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Soldier: 76
"Every soldier needs a cause."

Real Name
John Francis "Jack" Morrison[1][2]
Birth
January 27th
Age
58 (Overwatch 2)
56 (Overwatch)
Nationality
USA American
Occupation
Soldier (formerly)
Overwatch commander (formerly)
Vigilante
Base
Bloomington, Indiana, United States (birth place)[3] (formerly)

Overwatch HQ (formerly)
Unknown

Affiliation
United States Army (formerly)[4]Soldier Enhancement Program (formerly)
Overwatch (formerly)
Relations
Various family members, including a great-aunt, grandfather, uncle, father, and mother[4]

Vincent2 Vincent (ex-boyfriend)

Fred Tatasciore (English)

Patrick Borg (French)
Martin Keßler (German)
Roberto Draghetti † (Italian, 1st voice)
Stefano Alessandroni (Italian, 2nd voice)
Tōru Ōkawa (Japanese)
Kim Seung-jun (Korean)
Liu Yao (Chinese Mandarin)
Yang Shao-wun (Taiwanese Mandarin)
Andrzej Chudy (Polish)
José Augusto Sendim​ (Brazilian Portuguese)
Maksim Pinsker (Russian, 1st voice)
Ilia Isaev (Russian, 2nd voice)
Ramón Langa (European Spanish)
Carlos Segundo (Latin American Spanish)

Cosmetics
Cosmetic page
Quotes
Quotation page
Role
Damage
Health
250
Character Video

Soldier: 76 is a Damage hero in Overwatch. He is one of the 21 heroes included in the game's release on 24 May 2016.

Overview

Armed with cutting-edge weaponry, including an experimental pulse rifle that’s capable of firing spirals of high-powered Helix Rockets, Soldier: 76 has the speed and support know-how of a highly trained warrior.

Abilities

Role: Damage
Hero-ability-circle
OffenseIcon
Type
Passive Ability
Damaging an enemy temporarily reduces their healing received.
Duration:
2 seconds

Ability details:
  • Reduces the target's healing received by 20%.
  • Does not stack with itself or the passive from another damage role hero.
  • Stacks multiplicatively with other modifiers that affect healing received.
  • Objects that deal damage, such as turrets, may also apply the effect.
  • Self-damage does not apply the effect.


Heavy Pulse Rifle
Key mouse 1
Hero-ability-circle
Icon-ability.hpr
Type
Weapon
Effect Type
Hitscan Hitscan
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Automatic assault weapon.
Damage:
19 – 5.7
Falloff range:
30 – 50 meters
Headshot:
Rate of fire:
9 rounds per second
Ammo:
30
Reload time:
1.5 seconds animation
Projectile radius:
0.05 meters
Soldier: 76’s rifle remains particularly steady while unloading fully-automatic pulse fire.

Ability details:
  • Damage per second: 171 while firing (117.9 overall w/ reload)
  • Each shot changes facing angle +0.098.

Example Video


Helix Rockets
Key mouse 2
Hero-ability-circle
Icon-ability.helixrockets
6 seconds
Type
Ability
Effect Type
Projectile Projectile
Area of effect Area of effect
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
!
Partially blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
!
Partially blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
!
Partially affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Launch a volley of explosive rockets.
Damage:
40 (direct hit)
80 – 40 (splash, enemy)
40 – 20 (splash, self)
Headshot:
Duration:
0.5 seconds recovery for primary
Area of effect:
3 meter radius
Move. speed:
+4 meters per second (enemy after direct hit)
Projectile speed:
50 meters per second
Projectile radius:
0.35 meters
Tiny rockets spiral out of Soldier: 76’s Pulse Rifle in a single burst. The rockets’ explosion damages enemies in a small radius.

Ability details:
  • The explosion also applies a knockback.
  • Soldier: 76 takes 50% of the splash damage and will be affected by the knockback, if caught in the explosion.
  • The projectile can be destroyed while in air by Ability-dva3 Defense Matrix, Abilities-sigma3 Kinetic Grasp and Ability JavelinSpin Javelin Spin and reflected by Ability-genji2 Deflect, but the explosion is unaffected.
  • Baptiste-ability4 Amplification Matrix affects all damage dealt, if the projectile passes through it. Splash damage alone going through is not amplified.

Example Video


Sprint
LSHIFT
Hero-ability-circle
Icon-ability.sprint
Type
Ability
Effect Type
Movement Movement
Run faster while moving forward.
Duration:
Move. speed:
+50%
Whether he needs to evade a firefight or get back into one, Soldier: 76 can rush ahead in a burst of speed. His sprint ends if he takes an action other than charging forward.

Ability details:
  • After Sprint is cancelled, there is a 0.3 second recovery period where Soldier: 76 cannot use primary or secondary fire.
  • The activation of the ability can be customized between holding the button and toggling with a single press.

Example Video


Biotic Field
E
Hero-ability-circle
Icon-ability.bioticfield
18 seconds
Type
Ability
Effect Type
Area of effect Area of effect
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Deploy a field that heals you and your allies.
Healing:
40 per second
Cast time:
0.54 seconds (cannot be canceled by enemy)
Duration:
5 seconds
Area of effect:
4.5 meter radius
Soldier: 76 plants a biotic emitter on the ground. Its energy projection restores health to 76 and any of his squadmates within the field.

Ability details:
  • Cannot be destroyed.
  • Only one field can be active at a time.
  • Healing is only applied to targets within line of sight of the biotic emitter, ignoring enemy barriers.
  • Can be placed on and lifted by Petal Platform Icon Petal Platform if the latter was deployed first.

Example Video


Tactical Visor
Q
Hero-ability-circle
Icon-ability.tacticalvisor
2750 points
Type
Ultimate Ability
Automatically aims your weapon at targets in view.
Headshot:
Reload time:
0.65 seconds
Cast time:
1.2 seconds
Duration:
6 seconds
Soldier: 76’s pinpoint targeting visor “locks” his aim on the threat closest to his crosshairs. If an enemy leaves his line of sight, Soldier: 76 can quickly switch to another target.

Ability details:
  • Activation of Tactical Visor instantly replenishes Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle's ammo.
  • Heavy Pulse Rifle's reload time is greatly reduced.
  • Damage falloff still applies
  • Tactical Visor targets enemy heroes, Ability-ashe4 B.O.B., Ability-Junkrat5 RIP-Tire, and Baptiste-ability3 Immortality Field.
  • Soldier: 76 can headshot only if the shot would have been a headshot without Tactical Visor. Additionally, it is possible to land headshots without aiming at the head during Zenyatta's animation when he fires an orb volley.
  • Soldier: 76 will only lock on to a target if their center of mass is visible and not behind an enemy barrier
  • The aim lock does not apply to Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets.

Example Video


Hero-specific options

Setting name Options Description
Hold to use Sprint Off (default) Sprint deactivates when player presses the button again.
On Sprint deactivates when player stops holding the button.

Strategy

Soldier: 76 is a well-rounded Damage hero. He's able to deal both sustained and burst damage at any range, move quickly across the battlefield, and support both himself and his team through the use of Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field. His downsides are a lack of any real specialization with his weapons or abilities, no vertical movement, and a less impactful Ultimate when compared to other Assault heroes. He's a simple hero to learn to play, but a difficult one to master, making him a great pick for new players and veterans alike.

It is highly recommended to read the information in Abilities if you are not familiar with Soldier: 76's kit.

Weapons & Abilities

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Adjust your rate you fire depending on the range you're fighting at. Use fully automatic fire when fighting up close and at medium range, and fire in three-round bursts at long range, exploiting the Heavy Pulse Rifle's perfect accuracy for its first 3 shots in a burst. (Spread has been replaced with vertical recoil, so the accuracy remains pin-point no matter how many shots you take.)

Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets

  • Helix Rockets can be used to deal burst damage, killing an enemy before they can escape or use an ability.
  • If you're unsure of your aim, or are against an evasive opponent, fire Helix Rockets at your enemy's feet instead of directly at them. This will ensure that the explosion damages them, even if you can't directly hit them with the rockets.
  • Helix Rockets self damage can kill you if your health is too low.

Icon-ability.sprint Sprint

  • Sprint is an incredibly versatile ability. Use it to move between cover, chase after fleeing opponents, race to get to a Health Pack, or to get back to the fight after respawning.

Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field

  • Biotic Field has a small animation when activated. This animation will interrupt 76's reload animation. Try to use it either before or after reloading.
    • Biotic Field will attach to and travel with the Payload and moving platforms.

Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Tactical Visor

  • Tactical Visor is a deceptively powerful ability, allowing 76 to hit highly evasive targets like Tracer or Genji with perfect accuracy. Use Tactical Visor when facing them to net yourself a quick kill.
  • Because Tactical Visor gives you perfect accuracy, you can spend more time focusing on dodging enemy attacks while it's active.
  • While Tactical Visor can be a powerful Ultimate, keep in mind that it doesn't make your shots any more damaging than normal. Barriers will still block your bullets, and enemies will still take the same amount of damage to kill as before. It's best to use it on enemies who are distracted by another member of your team like Reinhardt or Winston, allowing you to fire with impunity. Take advantage of the perfect accuracy it provides by keeping your distance from the enemy team, making it harder for them to hit you.
  • Tactical Visor will always aim towards the body of whoever is targeted, only able to headshot when your crosshair is on their head. It's best to use Tactical Visor on smaller, more agile opponents like Tracer or Pharah, rather than on Tanks like Winston or D.Va, since you can deal more damage by aiming at their large heads manually without wasting your ultimate.
  • Tactical Visor fully reloads Soldier's gun, so if you run out of ammo, you can use it to keep pressing your attack. It can be a good idea to lay down a hail of fire to weaken your foes before using Tactical Visor's free reload to continue your assault, but first ensure it hasn't scared them all into cover, where Tactical Visor will be of no help. Additionally, note that Tactical Visor immediately presents yourself as a prominent target, so using the element of surprise and engaging enemies at longer ranges is generally superior to rushing into close quarters and firing indiscriminately.

