Zoo meta

The most played tanks at GrandMaster are Orisa (horse) and Roadhog (pig), so I thought to define this composition as the “Zoo” meta. Hammond (hamster) is also quite popular.

We don’t know yet if pros playing at Contenders and OWL will utilize this strategy in the future, or if the players at high ranks are just tired by GOATS and want to try something different.

Keep in mind that even if a hero or team composition is powerful in ranked play, the results might be completely different in a competitive environment.

For example, skilled Doomfist players literally wrecked our games in the past, but the hero never became meta in the Overwatch League because you could easily stop him with a proper team coordination and communication.

The rise of Orisa

Orisa always got a solid win rate, but she was mostly a niche pick utilized situationally in some maps and compositions.

Now, she is the most popular and successful tank at GrandMaster with a 7.6% pick rate and a 57.1% win rate. She is still not very used at lower ranks, but the trend may change as soon as more players learn about her strength.

Starting from patch 1.14.1.2A, Orisa received several buffs that turned her into an outstanding mechanical and skill-based hero. This is a quick summary:

Fusion Driver

Projectile speed increased by 20%.

Maximum spread reduced by 20%.

Movement speed penalty while firing reduced from 50% to 30%.

Supercharger

Ultimate cost reduced by 15%.

Protective Barrier

Barrier size increase by 20%.

Barrier shape has been changed to allow for more coverage from enemies that are below the barrier.

Related: All hero balance changes

High and consistent damage. The buffs to Fusion Driver (her automatic cannon) turned Orisa into a real threat. As a DPS, you must learn how to aim and the targets to prioritize.

One of the best ultimates in the game. Supercharger is very underrated: it can change the fate of a battle if used at the right time, and by boosting the damage of your teammates you are also helping to charge their own ultimates. Be sure to place the device behind a cover as the opponents can destroy it quickly (preferably behind an element of the map; your shield isn’t the safest option).

Survivability. The latest buff (which reduced the movement speed penalty while firing) may look negligible, but it really improved her quality of life and the ability to disengage fights.

The highest shield uptime for a tank. Protective Barrier offers a better cover than in the past, and the teams at most ranks lack the necessary coordination to focus down the shield, so she can just replace it constantly as the cooldown is quite low.

Immunity from Crowd Control. Fortify is the only ability in the game that can nullify any kind of disable and CC effect. Considering the current top picks, it is great against Roadhog’s Chain Hook, Wrecking Ball’s abilities, and Lucio’s Soundwave.