Overwatch 2 Reinhardt guide: Play like a jerk, win more games!

I'll be the first to admit that Reinhardt is not in the best place right now. Not for a lack of buffs, but our favorite shield hero has struggled to find a place in the world of 5v5 teams. No longer a game about slowly walking forward with a shield up, the world's biggest David Hasselhoff fan seemingly lacks an identity in today's meta. Well, no more! We're here to guide potential Reinhardt players through the murky waters of Overwatch 2!

The secret? You kind of need to play like a big jerk.

What does that mean? We'll go over the basics and give you five tips for jump-starting your Reinhardt play for all Overwatch situations, being your guide up the mountain of tanking. We'll be your sherpa, dragging your body up the mountain while you're asleep so that you gain an unearned sense of accomplishment.

Get your Firestrikes ready and let's go!

One of Reinhardt's biggest problems in Overwatch 2 is that he's just a big target for almost every good hero. Reaper and Tracer run circles around the big man. Bastion and Mauga eat his shield for dinner. Let's not even mention Symmetra. It's hard out there for tank.

However, his biggest advantage is also his most powerful ability.

Just walk forward. In a 5v5 world where controlling the midrange of a team fight is vital to success, Rein can just take that space by stepping forward. Put pressure on your opposing tank while knowing when to use your shield. Against other stationary-esque tanks like Sigma, Reinhardt is able to guide his team forward and circumvent Sig's biggest strengths.

Meanwhile, he earns bountiful ultimate charge with every swing against the likes of Zarya, Ram, Monkey, and Dva. Reinhardt excels at controlling this "mid-range" space where his hammer becomes a true threat, able to kill most heroes in a few swings.

However, Reinhardt is only a danger in Overwatch 2 if he's in close proximity. Now, this doesn't mean "run forward at all times." However, it does mean knowing how to counter a team's tempo by forcing them to deal with Rein's newfound damage spike.

Speaking of damage, Rein's Firestrike now does 120 damage per hit. Already one of the best skillshots in the game, Firestrike is also Reinhardt's best ultimate-charge ability in Overwatch 2. A good Reinhardt knows how to hit multiple targets with a single projectile and you're leaving damage, as well as ultimates, on the table if you don't maximize its potential.

You've got two charges of that baby, let em fly! This is especially easy on maps where you're on attack and narrow bottlenecks such as the first point of Eichenwald or King's Row. Take advantage of that terrain, speed up your ultimate gains, and get to shattering!

Earthshatter is a tricky ultimate, but one thing is for sure: In a world where shield meta is seen less, Earthshatter is made all the better. Given how fast Reinhardt gains meter in Overwatch 2, it's more important than ever to use Earthshatter wisely. If you have an opportunity to solo-shatter a healer, do it. That's potentially a won team fight. Land a full team shatter? Take advantage of the downed targets and use Firestrike to get that meter back.

And if you find yourself in a Rein mirror, or against a Sigma or Monkey, just try and think about your ultimate usage. This turns into a fighting game-like mindgame in a hurry, especially if the other tank knows you have Earthshatter. Too often Reins make the mistake of going for the big one, but don't be afraid to single out a prime target!

Reinhardt's charge is both his defining ability in Overwatch 2 and also the one that most often guides him to defeat. Ana darts, Doomfist punches, energy spears, and more all knock Rein out of his charge. However, the move has a great utility as a mobility tool now that he can cancel it at any time. Don't be afraid to hit a 180 no scope charge retreat into cover and back to your team. Likewise, calculated risks with charge can sometimes net an insta-smush.

However, my favorite usage of Reinhardt's charge in Overwatch 2 is as a forward momentum, fake out ability. As we talked about before, Reinhardt's most powerful tactic is to just walk forward and take space. A well-timed charge cancel also fits the bill, as you can fake aggression, take space, and even lull the opponent into a false sense of security. Think of Reinhardt as a fighting game character and you're conditioning the enemy into trying to guess your next move.

A lot of these tricks only work if Reinhardt has a dedicated healer keeping his big, stupid butt alive. This can be hard to achieve in Quick Play sometimes, but having a friend to charge with you into battle enables Rein to play risky. High-burst healing supports such as Ana, Baptiste, and Moira all allow Rein to get a bit frisky with his forward momentum. Take advantage of that when you have a numbers advantage due to a downed opponent.

This also means giving your team opportunities to keep you topped up. In the old days, Reinhardt's shield was able pushing through chokes and allow space to be cleared. Instead, think of that 1600 health shield as a lifebar to be burned through, giving your team the chance to regroup behind cover.

But, you know, don't give them too much time to regroup. You've got a game to win!

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