General Strategies

  • A reliable source of steady damage, a dependable AoE heal, and a powerful burst make Soldier: 76 the very definition of frontline presence and assault. Alongside a Reinhardt or any other frontline hero, 76 can push or protect objectives with relative ease by mowing down anyone in his path, all while pressuring snipers and Pharahs.
  • Soldier: 76 is a great addition to any team. His lack of guaranteed escape tools makes him less effective at flanking than heroes like Genji, Tracer, or Reaper. He therefore tends to serve his team best by staying with them and helping them out with suppressive fire from his Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle, and healing with his Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field.
  • Soldier: 76 does his best work when he assails from a defensible position on high ground, ensuring that powerful close-range heroes can't easily reach him, giving him cover from return fire, and allowing him to more easily aim his Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets.
  • Soldier can occasionally branch off from his team and attack from a separate position, using his Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field to sustain him, if it means finding a good vantage point from high ground. Be ready to Icon-ability.sprint Sprint back to the safety of your team if someone comes to deal with you, however, as Soldier does poorly in close-range engagements, and the distraction alone can sometimes be enough for his team to make gains — but not if Soldier dies, where the loss of his damage will be sorely felt.
  • Get into the habit of using Icon-ability.sprint Sprint whenever you're not in combat, as it gives you a big mobility advantage over many of the heroes in the game. You can Sprint indefinitely, so don't worry about overusing it.
  • Drop Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field at the start of a fight to give yourself constant healing. This can give you a big Health advantage, especially when facing multiple opponents.
  • Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets can deal heavy damage if it directly hits an enemy. Try to bait your opponent around a corner and then fire the Rocket when they turn it.

Match-Ups and Team Synergy

Tank

Hero Match-Up Team Synergy
Icon-dva
D.Va
D.Va can use her Defense Matrix to shut down all of your offensive abilities, specifically your Heavy Pulse Rifle, your Helix Rockets, and even your Tactical Visor. Her Boosters ensure that she can reach you no matter where you are, even if you have the high ground, and her heavy armor and high damage at close range makes her a daunting foe if she gets in your face. Biotic Field can help you withstand her attacks, but if you activate it too late into a fight, she can use her Boosters to push you out of the Field, then gun you down before you can run back in and heal yourself. While it doesn't take too many shots at her cockpit point blank to force D.Va out of her Mech, D.Va can use her Boosters to flee from a fight that isn't going her way. Fighting D.Va comes entirely down to fight or flight; you need to accurate judge the situation and dedicate yourself to running away and escaping D.Va's ambush or standing your ground and waiting out her Defense Matrix before shooting her down. Being indecisive can easily lead to your death. Should you get D.Va out of her Mech, quickly use Helix Rockets to finish her off before she can get her bearings; she may have low health, but if she gains some distance and cover, she'll be able to land Light Gun attacks until her Mech recharges. (To be added)
Icon-orisa
Orisa
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-reinhardt
Reinhardt
If you choose to stand your ground against Reinhardt, your high damage output can put significant pressure on Reinhardts's Barrier Field, forcing him to drop it or have it shattered. Conversely, if you're feeling brave, you can Sprint behind Reinhardt's barrier to shoot him or the allies he's protecting; just know that he can drop his shield and strike you with his hammer to kill you in one or two shots, or he can Charge into you to instantly kill you. You should only barrel into Reinhardt if he's at low health or if you need to force him to drop his shield so the rest of your team can make a play. Be careful about using Tactical Visor against Reinhardt; while you can heavily damage, if not destroy, his barrier with it, you'll essentially be wasting your Ultimate. (To be added)
Icon-roadhog
Roadhog
If you're snagged by Roadhog's Chain Hook, there's almost no chance you're getting out alive. Stay far away from his Hook's range and fire away with your Heavy Pulse Rifle. Both you and Roadhog have self-healing in the form of your Biotic Field and his Take a Breather; however, while your Biotic Field requires you to stay still, Roadhog can continue to approach you while using Take a Breather so always be ready to flee from him with Sprint if you need to keep your distance. Tactical Visor is a waste against Roadhog, since with Take a Breather he'll almost certainly withstand your assault. (To be added)
Icon-sigma
Sigma
(To be added) (To be added)
link=http://overwatch.gamepedia
Wrecking Ball
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-winston
Winston
Winston's Jump Pack can let him chase you and force you to retreat from your position. His Projector Barrier can also absorb your attacks. However, when Winston is on the offensive, your Biotic Field can help you absorb Winston's low damage output, meaning you can stand your ground and fight back. His large size also makes him an easy target to land headshots on, especially with your Helix Rockets. If you are at low health and Winston is targeting you, Sprint away and fire from further away; due to his Tesla Cannon's pitiful range, Winston's only choice will be to keep leaping after you, and if you can Sprint towards your team or away from his, you'll be able to stay alive while returning fire. (To be added)
Icon-zarya
Zarya
Zarya has lower health than most Tanks, but if you happen to fire at her while her Particle Barrier is active, she can become a pain to deal with. Stay far away from Zarya's limited attack range and try to land headshots on her, always being ready to stop your fire when her Particle Barirer goes up. Be especially cautious of her Barriers when preparing to use Tactical Visor so that you aren't stuck choosing between wasting your Ultimate's time and empowering Zarya. (To be added)

Damage

Hero Match-Up Team Synergy
Icon-ashe
Ashe
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-bastion
Bastion
Bastion's huge damage output will run you down within seconds, even if you're in your Biotic Field. It will be difficult for you to flank around him, and shooting him head-on won't deal much damage if he's in Sentry Configuration. If he's not being protected by a barrier, though, you can easily land a direct hit with Helix Rockets, taking out a substantial amount of Bastion's health. Your best bet is to fire around corners or behind cover. (To be added)
Icon-cassidy
Cassidy
You and Cassidy deal roughly the same damage. If fighting at a distance, you can use Biotic Field to keep yourself sustained in a longer fight. while evading shots. Since both heroes are hitscan, aiming for the head, even at distance, is the quickest way to land a kill. Each shot from Cassidy will deal substantial damage if they hit, though, so try to focus on evasion if possible. Be careful not to be caught up close by Cassidy, who can use Magnetic Grenade to Hinder you if trying to escape with Sprint and land an easy kill on you. If possible, try to obtain the high ground to fire at Cassidy's head from above. (To be added)
Icon-doomfist
Doomfist
Always try to keep a distance between Doomfist, his damage output is pitiful at medium to long ranges and you can quite easily shoot him down, If Doomfist manages to cut the distance though, you'll be in trouble, Doomfist can quite easily beat you with his abilities and knock you out of your biotic field, unless you have quick reflexes, Doomfist will usually win in close quarters combat. (To be added)
Icon-echo
Echo
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-genji
Genji
When Genji is around, try to stick by your team to protect your weaker teammates from being flanked by him. Genji's Deflect can be deadly if he reflects your Helix Rockets directly back at you. He can use his mobility to keep tossing Shuriken at you while jumping or Fan of Blades in close combat. If you have Biotic Field up, though, you can generally withstand Genji's attacks while attacking back. If Genji fails to kill you with a Swift Strike, you can escape from him with ease with Sprint. You'll handle Genji best if you keep your distance and shoot him from afar. Tactical Visor is best for killing evasive heroes, making Genji a prime target. While Genji can Deflect Tactical Visor's bullets, you can just temporarily stop shooting or target other enemies. (To be added)
Icon-hanzo
Hanzo
Your ability to accurately fire at distant enemies can help you pressure an enemy Hanzo. Be careful to avoid Hanzo's single, powerful arrows while landing successive gunshots on him. Don't be predictable, especially if you're standing in your Biotic Field, as this will make it easy for Hanzo land his hits. If Hanzo does manage to wound you, you can use Sprint to get behind cover while Hanzo has few means to pursue you. If he does leave his position to chase you down, he'll end up making himself an easier target once you're healed. Be careful when Hanzo has your position revealed with Sonic Arrow, as this will make it easy for him to hide behind cover while landing direct hits on you. (To be added)
Icon-junkrat
Junkrat
You have an extreme advantage over Junkrat when fighting at a distance, while he has you beat in close quarters. You both have quick escape mechanisms, with your Sprint and his Concussion Mine. You also both have ways of dealing burst damage, with your Helix Rockets and his Steel Trap that can keep you still long enough to land successive Frag Grenades. Always try to make sure you have the high ground over Junkrat, and always try to keep your distance and keep your watch for Steel Traps. If you hear Junkrat activate RIP-Tire, Sprint as far as you can from your team. Once you see the tire, try to fire away at it; your accurate Heavy Pulse Rifle can potentially destroy it before it can kill you or your teammates. (To be added)
Icon-mei
Mei
The accuracy of Mei's Icicles pales in comparison to that of your Heavy Pulse Rifle. While you easily have Mei outmatched at a distance, she can use Ice Walls to block off your attacks and her Endothermic Blaster to stop your Sprint in its tracks. No matter what, never let Mei get close to you; even with your Helix Rockets, it's unlikely you'll be able to finish Mei off before she freezes you, at which point you will be good as dead. If Mei does manage to catch you up close, quickly deploy your Biotic Field, as its healing may barely be able to help you survive Mei's Icicle headshot after you are frozen. Ice Wall will block off your Tactical Visor's line of sight, so try to either kill her first or move to a position where it will be difficult for her to block off your sight before activating your Ultimate. (To be added)
Icon-pharah
Pharah
Your hitscan Heavy Pulse Rifle can accurately shoot Pharah out of the sky, making you one of her best counters. That doesn't mean you're perfect against her, though; if she hits you with her rockets, you'll take a large amount of damage. Dropping a Biotic Field will make it easier for Pharah to predict her shots on you since you're unlikely to leave the Field. Just stay mobile and aim well, and you should be able to quickly handle Pharah. While Helix Rocket is unlikely to hit her in the air, Tactical Visor can quickly shoot her down. (To be added)
Icon-reaper
Reaper
Reaper's high-damage Hellfire Shotguns and his self-healing ability The Reaping make him a vicious threat in close combat, even if you have Biotic Field active. If Reaper uses Shadow Step or Wraith Form to approach you, don't hesitate to Sprint to a safe distance before opening fire on him. If you spot a Reaper trying to Shadow Step to your location, hitting him with your Helix Rockets as soon as he finishes teleporting can potentially instantly kill him. (To be added)
Icon-Soldier 76
Soldier: 76
When facing an enemy Soldier: 76, be quick to either Sprint to your team or, if you plan to stand your ground, drop a Biotic Field. Assuming you're both firing at each other in the open, Biotic Field's healing will help keep you alive farther into the fight. The other Soldier: 76 will most likely do the thing, so try to land headshots on him to quickly kill him while simultaneously avoiding headshots yourself. Don't attempt to chase Soldier: 76 down if he flees, since your Sprint will never catch up to his once he's already running. (To be added)
Icon-sombra
Sombra
Sombra's invisibility will allow her to get close to you and Hack you before you can notice, causing you to lose your Sprint, Biotic Field and Helix Rockets. A one-on-one fight with Sombra is relatively even while you're Hacked, but if you're stranded while her team is approaching, you're going to be in a lot of trouble. Try not to stray too far from your team when an enemy Sombra is about to avoid this situation. If a fight turns sour for Sombra, she can use her Translocator to retreat. If she teleports within your view, you have a strong advantage shooting her from a distance; otherwise, you might want to follow her Translocator's light trail with Sprint and finish her off. Don't worry about being Hacked after you've activated Tactical Visor, as it won't be cancelled out. (To be added)
Icon-symmetra
Symmetra
If Symmetra can dodge your Helix Rockets, she will win in a sustained fight. However, she's nowhere near as powerful at a distance. Stay as far away from her as you can when attacking her. Be careful when Sprinting, as you may accidentally run into a Sentry Turret nest and brought to a crawl. You can take out one or two with your Helix Rockets, but you'll still be vulnerable to enemies after taking damage from the Sentry Turrets. If Symmetra deploys a Teleporter near you, you can try to quickly gun it down, but if you're not near any teammates, it may be better to quickly Sprint away so you're not ganged up on by the whole enemy team that comes out of the Teleporter. Photon Barrier can completely nullify Tactical Visor; try to kill her before using it, or if you must fight around it, stay on one side of the barrier and shoot at enemies on your side of the barrier. (To be added)
Icon-torbjörn
Torbjörn
Torbjörn's stationary Turret is an easy target to gun down at a distance if it isn't being protected by some form of cover. If it's out in the open, you can quickly hit it with your Helix Rockets and standard fire, destroying it while taking minimal damage in the process. If you absolutely must protect yourself from the Turret's fire, Biotic Field will mitigate its damage. Don't expose yourself to the Turret unless you're ready to destroy it, though; while you have decent health, if you get distracted by other enemies it won't take long for the Turret to shoot you down. When fighting Torbjörn on his own, he's a mild threat, especially when he's using Overload. If you Sprint away from him when he uses Overload, you can wait out its duration before returning to finish him off. If you must fight him up close, use your Biotic Field to stay healthy; at a distance, your Heavy Pulse Rifle will easily kill him before his Rivet Gun can kill you. As soon as Torbjörn uses Molten Core, either quickly gun him down if he's in your sights and you're certain he's close to death, or Sprint out of there to ensure you aren't caught in the magma. (To be added)
Icon-tracer
Tracer
Tracer's Pulse Pistols have high damage and exceed your healing capability, meaning whether you win or lose, fights with her will tend to be quick. She will try to use Blink to jump around you and shoot from your blind spots, so try to fight around walls where she can't get around you and be ready to quickly snap around. If you can keep a beat on her, a direct Helix Rocket will drop her to 30 health, making her a simple target to finish off with standard fire. Keep track of her Blinks and Recalls if you want to finish her off. If you need to retreat, be careful since Tracer can use Blink to catch up to you even when you're Sprinting. Tactical Visor is a great counter to Tracer's evasive mobility, so try to keep her in your sights once you've activated it. While you're not defenseless in close quarters, in general you'll want to keep your distance and fire at Tracer from far away. (To be added)
Icon-widowmaker
Widowmaker
If you fire at a Widowmaker attempting to aim from a distance, you can pressure her into messing up her shots and/or fleeing. Sprint can help you quickly close the gap on Widowmaker, potentially reaching one of her blind spots where you can kill her before she uses Grappling Hook to escape. Be careful when running in the open, though; a single headshot will instantly take you out, and a good Widowmaker will be able to land a shot on you even while Sprinting. If you catch her in close combat, open fire; her assault mode on her Widow's Kiss won't deal much damage, meaning she'll be forced to use Grappling Hook to escape. If she does, try to shoot her down from a distance, but if you're worried she'll quickly scope in and kill you, you can Sprint to cover and make your way to her new location. Watch out for Venom Mine; while Biotic Field will stave off its damage, it will allow her to see you through walls, making you an easier target. (To be added)

