'Overwatch 2' Hero Guide: How To Play Reaper

Overwatch 2 - Reaper — Reaper in Overwatch 2 Overwatch 2

KEY POINTS

Reaper is great for flanking or contesting objectives against tanks
Reaper is very effective against enemies in close quarters
Positioning is very important when playing as Reaper

Reaper is one of "Overwatch 2's" close-quarters specialists. Armed with his twin shotguns, he can shred through any hero with great efficiency whilst keeping his health topped off. What he lacks in range, he makes up with his sheer effectiveness in duels.

This hero isn't terribly complicated to use, unlike Hanzo or any aim-heavy character. However, there are still a few fine points that players need to know about before they can truly start reaping on the battlefield.

'Overwatch 2' Reaper Guide

Reaper excels in face-to-face fights against most squishy DPS and support targets. He fares relatively well against most tanks too, given his innate lifesteal effect and high damage per shot. He works best as a flanker, but he can also be used to contest payloads where enemies are always within his range.

It can't be overstated how much of a close-ranged fighter Reaper is. His Hellfire Shotguns suffer from high spread and extreme damage fall-off at range. It is rarely worth plinking at targets from afar with Reaper, even if it is to farm for his ultimate.

Overwatch 2 - Reaper teleport — Shadow Step is best used to reposition or gain high ground Overwatch 2

Part of what makes this hero so scary is how sneaky and elusive he is. Reaper can appear in the enemy's backline with Shadow Step and proceed to tear targets apart before slinking away in his Wraith Form.

Both movement abilities combined with Death Blossom can result in some horrifying plays that can send an entire team buckling under Reaper's boots.

Reaper Tips and Tricks

Consider aiming for an enemy's stomach when engaging with Hellfire Shotguns. Reaper's spread pattern is so large that simply aiming for the head will make most of his shotgun pellets fly over his targets, leading to missed damage.

Shadow Step can also be used as an escape tool by turning a corner and immediately teleporting away while getting chased. It can also be used while falling.

Wraith Form automatically reloads Reaper's shotguns. Use this in a winnable duel where escaping without Wraith Form is possible. Additionally, Wraith Form can be canceled by pressing the ability button again. This is especially useful against tanks like Winston.