Mastering the Blade: The Ultimate Guide to Countering Genji in Overwatch 2

Genji, the cyborg ninja of Overwatch 2, is a formidable opponent, known for his agility, burst damage, and ability to deflect incoming projectiles. But fear not, fellow heroes! While mastering Genji requires dedication, countering him requires understanding his weaknesses and employing the right strategies and heroes. The most effective counters to Genji involve heroes who can either out-maneuver him, bypass his Deflect ability, or punish his aggressive playstyle. Winston, Mei, Zarya, Symmetra, Moira, and heroes with crowd control abilities like Brigitte and McCree (Cassidy) are all excellent choices. Smart positioning, coordinated teamwork, and understanding Genji’s cooldowns are crucial to consistently shutting him down.

Understanding Genji’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Before diving into specific counters, it’s essential to understand what makes Genji so effective. His primary strengths include:

• High Mobility: Swift Strike allows him to dash through enemies, resetting on eliminations, making him incredibly slippery. Cyber-Agility gives him double jumps and wall climbs, allowing him to access advantageous positions.
• Burst Damage: His Shurikens, especially when combined with Swift Strike, can deal significant damage in a short time. Dragonblade is a devastating ultimate that can wipe out entire teams if not properly countered.
• Deflect: This ability reflects most projectiles back at their source, making him deadly against heroes reliant on ranged attacks.

However, Genji also has vulnerabilities:

• Reliance on Cooldowns: Without Swift Strike, his mobility is limited. If Deflect is on cooldown, he’s vulnerable to projectile attacks.
• Vulnerability to Crowd Control: Stuns, slows, and knockbacks can severely disrupt his movement and ability to deal damage.
• Close-Range Focus: Genji thrives in close-quarters combat. Keeping him at a distance reduces his effectiveness.
• Beam Weapons: Genji cannot deflect beam attacks such as Zarya’s primary fire, Mei’s primary fire, Symmetra’s primary fire, or Winston’s Tesla Cannon.

Top Hero Counters for Genji

Several heroes excel at countering Genji. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most effective:

Tanks

• Winston: The quintessential Genji counter. Winston’s Tesla Cannon bypasses Deflect, allowing him to consistently deal damage. His Jump Pack provides mobility to keep up with Genji, and his Barrier Projector can isolate Genji or protect teammates. Winston is a strong choice, making him a straightforward counter to Genji.
• Zarya: Zarya’s Particle Cannon also ignores Deflect. Furthermore, her Projected Barrier can protect teammates from Genji’s burst damage, and her Graviton Surge ultimate can trap Genji, making him an easy target.
• Orisa: Her Fortify ability makes her immune to many forms of crowd control that Genji players might attempt to utilize, and her range is good. However, she is not the best pick if the map does not allow for it, as she can’t always compete with Genji’s mobility.

Damage

• Mei: Mei’s Endothermic Blaster slows and freezes Genji, making him an easy target. Ice Wall can block his escape routes and separate him from his team. If Genji cannot get close to his enemies, his potential is wasted, so Mei excels exactly at this, as she can slow him down and prevent him from getting close to his adversaries.
• Symmetra: Her primary fire is a beam weapon that Genji cannot deflect. Symmetra’s turrets can also act as an alarm system, alerting you to Genji’s presence and slowing him down.
• Cassidy (McCree): Combat Roll can help him escape Genji’s attacks, and Magnetic Grenade can stick to Genji, dealing significant damage and forcing him to retreat.
• Echo: As a DPS character, she possesses the tools to take him down efficiently. She can also try to predict where he will be and bombard him with her bombs and fire.

Support

• Moira: Moira’s Biotic Grasp is a beam weapon that bypasses Deflect. Her Fade ability allows her to escape Genji’s attacks, and Biotic Orb can heal teammates or damage Genji.
• Brigitte: Brigitte can stun Genji with Shield Bash, disrupting his attacks and allowing teammates to focus fire. Her Repair Packs can heal teammates being targeted by Genji, and her Whip Shot can keep him at a distance.