Support

Hero Match-Up Team Synergy

Icon-ana
Ana
Ana will tend to hide behind her teammates, making her difficult to focus on. If you catch her out in the open unprotected by teammates or cover, try to make her a priority; otherwise, try to stay out of her field of view and let a teammate more suited to flanking take her out. If Ana hits you or any of your allies with her Biotic Grenade, it will render your Biotic Field useless. Sleep Dart can completely disrupt Tactical Visor, so be aware of her location before activating it. You're an excellent target for a friendly Ana's Nano-Boost; once boosted, you can use Tactical Visor ("Nano-Visor", as it's sometimes called) so that your locked-on attacks now hit much harder than they normally would.
Icon-baptiste
Baptiste
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-brigitte
Brigitte
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-lúcio
Lúcio
Lúcio's tendency to slide around in the open makes him an easy target for you to shoot down at a distance. His small hitbox, self-healing and constant mobility can make it hard to put him down for good, but a Helix Rocket can take out a huge chunk of his health. While Lúcio's standard attack deals little damage, his Soundwave can disrupt your positioning so be careful when he approaches you. Watch out for Lúcio's Sound Barrier, as it can ruin your Tactical Visor; try to kill him first, wait until he uses Sound Barrier, or activate it on a group of enemies when Lúcio isn't close enough to protect them. Lúcio's speed boost can help you to get to advantageous positions even faster.
Icon-mercy
Mercy
If Mercy is flying about in the air, she'll prove an easy target for you to pin down at a distance. Otherwise, she may be hiding behind teammates or cover, in which case let another teammate try to deal with her unless she emerges from cover, in which case you can try to quickly gun her down. If her team isn't nearby and she's attempting to flee, you can use Sprint to chase her down and finish her off before she can get away. If your ultimate is ready, communicate with the Mercy on your team, as a boost from her Caduceus Staff can make the perfect aim of Tactical Visor even more potent.
Icon-moira
Moira
(To be added) (To be added)
Icon-zenyatta
Zenyatta
Both you and Zenyatta can put out massive damage at a distance, and you both have slow self-healing, with Zenyatta having his shields and you having Biotic Field. However, you have the clear advantage in mobility, meaning that you can close in on Zenyatta's position or run out of his field of view as you please. Try not to stay out in the open, though; if you're hit with Orb of Discord, you're an easy target not just for Zenyatta, but for his entire team. Be careful activating Tactical Visor around Zenyatta; Transcendence can protect both him and his team from your attacks, rendering your Ultimate a waste. (To be added)

Story

Icon-Soldier76
"We're all soldiers now."

Currently the target of an international manhunt, the vigilante known as Soldier: 76 wages a personal war to expose the truth behind Overwatch's collapse.[5]

Due to his genetic enhancment, Jack Morrison possesses physical capabilities exceeding those of a conventional soldier's, as well as other augmentations that make him a peerless combatant.[6] He can heal wounds and acclimatize much faster than a normal human.[7] In addition, he utilizes a cutting-edge arsenal, much of it stolen in raids on Overwatch installations.[6] He is said to have perfect aim.[4]

He was a fan of Indiana University basketball[8] and was also a fan of Westerns...at least until he met Cole Cassidy.[9] He is of Catholic faith.[10] He has a smile that he uses to get himself out of trouble,[7] though is usually taciturn. He is well-read, showing interest in historical generals, and is a chess player, apparently admiring Bobby Fischer.[11] He is also good at cards, and is a fan of American football.[12]

Morrison has always been a light sleeper.[7] The mask he wears distorts his voice.[11] Jaded by his experiences, he considers pacifism to be foolish.[12]

Background

Early Life

What was your hometown like, Morrison?
Flat. Cold. Lots of wind.
~ Aleksandra Zaryanova and Jack Morrison

Jack Morrison grew up in Bloomington, Indiana.[3] The Morrisons were a farming family,[13] and the young Morrison has been described in many different ways. He was a rambunctious youth. A humble, salt-of-the-earth farmer's son. But those asked all agree that Morrison was never destined to live out his days in the land of rolling plains and deep blue skies.[14] He spent time working on the farm,[3] where he would get up at the crack of dawn to help his father muck stalls.[4] After work, he would relax with his friends at the local ice cream shop.[3] Otherwise, he could be found on the football field; the other great passion of his life alongside his friends.[13] However, while Jack enjoyed his life, he couldn't wait to get away from it, and planned to enlist in the US military as soon as he turned eighteen.[4]

As a child, his mother once took him to New York. A visit to a museum was his favorite part of the trip; part of the visit involved running around the transplanted ruins of an ancient Egyptian temple.[7]

Morrison went on road trips as a child.[12]

Following in the footsteps of his family, Jack learnt how to play chess from a young age. His uncle often told him about how, in 1997, Deep Blue had beaten Gary Kasparov in a chess tournament. His uncle often talked about it like a moment where innocence was lost.[4]

United States Army

Most of them died. I made it. But it wasn't a pleasant journey. Injections, unbelievable pain. I think I had a surgery at one point, when some of my organs were rejecting the changes...I was in and out of a coma for a few weeks. I'm not sure I'll ever know the full extent of what was done, or what it might do to me over time.
~ Morrison, in regards to his time in the Soldier Enhancement Program

At the earliest opportunity[15] upon turning eighteen,[16] Morrison enlisted in the United States Army.[4] Despite the concerns of his parents, he packed his bags and left for the nearest recruitment facility, intending to put the strength and discipline he'd gleaned from his athletic interests into protecting his country and the people he loved.[13] Morrison planned to serve a brief stint in the armed forces and then return home to the family farm but his work ethic and courage caught the eye of the military brass.[14] Morrison quickly climbed the ranks, coming to the attention of commanding officers who recognized him for the asset he was. They encouraged him to keep improving his skills and general educational foundation. Morrison was known for his easygoing nature and magnetic personality, and his peers viewed him as earnest, fun, and grounded—qualities that made him naturally suited for leadership.[13]

The Omnic Crisis

Even I had my doubts about whether Overwatch would succeed, but Morrison never gave up hope. He didn't just meet our expectations for what Overwatch and its agents could achieve; he shattered them.
~ Gabrielle Adawe

The Soldier Enhancement Program

Morrison-enhanced

Morrison as a soldier in the US military

By the time the Omnic Crisis broke out, Morrison had achieved the rank of first sergeant,[4] and was still a member of the US Army.[13]

While still a member of the US Army, Morrison met and fell in love with Vincent.[13] The two engaged in a relationship,[7] and Morrison often expressed hope that the war would end quickly, and that he could return to a normal life.[7] However, the conditions of war made it impossible for a long-term committment to occur.[13]

