Blizzard EntertainmentOne Overwatch 2 tank that has really struggled since release got a major boost from their OP Perks, to the point where they’ve leapt from obscurity straight into S tier.
The tank role is a divisive one in Overwatch 2, with many preferring their time with the 6v6 mode to the 5v5 solo tank experience. But one thing is for sure: Almost every tank has had their time in the spotlight. Almost.
Despite the ups and downs of balance and a constantly shifting tier list over the course of Overwatch 2’s lifespan, there has been at least one point where every tank hero on the roster has been either a top-tier pick or a great counter except for one: Junker Queen.
Though she was strong in the early version of Overwatch 2 pros were using before the game went live, Junker Queen has never been a meta-defining pick even when she’s been good. She sorely lacks the ability to defend her backline while also having much less mobility and burst than typical dive tanks, confining her to being a very niche tank.
However, she has arguably the best Perks in the game outside of some really busted Support Perks, and they’ve propelled her straight into S tier. If you know how to use them, anyways.
Overwatch 2’s Perks finally made Junker Queen meta
Some heroes in OW2 have terrible Perks, ones that have lowered their power compared to other picks. Some heroes have decent options. Junker Queen’s Perks have broken her.
If you aren’t overly familiar with JQ, a quick glance at her Perks may not give you the impression that she’s all that great. Every single one of her Perks amps her base kit rather than giving her a wealth of new tools like other heroes.
So, to understand why she’s so good now, some understanding of her core kit is required, mainly the Wound mechanic. Carnage, Jagged Throw, standard melee and Rampage all have different DPS profiles for Wound’s bleed damage:
- Melee and Jagged Blade return damage: 5 damage per second
- Jagged Blade impact: 10 damage per second
- Carnage hits: 13.3333 damage per second
- Rampage hits: 20 damage per second
Bear in mind that Junker Queen’s passive heals her for 225% of the Wound damage she deals. So, if you have enough targets bleeding, she’s almost unkillable. This is incredibly broken when paired with two of her Perks.
Taking Rending Recall and Deep Wounds will make Junker Queen almost impossible to 1v1, with her being able to heal through the damage of pretty much anyone other than Bastion. And, even then, she holds her own.
As long as you’re continually shooting a target you’ve stuck with your knife, you’re going to heal yourself for 22.5 HP per second for around 8 seconds. And that’s if you don’t use Carnage’s axe swing.
Additionally, Deep Wounds will extend the anti-heal duration on your ult. You’ll usually be able to get around 5 shots in before the bleed wears off from her ult, giving you an extra 1-1.25 seconds of duration on that target.
This combo of Rending Recall and Deep Wounds will give you one of the best Perk setups in the game. But, if you aren’t into her bleed build or have trouble landing knives, Battle Shout and Savage Satiation are also S tier in their own right. Some heroes have useless Perks, but JQ isn’t one of them.
Battle Shout is kind of self-explanatory, but Savage Satiation has a ton of potential healing. The impact damage is 105, meaning that you’d heal for 525 if you hit an entire team. Combined with JQ getting 2 seconds shaved off the CD of this ability for each enemy hit, she heals a ton if you can stay in melee range.
BlizzardFor the first time since Overwatch 2’s official launch, Junker Queen has become a self-healing hard carry tank that can put the game on her back. If you’re able to reliably land your abilities, she just refuses to die.
Sure, she’s a lot harder to play than other tanks, bu,t if you know what you’re doing, Junker Queen is one of the best heroes in Overwatch 2.
