When people think of Overwatch villains, the first person they picture is Reaper. The kingpin of Talon isn’t easily tamed, so we’ve compiled this guide with some tips and tricks to let you master death himself.
There are fewer characters more iconic in Blizzard’s Overwatch than Reaper. The former Blackwatch member turned Talon supreme leader is a staple for a Overwatch players everywhere.
That by no means makes him easy to play, though, so here are our top tips to help you dominate as Reaper. We’ve got everything from his gameplay to his lore, his skins and his abilities, so buckle up, it’s going to be wild.
Contents
- Overwatch Reaper Lore
- Reaper’s Weapon
- Reaper’s Abilities
- How to play Reaper: tips
- Reaper Skins
- Changes for Reaper in Overwatch 2
Overwatch Reaper lore
Reaper didn’t begin his Overwatch journey as the Talon’s infamous leader – far from it, in fact. Gabriel Reyes’ origins trace back to the United States military, where his talent and dedication saw him blitz through the ranks.
Joining the army’s “soldier enhancement program” alongside Overwatch hero Jack Morrison (Soldier 76), Reyes went on to form the heroic organization with him. Constantly overlooked due to his erratic nature and chaotic leadership style, though, things rapidly took a turn for the worst.
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Shifted onto Overwatch’s secret, black ops style department (known as Blackwatch), several failed missions led to Reyes being decommissioned and eventually pronounced dead during the skirmishing that ensued at Overwatch HQ.
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Saved by scientist Moria O’Deorain, he was reborn as Talon leader, Reaper. A result of Moria’s genetics experiments, his cells simultaneously decay and regenerate at a hyper-accelerated rate. When his body degenerates, he becomes a swirling black mist, something that’s now associated with immanent death.
Reaper weapon
Reapers twin Hellfire Shotguns pack quite the punch. Laced with some form of molecular agent that causes excess damage, you wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of the barrel.
- Damage:
- 1.8 – 6 per pellet
- 36 – 120 per shot
- Falloff range:
- 10 to 20 meters
- Spread angle:
- 6
- Num. of pellets:
- 20 per shot
- Rate of fire:
- 2 shots per second
- Ammo:
- 8
- Reload time:
- 1.5 seconds
NOTE: Reaper tears enemies apart with twin shotguns.
Overwatch Reaper Abilities
If you thought those Hellfire Shotguns were bad, then you’ve not seen Reaper’s abilities. Focused around mobility and teleporting, Reaper works best when he’s up close and personal, with one of those shotguns resting against your head.
- Passive: The Reaping
-
Heals 30% of damage dealt
-
NOTE: Reaper steals health from his enemies as he damages them.
- Wraith Form
-
- Move. speed: +50% buff
- Duration: Up to 3 seconds
- Cooldown: 8 seconds
NOTE: Reaper becomes a shadow for a short period of time. While in this form, he takes no damage and is able to pass through enemies, but cannot fire his weapons or use other abilities.
- Shadow Step
- Max. range: 35 meters
- Casting time:1.5 seconds
- Duration: 2 seconds
- Cooldown: 10 seconds
- Reaper Ultimate Ability: Death Blossom
- Damage: 170 damage per second (34 damage per hit, 5 hits per second, per target), 510 damage overall
- Move. speed: -50% penalty
- Area of effect: 8 meter radius
- Duration: 3 seconds
- Ultimate cost: 2100 points
NOTE: In a blur of motion, Reaper empties both Hellfire Shotguns at breakneck speed, dealing massive damage to all nearby enemies.
How to play Reaper: tips
Reaper is a character that isn’t for the faint of heart. His entire kit revolves around getting into the backline and shutting down squishier heroes, so if you constantly want to be on the offence then Reaper is perfect for you.
The thing you want to remember is his passive. 30% healing for all damage done is pretty hefty, so don’t be afraid to use your Shadow Step to get into flank position then empty those Hellfire Shotguns on your enemies.
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This is a great tip for your Death Blossom, too. Use your Shadow Step to sneak behind the enemy team, then drop your Ult. Once you’ve caused some havoc, swap into your Wraith Form for a swift exit, but make sure you try and avoid any remaining enemies because they’ll be looking for your head.
Combining all of Reaper’s abilities is key to your success, because in terms of raw firepower his individual shots pack a punch, but they’re slow and steady. So is his reloading (well, more like “replacing”) so it’s essential you keep that in mind.
Overwatch Reaper skins
| Name | Tier | Cost | Skin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaper Blood | Rare | 75 | |
| Reaper Midnight | Rare | 75 | |
| Reaper Moss | Rare | 75 | |
| Reaper Royal | Rare | 75 | |
| Reaper Desert | Epic | 250 | |
| Reaper Hellfire | Epic | 250 | |
| Reaper Wight | Epic | 250 | |
| Reaper Shiver | Epic | 250 | |
| Reaper Nevermore | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Plague Doctor | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper El Blanco | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Mariachi | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Biker | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Dracula | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Pumpkin | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Rat King | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Lü Bu | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Soldier: 24 | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Reaper Masquerade | Legendary | 1000 | |
| Blackwatch Reyes | Legendary | Only available if you purchase either:
Overwatch: Game of the Year Overwatch: Origins Edition Overwatch: Legendary Edition |
Overwatch 2 Reaper changes
Alongside other DPS heroes such as Widowmaker, Overwatch 2 sees Reaper get a bit of a speed boost to help him out.
Additionally, he’s got a bit of an upgrade in terms of looks. A little more streamlined and donned in gun metal black, Reaper’s breastplate has been completely changed to look a little more like his rival, Genji’s.
As we continue to draw closer to the sequel‘s release, we’ll maybe get a bit more of an insight into any further changes to our favorite resident villain. Until then, though, this picture is all we’ve got.
Fancy trying your hand at other epic heroes from Overwatch? We’ve got a whole host of guides to help you master their unique playstyles right here: Ana | D.Va | Genji | Lucio | Mei | Mercy | Moira | Reinhardt | Sombra | Tracer | Widowmaker