Does Brigitte Counter Reaper in Overwatch 2? A Deep Dive

The question of whether Brigitte effectively counters Reaper in Overwatch 2 is a complex one, with no simple yes or no answer. While Brigitte possesses tools that can disrupt Reaper, she’s not a hard counter in the same way that Pharah might be. The effectiveness of this matchup largely depends on player skill, positioning, and the overall team composition. In short, Brigitte can absolutely put pressure on a Reaper and mitigate his effectiveness, but she isn’t a guaranteed win against him. This article will explore why, breaking down their individual abilities and interactions to determine the true dynamics of this matchup.

Brigitte’s Strengths Against Reaper

Brigitte’s kit is designed to excel in close-quarters combat, which is precisely where Reaper thrives. Here’s how she can challenge him:

Flail and Shield Bash

Brigitte’s primary weapon, the Rocket Flail, deals damage in a wide arc and can interrupt Reaper‘s aggressive pushes. More importantly, her Shield Bash can stun Reaper, disrupting his attacks, his Wraith Form, and even his Death Blossom ultimate. This short stun window gives her allies precious time to focus fire on him or reposition. This is especially crucial against Reaper because he does so much damage at close range.

Repair Pack for Sustain

While not a direct counter ability, Brigitte’s Repair Packs provide crucial healing to herself or her teammates during a brawl with Reaper. This sustain makes it harder for Reaper to secure quick eliminations. Being able to heal through Reaper’s damage can extend the team’s fight and gives them the opportunity to kill him first.

Area Denial with Inspire

Brigitte‘s passive ability, Inspire, heals allies within a radius whenever she deals damage. When actively fighting Reaper in the frontlines, she’s passively healing herself and teammates around her. This is a valuable tool in close-quarters engagements and makes her team harder to kill.

Ultimate – Rally

While Rally doesn’t directly harm Reaper, it provides a considerable amount of armor to allies. With the added armor, it’s more difficult for Reaper to get his multi kills, and it can help the team stand their ground against his Death Blossom. The increased health and armor make the team more durable in general.

Reaper’s Strengths Against Brigitte

Reaper also has advantages in this matchup that should not be ignored:

High Close-Range Damage

Reaper‘s Hellfire Shotguns deal massive damage at close range. If Brigitte fails to land a Shield Bash or positions poorly, Reaper can quickly overwhelm her. If she isn’t precise, she’s likely to lose the 1v1.

Wraith Form Mobility

Wraith Form allows Reaper to escape Brigitte‘s stuns and disengages. He can use it to reposition, dodge attacks, and heal with his passive ability. If Brigitte is overextended, Reaper can easily use Wraith Form to close the gap on her again.

Death Blossom Disruption

While Brigitte can stun him out of Death Blossom with her Shield Bash, if she doesn’t react quickly enough, Reaper can quickly wipe out entire teams, and that can include Brigitte. Positioning is critical when a Reaper has his ultimate.

Passive Healing

Reaper‘s ability to heal himself by picking up souls can sustain him in engagements, mitigating some of the effectiveness of Brigitte’s damage. This gives him the advantage of healing and sustaining himself in combat.

Factors Determining the Outcome

The effectiveness of this matchup isn’t solely about abilities; these factors play a crucial role:

• Player Skill: A skilled Brigitte player will be able to time stuns and utilize her mobility to disrupt Reaper, while a skilled Reaper will be able to bait out her abilities and use Wraith Form effectively.

• Team Composition: If Brigitte has strong support, she can sustain her team through Reaper’s damage. If Reaper is working with a dive-heavy composition, he is more likely to be successful in isolating and eliminating her.

• Positioning: Staying in cover and out of Reaper’s effective range can significantly diminish his damage output, even with Wraith Form. Brigitte can also take advantage of this and close the gap on him.

Conclusion

Brigitte is not a hard counter to Reaper, but she possesses tools to make his job difficult. She can disrupt him with stuns, provide healing, and control space. However, Reaper’s high damage and mobility can overwhelm her if she misplays. The key to success in this matchup for Brigitte lies in smart play, good positioning, and working with her team. If Brigitte is precise with her abilities, she can be an asset in the fight, but Reaper‘s damage output should not be underestimated. It is safe to say that Brigitte is a soft counter to Reaper.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does Brigitte’s Shield Bash stop Reaper’s Death Blossom?

Yes, Brigitte’s Shield Bash can stun Reaper and interrupt his Death Blossom if timed correctly. However, Reaper can be unpredictable, and Brigitte must be prepared to react quickly.

2. Can Reaper kill Brigitte easily?

Reaper can quickly eliminate Brigitte at close range if she isn’t careful, so Brigitte needs to position herself strategically and use her abilities wisely. If Brigitte is out of position, then Reaper has a greater advantage.

3. How should Brigitte play against Reaper?

Brigitte should focus on staying with her team and using her Shield Bash to interrupt Reaper’s attacks or abilities, while also using her Repair Packs to sustain herself and her teammates. A close to mid range is the optimal range for Brigitte to engage a Reaper.

4. Does Reaper’s Wraith Form counter Brigitte’s Shield Bash?

Yes, Reaper can use Wraith Form to avoid Brigitte‘s Shield Bash. This allows him to reposition and heal, but also forces the Brigitte player to waste an ability and wait for its cooldown.

5. Is it better for Brigitte to focus on healing or attacking a Reaper?

It depends on the situation. If the team is taking significant damage, healing is more important. But if she can safely attack Reaper, that would be the better play. It also depends on where the fight is occurring.

6. Does Rally help the team survive Reaper’s Death Blossom?

Yes, the extra armor from Rally will help your team survive, but it’s not a guaranteed counter. It’s important to remember that even with Rally activated, that the team is still vulnerable.

7. Is Brigitte a “hard counter” to Reaper?

No, Brigitte is not a “hard counter” to Reaper. She has tools to make his job harder, but she doesn’t automatically win that matchup. It really does depend on player skill.

8. What heroes are better counters to Reaper than Brigitte?

Heroes like Pharah, Widowmaker, and Soldier: 76 are generally better counters to Reaper, as they can attack him from a distance. Reaper is also weak against heroes that use stuns.

9. Can Reaper’s ultimate outplay a Brigitte?

Yes, if Brigitte does not have her Shield Bash, or isn’t quick enough, Reaper can easily wipe out her team with his ultimate ability.

10. Can Brigitte outdamage Reaper?

Brigitte’s damage output isn’t as high as Reaper’s, so she will likely lose a straight up damage race. She should focus more on stunning him and healing her team.

11. Does Brigitte’s Inspire heal her when she’s fighting Reaper?

Yes, Brigitte’s Inspire heals her and nearby allies whenever she does damage, which is helpful when engaging with Reaper or any other character.

12. Is it better to engage a Reaper or avoid him as Brigitte?

It’s generally better to engage a Reaper that’s trying to dive into your backline, since Brigitte can help her team from an easy wipe.

13. How can Reaper bait out Brigitte’s stun?

A Reaper player will utilize Wraith Form to bait out the Brigitte’s stun. Knowing that she will try to stun him when he gets close, Reaper can use this to his advantage.

14. What is the best range for Brigitte to engage Reaper?

Brigitte should engage Reaper in close to mid range. She can still do damage at this range while maintaining some safety from his primary damage.

15. Should Brigitte focus on attacking the Reaper directly or protecting her teammates?

The priority should always be to protect her teammates. If she does this effectively, her team will be able to eliminate the Reaper threat before he eliminates them.