Which are the most reliable healers in Overwatch?

The intent of this list is to objectively consider the strengths and weaknesses of each support hero’s healing abilities. For this reason, damage output will not be factored into the overall ranking. Additionally, while hero ultimates will be considered in their description and listing of healing abilities, it is not factored into the numerical rating.

This is because ultimates tend to be less reliable and consistent than each of the below heroes’ primary healing kits, many having situational uses, but non-healing purposes.

This list represents stats and numerical values accurate as of Season 21 of competitive play.

#6 – Zenyatta

Artwork by: Anato Finnstark

Zenyatta is a support hero capable of dealing out as much damage as healing. His long range, projectile primary fire allows him to stay protected while issuing out passive buffs and debuffs as they are needed. A good Zenyatta can focus a team’s damage toward a decisive victory, but a main healer will be needed to provide active heals and ensure the team stays alive.

Strong Against

• Tanks: Zarya
• Support: Mercy, Lucio

Weak Against

• DPS: Widowmaker, Reaper, Tracer, Genji, McCree, Sombra, Soldier: 76, Pharah 
• Tanks: Winston, Roadhog

Healing Abilities

• Orb of Harmony – 30 health/second, Must maintain 40m sightline, Passive
• Transcendence – 300 health/second, 10m range, 6 second duration

#5 Lucio/Brigitte

Artwork by: KaelNgu

Lucio is an ideal for beginners as well as pros, since his kit focuses on movement and group centered, passive buffs. While not able to deal out the most heals in the games, even when amped up, his survivability and knockback secondary fire provide Lucio with great point control. Lucio’s passive heals can benefit a team most when paired with a hero that can provide healing buffs, such as Ana or Zenyatta. His numbers may be low, but they are consistent.

Strong Against

• Tank: Reinhardt, Zarya, Sigma
• Support: Mercy, Zenyatta

Weak Against

• DPS: Mei, Pharah, McCree, Tracer, Genji, Sombra, Junkrat
• Tank: Roadhog
• Support: Ana

Healing Abilities

• Crossfade – Allies earn 16 health/second, Lucio earns 12.3 health/second, 12m radius, passive
• Amp it up – Allies earn 52 health/second, Lucio earns 40 health/second, 12 second cooldown
• Sound Barrier – 750 Temporary shields instant, 30m range, 7 second duration

Brigitte

Artwork by: Nesskain Nesskain

Brigitte has been labeled as an off-tank by some in the Overwatch community, and it is primarily due to her passive heal requiring damage done to become active. For this reason, she is the most aggressive support hero on this list, and is played better in the front line keeping pace with the tanks, and dishing out armor as needed. Brigitte focuses much more on crowd control and defensive assistance than outright healing, however, her armor and knockback abilities make for great team lastability and support characteristics.

Strong Against

• DPS: Genji, Tracer
• Tank: Reinhardt, D.VA, Wrecking Ball

Weak Against

• DPS: Pharah, Ashe, Junkrat, Reaper, Sombra

Healing Abilities

• Inspire – Allies earn 21.667 health/second, Brigitte earns 10.833 health/second, 20m radius
• Repair Pack – 110 health/2 seconds and up to 50 armor over max health, 3 charges
• Rally – 15 armor/0.5 second up to 100, 30% movement buff, 8.5m radius, 10 second duration

The reason these two heroes are both placed in the same rating is because of their need for a main healer to focus on the team’s primary healing, while Lucio and Brigitte support the DPS with frontline crowd control. The passive, area of effect heals offered by both heroes are more than enough to sustain the main healer, while these two supports take full advantage of their environment and situational opportunities to push the payload, or stall for time. Also, they both possess moves which deal shields and armor, rather than pure heals, which unfortunately does not count toward this list.

[Aside] It is important to note that armor will block 50% of damage past 10 (incrementally), while temporary shields will act exactly like health, but will not regenerate over time.

#4 Mercy

Artwork by: alexnegrea

Mercy, is the most popular and known healer in Overwatch, and for good reason: her kit is almost totally devoted to healing! She deals out a consistent stream of health, while also passively healing herself over time, when undamaged for more than 1 second. Plus, her Resurrect ability, which allows Mercy to bring any one teammate back to life with full health, offers a unique advantage to strategy when orchestrating pushes or the team is in need of a last minute stall. Mercy is a very simple and consistent healer to play, being an average healer that can pair well with any other support and provide active buffs to the rest of the team.

