Soldier: 76 is one of Overwatch’s most iconic heroes. He is a favorite to many because his playstyle very much resembles popular games like Call of Duty. With his Heavy Pulse Rifle and Helix Rockets, he can easily take down opponents from a long distance. Not to mention he can heal himself and allies with his Biotic Field, which is a strong ability on a damage-oriented hero. Then, of course, his Tactical Visor kills almost every enemy in sight with its auto-targeted attacks. While Soldier may be well-balanced and can seem unbeatable, there are still a few ways to take him down. In order to better help players in this matchup, here are 3 Overwatch heroes that counter Soldier: 76.
Soldier: 76 counter #3: Genji
When looking for a hero that is sheerly damage-oriented in this matchup, Genji is at the top of the list. Genji really focuses on dealing bursts of damage to opponents to take them out when they least suspect it. With his Swift Strike, he can easily maneuver around Soldier’s Helix Rockets, which allows him to avoid a lot of damage. Then, once Genji is close enough, he can either shower Soldier with a flurry of attacks, or he can go all-out and use Dragonblade to assure a kill.
Even if Soldier is attacking Genji non-stop with his Pulse Rifle, Genji can easily use his Deflect so that he can close the gap much easier and not have to worry about taking too much damage. However, one issue Genji may have is that Soldier can easily use his Sprint ability to gain a boost of movement speed and run away. Even with all of his mobility, Genji will have trouble keeping up. Because of that, it is key that Genji makes the most of his attacks once he is able to get close enough.
Soldier: 76 counter #2: Roadhog
For players wondering what tank to pick into a matchup against Soldier, Roadhog is the perfect option. With his tanky nature, he can easily soak up most of the attacks thrown at him and not have to worry too much about being taken out. Even if he is getting hit with a barrage of attacks from a Pulse Rifle or Helix Rockets, he can simply use his Take a Breather to restore himself to almost full health. This will allow him to stay in the fight and continue to hold down objectives with his team.
A big bonus to playing Roadhog into this matchup is that he is fairly good at close-combat fighting with his Scrap Gun. So if Soldier ever tries to get too close, Roadhog can easily thwart him away with his threatening attacks. Even for the moments when Soldier is firing from a good distance, a well-timed Chain Hook can spell demise for him, easily taking him out in one shot.
Soldier: 76 counter #1: Mei
While Mei is considered a damage champion, in most matches she finds herself most useful when she is being used as a utility hero, and that is exactly what she brings going up against someone like Soldier. By using her Endothermic Blaster, she can slow Soldier down even when he is using Sprint. Then, once he is frozen, it gives Mei and her team the perfect time to take him out and push for an objective. Even if Mei gets into a 1v1 fight against him and things aren’t looking good, she can easily use her Cryo-Freeze to protect herself and wait for backup.
While Mei has abilities that can protect herself, she can just as easily protect her team with her Ice Wall. By using this ability when Soldier activated his Tactical Visor, she can stop any of the auto-targeting attacks that would be coming through. Then, once the ability is over and her team is safe, Mei and her team can easily turn around and go all-out to take an objective or initiate a game-winning fight.