Overwatch's Archives event is now in full swing and features a Challenge Missions tab that sees the players take on the previously available PvE missions - this time with an added twist.
Overwatch Archives event offers many opportunities as well as the increased need for different tactics. Here are our recommendations for hero picks in Overwatch Archives' Challenge Missions.
Uprising hero picks
Molten Cores (foes drop lava one eliminated):
Since enemy deaths will cause a lot of area denial, it's best to pick heroes effective at long range, without the need to move a lot.
- Mercy - Can Guardian Angel over the lava, provide healing as well as faster resurrects
- Ashe - Fantastic at putting out constant DPS and clearing out those tiny annoyances that attack the payload. BOB can get behind enemy barriers and tank Bastions
- Bastion - Can remain static for the most of the mission, dishing out more damage than anyone else
- Orisa and Sigma - Capable of dealing damage at range while providing barriers. Sigma can soak up Bastions in all forms.
Glass Cannon (reduced hero health, increased damage):
You are dying quickly because your health is low but the fact is that enemies still don't deal too much damage. Play around this.
- Lucio - His healing aura output is more than enough for the team's decreased health needs. Sound Barrier ultimate can come in handy when dealing with beefier enemies
- Baptiste - AoE heals can negate most of the enemy damage. Invulnerability field can negate one-shots from Bastions in tank form. Together with Lucio, he can keep the team alive forever
- Orisa - Extremely useful ultimate, makes even the healers deadly. Her barrier is curved, offering the best protection while defending the payload
- Torbjorn or Bastion - Easily the best dps heroes that can camp behind Orisa's barrier. Both ultimates are useful at dispersing crowds
Bulletproof Barriers (invulnerable enemy barriers)
- Ashe - Dynamite can provide DoT to the enemy OR14 and Eradicator units.
- Moira - Moira's Biotic Orbs, as well as her ultimate, can travel through barriers while providing ample healing for her team.
- Reaper - Gabriel can get up close and personal with his targets and his passive comes in handy while behind enemy lines.
- Genji - Can dash behind enemies with barriers and attack their weak spots. Deflect is useful against Bastions
- Reinhardt - Barriers don't apply to this guy. He'll just swing his hammer and Firestrike through
Retribution hero picks
Surgical Strike (only critical hits do damage)
- Orisa - The only tank that has reliable critical hits. The barrier option is also pretty sweet.
- McCree, Hanzo and Ashe - Great DPS with reliable headshots. Assassins will be annoying because you can't CC them properly
- Healers should be focusing healing here, not dealing damage as most of them can't do it at all. If you still want to damage enemies, go for Baptiste
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Close Quarters (deal damage if a player is nearby)
Heroes with longer range can do damage, provided one of your allies is standing next to the enemies. We still suggest going close quarters with the entire team.
- Mei - Proved useful because of her primary fire. She can abuse the special enemies while her teammates take them down.
- Reaper - Excels at close quarters combat and is highly mobile. Need we say more?
- Reinhardt - Charge can counter heavy units' charge, melee means he will be in close quarters all the time and Earthshatter can be a lifesaver
- Brigitte - Doing damage in close quarters while providing CC, AoE healing and armour. This girl has it all
Sympathy Gains (damage to enemies heals other enemies)
- Zenyatta - Placing Orbs of Discord on enemies gives Zenyatta's teammates a target to shoot and makes them easier to kill.
- Ana - Can throw a grenade into a group of enemies, preventing healing on all of them. Sleep is extremely useful against all special enemies
- Orisa - She's a tank that doesn't risk hitting multiple targets with primary fire while also providing a barrier
- Ashe, Hanzo, McCree, Genji, Mei, Echo and Bastion are all great DPS picks. Just don't throw dynamite into groups of enemies
Storm Rising picks
Blood Moon Rising (only DPS heroes available - heal by dealing damage)
- Genji - Ultimate cleans up special enemies efficiently, Deflect can counter shotgun and sniper units. He doesn't need healing in this mode
- Ashe - Dynamite and BOB provide a lot of healing, she can pick off Snipers easily and get Assassins off the teammates. BOB is good at tanking heavy enemies. Perfect pick
- Bastion - Can act as a tank. Just don't get pinned by a heavy and you should be good while dishing out tons of damage. Assassin is your worst counter here and you have to rely on teammates to CC her
- Mei - Useful for the same reasons she is a good pick for Close Quarters.
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Storm Raging (killing enemies spreads the rage)
Save the enraged enemies and kill them last. This will minimize your chances of getting one-shot-killed by the Assassin and having to deal with large groups of Enraged enemies.
- Go for heroes with high single-target damage
- Hanzo and McCree have reliable single-target damage and their ults can clean up groups of Enraged enemies
- Doomfist and Mei are lifesavers because they can repeatedly CC the Assassin, who can instantly kill an ally if Enraged
- Sigma's boulder toss is invaluable against special enemies
- Ana can put Enraged enemies to sleep, if they become a threat
Thunderstorm (enemies damage nearby players)
- Orisa - Barriers are always useful. Orisa's Halt ability can give her and her team a bit of breathing room once the enemies get a bit overwhelming. Environmental kills are always fun.
- Ashe - If enemies get too close, just boop them with the Coach Gun. Provides reliable damage and BOB as an off-tank
- Ana and Lucio - Their crowd control allows you to get away from enemies that get too close
- McCree - Always good to have his Flashbang around to stop the Assassin in her tracks
