Wrecking Ball is a rather unique hero, and because of that, he can be very annoying to play against. With his Grappling Claw, he can easily maneuver around obstacles and knockback enemies, allowing him to reposition them and make them easier to kill. He also has his Adaptive Shield, which gives him a large shield in team fights that can make him near impossible to kill. Not to mention his ultimate, Minefield, which can prevent opponents from even stepping foot on an objective or payload. While Wrecking Ball may be a difficult hero to play against, that doesn’t mean he comes with no weaknesses. In order to help players better find those weaknesses, here are 3 Overwatch heroes that counter Wrecking Ball.
Wrecking Ball counter #3: Pharah
Pharah is a great example of what a hero needs in order to counter Wrecking Ball. First, with her Jump Jet, she can easily stay out of range of his attacks. This kind of evasion allows Pharah to safely stay in the sky and focus down problem enemies, like Wrecking Ball, that are causing her team grief. She also has her Concussive Blast. Normally this ability has limited uses, but in this matchup, it is the perfect tool. By being able to reposition Wrecking Ball with this ability, Pharah can easily shut off his momentum and keep him from holding objectives or initiating a fight.
One thing Pharah players need to watch out for against Wrecking Ball is the fact that he has a strong ground presence, and because of that, he will most likely ignore her and go for her teammates. Because of that, it is key that she stays vigilant and makes sure he doesn’t try and take an objective with a strong engage.
Wrecking Ball counter #2: Sombra
When looking for a hero that can literally run circles around Wrecking Ball, Sombra is a great option. While Wrecking Ball has his strengths in a 1v1 fight, Sombra can easily out-maneuver him with her high mobility. With her Stealth, she can easily come and go from fights as she pleases, allowing her to make short trades that can chip away at Wrecking Ball’s health. She also has her Translocator, so that if she wants to have a prolonged fight and needs an easy escape, she has that option.
Sombra also has her Hack and EMP abilities, which allow her to hack Wrecking Ball to prevent him from making any big plays. Without his abilities and only basic attacks to use, he will be much more susceptible to damage, allowing Sombra and her team to easily pick up a kill. However, Sombra still needs to be careful around him. If Wrecking Ball happens to get out his Minefield before she can escape, she will be stuck in a bad spot. If this happens, she runs the risk of getting taken out of the fight, which will only give her enemy a stronger push when they move for an objective.
Wrecking Ball counter #1: Reaper
Of course, what good would Overwatch be if there wasn’t a designated hero designed to deal with tanks like Wrecking Ball? Reaper is one of the best fits to go into this matchup simply because he is a tank shredder. With his Hellfire Shotguns, he can easily get through his enemy’s defenses, allowing him to pick up a kill and let his team push forward for objectives. Even with Wrecking Ball’s Adaptive Shield, Reaper should still be able to break it and get through to damage his opponent. Even if the shield is too much for Reaper at first, he can still use his ultimate, Death Blossom, to ensure a kill will be picked up.
Another huge plus for Reaper in this matchup is his Wraith Form. Normally this ability works well for evasion of ultimates or extra movement speed, but against Wrecking Ball, this ability is an all-star. With Wrath Form off cooldown, Reaper can easily make any risky play he wants into his tanky enemy. Usually, getting too close can be risky, especially with the threat of Minefield. However, by simply using Wraith Form, Reaper can dodge around the mines and escape after a fight with Wrecking Ball. Then, once the mines are gone and the stage is safe, Reaper can re-emerge to pick up a well-deserved kill.
