Symmetra: A competitive analysis

This is the 3rd feature in a series about my personal quest for Overwatch theory crafting. It's pretty simple: I find nice members of the Overwatch community with access to the game and berate them with questions about heroes, strategy and how to competitively play the game. Take a look at the first feature about Reaper strategy and also the types of players Overwatch heroes are meant for.

From order springs harmony

I can already imagine Symmetra being one of the most popular Overwatch characters as the game matures and grows a solid fanbase. Her aesthetic is stylish, her disposition is cool and confident, and playing as her feels like you are stepping directly into the mind of a light-bending architech; you view the battlefield from a completely different point of view then the rest of the players.

Where should I place these sentry turrets? What ally needs shields the most? Where is the ideal location for my game changing teleporter? What area should I zone using my slow moving photo projector orbs? These are the types of questions you have to ask when playing Symmetra, and, coincidentally, are the precise questions I asked a member of Blizzard's Overwatch team with dozens of competitive Symmetra games under their belt. I wanted to know what Symmetra can bring to a competitive Overwatch team.

What I learned



As it turns out, she can bring a lot. I learned that the key to a deadly Symmetra is finding the balance between offensive and defensive play. I was surprised to learn how much damage Symmetra is capable of dealing, but this damage comes only from carefully crafted scenarios and ideal turret usage.



Here are some of the lessons I learned about competitive Symmetra strategy:



She is best when paired with another support hero, Symmetra will often be busy managing her turrets and keeping mobile enemy squishies at bay with her photon projector beam.



Symmetra is an especially strong pick if the enemy has Zenyatta, as her shields allow a quick counter to Orb of Discord's damage amplification.



Symmetra becomes very deadly when piloted by a player who has mastered FPS movement options. Her Photon Disruptor beam eventually locks on her target while steadily increasing in damage, meaning Symmetra can start bunny-hopping, jump stepping, strafing, and literally running circles around her enemy to buy time and deal damage. When they have to aim and you don't, the best option is to make yourself really hard to hit.



Symmetra is a great pairing with tanks, but benefits most from the physically larger tanks like Roadhog or a Reinhardt. These heroes that soaks up enemy fire and helps the otherwise fragile Symmetra get closer to the fight.



The Roadhog synergy is especially powerful. Symmetra is so slim, and Roadhog is so large, she can stay behind him to avoid enemy fire. Roadhogs hook is a classic pairing with a cluster of Sentry turrets as well. (Think Techies and Pudge.)







Her primary weapon, Photon Projector, has a wide variety of uses due to it's two firing methods. The method that charges up and fires a slow moving orb allows Symmetra a sort of siege option, hanging back and charging up huge orbs safe from enemy firepower.



You can even shoot smaller orbs in tiny bursts of three. They are just as slow, but the arc they travel in allows Symmetra to control large portions of space for her team. It's an great zoning tool.



Reinhardt pairs well with with Symmetra because you can keep vision while still being protected by his shield. This means you can lob her Photo Projector orbs accurately while being protected.



Defensively, she is more of a spider then Widowmaker! She is all about catching people in her trap, controlling space with Photon Projector orbs and creating death rooms with Sentry Turrets. Identifying the critical tunnels and rooms for each maps is paramount to an effective Symmetra.



Symmetra and Hanzo have an uncanny ability to lock down small to medium sized rooms together. Hanzo's Scatter Arrow in combination with Symmetra's Sentry Turrets creates death rooms that some heroes can't hope to survive.



Symmetra is really amazing against Tracer. Sentry Turrets actually slow the target they are firing at, which for Tracer is a death sentence. Tracer can't engage directly with enemies so she often takes the side streets and back entrances in hopes of flanking. A well placed Sentry Turret will not only alert you of her presence, but chip away at her already low max HP and, effectively shut down the flank attempt.



In an organized team, the "Sentry" aspect of Sentry turrets become their greatest strength. Turrets throughout the map provide tons of information on where the enemy is and is a great deterrent against opponents who rely on multiple "solo-gank" style heroes who need the element of surprise.



A fully charged Photon Projector orb is extremely effective against Bastion in his defensive sentry form. It forces him to either take loads of damage, or get up and move.



At 1:25 in this video, we see Reaper walk through a series of two rooms and choke points. Symmetra can completely control rooms like this using Sentry Turrets.



Teleporter: Online





Symmetra's teleporter is the type of ability that gets competitive theorycrafters excited. The possibilities are endless and, even the most average of teleporter usage will give your entire team a noticeable edge whether defending or attacking.

Here is what you should know about the teleporter:



The mobility it grants your team is really game changing. It is especially powerful on long maps, as it allows your team to play much more aggressively, knowing that they will respawn much closer to the fight.



One of the most powerful uses of teleporter is to set up flanking opportunities for your team. There is a risk involved, but a teleporter behind the enemy lines can be devastating.



A popular strategy is to place a teleporter on one portion of the map and have half of your team go through it, while the other half of the team travels normally. The result is a team attacking (or defending) from multiple angles that your enemy had no way of predicting.



A smart Symmetra will protect her teleporter. It is often a good idea to build a nest of Sentry Turrets around the teleporter and essentially stand your ground until it's duration ends. The teleporter becomes a very high priority target for the enemy once it is online.



While protecting her teleporter, Symmetra can easily shield her allies as they walk out of it. Pre-shielding is a huge part of winning team shoot outs, but it gets harder to do as the game gets more scattered. teleporter allows your team an easy way to group up and enjoy team buffs.



The true enemy of humanity is disorder

When the last of my questions were answered, I had one pretty clear takeaway: Symmetra is very useful on an organized team and, when the first Overwatch tournaments happen, I expect to see team captains and other shotcallers playing her. Sentry Turrets seem to be one of the best options for controlling space and keeping track of the enemy. Map control and information are usually important parts of tournament play, and Symmetra excels in both.

She also seems like a perfect choice for two people looking to team up and make a big impact on their team. I'm not sure if Symmetra is up to the task of carrying a game by her self, but with the right teammates, she doesn't have to try hard to make a big impact.

I'll enjoy playing as Symmetra in between Reaper and Junkrat matches, as she seems the most offensive out of all of the supports. Her capability for utility and raw damage is a nice balance that reminds me of Tyrande from Heroes of the Storm. To check out some of the newest Symmetra gameplay, be sure to check out the official Overwatch streams happening this Thursday at 10 a.m. PT (7 p.m. CEST) on twitch.tv/haylinic and twitch.tv/ellohime.



Happy fall waiting heroes!

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QUICKPOLL Will you try and play Symmetra when Overwatch goes live? Yes- I will bring order!

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