Every DPS hero in Overwatch is extraordinary and can play a crucial role for his team. Reaper is no exception, with the hero known for making a difference in the right moment.
Like other heroes in the game, Reaper works well against some of his opponents and can’t do anything against others. He is not one of the heroes that you can pick in every situation. In fact, he often shines more on specific maps because he has the unique ability to teleport. This allows him to catch his opponents off guard.
Reaper is interesting because he is one of the heroes in Overwatch that did not receive as many changes as others over the years. The fact that he is relatively the same makes him a popular option among new OW players. In our Overwatch Reaper Guide, we’ll help you learn the ropes.
Reaper is the KING when it comes down to close-range matches
Every hero in Overwatch excels at something, and Reaper does that in close-range combat. Due to the nature of his two guns, he is one of the deadliest heroes you can face when you are close to him. Besides having more HP than your average DPS, Reaper deals almost twice the damage and even heals while doing it. Consequently, he is one of the best options for these kinds of fights.
Since he has to be close to deal damage, Reaper players have to be smart because they can easily die. With that being said, this hero is unique against all kinds of Shield. That’s why he works well with heroes like Widow.
Similar to other DPS heroes, you need to move around as much as possible and deal the highest amount of damage. As mentioned earlier, Reaper has the benefit of lifesteal while shooting, which allows him to sustain himself. In other words, you should be able to survive much longer with Reaper.
Reaper is probably the worst DPS hero in distance fights, despite being one of the best in close-range scenarios. He does almost 0 damage versus heroes like Pharah and Widow unless he is close to them. That’s why people often pick these two as a way to counter him.
You can use the Wraith Form aggressively in several situations
Everyone who played with Reaper before knows how to use his abilities. One of the things that make Reaper so dangerous is the Wraith Form. When used, the hero becomes invulnerable and can move faster than usual. However, he is unable to shoot, which means people use this ability as an escape tool.
While it is true that the Wraith Form is an excellent escape tool, it can also work offensively. As you know, you can cancel the ability earlier, and once you do that, your weapons will be reloaded. You can quickly use it, cancel it one second later, and start shooting again. Although this may not seem that impressive, there are cases where it can do wonders, especially if you are under heavy fire and you can’t wait for the reload.
Aside from using it to deal more damage, Wraith Form is a great way to dodge certain abilities, such as DVA’s ultimate. There are loads of scenarios where this spell can work well, but you will learn how to utilize it once you start practicing.
Use Shadow Step to surprise your opponents
Aside from the Wraith Form, Reaper is one of the few heroes in the game that can teleport. Even though Shadow Step is an ability that is often criticized, it can help you catch your opponents off guard because you can teleport behind them. Sadly, this is not as easy as it seems because you will have to hide before doing it.
The teleport is slow, and your opponents can see where you’re heading too. Needless to say, every good player will try to counter you or kill you as soon as you teleport.
Some Reaper players use this ability to escape from danger, but it is not one of the best options to do that. Since it has a 1.5s casting time, most opponents have enough time to kill you.
Your ultimate can be devastating
Once you decide to pick Reaper, you have to know that you are the main DPS in your team. Using your team’s healers, you need to be in the enemy’s face and deal as much damage as possible. Depending on the heroes you face, you should be able to charge your ultimate fast, which is where things get interesting.
Your ultimate (Death Blossom) allows you to do damage to all nearby enemies. If you use it correctly, you can easily kill the entire enemy team in less than a few seconds. What makes Reaper’s ult even more deadly is that it makes the hero even harder to kill. As long as you are hitting your opponents, you will benefit from the 30% Lifesteal. Hence, it will be hard for them to kill you.
Speaking of your ultimate, you have to be innovative and learn how to take advantage of it. Many people use their Wraith Form to go and ult, which is not good, especially if your opponents know what they’re doing. Every OW player with more experience will notice you want to use your ult from miles away.
The best you could do is to jump from above and use your ultimate without wasting your abilities. With that being said, there are cases where you could teleport and ult after that.
Heroes that you should be aware of
Reaper is an excellent hero who can work really well, but he has weaknesses, especially against certain heroes. Pharah, Widow, and Hanzo are just some of the names that come to mind, but there are a few other heroes.
Cassidy is one of the names that can also be difficult to overcome, especially if you stay in the open. The same applies to the situations where you have to play against Trace, even though the person playing with the hero has to be perfect with their hero to kill you.
Check out our Junkrat or Hanzo guides for a different flavor of DPS.