The Ultimate Overwatch Reaper Guide

Lauren Bergin
Overwatch reaper guide

When people think of Overwatch villains, the first person they picture is Reaper. The kingpin of Talon isn’t easily tamed, so we’ve compiled this guide with some tips and tricks to let you master death himself. 

There are fewer characters more iconic in Blizzard’s Overwatch than Reaper. The former Blackwatch member turned Talon supreme leader is a staple for a Overwatch players everywhere.

That by no means makes him easy to play, though, so here are our top tips to help you dominate as Reaper. We’ve got everything from his gameplay to his lore, his skins and his abilities, so buckle up, it’s going to be wild.


Contents


Overwatch Reaper lore

Reaper Overwatch Blackwatch
To master the Reaper, you need to learn about his history first.

Reaper didn’t begin his Overwatch journey as the Talon’s infamous leader – far from it, in fact. Gabriel Reyes’ origins trace back to the United States military, where his talent and dedication saw him blitz through the ranks.

Joining the army’s “soldier enhancement program” alongside Overwatch hero Jack Morrison (Soldier 76), Reyes went on to form the heroic organization with him. Constantly overlooked due to his erratic nature and chaotic leadership style, though, things rapidly took a turn for the worst.

Shifted onto Overwatch’s secret, black ops style department (known as Blackwatch), several failed missions led to Reyes being decommissioned and eventually pronounced dead during the skirmishing that ensued at Overwatch HQ.

Saved by scientist Moria O’Deorain, he was reborn as Talon leader, Reaper. A result of Moria’s genetics experiments, his cells simultaneously decay and regenerate at a hyper-accelerated rate. When his body degenerates, he becomes a swirling black mist, something that’s now associated with immanent death.

Reaper weapon

Reapers twin Hellfire Shotguns pack quite the punch. Laced with some form of molecular agent that causes excess damage, you wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of the barrel.

  • Falloff range:
    • 10 to 20 meters
  • Overwatch Reaper Abilities
    Reaper on Hanamura
    Reincarnated as Reaper, Gabriel Reyes is long gone.

    If you thought those Hellfire Shotguns were bad, then you’ve not seen Reaper’s abilities. Focused around mobility and teleporting, Reaper works best when he’s up close and personal, with one of those shotguns resting against your head.

    • Passive: The Reaping
      • Heals 30% of damage dealt

    NOTE: Reaper steals health from his enemies as he damages them.

    • Wraith Form
      • Move. speed: +50% buff
      • Duration: Up to 3 seconds
      • Cooldown: 8 seconds

    NOTE: Reaper becomes a shadow for a short period of time. While in this form, he takes no damage and is able to pass through enemies, but cannot fire his weapons or use other abilities.

    • Shadow Step
      • Max. range: 35 meters
      • Damage: 170 damage per second (34 damage per hit, 5 hits per second, per target), 510 damage overall
      • Move. speed: -50% penalty
      • Area of effect: 8 meter radius
      • Duration: 3 seconds
      • Ultimate cost: 2100 points

    NOTE: In a blur of motion, Reaper empties both Hellfire Shotguns at breakneck speed, dealing massive damage to all nearby enemies.

    How to play Reaper: tips

    Blizzard Entertainment
    “Death walks among you.”

    Reaper is a character that isn’t for the faint of heart. His entire kit revolves around getting into the backline and shutting down squishier heroes, so if you constantly want to be on the offence then Reaper is perfect for you.

    The thing you want to remember is his passive. 30% healing for all damage done is pretty hefty, so don’t be afraid to use your Shadow Step to get into flank position then empty those Hellfire Shotguns on your enemies.

    This is a great tip for your Death Blossom, too. Use your Shadow Step to sneak behind the enemy team, then drop your Ult. Once you’ve caused some havoc, swap into your Wraith Form for a swift exit, but make sure you try and avoid any remaining enemies because they’ll be looking for your head.

    Combining all of Reaper’s abilities is key to your success, because in terms of raw firepower his individual shots pack a punch, but they’re slow and steady. So is his reloading (well, more like “replacing”) so it’s essential you keep that in mind.

    Overwatch Reaper skins

    Name Tier Cost Skin
    Reaper Blood Rare 75 Overwatch reaper blood skin
    Reaper Midnight Rare 75 Overwatch Reaper Midnight skin
    Reaper Moss Rare 75 Overwatch Reaper Moss skin
    Reaper Royal Rare 75 Overwatch Reaper Royal Skin
    Reaper Desert Epic 250 Reaper desert skin
    Reaper Hellfire Epic 250 Overwatch Reaper hellfire skin
    Reaper Wight Epic 250 Overwatch Reaper Wight skin
    Reaper Shiver Epic 250 Overwatch Reaper Shiver skin
    Reaper Nevermore Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Nevermore skin
    Reaper Plague Doctor Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Plague Doctor skIN
    Reaper El Blanco Legendary 1000 Reaper El Blanco skin
    Reaper Mariachi Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Mariachi skin
    Reaper Biker Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Biker skin
    Reaper Dracula Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Dracula skin
    Reaper Pumpkin Legendary 1000 Overwatch reaper pumpkin skin
    Reaper Rat King Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Rat King skin
    Reaper Lü Bu Legendary 1000 Overwatch Lu Bu Reaper skin
    Reaper Soldier: 24 Legendary 1000 Reaper Soldier 24 skin
    Reaper Masquerade Legendary 1000 Overwatch Reaper Masquerade skin
    Blackwatch Reyes Legendary Only available if you purchase either:

    Overwatch: Game of the Year

    Overwatch: Origins Edition

    Overwatch: Legendary Edition

    Overwatch Reaper Blackwatch Reyes skin

    Overwatch 2 Reaper changes

    Overwatch Reaper guide
    Reaper’s changed up his style going into Overwatch 2.

    Alongside other DPS heroes such as Widowmaker, Overwatch 2 sees Reaper get a bit of a speed boost to help him out.

    Additionally, he’s got a bit of an upgrade in terms of looks. A little more streamlined and donned in gun metal black, Reaper’s breastplate has been completely changed to look a little more like his rival, Genji’s.

    As we continue to draw closer to the sequel‘s release, we’ll maybe get a bit more of an insight into any further changes to our favorite resident villain. Until then, though, this picture is all we’ve got.


    Fancy trying your hand at other epic heroes from Overwatch? We’ve got a whole host of guides to help you master their unique playstyles right here: Ana | D.Va | Genji | Lucio | Mei | Mercy | MoiraReinhardt | Sombra | Tracer | Widowmaker