Prior to this, Morrison had already been targeted for inclusion in the Soldier Enhancement Program, which had been formed three years before the start of the war. It was with the start of the Crisis however, that Morrison was formally approached. He quickly agreed to participate, but his enrollment was delayed by his commanding officers, who were concerned about the chances of survival for those who would be subjected to the SEP's genetic conditioning. Basically, the military saw Morrison as too valuable to lose.[13]

Morrison eventually joined the SEP regardless, but his late enlistment resulted in a high candidate number (Candidate: 76). Many of his fellow candidates saw this as a sign of hesitation on his part, and hazed him for it. One candidate who didn't join in on the hazing was Candidate: 24, otherwise known as Gabriel Reyes. Reyes recognized Morrison's quiet determination,[13] and despite their different backgrounds, Reyes and Morrison became fast friends,[14] and Reyes provided Morrison with emotional support as they both endured the seemingly endless barrage of medical experimentation.[13]

The process was gruelling. Of the hundreds of soldiers who volunteered, most of them died, but Morrison survived the ordeal. He endured the injections, the pain, even had surgery as some of his organs rejected the changes heaped upon them. He went in and out of a coma for weeks, and was left in the dark as to the full extent of what had been done to him.[4] Military scientists had shaped Morrison and other inductees into the perfect soldiers, blessed with superhuman speed, strength, and agility,[14] and he and Reyes emerged as the first two (and only acknowledged) members of the program. In fact, they vacated the Wheeler Facility 24 hours before they were cleared for release, as they wanted to get back to the fight as soon as possible.[13]

Morrison and his fellow augmented soldiers would soon put their abilities to use as the United States was devastated by the conflict.[14] He became something of a a legend: the golden-haired hero who appeared out of nowhere to save the day, along with the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers.[14]

Joining Overwatch

As governments tried and failed to neutralize the omnics, the United Nations was busy forming an international task force called Overwatch. This small, experimental group would bring together the best and brightest from around the world to wage asymmetrical warfare against the robots. Overwatch's short list of prospective agents included two members of the soldier enhancement program: Morrison and Reyes.[14] Morrison and Reyes were approached simultaniously, though technically, Morrison was the second person recruited into the strike team. This was due to a quirk of paperwork, as Victoria Naughton had provided Gabriel Adawe a list of surviving SEP members, and as such, 24 came before 76. However, Reyes was chosen to be Overwatch's strike-commander regardless, as he was older and more experienced.[14]

Morrison and Reyes joined Overwatch together.[14] While leadership fell to Reyes, Morrison would have a greater impact on the group in the long term. He brought out the best in the people around him and helped mold Overwatch's diverse (and sometimes conflicting) agents into a cohesive fighting force.[14] Morrison was happy to join Overwatch.[4]

Courting Controversy

JohnMorrison Art1

Morrison, now a member of Overwatch

That Morrison and Reyes were the first two members of the strike team and were both American did not go unnoticed, and accusations of American favouratism were levied at Gabrielle Adawe. Morrison met the accusations stoically, and in a few carefully worded interviews stated that he remained a loyal American, but also intended to be an objective and reliable member of an international organization. With the recruitment of Ana Amari as the third strike team member, the accusations died down, even if they didn't completely disappear. Not long afterwards, the strike team gained its fourth and fifth members in the form of Reinhardt Wilhelm and Torbjörn Lindholm respectively.[13]

Because of his biological enhancements, Morrison was set apart from his comrades. However, due to those same enhancements, he was their physical superior.[4]

Early Missions

You should join us.
But I helped create the omnics.
And who better to help us fight them?
~ Morrison recruits Liao

The strike team took part in a number of clandestine missions, including in Darkhan, Shenzhen, and Kyoto. The missions were successful, and Overwatch was championed as humanity's new, best hope for survival. With the initial ops a success, the strike team was given several subsequent missions, including Chicago.[13]

After the Chicago mission, Morrison approached Adawe with an idea for the team's sixth member—Dr. Mina Liao. Given her background in Omnica Corporation, she'd been sidelined due to the damage her reputation had suffered in the wake of the company's collapse, not to mention the ongoing war. Morrison believed that she could contribute a lot. Adawe gave Morrison's pitch a tenative green light.[13]

LiaoMorrison

Morrison recruits Liao

Morrison approached Liao. Liao, aware of this irony that Morrison wanted her to fight against her own creations, was caught aback, but as Morrison pointed out, who better than the omnics' creator to help Overwatch fight them?[17] Morrison was looking for a robotics expert, who could educate Overwatch on the nature of the threat they faced. Liao accepted his offer, intent on helping her new comrades understand what omnics were, how they worked, and how to put an end to the Crisis.[18]

Overwatch founders

Liao is tenativly accepted into the strike team

Lindholm and Reyes had strong objections to Liao's membership, and yielded to Morrison grudgingly, acknowledging that they needed an omnic-expert to keep up with the machines' ever-evolving strategy. The UN's response was even more negative, forcing Adawe to fight a political battle for several weeks. Ultimately, it was decided that Liao would be evaluated in the field.[13]

North American Campaign

Toronto
It's an honor to work with you, and I'm confident that our combined efforts will bring us another step closer to victory for Canada, and all of humanity.
~ Morrison addresses the troops
Morrison SojournCover

Morrison during the North American campaign

Three months into the war, Morrison led a force of around thirty Overwatch troopers into Canada. The team members included himself, Torbjörn Lindholm, and Liao,[4] on what would be the trial op the UN had agreed to.[13] While en route, the Overwatch forces deployed in Montreal to help a CANSOFCOM-CSOR team in the middle of a rescue mission. He greeted Captain Vivian Chase, and together, the CAF and Overwatch forces helped evacuate civilians from Underground City before departing via stratocopter. While en route, Morrison noted the tension between Liao, Lindholm, and Chase, and stood up for the doctor, causing her to blush.

Morrison and co. arrived at a CAF base in the Laurentian Mountains. Commanding Officer Fournier briefed the assembled team on their strategy. With the aid of Overwatch, the CAF would clear out all omnic forces from Canada's southern cities down to Toronto, after which they would use infantry to establish a permanent perimeter against the Detroit omnium's forces. It would be the job of Morrison and his fellow soldiers to protect Lindholm and Liao as they set up their joint Siege/heron system in Canada's cities. Morrison was assigned to work with Chase, who would be commanding the CAF side of the operation. Morrison addressed the joint team, but not everyone was convinced that the operation could succeed.[4]

Ottawa
I know it's aggressive. But in this war, we have to be. I'm sure you know these kinds of advances only buy us a few weeks of momentum before the omnics find a way to counter and we're back to the drawing board. But if Torbjörn and his team can set the Siege up here to begin with, it will give us a massive advantage in retaking the city fast. From there, we can expand the perimeter, reinforce it, hold it, move south.
~ Morrison explains his strategy
Jack Morrison-declassified

Jack Morrison

The joint CAF-Overwatch team was deployed to Parliament Hill, Ottowa, after the RCAF had launched a pre-emptive airstrike to clear the way. Chase was concerned that their deployment zone would leave them vulnerable to attack from all sides, but Morrison explained that they had to be aggressive. So far, these kinds of advances had only brought human forces a few weeks of momentum before the omnics found a way to counter them. If the Siege system could be set up, it would give the CAF-Overwatch forces an advantage in retaking the city; expand a perimeter, reinforce it, hold it, move south.[4]

The force hit the ground running, and was ordered to hold the line for 18.5 minutes before the Siege could be set up. At first, there was no sign of the omnics, and Morrison suggested that the RCAF's airstrike had been more effective than anticipated. However, it wasn't to be, and an omnic force moved against the deployment zone. Five minutes before the Siege would be ready, Chase suggested that they fall back, but Morrison didn't respond, as he continued firing on the omnics. The two teamed up to destroy an OR14, before they saw an E54 tank column making their way along the Alexandra Bridge. At Chase's suggestion, Morrison used his last Helix rocket against the bridge, causing it to collapse and take the tank column with it.[4]

Despite this small victory, the tide was still turning against the defenders; two engineers had been wounded, and the ETA for activating the Siege was now eight minutes. After Chase saw a Detonator making its way to their position, she ordered an evac. In the stratocopter, Morrison backed her decision.[4]

Old Toronto
It's hard, isn't it? Being in this position where you're augmented. It's like you have this superpower—you can see the danger coming, but you don't have the power to protect them from it. I know, Chase. And I know it wasn't your fault.
~ Morrison consoles Chase

Days later, back at the Laurentian base, Morrison met with Chase in the strategy room. He acknowledged that Chase's earlier concerns about the Ottawa op had been validated, that the Overwatch strike team had never seen so many omnics before. Chase told him it was because of their proximity to the Detroit omnium. Chase showed him a map of the wider war, explaining how at first, the omnics had used the same strategy in each location, but now, omnic strategy was different across the board. The two concluded that if they were to defeat the omnics, they had to think less like machines, and more "beautifully."[4]

Afterwards, Chase and Morrison worked together on a new strategy. Winter came, which bit hard into the supplies of the Laurentian base, but the new strategy was agreed upon—they would set up in a less exposed area of Toronto, namely Spadina Road, namely the section that ran over a downtown park. There was little omnic activity in the area, and the bridge would give them choke points against any counter-attack. Davenport House would be their fall-back position.[4]

Soujourn and Morrison

Morrison and Chase

The teams landed, the siege deployment time having been reduced to 15 minutes. In 3 minutes, however, omnics were already attacking. However, there were less omnics than in Ottawa; the omnics hadn't expected on an insertion so deep into their lines. However, it was at this point that a Titan emerged. Chase gave the order to retreat, as no matter the firepower of the herons' turrets, there was no way they could down a machine that size. But even that was a moot point, as the siege system failed to activate, and the Titan destroyed the stratoscopter meant to evacuate them.[4]

The teams fell back to Davenport. Morrison did a head count of his troops. In light of the failed deployment of the Siege, Sergeant Grayson suggested that some of the components may have been damaged in transit, much to Morrison's annoyance. However, the mission wasn't necessarily a loss, as if they could set the Siege up, they'd have enough firepower to destroy the Titan. However, it would take hours to get the Siege working, and they had no means of evac. Morrison ordered the team to stay put, as Davenport was easy to defend.[4]

The CAF-Overwatch team secured the building. Afterwards, Morrison met with Chase in the conservatory. Chase consoled her over the troopers she'd lost under her command. The two bonded over their similar history of augmentations (biological for Morrison, cybernetic for Chase). He told her about his enhancements in the Soldier Enhancement Program, but stated that if he had to do it all over again, he would.[4]

