Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Overwatch 2 Stadium One Build to Try for Every Damage Hero
- Image from Overwatch 2 courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

The Damage Heroes in Overwatch 2’s Stadium can take over the game. With the potential to take out an enemy squishy Hero in the blink of an eye, it becomes nearly impossible to get close to them before your entire team gets demolished. While some of it depends on the skill of the player behind the Hero, some builds allow you to carry with ease.

Overwatch Stadium Ashe

Image from Overwatch 2 courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

Ashe has plenty of builds she can utilize to demolish her opponents. Her Dynamite and B.O.B. builds make for some fireworks, and Butlers serving you pain. However, we do not want to rely on our abilities to deal damage. We want to do the damage ourselves. So we buff The Viper as much as possible to make it so any enemy Hero on our screens suffers and struggles to take us down with extra healing. If your Powers or Items reload The Viper, it works with Reload Therapy, but restore does not.

  • Powers
    • 1st Round
    • Reload Therapy – When you reload a shot, heal 3% of your Life.
    • 3rd Round
      • Early Detonation – Shooting Dynamite reloads 5 Ammo and reduces the cooldown of Dynamite by 3s.
    • 5th Round
      • Incendiary Rounds – While scoped, hitting the same target without missing deals 30 extra damage.
    • 7th Round
      • Calamity – Using Coach Gun reloads 2 Ammo. The Viper’s next two hits deal 40 damage over 3s.
  • Items
    • Maxed Mag
    • Greased Loader
    • Vishkar Condensor
    • Commander’s Clip
    • El-Sa’Ka Suppressor
    • The Closer

Overwatch Stadium Cassidy

To carry as Cassidy in Stadium, we have chosen a more unconventional build that combines the powers of his Combat Roll and Peacekeeper builds. The intention is to maintain some survivability while still being able to output high damage numbers. The build especially excels when dealing with close-range enemies.

  • Powers
    • 1st Round
      • Just Roll With It – During Combat Roll, prevent all incoming damage. After Combat Roll ends, heal 30% of your Life over 3s.
    • 3rd Round
      • Bullseye – Critical hit reduces Combat Roll’s cooldown by 2s.
    • 5th Round
      • Quick Draw – After using Combat Roll, Peacekeeper’s next primary fire can auto-aim within 9m under 2s cooldown.
    • 7th Round
      • Dead Man Walking -Eliminating an enemy you’ve recently critical hit grants 1 Max Ammo for the round.
  • Items
    • Quickload Chamber
    • Streamlined Poncho
    • Frankie’s Fixer
    • Commander’s Clip
    • Competitive Analysis
    • El-Sa’Ka Suppressor

Overwatch Stadium Genji

Genji has always been a traditional Assassin Hero in Overwatch 2, and we are pushing that to the extreme. While also making him as unkillable as possible. Our predominant source of damage will be the Swift Strike, which is not only there to finish off eliminations but can cut down enemies even at high health.

  • Powers
    • Round 1
      • Hanamura Healing – Critical hits and Swift Strike grant Overhealth equal to 25% of their damage dealt for 5s.
    • Round 3
      • Wyrm’s Maw – Targets hit by Shuriken take 10% more damage from Swift Strike for 4s, stacking up to 5 times.
    • Round 5
      • Spirit of Sojiro – When Deflect stops incoming damage, reduce the cooldown of Swift Strike by 1s, up to 5s.
    • Round 7
      • Laceration – Swift Strike deals 25% additional damage over 3s to enemies hit.
  • Items
    • Traversal Kinetics
    • Vital-E-Tee
    • Clean Sweep
    • Deflecting Dash
    • Transference Delta
    • Champion’s Kit

Overwatch Stadium Mei

Mei is probably the most annoying Hero in Stadium. The fact that she can roll around in an iceball, knocking everyone around, makes for some frustrating moments for her opponents. But it is hilarious when you push the enemy team around the map while dealing significant damage. And who could forget that pesky Ice Wall that knows damage and slows opponents, too? She may be cute and icy, but underneath her kind appearance, a devilish desire is waiting to burst.