General Strategies for Countering Genji

Beyond specific hero picks, consider these general strategies:

• Team Coordination: Focus fire on Genji when he dives. Call out his position to teammates. Coordinated attacks are more effective than solo engagements.
• Awareness and Positioning: Be aware of Genji’s potential flanking routes. Position yourself near your team and behind cover to minimize his effectiveness.
• Baiting Deflect: Try to bait out Genji’s Deflect ability before using key abilities or ultimates.
• Tracking Cooldowns: Pay attention to Genji’s cooldowns, particularly Swift Strike and Deflect. Punish him when these abilities are unavailable.
• Protecting Supports: Genji often targets supports. Peel for your supports and provide them with protection.
• Utilizing Crowd Control: Stuns, slows, and knockbacks are highly effective against Genji.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does Genji counter Sigma?

   No, Genji generally has an advantage against Sigma. Genji can easily zip past Sigma’s Barrier to deal lots of quick burst damage.

2. What is Genji’s greatest weakness?

   Genji’s greatest weakness is his reliance on getting close to his enemies. Heroes that can prevent him from closing the distance, such as Mei, are effective counters.

3. What can Genji not deflect?

   Genji cannot deflect beam attacks such as Zarya’s primary fire, Mei’s primary fire, Symmetra’s primary fire, or Winston’s Tesla Cannon.

4. Is Genji a difficult hero to master?

   Yes, Genji is considered one of the more difficult heroes to master due to his high mobility and reliance on precise timing and aiming. Cyber-Agility makes Genji a difficult target and allows him to navigate the map with ease.

5. Can Genji deflect Kiriko’s healing Ofuda?

   Yes, Genji can deflect Kiriko’s healing Ofuda, redirecting them to heal his own teammates.

6. Does Genji deflect Whip Shot?

   Yes, Whip Shot bounces off Genji’s Deflect without applying Inspire. The Deflect negates both damage and Inspire on standard Rocket Flail attack.

7. Who is a strong tank counter to Genji?

   Winston is widely considered the strongest tank counter to Genji due to his Tesla Cannon bypassing Deflect and his mobility allowing him to keep up with Genji. Mobile, big, and carrying a laser gun, the Monke is the supreme tank counter to Genji.

8. Can Genji block bullets?

   Yes, Genji can deflect incoming projectiles, including bullets, with his Deflect ability.

9. Is Genji a Hanzo counter?

   In some situations, Genji can counter Hanzo. His mobility allows him to close the distance and avoid Hanzo’s arrows, but it’s not a hard counter.

10. Who is the hardest character to play in Overwatch 2?

    While subjective, Tracer is often considered one of the hardest characters to play in Overwatch 2 due to her high skill ceiling and reliance on precise movement and timing.

11. Who is the easiest damage hero in Overwatch 2?

    Sojourn is often recommended as an easy DPS hero for beginners due to her straightforward kit and ability to deal damage with her Railgun.

12. Why did Hanzo supposedly kill Genji?

    Hanzo was ordered by the clan elders to confront Genji about his lifestyle and ask him to take over the family business; when Genji refused, tensions escalated, leading to a violent battle where Hanzo believed he had killed Genji.

13. What happened to Genji’s body after the fight with Hanzo?

    Genji was rescued by Overwatch and underwent extensive cybernetic augmentation to save his life, enhancing his speed and agility.

14. What are beam weapons, and why are they effective against Genji?

    Beam weapons are weapons that fire a continuous stream of energy rather than projectiles. They are effective against Genji because his Deflect ability only works on projectiles.

15. How important is teamwork when countering Genji?

    Teamwork is crucial. Genji thrives on isolated targets. Coordinated focus fire and communication can quickly shut him down.

Countering Genji requires understanding his strengths, exploiting his weaknesses, and utilizing the right heroes and strategies. By employing the tactics outlined in this guide, you can significantly increase your chances of defeating this cyborg ninja and achieving victory in Overwatch 2. Don’t forget to continue learning and improving your gameplay! For resources on game-based learning and research in the gaming space, check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.