The engineers got the Siege working, and with it, downed the Titan. Morrison stated that if they were able to expand the Siege system throughout Toronto, their counterattack could continue.[4]

Planning the Detroit Assault
The US military will have to be on board, of course, since it's in their territory. I could make some calls—I think they would be open to it. They might even provide us with some resources, but they have their hands full too. It will be a massive battle just getting to the front door.
The bigger challenge might be getting command on board...
And this goes nowhere if all three organizations don't sign off on this mission.
~ Morrison and Chase discuss their plan to attack the Detroit omnium

Back at the Laurentides base, at dinner, Chase asked the assembled soldiers as to how one would destroy an omnium. Morrison suggested "several tons of hypothetical explosives," but Chase shot the idea down, pointing out that omniums had fusion cores, and the fallout could be devastating. Morrison then suggested using the Siege system to destroy any omnics that emerged from an omnium, but Chase again shot it down; as an omnium was the size of a small city, there just wasn't enough firepower to cover it fully. Morrison also pointed out that given the fusion core, they couldn't just shut down the power, as omniums were self-sustaining. He then suggested starving the omniums of resources, but Grayson pointed out that such a strategy would take decades to achieve.[4]

It was at this point that Liao and Chase presented their own plan of controlling the omnium from the outside. If they were able to get inside an omnium, and shut down its internal access ports, they could quarantine the omnium from outside control. However, getting inside at all would be hazardous—potentially a one-way trip, and Liao would have to go in with them. Morrison objected, pointing out that Liao was too valuable an asset, and didn't have the training. He suggested ways of her guiding them from the outside, but Liao shot them down. Once they entered the omnium, they'd be cut off from radio contact, and drawing a map couldn't provide sufficient detail for a structure the size of a small city. Relenting, they began to make plans to attack the Detroit omnium. Morrison stated that he had some contacts in the US military, as any attack on the Detroit omnium would require a massive joint effort between US, Canadian, and Overwatch forces.[4]

Detroit
I can't leave my people behind.
The only way you can hope to save them is in there. If we don't act, we are going to be overwhelmed by the omnics within the hour. Our troops have their mission. We have ours.
~ Chase and Morrison during the battle

Morrison was able to get support from the US military for the Detroit op, and it was agreed to supply the attack force with ground forces and airstrikes.[13]

The CAF and Overwatch forces deployed 80km from the Detroit omnium, where they linked up with Captain Page and his company. The initial assault went well, and after the Siege system was installed, infantry and armor moved up to the omnium. However, it was at this point that the omnics' played their trump card, as the omnium doors opened, revealing a Titan larger than had ever been seen before. The Titan began tearing through the human tanks with ease, and what had seemed like an easy victory was now turning into a disaster. The Titan's firepower was overwhelming, and there was no way the human forces could make it into the omnium.[4]

Over the radio, Morrison told Chase that Liao had a plan—the herons could carry them in. However, they could only spare so many, as they needed the majority of the herons for the Siege. Only three people could be carried in, who would be Chase, Liao, and Morrison himself. The trio successfully entered the omnium as its giant doors closed behind them.[4]

Liao explained that the omnium hadn't detected their presence yet, but as soon as they started deactivating the access points, they would. The trio planned to deactivate the first point together, then split up to deactivate the others, then reconvene on the final port. The first point was deactivated, and the omnics immediately attacked them. Liao was wounded, but Chase and Morrison realized that the omnics weren't firing, apparently out of fear of damaging the server room. Glad for the slight advantage, Chase and Morrison escorted Liao to the second server room, after which Morrison headed off to the third, and Chase the fourth.[4]

The trio was successful, and soon, only one server room remained. In the ensuing gunfight with the omnics, one of Morrison's Helix rockets hit pressurized oxygen containers, the resulting explosion destroying the omnics, incapacitating Liao, and triggering a fire that blocked access to the server room. Morrison told Chase that she had to be the one to destroy the port, as her cybernetic upgrades would allow her to withstand the flame. Chase succeeded, and the omnium was shut down.[4]

After the battle, all three were treated for their injuries. Morrison offered Chase a position in Overwatch, but she refused, stating that her country still needed her.[4]

Last Days of the War

The war continued to rage even after the shutdown of the Detroit omnium. A key turning point was the Awakening, in which thanks to the efforts of Aurora, Anubis lost over 50% of its standing forces. However, this in of itself was not enough to win the war, and a final operation was planned to assault Anubis directly at its base in Cairo.[13]

Temple of Anubis-battle

Morrison and co. storm the Temple of Anubis

The operation was coordinated between Overwatch and Egyptian military forces. Wilhelm, Reyes, and Morrison took point on infiltrating Anubis's facility, backed up by a troop of Overwatch and Egyptian military soldiers. They fought against warbots and Anubis-loyal omnics every step of the way. Behind them came Overwatch's engineers, which used the opening to isolate Anubis from the rest of the world and shut it down.[13]

Many celebrated humanity's apparent victory, but Morrison, Reyes, and Adawe advised against any premature celebration, and in this, they were correct. The Crisis persisted for months as rogue omnic cells, some sentient, some not, continued to operate. In the last months, the strike team saw action at Wellington, Jakarta, and Baltimore, by which point it was clear that the war was far from over. However, Overwatch persevered, and in what would be the last official action of the strike team, Overwatch took part in the battle at Aviles. With this victory, the Omnic Crisis was over.[13]

Post-Crisis

The Omnic Crisis has been over for over ten years. Overwatch was built to win the war, but they’ve given me a new mission now: to make the world a better place. We’ve invested in research in biology, chemistry, infrastructure, climatology—every scientific endeavor that can better peoples’ lives.
~ Jack Morrison

Strike Commander

Almost immediately after Overwatch declared victory, questions were raised about its continued existence. The political battle was vicious, but Overwatch's charter was extended and expanded.[13] The UN rewarded Morrison for his contributions by making him Overwatch's first official commander. Reyes, to his relief,[19] was passed over in the process.[14] Morrison told Reyes that he should have been strike commander instead, but regardless, Morrison retained the position.[7] Decades later, Ana Amari ventured that Morrison had been chosen as he "looked the part"—the war hero. Compassionate, brave, confident, political. That he could rebuild the world while Reyes couldn't.[11]

Operation White Dome

When Operation White Dome was initiated, both Morrison and Reyes stayed on the sidelines, as they wanted to illustrate to the world that Overwatch had the resources to match teams to their missions. Though the operation was a success, it demonstrated that Overwatch needed new strike team recruits. The UN grilled Morrison over the long hours and physically taxing hours of duty that strike team members were expected to commit to the cause. With the blessing of the UN, Morrison set his sights on a massive expansion of Overwatch.[13]

During the operation, Lindholm had been injured, and was tended to by Dr. Angela Ziegler. Impressed, he sent Morrison a recommendation, suggesting that Overwatch fun her schooling, and that it would be foolish for Overwatch not to recruit her. Morrison took the suggestion under advisement.[13]

Expanding Overwatch

Over the following years, Morrison transformed Overwatch from what had once been a surgical strike team into a global agency.[13]

After the Omnic Crisis, Overwatch experienced a meteoric rise in prominence. New funding and resources gave the now-public organization far-reaching global influence. The world celebrated Overwatch's agents as heroes, but none more so than Morrison. He became the face of Overwatch, a symbol of hope and promise, from the cobblestone streets of King's Row to the sweltering night markets of Bangkok. Morrison envisioned a bright new future for humanity. Under his leadership, Overwatch served as a global peacekeeping force and an engine for innovation, making advances in scientific fields as varied as space exploration and medical research. But even as Overwatch grew in power, Morrison stayed dedicated to the people around him. He trained new agents, instilling in them Overwatch's noble goals and ideals.[14]

Morrison expanded Overwatch's recruitment efforts, pulling files on remarkable individuals whose stars had risen during the Crisis. He did not rush the process, as he wanted to ensure that all recruited members would be able to integrate well into the organization, which he had come to regard as a family.[13] He personally recruited Vivian Chase, who this time accepted his offer to join Overwatch.[20]

Morrison oversaw the construction of Overwatch's watchpoints, in order to house and train Overwatch's new members, the organization's total numbers reaching into the hundreds of thousands. Morrison received some pushback from the UN, but Overwatch's approval was at an all-time high, and the missions Overwatch was undertaking were demonstrating a clear mandate for the organization's continued existence. The first watchpoint was Watchpoint: Gibraltar, donated by Claudio and Hector Martins, much to Mirrosn's gratitude.[13]

Over the years, Morrison spent a lot of time defending Reyes's more questionable actions.[21] He was present (or at least signed off on) Overwatch's actions against the Shimada clan in Hanamura. When pressed on Overwatch's conduct in the operation, Morrison pointed out that the Shimada were criminals.[22]

Morrison was a close friend of Gerard Lacroix, and voiced his concerns when Gerard married Amelie Guillard. Gerard, however, laughed Morrison's concerns off. After Gerard was murdered, Morrison left a lily at his grave.[12]

Recruiting Dr. Ziegler

I have more than enough soldiers. What I need are thinkers. Dreamers. People who want to make the world a better place. You could be on the cusp of a breakthrough that could change the lives of every living person on the planet. I want to make that a reality and take away all the roadblocks so you can focus on revolutionizing your field.
~ Morrison to Ziegler
MercyMorrison

Ziegler meets with Commander Morrison

Ten years after the Omnic Crisis, Morrison read a paper by Doctor Angela Ziegler, pertaining to the field of nanobiotics.[11] He had not forgotten about the letter Lindholm had sent years earlier, but now that Ziegler's career was fully established, he approached her for recruitment.[13]

Morrison met with her at Overwatch Headquarters. He told her that he wanted her to join Overwatch as head of its medical research. She stated that she wanted her research to focus on civilian applications, and he acquiesced, stating that whatever she needed, she'd get. She agreed.[11]

The Echo Project

After all these years, it feels good to finally focus on the research that I am truly passionate about. The Athena prototype has been deemed a success, so much so that Jack's finally agreed to authorize my new project [imitating Jack] "Pending further evaluation."
~ Liao in her log

Years after the Omnic Crisis, Liao pitched the idea of an adaptive robot to Morrison and Reyes. Something that could accompany strike teams and fulfill any role required of it, from piloting a ship to providing medical care.[18] Morrison, though reluctant to move forward with the idea, approved it in light of the success of Athena,[23] but had Liao give him her word that it wouldn't get out of hand.[18]