  • Powers
    • 1st Round
      • Coulder – Cryo-Freeze now encases you in a rolling iceball that can knock back enemies, dealing 10 damage.
    • 3rd Round
      • Cryoclone – Cryo-Freeze spawns a mini Blizzard that slows enemies.
    • 5th Round
      • Twice as Ice – When you use Cryo-Freeze, reset the next cooldown of Ice Wall.
    • 7th Round
      • Iceberg – Ice Wall spawns a mini Blizzard that slows enemies.
  • Items
    • Meicicle
    • Nano Cola
    • Snowboot
    • Ice Sheet
    • Ogundimu Reduction Field
    • Champion’s Kit

Overwatch Stadium Reaper

Reaper’s best build in Stadium comes at a price. He leaves himself vulnerable and predictable. While there are some situations where the enemy Heroes can not shut down the Reaper Death Blossom TP hard enough, enough Heroes can make it too dangerous. Ana, Orisa, D.Va, Kirko, Ashe, and even Mei can easily deny the value of TP Death Blossom. Instead, we focus primarily on his Wraith Form and overall survivability to ensure we can get kills.

  • Powers
    • 1st Round
      • Wraith Renewal – While in Wraith Form, restore 10% of Life every 1s. Double this while below 50% Life.
    • 3rd Round
      • Shrouded Shrapnel – Using Wraith Form increases the number of pellets per shot in your next magazine by 25% and its spread by 50%.
    • 5th Round
      • Spirited to Slay – Eliminations reset your cooldowns.
    • 7th Round
      • Strangle Step – After using Shadow Step, double your Lifesteal for 3s.
  • Items
    • Spectral Slugs
    • Vital-E-Tee
    • Meka Z-Series
    • Dauntless Draught
    • Wreath of Ruin
    • Ogundimu Reduction Field

Overwatch Stadium Soldier: 76

Soldier: 76 is your cookie-cutter First Person Shooter Hero. He fires an Auto-Rifle and runs around, making him one of the most straightforward Heroes to learn in Overwatch 2. The build for today will index heavily into ensuring our primary deals heaps of damage while also giving us some aim-bot outside of using our Ultimate.

  • Powers
    • 1st Round
      • Super Visor – After using Helix Rocket, activate the Tactical Visor for 0.75s.
    • 3rd Round
      • Peripheral Pulse – During Tactical Visor, Pulse Rifle shots at 1 additional enemy, dealing 50% damage.
    • 5th Round
      • Man on the Run – During Sprint, restore 10% of your Ammo every 1s and increase your Max Ammo by 10% until you reload, stacking up to 10 times.
    • 7th Round
      • Chaingun – While continuously shooting Pulse Rifle, each shot grants 0.5% Weapon Power, stacking up to 100 times.
  • Items
    • Pulse Converter
    • Techno Leech
    • Talon Modification Module
    • Commander’s Clip
    • Hardlight Accelerator
    • Eye of the Spider

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

TODAY'S BEST

Mavericks' Mark Cuban sends strong message on Anthony Davis, but he should change his tune
NBA

Mavericks' Mark Cuban sends strong message on Anthony Davis, but he should change his tune

The Dallas Mavericks still believe they can make it work with forward Anthony Davis. Entering Wednesday, the Mavericks (4-11) were 13th in the Western Conference and had lost eight of their past 10 games. Amid the slow start, a report surfaced that the team would explore trading Davis. However, minority owner Mark Cuban shut down that rumor. Mark Cuban says the Mavericks aren't trading Anthony Davis "We won't. We want to try to win," Cuban said Wednesday in an email when asked if the Mavericks would trade Davis, via The Athletic's Joe Vardon. A healthy Davis would help Dallas win more games. In 14 seasons, the No. 1 pick of the 2012 NBA Draft has made 10 All-Star Games and won a championship. In five games this season, the 32-year-old veteran has averaged 20.8 PPG on an above-average 52% shooting from the field and recorded 10.2 rebounds per game and 1.2 blocks per game. The problem, though, is that Davis is injury-prone. He has played in 75 regular-season games or more three times in his career. Since acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, the oft-injured Davis has played in just 14 games for the Mavericks. He hasn't played since Oct. 29 because of a left calf strain, which will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days, per the team. Even when he has been playing, the Mavericks have still stunk. Dallas has a 2-3 record with Davis in the lineup. Davis was supposed to form a tandem with star guard Kyrie Irving that would keep the Mavericks in championship contention. That vision may not become a reality. Irving is still recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in March. While he's making progress, it's unclear if/when the 33-year-old star will return this season. Cuban sending the email is his way of reestablishing his authority within the organization. He's acting as an "adviser" to majority owner Patrick Dumont, who fired general manager Nico Harrison on Nov. 11. The unpopular former GM, of course, sent star guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Davis. Cuban helped the Mavericks make 18 playoff appearances and win one title before selling his majority stake in 2023. So, he certainly feels responsible for Dallas' lackluster product on the court. But the responsible thing would be admitting it may be time to trade Davis. The Mavericks aren't winning a title even if he stays healthy, which seems unlikely. And it would be wise to stockpile draft capital to build around rookie forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft.

