Reinhardt guide – 2017 – Overwatch

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Reinhardt’s abilities and strategy tips

You won’t find it too difficult at all to get to grips with the basics of playing Reinhardt, but it’s important to understand some of the finer points of his abilities nevertheless.

Here’s a quick run through how each one of these skills actually works, and how you should use them on the battlefield to cause maximum carnage for the enemy team.

Rocket Hammer [LMB] – Reinhardt is an out-and-out melee warrior at heart, and Rocket Hammer represents his source of up-close combat damage. The reach of this weapon is actually pretty impressive all things considered, and so it’s safe to say you shouldn’t have too much trouble when it comes to tapping your target with it. Not only will it do some fairly respectable damage to your victim, it’ll also knock them back a little as well. Just do your best to connect first time, as you can only swing the Rocket Hammer once per second – it’s pretty slow in this regard.

Barrier Field [RMB] – This is arguably Reinhardt’s defining ability and one that screams to the world “Hello, I am a Tank!” As long as this powerful barrier shield is active, Reinhardt will move much more slowly – and unable to fire too – but he will project a sheltering wall for the entire team to cower behind while they blast away at the enemy. Use it as often as needs be, but don’t keep it up unnecessarily, as it’ll only begin recharging its durability a couple of seconds after you’ve deactivated it. If you want to truly master Reinhardt, it’s essential that you manage the uptime of this protective shield.

Charge [LSHIFT] – Activate this ability and you’ll race forwards through the map, doing a little light damage to anyone you come into contact with, and snaring anyone that you manage to get a clean bodyslam on. Once they’ve been captured in this way, you’ll then propel them towards the next object on the map and deliver even more damage when you both arrive – often enough to kill them outright! In the event this extra damage doesn’t quite take them out entirely, you can start swinging with your hammer to finish the job off. Charge feels a little clunky and rigid until you get used to it, and you should keep in mind that you’re committed to seeing the ride out to its conclusion once you’ve activated the ability.

Fire Strike [E] – Like many of the travelling damage orbs found elsewhere in the game, Reinhardt’s Fire Strike is capable of scything its way through multiple enemies at once. The speed of the projectile makes it much harder for the enemy team to dodge as well, and so it’s ideal for interrupting the enemy’s game-changing Ultimate abilities, or reaching enemies who have a significant height advantage over you.

Earthshatter [Q] – If you’ve got a good pack of communicative teammates with you and you really want to push progress on the map, then drop Earthshatter. Anyone caught immediately ahead of Reinhardt will be tapped by this Ultimate ability, and they’ll be stunned for a few seconds as well. This downtime can, of course, be capitalised on by your teammates – if they also have their Ultimates ready, then the result can be absolutely devastating for your opponents, as your friends join you in smashing away – Earthshatter guide

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Map-specific tactics for Reinhardt

Here are some tried and tested tips that you should find very useful when you’re playing Reinhardt on specific map types.

Reinhardt: Assault tips (Hanamura, Temple of Anubis, Volskaya Industries)

It’s all about the chokepoints when it comes to playing a defensive Reinhardt on these kind of maps. That doesn’t necessarily mean just standing stock still in front of the choke with your shield up though. Instead, you’ll often find it beneficial to position yourself slightly off to one side of the entrance point, while still providing an obstacle to the capture point. This will allow you to focus the use of your shield in a very efficient way, while also having eyes on enemy flankers who may be taking the path less travelled.

When you and your team are attacking the capture point, there’s little point in being a timid tank who simply provides a sponge for enemy fire. Communicate a plan with your team in the spawn room and execute it exactly. You might choose as a team to march confidently towards the point and form a team of appropriate heroes. Alternatively, you might just want to use your shield to provide shelter for your team to funnel left or right through the choke and towards the point. If it goes wrong, make sure everyone knows to regroup, as persistence will pay off more often than not.

Reinhardt: Control tips (Ilios, Lijiang Tower, Nepal, Oasis)

We wouldn’t recommend Reinhardt for Control maps like Ilios or Lijiang Tower unless there’s a very specific hero or playstyle you’re trying to counter. He’s all about rallying a team behind his shield and that won’t be the case when holding or attacking an objective where making creative use of space is rewarded.

Often we’ve found playing Reinhardt in Control far too overwhelming, as you’ll never really have a clear idea of when to hold your shield up and it’ll usually end up with you spinning on the spot when the enemy goes in for the attack. Only pick him if you’re in a premade group – but even then, you’re better off choosing another tank in Control.

Reinhardt: Escort tips (Dorado, Route 66, Watchpoint: Gibraltar)

Escort is where Reinhardt shines. Rally your team behind your shield, stay on the Payload and wait for the enemy to put themselves out of position – then Hammer Down. If you’re shield breaks, let it completely recharge, continue being the team’s anchor and hold the frontline.

Focus on the enemy’s movements and don’t charge in recklessly. Wait for an opportunity, perhaps easing in with a couple of hammer blows before weighing up the idea of committing 100% to the fight. Remember, you’re essentially moving cover for the team! If you lose patience, your team will pay for it too.

Reinhardt: Hybrid tips (Hollywood, Eichenwalde, King’s Row, Numbani)

Again, he’s fantastic at the Escort part. Utilise his strength while escorting the payload but swap off if you reach the final point.

Key points when playing Reinhardt: Patience, awareness of your team’s positioning and constantly being on the lookout for that prime Earthshatter. Although, don’t think you need to catch an entire team with his Ultimate – if you only hit Mercy for example, that’s easily good enough.

Constantly communicate with your team and indicate when your shield is going down, or if you’re thinking of charging the enemy to initiate a fight. Ask if anyone’s behind your shield and where the healer’s are located. Finally, don’t do a 180 turn if a flanker slips past your barrier as this will leave your whole team vulnerable. At this point do your best to limit damage and be the true tank hero your allies need!

Reinhardt counters and match-ups

Reinhardt is one of the best all-round tanks in Overwatch, and there are very few occasions we can think of where he won’t prove to be an excellent tank for dealing with any threat. Having said that, he does shine against a particular handful of opponents.

Here’s a quick look at who to focus on – and who to run from – if you take this tanking monster into combat. We’ve gone with our top three in each case, but check the notes for a little extra insight.

Reinhardt’s shield provides him with a powerful advantage against all three of these opponents and for very obvious reasons. He struggles more with the likes of Reaper, McCree and Tracer due to their ability to flank and get around his unshielded side. Pharah has an obvious height advantage too, allowing her to rain hell down onto Reinhardt.

For help with other Heroes, make sure you check out our complete Overwatch: Counters guide.

Reinhardt Skins, Victory Poses, Emotes and Voice Lines

Fancy giving Reinhardt a fresh lick of paint? Here are all of the customisation options you can currently unlock for this Hero – assuming you have the Credits or lootbox luck to do so, of course.