The Oslo Incident

Overwatch will not rest until the ones behind this attack are brought to justice.
~ Morrison in a press statement
MorrisonOslo

Morrison during the Oslo incident

Eight years before the present day, Overwatch's Oslo facilities were attacked. Overwatch launched an investigation, and Morrison spoke to the press. He stated that it was too early to identify the perpetrators, but assured them that Overwatch would not rest until they were brought to justice. He confirmed that Overwatch had identified a number of suspects, but declined to provide further details.[24]

Retribution

You sure you want to hear about this Jack?
You haven't left me much choice.
Whatever happened to plausible deniability?
Little late for that.
~ Reyes and Morrison in the debriefing

Overwatch soon identified a businessman named Antonio as the one responsible for the Oslo attack. He was affiliated with Talon and had a base in Venice. Not long after that, the Blackwatch Rome facility was destroyed in another Talon strike, one which claimed the lives of numerous personnel and severely injured Gérard Lacroix. Morrison told Reyes that he'd open an official investigation with the Italian government, and do it "by the book." However, Reyes stated that "by the book" was no longer working. Besides, given Antonio's connections with government officials, he'd be able to weasel out of any legal action brought against him. Reyes wanted to bring Antonio in for questioning, but Morrison pointed out that if such an operation was sanctioned, it would be a violation of Italy's sovereignty, and would erode the public trust in Overwatch. Reyes agreed that officially Morrison could never do so, but Blackwatch could get it done with no one the wiser. Morrison left the final choice with Reyes, but asked him to seriously consider if it would help Overwatch keep the world safe in the long run.[25]

Debriefing

Morrison debriefs Reyes

Reyes led his team on a covert mission to infiltrate Antonio's manor. In the process, Reyes killed Antonio, and he and his team had to fight their way out.[26] Morrison was incensed by Reyes's actions;[27] the attack was reported in the press, and the existence of Blackwatch had been made public. Reyes was debriefed by Morrison, Ana Amari, and a recovered Lacroix.[26] Morrison grilled Reyes in the debriefing, demanding to know what had actually happened. Reyes snidely responded to Morrison's demands, but nonetheless recounted the Rialto mission.[27] In his debrief, he pointed out that things don't always go according to plan, and stood by the decisions he had made.[28] Morrison later interrogated Cassidy on the incident, asking if there was anything he wanted to add.[27]

Uprising

You think we should get involved.
I didn't say that. But in the end, it should be our choice. Your choice.
~ Jack and Ana
JackUprising

Morrison weighs his options

Seven years before the present day, Morrison faced an increasing public relations nightmare. During a briefing in the Overwatch Headquarters on the 27th day of the King's Row Uprising, Morrison learned that Reyes had Blackwatch agent Cassidy on the ground in London, where the uprising was occurring; despite orders from the prime minister of England expressively forbidding any Overwatch interference. Jack questioned Reyes if he had any other operatives on the ground, only to be sarcastically brushed off by Reyes. In truth, Morrision wanted to end the crisis in London, but felt tied down by bureaucracy and increasing pressures calling for new leadership. It was not until Cadet Lena Oxton, who Morrision took a special interest in provided Morrison a stirring speech declaring her belief in Overwatch and its mission that Morrison decided to authorize an unsanctioned mission to London to end the conflict.[16] He warned the operatives he sent that the uprising could lead to open war.[29]

The operation was a success.[30] Years later, Morrison commented that he "wouldn't change a thing" in regards to what Overwatch did in the city.[12]

Storm Rising

What do you think will happen if we can't get Max?
They've been threatening to reassign the entire operation.
Morrison and Reyes have been arguing about it quite a bit lately.
~ Overwatch agents discussing the pressure on Morrison

A year after the Uprising, Morrison was under pressure to disband Overwatch, with reassignment being threatened for its agents. Morrison and Reyes argued over the future of Overwatch[31]

Legacy

Morrison-legacy

Morrison leads the ground team

Morrison led an Overwatch team in Poland[7] to rescue a number of scientists that had been taken captive by Talon. Morrison led the team on the ground, while Ana served as a sharpshooter, providing them cover. They extracted the scientists, but back in the city, they came under fire from a Talon sniper. Morrison led the team to the dropship while Ana engaged in a sniper duel. They successfully made it to the craft, but Ana refused to break off and continued her duel. She ended up being shot herself.[32] Afterwards, Morrison committed every resource at his disposal to find her, but had no luck. Everyone tried to convince Morrison that he was being irrational, but Morrison knew deep down that Ana wasn't dead. He couldn't forgive himself for leaving Ana behind. He later learnt that the sniper Ana had become engaged with was Amélie Lacroix (now a Talon agent known as "Widowmaker"), but kept this information to himself.[7]

The End of Overwatch

Protest

The public turns on Morrison

Decades after the Omnic Crisis, Overwatch was shaken by a series of allegations, and its agents became targets of derision for the media. Morrison did his best to hold Overwatch together, but he was facing an internal rebellion led by Reyes, whose motives were unknown, but the rift that had grown between them had worsened. One year before Overwatch's disbandment, Morrison and Reyes came to blows at Overwatch's Swiss HQ. At some point, their fighting triggered an explosion that destroyed the facility.[14]

Posthumous

He devoted everything he was to Overwatch. He was our moral compass. Our inspiration. Our friend.
~ Reinhardt at Morrison's funeral
JohnMorrison Art2

A memorial dedicated to Morrison

Morrison was supposedly buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Reinhardt Wilhelm, one of Overwatch's original members, spoke highly of him at his funeral. Statues of him continue to be frequented. In truth, however, Morrison's body was never recovered.[14] Morrison had survived, speculated in part to be due to his biological augmentations.[6] He considered the blast the fault of his enemies, and reflected how they believed him dead. A truth, but in his mind, part of him did die that day.[33] Sojourn was made acting commander of Overwatch in his absence, but it did nothing to change the outcome, and Overwatch was shut down.[20]

Resurgence

He was a professional. Confident. Surgical. Had all the hallmarks of someone with advanced military training.
~ An HSI guard on Morrison's intrusion
Soldier 76

Morrison, now "Soldier: 76"

Five years after the end of Overwatch,[34] a series of attacks was made on financial institutions, shadowy corporations,[5] and former Overwatch facilities, all carried out by an unidentified male called "Soldier: 76."[35] in each case where he stole some Overwatch tech. This included Watchpoint: Grand Mesa, where he stole a pulse rifle. Helix Security International personnel attempted to engage him, but 76 escaped apprehension. None of the personnel were killed, though some were treated for non-threatening injuries. One of them stated (under conditions of anonymity) that the assailant possessed strength and speed beyond anything a normal person should possess, and that he likely had military training. The United States turned its attention to apprehending him,[36] and indeed, Soldier: 76 became the target of an international manhunt.[5] The writers of the Zurich Archive noted that "Soldier: 76" was a designation that harkened back to the Soldier Enhancement Program, but refused to speculate further.[13]

In truth, Soldier: 76 was Jack Morrison. Thanks to his raids, Morrison was now equipped with an arsenal of cutting-edge technology. Here, he used it to wage his personal war to expose the truth behind Overwatch's collapse: to find those responsible, and bring them to justice.[5] He was tracking Reyes (now the mercenary known as Reaper), and was given information on his former's whereabouts by an unknown party.[7]

Further Actions

At least my enemies know that I’m coming for them.
Your enemies? The United States’ government, Germany’s largest bank, Helix Security. Did I miss anything?
LumériCo.
And Mexico’s largest energy company. Which, incidentally, is run by their incredibly popular former president and
universally loved war hero. Those enemies won’t do much for your reputation.
~ Jack Morrison and Angela Ziegler discussing the former's record

Note: The following events aren't necessarily in chronological order.

Bank Heist

Morrison-heist

Morrison foils the bank heist

At some point after getting his equipment, Morrison helped foil a bank heist;[37] the bank may have been situated in Germany.[11]

Hero

You're one of those heroes, aren't you?

Not anymore.

~ Alejandra and Jack Morrison
Morrison-Dorado

Morrison in Dorado

Reports were made that Morrison, still known as "Soldier: 76," was seen in Dorado. This was in the aftermath of his string of attacks within the US, and it was speculated that he had crossed the border into Mexico. A reward of $10,000,000 was offered for any information leading to his capture.[38]

They were reports that were accurate, for within Dorado, Morrison engaged a group of Los Muertos thugs. He quickly gained the upperhand (as well as make his message perfectly clear by beating one of the thugs silly with a charred piñata) and forced the thugs to retreat. He tried to pursue, but one of their number lobbed a grenade at a young girl who'd been caught up in the fighting. Torn between the options of pursuit or saving her, Morrison chose the latter, shielding her from the blast and emerging relatively unscathed. With Los Muertos gone, she asked as to why he saved her life, to which he guessed it was an old habit that has yet to die. He then told her to head home before returning her coin pouch the thugs stole. As he departed into the shadows, she revealed that she recognized him as one of the heroes (of Overwatch) that her mother had told her stories about. Morrison replied that he wasn't a hero anymore, but she quietly disagreed when he disappeared. Although it appeared that he had simply left, Morrison secretly watched over her from the rooftops, making sure she returned home safely to her mother.[39]

While in Mexico, Morrison ran afoul of LumériCo.[11]

Recall

What would you have me do, then? Fly to Gibraltar and join up with Winston? You think the same people who brought down Overwatch won't take him down, too? Let Winston play hero. I’ll do what needs to be done. Reyes, Ogundimu, Maximilien, Vialli, Sombra, O’Deorain, and the rest of them. They'll be dealt with.
~ Jack Morrison

Morrison intercepted Winston's recall order for Overwatch agents.[6] However, he refused to return to Overwatch, instead pursuing his own agenda,[11] focused on his hunt for vengeance.[6]

Egypt

Old Soldiers

This is my war, Ana. And you've given it up, or else you'd have told me you were still alive.
~ Jack Morrison
Morrison-Old Soldiers

Morrison reunites with Ana

Morrison headed to Egypt to track down a lead on a bounty hunter that had been causing Talon some problems. At Giza, he was given what limited information a man named Abdul Hakim had on the target. When his contact turned on him, he incapacitated the man, and headed to Hakim's compound. Listening in via a guard's radio, he heard the voice of Gabriel Reyes on the other side. He vaulted the compound's wall, incapacitating another guard, and demanded to know where Reyes was. Reyes turned up, now the individual known as Reaper, and took Morrison by surprise, shooting him in the back. However, before Reyes could finish Morrison off, he was shot at by Ana, who managed to heal Morrison through her biotic rifle. Morrison and Reyes engaged in a fist-fight, and while Reyes was able to again best him, his confrontation with Ana prompted him to retreat.