Michael Penix Jr.'s partially torn ACL complicates Falcons' future
NFL

Michael Penix Jr.'s partially torn ACL complicates Falcons' future

The Atlanta Falcons' once bright future has turned sour. On Wednesday, reports confirmed that second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn ACL, requiring surgery that will have him out until mid-August 2026. Without a training camp or full preseason, Penix's status for the start of the 2026 season is in doubt. Michael Penix Jr.'s injury update complicates Falcons' future When controversially selecting Penix at No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a contract worth $180 million ($100M guaranteed), Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot reasoned that it would provide stability once Cousins eventually moved on after years spent trying to find former longtime starter Matt Ryan's replacement. Instead, Atlanta is still without a legitimate franchise quarterback. And absent what's trending toward becoming a top-10 first-round pick after a misguided 2025 draft-day trade with the Los Angeles Rams, the Falcons won't have many good options to improve at the position this offseason. Penix's injury could put the team in a difficult spot next offseason, when Atlanta must decide whether to pick up his 2028 fifth-year option. The 2023 Heisman finalist may only qualify for the basic amount, which is projected to be $22.933M for the 2023 first-round quarterback class. That number would rise for the 2024 class, and that's a considerable amount for a player who hasn't proved to be worth that much. (h/t Over the Cap) In 12 career starts, Penix is 224-of-376 (59.6 percent) for 2,719 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Penix will need to show a lot next year, coming off reconstructive knee surgery, to solidify himself as part of Atlanta's future plans. That doesn't bode well for him or the Falcons, who have several outstanding contract situations to resolve. Tight end Kyle Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, is on an expiring deal. He's been a huge disappointment, but the Falcons don't have a viable replacement behind him. Wideout Drake London is set to play on his fifth-year rookie option next season and would be a holdout candidate if he's unable to work out a long-term deal. Two-time second-team All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III is also set to play on an expiring deal and should request an extension before taking the field next year. Owner Arthur Blank must determine how much money is worth putting into a team that might be a season or two away from contending, possibly leading to difficult conversations. Players like London, Bates and running back Bijan Robinson, who will be in his fourth NFL season in 2026, would command massive returns on the trade market. As talented as the three are, they're being wasted in Atlanta, which has nothing to show for their contributions. With Penix set for a long recovery timeline, things are unlikely to improve much next season, setting the trio up for another year compiling meaningless stats. The Falcons will eventually have to make decisions on all of their young stars, including Penix. His season-ending injury gives them fewer data points to make an informed call while also stalling his development. A season that began with hope has slowly morphed into another nightmare for Atlanta. It could be a while before the Falcons wake.

Scout shares take on why Vikings' J.J. McCarthy has struggled with accuracy this season
NFL

Scout shares take on why Vikings' J.J. McCarthy has struggled with accuracy this season

