One of the most iconic characters from Overwatch. Widow stands out as one of the game’s best.
Most shooters have some form of hero with a sniper or a stand-alone weapon that people can use. Overwatch is not an exception because the game has a hero called Widow. Although some people also add Hanzo to the list of snipers, Widow is the “real one”.
Since snipers are popular, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Widow is one of the most famous heroes in Overwatch. Unfortunately, mastering her takes time, so lower-MMR players rarely utilize her to her full potential.
Despite the fact that every other hero can do some damage and help their team.Widow falls into the category of easy to learn, hard to master. People who don’t know what to do or how to position themselves won’t be able to do much. Hence, many players are unhappy when they see someone from their team picking Widow.
Hopefully, the things you can read here will give you an overall idea of what to expect from the hero and how to learn what it’s capable of. Get all the details in our Overwatch Widow Guide.
Positioning is key
Every hero in Overwatch needs to have a good position to make a difference. This is especially true for Widow because the sniper needs to stay somewhere where she can hit her shots and hide when needed.
Although Grappling Hook allows her to escape (in some situations), you can’t always rely on this ability. Especially if you are in a bad position. You have to be familiar with every map and know where to go in order to make the most of it. Widow is usually great when you have to defend something. However, the hero can also be used offensively.
One of the easiest ways to learn where you need to stay is by watching videos or streams of professional players. There are loads of options to choose from, so make sure to watch at least a few people.
Learn to land the easy shots
Many of you have probably seen some of the best Widow players that do things, such as trick shots. Although those things seem impressive, landing them is easier said than done, even for experienced players. That’s why it is better to focus on landing the easy shots as much as possible before focusing on something more complicated.
The only way to become a better player is to use the hero as much as possible. Besides playing competitively or with your friends, you can also practice against AI. Especially if you want to land as many headshots as possible. This is one of the most important things when playing with Widow. Headshots allow you to kill most of your targets instantly.
Playing with the hero as much as possible is usually a recipe for success. Playing against AI will allow you to learn the basics, but once you start facing real people, you will also learn how to cope with the pressure. The latter is one of the big problems for many Widow players because they are pressured to perform at a certain level.
Flanking can be an option, but only in some scenarios
Many heroes in Overwatch are great at flanking because they are able to kill multiple heroes quickly. Sadly, Widow is not one of the best flankers out there. Since the hero is not as mobile as some other flankers in the game, she can die in a matter of seconds. To prevent this from happening, Widow players must be very careful when pushing and should only do it if it is safe.
In the best-case scenario, you move behind your opponents, kill a few of them and go to a safe sport. Don’t forget that Widow is good only if you can remain unnoticed. Once your opponents know you’re there, you should go to a different location.
The high ground is your friend
As mentioned earlier, positioning is everything when it comes to Widow. Some maps are better than others, where you can, however, try taking advantage of the high ground. This can give you a good overview of the battlefield, and help you land some quick kills.
Since you are a Sniper, only a few heroes in the game can kill you from a distance. Aside from Widow, we have to mention Hanzo and Cassidy. The Widow vs Widow match is tricky, and it usually comes down to patience and skills. However, you have more range than Hanzo and Cassidy, so you should use it to your advantage.
Speaking of high grounds, this is one of the ways that will help you avoid some of the heroes that will actively try to kill you. Sure, Genji and Tracer can eventually catch you, but you can use your hook to escape.
Learning more about when to shoot
One of the more advanced things you need to learn when playing with Widow is when to shoot. Unlike other sniper heroes or weapons in other games. Widow can’t just zoom in and shoot right away because this won’t do that much damage.
Once you press your zoom, your shot’s power starts charging. The higher it is, the more damage you will do. However, this doesn’t mean you have to wait until your weapon fully charges to fire at someone. In fact, once you pass the 60% range, almost any DPS target will die if you land a headshot. This means that you don’t need to charge your shot to 100% unless you want to break a shield or kill a tank whose current HP is over 250.
Learning how to use this technique will take time, but you will become much stronger once you get used to it. This is especially true in situations where you have to face another Widow.