As Overwatch 2‘s berserker tank, Junker Queen can be used in a combination of dive and brawling compositions, and a well-timed Commanding Shout can lead to overwhelming offensive pushes.
Though she can take a little bit of time to learn relative to other tanks, dealing with a well-piloted Junker Queen can be a frustrating task, but there are a few keys to her kit that make her especially vulnerable to very specific counterplay.
Junker Queen abilities in Overwatch 2
The best way to counter any hero in Overwatch 2 is by first understanding what they bring to the table, and Junker Queens certainly has some unique attributes.
With the ability to “Wound” other heroes, Junker Queen has some damage-over-time effects that pair with her Adrenaline Rush ability. The passive ability regenerates Junker Queen 200 percent of any wound damage she deals, incentivizing a berzerker playstyle.
Her primary fire is a Scattergun that has damage falloff beginning at 15 meters with light spread. At 80 damage for a full-strength shot, she can fire off a shot every 0.75 seconds, making her a reasonably threatening enemy at close ranges.
Jagged Blade is one of her wounding abilities and can also deal 50 damage on impact on a six-second cooldown with a recall. If it hits a target, it will pull them back toward Junker Queen when she recalls the blade.
Commanding Shout is Junker Queen’s best way of helping her team out. Providing herself with 150 overhealth and her allies with a smaller amount of overhealth, the ability increases everyone’s movement speed, similar to Lucio’s Amp It Up. It’s one of her best encounter-engaging tools despite getting nerfed slightly at the start of season five.
There aren’t too many times that using Commanding Shout will be a bad idea when you’re in a fight as Junker Queen. It has a very long cooldown, sure, but more health when you’re in a scrap is always a good thing.
Carnage is an eight-second cooldown that deals 40 Wound damage over three seconds and 90 damage on impact. The ability can deal cleave damage, hitting any target in front of the Queen. This is an important tool to use to help Junker Queen have sustained healing in battle while also dealing massive damage when it hits multiple targets.
Her Rampage Ultimate ability deals impact and Wound damage as well, and it also puts a healing debuff on enemies. This was actually buffed to deal 90 wound damage over time instead of 60 as of season 9. The ability takes a second to cast so it’s somewhat easy to see coming. When a player uses the ability, Junker Queen will charge into a direct line dealing damage and debuffing any enemy within five meters of her 25-meter run. After her season four mid-cycle buffs led to players building Rampage too quickly, Blizzard increased the cost of it by 15 percent in season five, but it still remains an effective tool that isn’t too exceptionally difficult to get to.
How to counter Junker Queen in Overwatch 2
Here are the best Junker Queen counters in Overwatch 2:
- Mei
- Kiriko
- Ana
- Widowmaker
- Hanzo
- Ashe
Stopping Junker Queen can be done in a couple of different ways. With her focus being on self-healing and debuffing opponents, heroes that can stymie her Adrenaline Rush are some of the most effective counters.
On the support side, Ana and Kiriko are prime examples of characters that can slow Junker Queen’s roll. Ana’s Biotic Grenade completely negates any Adrenaline Rush healing, making Junker Queen a sitting duck. With 450 health in role queue and no shield to speak of, a Junker Queen without Adrenaline Rush active is in a tough spot.
Meanwhile, Kiriko’s Protection Suzu can cleanse other heroes of any wounds, stopping Junker Queen’s ability to self-heal as well as preventing the wound damage from ticking onto an ally.
There are a couple of ways DPS heroes can counter Junker Queen, but if you’re looking to tilt an enemy into swapping off of Junker Queen, Mei might be the best way to go.
With a primary fire that can slow the tank that needs to be on the move to Wound targets, Mei has a kit that almost feels like it was catered to putting Junker Queen in time-out. With no upward mobility, a properly timed Ice Wall can isolate Junker Queen from her team, and Mei’s Ice Block can counter any bleeds that Junker Queen puts on Mei herself. Meanwhile, season five changes to Mei’s primary fire increase her crowd control ability and add extra value to the ways she can chill Junker Queen out.
Outside of the creative solution, any hero that aims to maintain distance regardless of the situation is a solid selection for stopping the monarch from Down Under. With no shield to speak of, Junker Queen leaves herself and her team exceptionally vulnerable to gifted players on hitscan heroes like Widowmaker and Ashe. For those that prefer projectile DPS, Hanzo or even a Pharah could work equally well.