Strong Against

• NONE

Weak Against

• DPS: Ashe, Genji, McCree, Tracer, Reaper, Soldier: 76, Mei
• Tank: Winston, Wrecking Ball, D.VA

Healing Abilities

• Regeneration – Mercy earns 20 health/second, Activated after no damage taken for 1 second
• Caduceus Staff – 50 health/second, 15m range, lock-on beam
• Resurrect – Revives ally with full health, 5m range, 30 second cooldown

#3 Baptiste

Artwork by: Jotace Perea

Baptiste might be the newest healer in the support crew, but his stopping potential has quickly placed him into the meta. His Immortality Field, unlike any other ability in the game, is able to keep allies alive at 20% health, an effective counter, which can shut down many of the more lethal ultimates and abilities in the game. Also able to maintain a steady stream of active, area of effect heals, Baptiste can flex between on and off-heals, while providing tactical advantage against most quick kill DPS.

 Strong Against

• Tank: Reinhardt, Zarya
• Support: Mercy, Zenyatta

Weak Against

• DPS: Junkrat, Hanzo, Widowmaker, Sombra
• Tank: D.VA
• Support: Ana, Zenyatta

Healing Abilities

• Biotic Launcher - 50 health/second, 3m splash radius
• Regenerative Burst - 30 health/second for 150 total, 10m radius, 5 second duration
• Immortality Field - 200 health item, Heals up to 20% of total, 6.5m radius, 5 second duration

#2 Moira

Artwork by: Nesskain Nesskain

Moira, is typically the hero earning gold medals in more than just support roles since her primary fire requires her to deal damage in order to heal her allies. Her movement kit is, in many ways, more effective than any other support hero, as her Fade ability allows her to evade being on fire, stunned, or even Junkrat’s annoying traps. Moira is best played as a main healer, providing a majority of health back to the team, while also participating in each elimination made, all of this done with quick movements, bouncing between allies in every position on field.

Strong Against

• Tank: Reinhardt, Orisa, Sigma
• Support: Mercy, Lucio

Weak Against

• Tank: D.VA
• Support: Ana

Healing Abilities

• Biotic Grasp – 65 health/second, 15m range, 4 second duration (65 health/second)
• Biotic Orb - 65 health/second up to 300, multiple target heal, 5m range, 10 second duration
• Coalescence - Allies earn 140 health/second, Moira earns 50 health/second, 30m range

#1 Ana

Artwork by: Simon Newport

Ana, when accurate, is capable of providing the most healing output in the game, while also providing backline, hitscan damage for outlying enemy DPS like Widowmaker or Pharah.

Her sleep dart also works as an excellent cancel for ultimates, or simply as an option for quick retreat. Ana works best with passive healers such as Lucio or Zenyatta since her Biotic Grenade provides allies with a 50% healing buff.

One of the more technical support heroes, Ana should be played in tight situations that require priority placed on healing and ranged counters.

Strong Against

• DPS: Ashe, Bastion, Pharah, Torbjorn, McCree, Soldier: 76
• Tank: Wrecking Ball
• Support: Mercy, Lucio, Zenyatta

Weak Against

• DPS: Genji, Reaper, Sombra
• Tank: Winston, D.VA, Sigma

Healing Abilities

• Biotic Rifle – 75 Health/0.6 second, projectile unscoped, hitscan scoped
• Biotic Grenade - 100 health instant, 4m splash radius, 50% healing buff, 4 second duration
• Nano Boost - 250 health instant, 50% damage reduction, 40m range, 8 second duration

You May Also Like:

• 11 Great Games Like Overwatch That Are Free To Play
• Top 15 Overwatch Best Workshop Games (2019 Edition)
• Can't Get Enough of Overwatch? Blizzard Has You Covered With Overwatch Novels

You may also be interested in:

• Top 10 Overwatch Best Heroes (2020 Edition)
• Overwatch - How to Level Up Fast
• 5 Reasons Why Overwatch Is So Toxic
• Overwatch Guide to Grandmaster (Step by Step Guide)
• Overwatch Best Skins That Look Freakin Awesome!
• Top 5 Reasons Why Overwatch Is So Toxic
• The Best Overwatch Players in the World Today
• Overwatch Best Hitscan DPS
• Overwatch Best Healers
• Overwatch Aim Guide (How To Aim in Overwatch)
• Overwatch Best Tanks