Second-year Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has mostly played like a work in progress when healthy and on the field this fall. For a piece published on Wednesday, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano pointed out that McCarthy is "obviously missing too many throws" at this stage of his development. Graziano spoke with an unnamed "scout with another team" to learn more about McCarthy's struggles. Are Vikings panicking about J.J. McCarthy? "McCarthy's throwing at only one speed -- all fastballs -- and attributed that to trying to be the hero in a situation where he knows his team is counting on him to help it win," Graziano said about his chat with the scout. "The general sense I get from inside the Vikings' building and out is that he just needs time and reps." The Vikings made McCarthy a first-round draft pick in the spring of 2024, but he then spent his entire rookie season recovering from a full meniscus repair. More recently, what became a lingering ankle injury limited McCarthy to just five starts over Minnesota's first 10 games of the ongoing campaign. According to Pro Football Reference, McCarthy began Wednesday ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 52.9 percent completion percentage, a 26.6 adjusted QBR and a 61.7 passer rating for the season. Nevertheless, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said in Wednesday's article that the Vikings really have "no choice" but to stick with McCarthy over undrafted free agent Max Brosmer. Veteran Carson Wentz previously started when McCarthy was sidelined with the ankle issue, but Wentz has since had season-ending shoulder surgery. What Vikings like about J.J. McCarthy amid struggles "The accuracy is a concern," Fowler added about McCarthy. "There's no hiding from that. Balls are sailing, and that affects the entire offense. McCarthy needs to hit the layups. The Vikings will be working to help him find more consistency as a thrower. From a developmental standpoint, the team still believes in his work ethic and skill set." For what it's worth, McCarthy tossed a go-ahead touchdown pass versus the Chicago Bears with under a minute to play in this past Sunday's matchup between the clubs. He then could only watch as Chicago's Cairo Santos kicked a walk-off game-winning field goal. 4-6 Minnesota next plays at the rival Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) this coming Sunday. As of Wednesday morning, ESPN BET had the Vikings as 6.5-point underdogs for that game.

One coach makes sense for LSU if Lane Kiffin doesn't flip to Tigers
College Football

One coach makes sense for LSU if Lane Kiffin doesn't flip to Tigers

The LSU Tigers are serious about their pursuit of current Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. It makes sense, too. Sure, Kiffin has had some ups and downs (to put it lightly) as a college football coach, but he's been great at Ole Miss since 2020, and he currently has the Rebels at 10-1 and in the running to make a huge run through the College Football Playoff. He's comfortable with SEC football, and he's known as a great recruiter. Those are all things that would make Kiffin a big-time hire for the Tigers as they look to replace Brian Kelly, but they're not the only program in the running. Ole Miss would, obviously, like Kiffin to stay, and the Florida Gators are turning on the full-court press for him as well. LSU would be smart to have options 1A and 1B if Kiffin doesn't end up coming to Baton Rouge, and according to Scott Rabalais of NOLA.com, the Tigers do have two names in mind. "If not Kiffin — and obviously he could go any number of ways — then who for LSU? Two of the names to consider right now appear to be Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz and Tulane coach Jon Sumrall," Rabalais reported earlier in the week. Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall could be a perfect fit for LSU Tigers Eli Drinkwitz of Missouri would be a great option. He's gone 44-27 in six seasons with the Tigers from Columbia, Missouri. The issue with him is somewhat similar to what plagued Kelly at LSU, though, and it's something that led to Penn State firing James Franklin — now the head coach at Virginia Tech. Drinkwitz has kept Mizzou very competitive in the SEC, but he has struggled in big spots. He is 7-14 against ranked teams. LSU could get that kind of production, or lack thereof, from Kelly, which then makes Jon Sumrall from Tulane the next option to look at. Frankly, he may be the best one of the bunch for LSU, and even better of a fit than Kiffin. One of the big problems with Kelly at LSU is that he never fit into the Louisiana culture. A Massachusetts native, he was always seen as an outsider and never tried to change that. Sumrall wasn't born in Louisiana, but he does hail from Texarkana, Texas, which is roughly five hours north of Baton Rouge. He was a linebacker at Kentucky from 2002 to 2004, so he understands SEC football, but most importantly for LSU, he understands life in Louisiana as the head coach at Tulane. He's now in his second season with the Green Wave, but he was also the co-defensive coordinator at Tulane from 2012 to 2014, so he has a lot of experience working and recruiting within the state. Throw in the fact that he's only 43 years old (thus, he really has no baggage as a head coach), and he has No. 24 Tulane in the hunt in the American Athletic Conference as well as in the hunt for a spot in the CFP, and there are few scenarios in which Sumrall wouldn't be a home run hire for LSU. Again, he may even be a better option than Kiffin, though it does sound like LSU wants to bark up that tree first before looking elsewhere.