Best Overwatch characters: Tank tier list

Jaret Kappelman
D.va Orisa Overwatch Tank tier list

In Overwatch, there are 32 distinct characters, each of which specializes in different areas. That being said, we have compiled a tier list ranking the best Tank characters to use in 2024.

With Overwatch 2 closer than ever to releasing, people are starting to get back into Blizzard’s arena shooter to prepare for the beta later in April.

While DPS can be one of the more popular roles, arguably the most important one sits in the Tank position. No team composition can be complete without having someone to protect your squishy teammates.

So, you want to know which ones you should be playing? Here’s a rundown of the best Overwatch Tank heroes in 2024 to help you be the winning factor in your upcoming games.


Contents


Overwatch 2 will only have one tank per team, but for now, you need to know which Tanks are the best

Best Overwatch characters: Tank

As a general overview, these are where we place Overwatch’s Tanks in the current meta:

Tier Characters
S D.Va, Wrecking Ball
A Reinhardt, Sigma
B Roadhog, Zarya
C Winston, Orisa

Overwatch Tank characters ranked

S-Tier

D.Va

overwatch's d.va out of MEKA with bunny blaster
D.Va is one of the most popular heroes in the game and ranks at the top of the tier list.

Whether you’re new to the tank position or a seasoned veteran, D.Va is a must-pick. She has the most flexibility out of any hero in her role. With the ability to dive the enemy backline, peel for teammates, or even play alone, D.Va can do it all.

Let’s not forget that her ultimate, Self-Destruct, has the ability to swing the momentum of a game with the press of a button. She has one of the highest skill ceilings in the game, but even if you’re not as good at first, you’ll still be able to carry games.

Wrecking Ball

Wrecking Ball activates Minefield
Wrecking Ball can be a major pain for players to counter, but he is hard to master.

If D.Va is too easy for you or you want something a bit harder, then Wrecking Ball will be your go-to. While the hero is mainly picked in high elo games, Hammond’s power to stay alive and be a nuance on the map is something that you will want to learn.

He can displace every hero on the map with a simple slam on the ground. Combo that with the Adaptive Shield ability, which can grant up to 550 additional health, and you will be rolling to victory.

Wrecking Ball is also a great DPS threat. When rolling with enough force you can output damage simply by running into them. While this tank is S-Tier, D.Va still takes the crown since she’s much easier to master.

A-Tier

Reinhardt

overwatch reinhardt poses with hammer
Reinhardt is one one of the best shield tanks in the game.

People looking to fill that main tank role should look no further than the A-Tier on this list. When a team needs someone to play a shield character, Reinhardt is the perfect match. The hardest part of Rein is finding the perfect balance between holding your shield and doing damage.

You want to try your best to make sure his shield never fully breaks, so throw some Fire Strikes and hammer swings to give it a chance to regenerate some of its health. While Rein also has a charge, we recommend using this with caution, as throwing yourself into six enemies can hurt your team more than it can help.

Sigma 

Sigma
Picking Sigma is always a great option, especially when paired up with Reinhardt.

The latest tank added to the game, Sigma, is actually one of the best to lock in while playing Overwatch. With a mobile shield, the possibility to throw an entire team into the air with Gravitic Flux, and ricocheting attacks, Sigma is a huge threat on any map.

While he may seem OP, the floating tank is extremely short-ranged, making him only an imminent threat on your front line. However, if a DPS tries to get up close and personal, Sigma can one-shot them back to spawn.

Overall, in the current meta both Sigma and Reinhardt work really well together, which is why they both find themselves rounding out the A-Tier.

B-Tier

Roadhog

overwatch roadhog
Healers won’t help you? Then give Roadhog a try.

The former bodyguard and criminal, Roadhog, kicks off the B-Tier for tank characters. With a self-heal built into his kit, it allows for some margin of error. On top of that, he can pull anyone right at him, but only if you land the hook.

His one-shot potential is massive, with the hook, basic attack, melee combo, squishy heroes can evaporate right in front of your eyes. If that combo won’t finish the trick, then you might need to go Whole Hog to knock enemies back and deal some major damage.

However, with how shield-heavy the meta is right now, Roadhog will need to see those characters fall before he dominates the competition.

Zarya

overwatch zarya with particle cannon
Zarya can deal a lot of damage, but you must communicate with your teammates.

Another off-tank making their way into this tier is the energy blaster Zarya. The whole focus of her kit revolves around using her bubbles to gain energy. The more you have, the more damage you can do.

She takes a lot of coordination with teammates as you need to know when someone is going to jump in or when they should drop their shield to give you a charge. Once maxed out, throw her Graviton Surge at the other team and you should be able to wipe a fight fairly easily.

Zarya was really strong during the GOATs meta, but – since the addition of Sigma – her priority has dropped quite a bit.

C-Tier

Winston

One day dive will become meta again so Winston can shine.

Unfortunately for OG Overwatch fans, the space monkey Winston has fallen from grace. As someone who dominated the dive meta with the likes of D.Va, Winston hasn’t exactly seen success since those days.

With a low pick- and win-rate across every rank, he really isn’t ideal to pick. But, if you are playing as a team and have perfect coordination, Winston is still one of the best tank options when running dive.

Orisa

Orisa
Orisa needs something stronger than a 600 damage shield.

As for our final tank hero Orisa, there’s no nice way to put it, she’s the worst option when it comes to barrier characters. With only 600 damage being blocked and a 10-second cooldown, you’re better off playing someone who can deal a bit more damage.

Orisa needs a massive buff from Blizzard, specifically in her shield, to make her a viable option once again. But due to the current shield break focus DPS have right now, Orisa falls at the very bottom of our tier list.


The Ultimate Overwatch Orisa guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Sigma Guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Winston guide | The ultimate Overwatch Baptiste guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Sombra guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Moira Guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Ana Guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Reinhardt guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Mercy guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Mei guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Genji guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Tracer Guide | The Ultimate Overwatch D.Va guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Reaper Guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Widowmaker guide | The Ultimate Overwatch Lucio guide

About The Author

Jaret is a former writer at Dexerto based in the United States, who covered Call of Duty and other gaming news. He also has a deep passion for esports, following the CDL, LoL pro scene, and many others.