The reunion between Ana and Morrison was strained—the latter was agrieved that she hadn't contacted him to let her know that she was still alive, the former possessing little interest in Morrison's personal war. Nonetheless, Ana agreed to help him, but asked what Morrison would do when the fighting was over. Morrison responded that he was a soldier, and that his war would never end.[40]

Bastet

Gabriel is out there. Talon is getting more powerful. They need to be stopped, and everything that we’ve suffered—everything that you've suffered—needs to be made good on. I'm going to take them apart, piece by piece. But I can't do it alone. I need your help.
~ Morrison to Ana
AnaJackTea

Ana treats Morrison's wounds

Morrison's wounds from Reaper began to heal immediately, though not perfectly. Hearing the sound of sirens, he and Ana exfiltrated the compound. However, Morrison collapsed due to his injuries. He woke up in a military cot situated at Ana's base of operations in the Necropolis. His wounds hadn't fully healed, leaving them to wonder if Reaper's shells had utilized a biological agent. Ana suggested contacting Dr. Angela Ziegler, but Morrison refused to see her (or any other doctors), reflecting that Ziegler wouldn't want to see them. He stated that he intended to take Talon down, but needed Ana's help in doing so. Ana told him to rest, and while he objected, he had no choice—Ana had drugged the tea he was drinking, and he fell asleep.

Morrison woke up two days later. The two discussed their motivations in regards to Egypt and Talon. Ana accused Morrison of fighting out of a desire for revenge rather than justice. She also pointed out that Egypt was suffering from Hakim's exploitation, while Morrison wanted to focus on the bigger picture and the threat Talon represented. The two refused to agree and Morrison stormed out. Making his way into Cairo's night, he was uneasy, reflecting that Talon knew he was onto them. He was reunited with Ana, and they made a deal—take out Hakim, then she would help him in his anti-Talon crusade. Ana's plan was to start at the bottom of Hakim's syndicate, starving him of resources, and forcing him out into the open.[7] Their hunt would extend through the Christmas period.[41]

AnaJack-Reflections

Ana and Jack

Within a week, they'd rounded up most of Hakim's associates. After the initial bust, Hakim went to ground, which led to a stakeout. Ana had more patience than Morrison in this (per her experience as a sniper), and he spent most of his time thinking about Reyes. However, a week later, they had finished dismantling Hakim's network, and Hakim himself was apprehended. With their work in Egypt complete, Morrison and Ana left the Necropolis to move against Talon.[7]

Valkyrie

Jack might not be as idealistic as he once was, but he’s just as bullheaded as ever. The more things pass us by, the more we want to hold on to them.
He can’t fight the past. He has to know that.
I think Jack will always find something to fight. He needs it.
~ Ana and Ziegler discussing Morrison

Morrison hadn't wanted to see Angela Ziegler,[7] but the wounds he'd suffered from Reaper continued to fester. He and Ana turned up at Ziegler's apartment in Cairo. When she pushed him for details, he remained taciturn. She applied an anisthetic to his back, but lacked the equipment she needed to run proper tests. Stating that they were short on time, Morrison told her to just give them some medikits, and that they'd head off after that. As she searched for the kits, he asked her what she was doing in Cairo. She avoided answering the question, simply stating that she preferred to keep a low profile. Ziegler pressed him on the list of enemies he'd made as a vigilante, but Morrison wasn't deterred—his goal was to find out the truth about what had happened to Overwatch, and to take his revenge on those who'd wronged him. Ziegler pointed out that taking revenge wouldn't change anything, but Morrison stated that he'd get justice. That someone had to make them pay.

That night, Cairo was rocked by the sound of an explosion. Morrison and Ana quickly suited up and told Ziegler that Talon had attacked the Temple of Anubis. Ziegler stated that Helix Security International would handle it, but Morrison simply replied "it's Talon." Ziegler agreed to come with them, flying above in her Valkyrie suit while Morrison and Ana made their way through Cairo's streets on foot. Approaching the temple, caught in a firefight between Talon and HSI forces, Morrison caught sight of Reyes. Ziegler told him that Reyes wasn't their concern, that they had people to save, but Morrison stated that saving people was her job. Reyes was his. The link went silent as Morrison headed for the firefight, Ana providing cover as he did so. They later found Ziegler, helping her and the children she'd helped rescue.

The next day, Morrison and Ana visited Ziegler in a camp outside Cairo, where the victims of Talon's attack were being treated. Morrison was evasive on the details of what had transpired, but on the subject of Reyes, simply stated that "old soldiers are hard to kill." He further stated that he and Ana were going to pursue Reyes, having deduced that he was headed for Europe. He asked if Ziegler would join them, but she refused, stating that her place was in Cairo. He thanked Ziegler for a medikits and gave her a mock salute before departing.[11]

A New Mission

Ana and Morrison left Cairo, travelling across the globe to hunt down Talon agents.[42]

Istanbul

Ana and Morrison traveled to Istanbul to meet with an informant, one who claimed to have knowledge of what brought Overwatch down.[43]

Achievements

Name Icon Description Reward
Rocket Man
Icon-ability.helixrockets Get 2 killing blows with a single use of Soldier: 76's Helix Rockets in Quick or Competitive play. Spray Soldier 76 Pixel
Pixel
Target Rich Environment
Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Kill 4 enemies with a single use of Soldier: 76's Tactical Visor in Quick or Competitive play. Spray Soldier 76 Cute
Cute

Trivia

  • As of September 2016, Soldier: 76 was the most widely played hero in the game.[44] By October 2023, this position had been taken by Ana.[45]
  • Soldier: 76 is the player character when introduced in the tutorial.

Cultural References

  • Solider: 76's two quotes "Smells like victory" and "I love the smell of pulse munitions in the morning" are both references to the 1979 psychological war drama film Apocalypse Now.
  • "Dad Soldier: 76" is a popular fan reinterpretation of the character, depicting him as an individual struggling to control children (younger versions of Overwatch characters). Tatasciore himself is reciprocal to the meme, stating "he's definitely a father figure...I totally get it. I see him as that too, and that's one of the most moving parts of him. Even if you're a soldier on his team, he's going to try and teach you. Even if you're fighting him, he'll say, "You got to learn differently." He is a protector, and he will watch over everyone, and he's trying."[46]
  • Soldier: 76 appears as a skin for Raynor in Heroes of the Storm.
  • A Soldier: 76 portrait is available in StarCraft II for those who purchase the Origins Edition.[47]

Misc. Character Information

  • At some point, Hollywood made a film depicting the founding of Overwatch. Morrison considered the film a "total flop," and regarded the actor who portrayed him as an amateur.[12]
  • His Commando: 76 and Night Ops: 76 skins list his religion as Catholic on the dog tags, which is notably the first reference to a real-world religion in Overwatch.
  • Soldier: 76 is the second LGBT hero in the game, after Tracer. This was revealed in the short story Bastet, and later confirmed in a Tweet from Michael Chu, the lead writer.[48]
  • Morrison has a low opinion of both Viskhar and Helix Security International.[12]
  • Morrison's uncle was still alive during the Omnic Crisis.[12]
  • Morrison's favorite animal is the Jack Russel Terrier.[12]
  • Morrison takes vitamins once a day, after a steak dinner.[12]
  • The details of Morrison's personal life are mostly unknown to the public at large.[13]

Contradictions

  • Contradictory information seems to exist as to the nature of Reaper and Morrison's relationship. An Atlas News post in 2015 stated that Morrison becoming head of Overwatch was the source of the rift between them.[14] In 2018, Jeff Kaplan stated that there was no rift, that Reyes was happy for Morrison to have the more political role and be "number two," as there would be less accountability. [21]
  • Morrison's views on Ana's supposed death seem to vary between sources. In Old Soldiers, he states that he thought she was dead, however, later in Bastet, he claims she knew he wasn't dead and that everyone else thought he was being irrational.
  • The time and reason for Morrison joining the military somewhat varies. In an article discussing Morrison's life, it claims and implies that Morrison joined the military prior to the Omnic Crisis and only planned to serve a brief stint before heading home. However, his work ethic and courage caught the eye of military brass, which earned him a position in the Soldier Enhancement Program; after which, the Omnic Crisis finally broke out.[14] Meanwhile, in the Uprising comic, Morrison instead claims that he only joined the military following the Crisis breaking out to help fight. He also claims to have signed up for the enhancement program himself as well.[16] In Overwatch 2: Sojourn, it states that Morrison enlisted at eighteen, and had reached the rank of first sergeant by the time the Omnic Crisis had occurred, after which he was signed up for the enhancement program.[4]
    • Overwatch: Declassified melds the differing accounts, and is the one this article has gone with. In it, it is established that while Morrison originally intended his stint to be brief, he ended up going career. Given the timeframe, Morrison would have been in the US Army for around a decade before the Omnic Crisis broke out, at which point he signed up for the SEP, and later, Overwatch.

Merchandise

SoldierNendoroid

The Soldier:76 Nendoroid figure

  • A bronze statue of Soldier: 76 is available in the Collector's Edition of Overwatch.[49]
  • A "Cute but Deadly" Soldier: 76 figure is available for purchase from the Blizzard Store.[50]
  • A Soldier: 76 Nendoroid figure went on sale in Q2 2019.

