one-on-one, but she can also use her Protection Suzu to cleanse Hack and Virus abilities.
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This is especially useful if a tank gets Hacked and can prevent her from getting a lot of bonus damage. Players should be careful when using this powerful ability, however, as it has a 15-second cooldown. If timed right, a Kiriko can nullify Sombra, but if players misread the situation, the latter will take the opening before the support hero has time to think.
2 Brigitte
Make Sombra Think Twice About Going After Teammates
- Brigitte's Rocket Flail and Whip Shot are very good deterrents for any Sombra main, especially due to the range.
- Her Shield Bash helps knock back Sombra from initiating sneak attacks or immediately after one.
- Brigitte's Inspire passive helps add extra healing to the team when she damages enemies.
If a Sombra's dream is a backline full of easy targets, then Overwatch 2 support hero Brigitte is her worst nightmare. Not only is she an easy hero to play, but her shield makes her a bulky target that's difficult to pick off quickly. She can also protect her teammates, who would otherwise be easy targets. Not only that, but Brigitte can also watch her tank's back and prevent them from getting hacked.
If Sombra does choose to engage, Brigitte's Shield Bash and Whip Shot can create distance. Against her, the DPS character either has to pick off targets far from the main party (such as snipers) or change to a different character; there's not much else she can do.
1 Torbjorn
Protect Teammates With His Vigilant Turret
- Torbjorn's Turret can protect allies. Sombra will either destroy it and get detected or get damaged from it when visible.
- His Overload ability can increase his movement, reload, and attack speed, making him good for damaging Sombra.
- Torbjorn's Molten Core ultimate can not only damage Sombra but also keep her from rushing in to aid allies.
Torbjorn is often criticized for being an easy character to play because of the turret’s auto-aiming, which can come in handy when fighting an opponent players can’t see. While Sombra is safe as long as she’s in stealth, the turret can target her as soon as she tries hacking someone. This is a factor that makes Torbjorn a good counter for Sombra in Overwatch 2.
So long as teammates stay within line of sight of the turret, they’re essentially safe from being hacked. All Torbjorn has to do is watch his own back if Sombra tries to deal with the problem at its source. His alt fire should be useful in close quarters, and with the turret’s help, the odds are more than in his favor.
Overwatch 2
- Released
- August 10, 2023
