It’s been just over 24 hours since Overwatch’s 28th hero, Wrecking Ball a.k.a Hammond hit the live server and we are seeing complaints about him (it?) being OP. Having tested him on the PTR (on PC) and played about twenty maps as, alongside and against him on the PlayStation 4, we’ve come to a conclusion – No, Wrecking Ball is NOT overpowered. You just haven’t figured out how to counter him.

For a start, while the tank hero carries a whopping 600HP, his big-as-a-house hitbox makes him one of the easiest heroes to hit in the game. You cannot miss him in firefights and his additional survival kit, the Adaptive Shield, is only temporary. He doesn’t have any negating defenses like D.va so you are free to pepper bullets his way. The absence of health recovery also makes him one of the easier tanks to kill (in our books) but that does not make him underpowered as well.

In the right hand, Wrecking Ball can wreak havoc against the most organized of teams thanks to his Grappling Claw and Piledriver move. But today we aren’t talking about how to use Wrecking Ball – we are going to share some tips we’ve gathered so far on how to successfully take care of this pesky rodent.

We shall start with direct hero counters for him. Our picks to best counter Wrecking Ball would be:

Pharah 

Like every other tank heroes in the game, Wrecking Ball is a joy to shoot at as Pharah. You don’t even need to get a direct rocket hit; the splash damage is enough to throw your enemy rodent off their game.

Rain rockets as you please as Wrecking Ball possess no real threat as long as you stay hovered. Go for the odd kills when you are able to but as Pharah, focus on throwing their game off by disorienting them with your rockets and Concussive Blasts.

Mei 

If you prefer to fight on ground level, then pick Mei. She’s perfect in halting the enemy Wrecking Ball, especially if they’re tethered and is attempting to pull off a perimeter sweep move. You don’t even need to aim much; just spray in the general area and you’ll get a frozen rodent in no time. Use the Ice Wall to block off any escape attempts or section off the enemy wrecking ball from his supports.

Sombra 

If timed right, Sombra could instantly render the enemy Wrecking Ball useless on the battlefield. Hacking Wrecking Ball disables his escape kit allowing for an easy pick. The huge hitbox allows Sombra players to hack from a variety of angles.

By the time the enemy Wrecking Ball realize what’s happening, you’d be chipping their health bar down to half already. Also, don’t be afraid to duel your way out of trouble. You actually stand a chance.

Ana 

Yes, Ana. First, let’s consider how most players handle Wrecking Ball – they tend to be aggressive and in most cases, are diving into the backline, trying to find picks using their swing-piledriver combo move.

This works well into Ana’s kit as thanks to the large hitbox, doesn’t require Ana players to pull off a quick scope to hit her shots. Empty your clip as you please and remember to use the Biotic Grenade when required. You’d find a hard time missing Wrecking Ball with the sleep dart as well due to Wrecking Ball’s more predictable movement pattern.

We have several other heroes in our list but we feel these four mentioned above are the best ones to negate the enemy Wrecking Ball. If you aren’t familiar with any of them, then we’d recommend you to learn at least one hero if you plan to fashion your playstyle to counter Overwatch’s latest hero.

Unlike Brigette and Moira who saw their pick rates plummet not long after they hit the live server, we have a feeling that Wrecking Ball would be a popular pick among players in the long run due to his fun playstyle and overall kit.