While she may not be at the forefront of many games, Ana can still be a powerhouse if she is played correctly. By being able to sleep opponents, she can take big hitters out of the game and allow her team to push for objectives. However, she is not invincible. There are a few heroes in particular that are strong enough to pick into Ana. These heroes won’t have to worry about her much in any given game with her on the enemy team. In order to better help players pick into her, here are 3 Overwatch heroes that counter Ana.
Ana counter #3: D.Va
When looking for a tank to pick into Ana, D.Va is the perfect option. Not only does she have a lot of health, but she can also pressure Ana to move from her position if she is camping in one particular spot. D.Va’s Boosters allow her to get up in those hard-to-reach places where Ana likes to sit, which makes her ideal for forcing her away from her team.
Another big plus for D.Va in this matchup is her Defense Matrix. With it, she can deflect all of Ana’s attacks. Another big plus for this ability is that it also blocks Sleep Darts. This means that D.Va can sit in front of her allies so that she can block those darts. Once the ability is down, her team has a small window to push forward with full force so that they can take out opponents while Ana is left without her primary utility.
Ana counter #2: Reaper
When looking for a heavy damage-dealing hero to pick into an Ana, Reaper is a solid choice. With his Hellfire Shotguns he can dish out a lot of damage, and with Ana’s low health there isn’t much she can do to avoid him. Another big plus to picking Reaper into this matchup is his Wraith Form. With it, he can become completely untargetable while gaining movement speed. If used properly, he can easily avoid Ana’s Sleep Darts. This allows Reaper to get out of a sticky situation and, with her defenses down, provide him with an easy kill.
Another advantage to picking Reaper into this matchup is because of his Shadow Step. Ana doesn’t have any mobility, but there are still plenty of annoying spots she can perch on to snipe unsuspecting opponents. With Shadow Step, however, Reaper can easily get to those places so that he can take out Ana and allow his team to push for objectives.
It is important to note that, with her Biotic Grenade, Ana can prevent Reaper from healing off of his basic attacks. However, since she has trouble with close-quarters combat, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue for him if he can manage to avoid being hit by a Sleep Dart.
Ana counter #1: Genji
Genji, while a fairly difficult hero to learn, is probably one of the best counters to Ana. This is because he is a bit of a mix between D.Va and Reaper in a few regards. Similar to Reaper, Genji can deal a lot of damage in one burst, making him ideal for taking out an immobile and squishy hero like Ana. Similar to D.Va, he can deflect Sleep Darts, allowing him to easily push forward for a kill without worrying about getting taken down.
With both of these aspects, he is overall very hard for Ana to take down. Another huge plus is his Swift Knife, which allows him to dash. This extra mobility is perfect for close combat situations and allows Genji to easily out-maneuver Ana so that he can take her out and pick up an easy kill.
When playing as Genji in this matchup, it is important to kill Ana before she can use her Nano Boost on a nearby ally. This is because, with the extra stats, the empowered hero can easily take down Genji if he isn’t careful. Because of that, it is vital that Genji takes out Ana as fast as he can. However, with all the utility he has in his kit, that shouldn’t be much of an issue for him.