Development

Soldier 76 Metzen

Early concept art for Chris Metzen's unpublished Soldier: 76 comic book series

Soldier: 76 was designed using a top-down approach, where developers started with the flavor/story/art side of the subject and built mechanics around it. The original concept was pitched by Chris Metzen, and the team instantly got onboard. From there, lead concept artist Arnold Tsang, Metzen and art director Bill Petras worked together to finalize a character concept. By this stage, the developers had the idea of making 76 a "normal rifle guy," in regards to his gameplay style. Few problems were encountered during development, and only his heal ability changed.[51] It was intended that he be easy for players from other FPS games to play, allowing them to ease into Overwatch before moving onto more exotic heroes.[44] Metzen leveraged Soldier: 76 as a "fulcrum point" of the story/setting. He is said to represent Overwatch at its greatest.[52]

Soldier: 76 stems in part from the Ranger class from Project Titan. The Ranger had a sniper rifle, an assault rifle, and a rifle that could transform into a turret. Soldier: 76 got the assault rifle, while the sniper rifle and transforming rifle went to Widowmaker and Bastion respectively.[53]

Morrison's visual design differs from his initial appearance during and after the Omnic Crisis, and how he appears in the game itself. This was intentional on the developers' part, as they wanted his visual design to reflect how his state of mind has changed over the years.[51]

Soldier: 76 was a comic book series concept by Chris Metzen. Morrison's design was inspired by the title character—Metzen wanted to see what the development team would do with the character. Morrison shares a lot of broad themes and motivations with the comic character, but the details of the characters' lives differ greatly.[51]

Soldier: 76 Comic Pitch

The American dream has become a nightmare.
A dramatic rise in terrorist attacks executed on US soil erodes national confidence in the Federal Government’s ability to maintain order and security throughout the country. Extremist militant groups, both foreign and domestic, strike at US holdings with seeming impunity. The Federal Government’s inability to directly counter these threats begins to chip away at the cornerstones of national unity.
The seditious debate over how to respond forcefully to the rising crisis begins to fracture the tentative fraternity between the Federal and State Governments. The increasingly sensationalist media-bloc fans the flames of public paranoia and discontent.
Violence reaches a boiling point on both coasts as various ethnic and special interest groups are blamed for society’s rapid disintegration. The tenuous public conscience finally snaps as race riots, violent anti-Federal demonstrations and outright urban warfare erupt throughout the nation’s major population centers.
Local governments, unable to stem the tide of the growing anarchy, turn to the Federal Government for a final solution. Martial Law is instated across the land as Federal armed forces move in and quickly take control of thirteen eastern states. The massive police action quickly spirals out of control as numerous guerilla militias rise up to spread terror and destruction up and down the East Coast.
Outraged by this unprecedented Federal action, and driven to circumvent similar events in their own territories, a number of central and western states declare their intentions to secede from the union. In a final bid to keep the nation from fracturing any further, the Federal Government sends its troops into the heartland of America to restore order at any cost.
The Second American Civil War has begun…

Essentially, the character – S:76 – is an old super soldier (there was a whole series of them - though the term ‘super soldier’ will likely NEVER be used). These guys had special micro-chips implanted in their brain stems that regulate their autonomic systems – giving them sporadic boosts of speed, endurance, aggression and strength. Anyway, 76 was left behind on a botched assassination mission over thirty years ago. Wounded and alone he has wandered the seedy back-alleys of South America as an amnesiac ever since. The government has presumed him dead all these years.

While he was away – America devolved into a war-zone. The nation (for a number of reasons – rampant domestic terrorism being a biggie) lost all sense of itself as the Second American Civil War erupted between the Federal controlled east and a loose conflagration of western states. The country is in chaos. Race riots and worse are erupting in every major population center. Things are not good.

As fate would have it, our hero finds his way home to a very different America than he knew. Still suffering from amnesia, he must attempt to come to terms with his shadowed past in order to chose the right side to fight for.

The series is being painted by Brazilian artist, Max Velati, with me writing the script. We’re cranking away, so I hope to start sending this thing out for solicitation pretty soon.

For a sneak peek – you guys can check out the short story Soldier: 76: The Vigil I did with artist Greg Scott in Digital Webbing Presents issue #16 (on sale a few months back). Below, I’ve also included a sketch page Greg did of 76 as we were jamming on the story!

Well, I hope y’all dig the concept! Let me know what ya’ think! Happy Holidays everyone! Let’s tip a few back in honor of the 1st birthday of Sons of the Storm!!! - Metzen[54]

Images

Videos

Balance Change Logs

For more information, see Patch Notes.

Overwatch 2 PvP
Patch
Description

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Now uses the smaller 0.05 meter hitscan projectile size modifier. Total projectile size is now 0.05 meters.
General updates

Most damage-dealing projectile sizes have been increased by a new global modifier added to their base size.

  • +0.05 meters for hitscan projectiles with a high rate of fire or spread (e.g., Tracer's Pulse Pistols or Reaper's Hellfire Shotguns).
  • +0.08 meters for hitscan projectiles that are more precise (e.g., Cassidy's Peacekeeper or Soldier:76's Heavy Pulse Rifle).
  • +0.05 meters for travel time projectiles that are shotguns or have a very high rate of fire (e.g., Roadhog's Scrap Gun or Ramattra's Void Accelerator).
  • +0.10 meters for travel time projectile with a speed greater than 50 meters per second (e.g., Zenyatta's Destruction Orb).
  • +0.15 meters for travel time projectile with a speed less than or equal to 50 meters per second (e.g., Pharah's Rocket Launcher).
  • Very large projectiles with a base size greater than 0.5 meters have been excluded from these increases (e.g., Orisa's Energy Javelin or Reinhardt's Fire Strike).

Hero combined HP (base health/armor/shields) increased by 15-25%.

  • 150-175 HP heroes increased by 25 HP.
  • 200-300 HP heroes increased by 50 HP.
  • 300+ HP (Tanks) increased by 75-100 HP.
  • Each hero's precise health increases are listed in their patch notes below.

Ultimate Charge

  • All Ultimate ability costs increased by 10%.

Regenerative Passive for All Heroes

  • All heroes now regenerate 20 health per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage.

Damage Role Passive

  • Reload speed bonus on elimination has been removed.
  • New role passive: Dealing damage reduces enemy healing received by 20% for 2 seconds.

Quick Melee

  • Damage increased from 30 to 40.
Hero updates
  • Health increased from 200 to 250.

Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field

  • Cooldown increased from 15 to 18 seconds.
Developer Comments: Soldier: 76 became much more deadly after his last round of changes so we are reverting the Helix Rocket explosion damage to lower his burst damage. We are also increasing his Tactical Visor ultimate cost to help account for his overall increased damage output, both during the ultimate and leading up to it.

Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets

  • Explosion damage reduced from 90 to 80.

Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Tactical Visor

  • Ultimate cost increased 10%.
Developer Comments: One of Soldier: 76’s strengths is his reliable damage output, but it hasn’t quite been effective enough after his last round of changes. We’d like to avoid going all the way back up to 20 damage on his primary fire since it has proven too powerful in the past. So instead, we’re adjusting both primary and secondary fire damage slightly. He will also be able to stay in the fight longer and support his team more effectively with extra healing from the Biotic Field.

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Damage increased from 18 to 19.

Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets

  • Explosion damage increased from 80 to 90.

Icon-ability.bioticfield Biotic Field

  • Healing per second increased from 35 to 40.
Developer Comment: Developer Comment: This is more an adjustment for the gun feels rather than strictly trying to add power, but it does have an effect on both. It makes the weapon handle more similar to the original version in that you can burst fire more accurately before the recoil kicks in.

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Number of shots to reach maximum recoil increased from 4 to 6
  • Recoil reduced 12%
Developer Comment: We believe Soldier 76 was over tuned during the first week of the PvP beta. He was extremely mobile with the new damage passive that increases movement speed by 10%. We brought his Sprint ability down a bit with the new passive in mind.

Soldier 76 has always been a high damage output hero, but we are seeing fewer counters to him with one less tank per team. We lowered the damage of his Heavy Pulse Rifle to fit with 5v5.

We wanted to make Tactical Visor a more interesting ultimate for players who want to push their aim skills through the ability. The point of this change isn’t purely to buff him or counterbalance the nerfs. We wanted to make Soldier 76 more fun to play while rewarding mechanical skill.

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Damage reduced from 20 to 18

Icon-ability.sprint Sprint

  • Movement speed reduced from 50 to 40%

Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Tactical Visor

  • Now allows for critical hits, if a shot would have been a critical hit outside his ultimate
  • No longer removes damage falloff from his Heavy Pulse Rifle

Overwatch 1
Patch
Description

Icon-ability.helixrockets Helix Rockets

  • Cooldown reduced from 8 to 6 seconds

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Damage increased from 19 to 20

Icon-ability.sprint Sprint

  • Delay before you can fire the weapon after using Sprint reduced from .5 to .3 seconds

Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Tactical Visor

  • Can target RIP-Tire and Immortality Field

Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Tactical Visor

  • No longer makes Helix Rockets lock onto enemies

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Number of shots until reaching maximum spread increased from 6 to 9

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Minimum damage at max range increased from 30% to 50%

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Bullet damage decreased from 20 to 19

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Bullet damage increased from 17 to 20
  • Maximum bullet spread increased from 2.2 to 2.4

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Bullet spread now happens more quickly when unloading fully-automatic pulse fire
  • Significantly Increased bullet spread recovery time

Icon-ability.hpr Heavy Pulse Rifle

  • Spread recovery will begin after a short delay (rather than instantly)

Icon-ability.tacticalvisor Tactical Visor

  • Ultimate cost increased by 10%

References

  1. 2017-10-13, Chris Metzen Twitter, Twitter. Accessed on 2017-10-13
  2. 2018-09-27, Michael Chu Twitter, Twitter. Accessed on 2018-09-27
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Overwatch: The Official Cookbook
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 Overwatch 2: Sojourn
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Soldier: 76 (Overwatch), Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2015-07-08
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Soldier: 76, PlayOverwatch. Accessed on 2023-01-01
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 Bastet
  8. 2017-03-30, Michael Chu's Twitter. Twitter, accessed on 2018-10-17
  9. Overwatch, McCree Quotes
  10. Overwatch, Soldier: 76 Skins
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Valkyrie
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 Overwatch 2, Soldier: 76 Quotes
  13. 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 13.21 13.22 13.23 13.24 13.25 13.26 13.27 13.28 Overwatch: Declassified
  14. 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 2015-07-07, Fading Glory: On the Trail of Jack Morrison. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-07-07
  15. Overwatch, Soldier: 76 Skins
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named TracerUprising
  17. Echo Origin Story
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 2020-03-19, ECHOES OF ECHO: A HISTORY OF HERO 32. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2020-03-25
  19. 2018-11-08, Manolo on Twitter. Twitter, accessed on 2018-12-20
  20. 20.0 20.1 2022-04-13, Sojourn Origin Story YouTube. Accessed on 2022-04-15.
  21. 21.0 21.1 January, 2018, Jeff Kaplan on Morrison and Reyes. Reddit, accessed on 2018-02-08
  22. Overwatch 2, Cassidy Quotes
  23. 2020-03-16, PlayOverwatch Twitter, Twitter. Accessed on 2020-03-16
  24. 2018-04-03, OVERWATCH OFFICIALS RESPOND TO ATTACK ON OSLO FACILITY. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2018-04-04
  25. Retribution
  26. 26.0 26.1 Overwatch Retribution
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External links

Heroes in Overwatch 2
 
Icon-soldier: 76
Soldier: 76
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