Overwatch 2 Hanzo guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock
If you want to play a bit more tactically in Overwatch 2, find out how to unlock and use Hanzo for an advantage on the battlefield.
This is part of the ‘Overwatch 2’ directory
Directory contents
Hanzo is a perfect option for Overwatch 2 players looking to gain an advantage in battle from afar. Equipped with his trusty bow and arrow, players are able to pull off extraordinary trick shots and support their team from a more comfortable position. Here's everything to know about the character.
Abilities explained
| Name | Type | Effect |
| Storm Bow | Primary Fire | Hold to charge then release to launch arrows further. |
| Wall Climb | Hero Passive | Jump at walls to climb up them |
| Sonic Arrow | Ability | Reveals enemies for a short time upon impact |
| Storm Arrows | Ability | The next 5 arrows ricochet and fire instantly at reduced damage |
| Lunge | Ability | Double Jump |
| Dragonstrike | Ultimate | Launch a deadly Dragon Spirit that devastates enemies it passes through |
| Role: Damage | Role Passive | Damaging an enemy temporarily reduces their healing received |
Tips for playing Hanzo
As reiterated, Hanzo is best served as remaining at the back of your team. While his damage output is considerably higher than others, he is also very easy to kill. With your Storm Bow, you can change up shots, and most of the time, a fully charged shot will reach exactly where you’re aiming.
It’s a great method to take out enemies who are perched above the map laying down fire, or if you want to stand above and fire down from above.
If you do find enemies closing in on your position, Hanzo has a variety of abilities in Overwatch 2 to assist you. Firstly, your Storm Arrows ability can quickly decimate an incoming foe if you land all of your shots and is great as a last resort.
If you’re still finding yourself in a tight spot, a mixture of Hanzo’s Lunge and Wall Climb abilities will allow you to quickly find an exit and retreat to safety.
You can also mix Hanzo’s Sonic Arrow into the fight. This is great from a distance, as it allows you to plan where your shots will be and see enemies behind cover.
If you can communicate with your team, it’s also a great opportunity to converse and see if any members of your team have an Ultimate ability ready to go. Working together is the best way to utilize Hanzo’s Sonic Arrow.
After dealing a decent amount of damage, Hanzo’s Ultimate ability will finally have powered up. Firing a Dragonstrike into enemies is a great tactic to take out a group quickly, especially in objective-based game modes.
It’s also worth using Hanzo’s Sonic Arrow beforehand to plan when and where to use your Dragonstrike ability. If you can maximize its effect, then you may be able to not only take out a full team but gain a considerable advantage in the match.
How to unlock Hanzo in Overwatch 2?
You can grab him from the get-go if you played the original version of Overwatch.
Otherwise, you can unlock Hanzo as part of the onboarding process, but it will take upwards of 100 games before he is finally unlocked.
About The Author
Daniel Hollis
Daniel is a former Guides Writer for GGRecon. Having originally focused on film journalism, he eventually made the jump to writing about games in 2020, writing for sites such as NME. Eurogamer, GamesRadar, Tech Radar, and more. After a short stint in PR, he is back in the world of games media writing about his favourite games, including Bioshock, Fable, or everything Fortnite and Xbox Game Pass related.
This is part of the ‘Overwatch 2’ directory
Directory contents
