In Overwatch , players can sometimes be “on fire”. We explain what that means and what it brings.
Whoever is on fire is doing pretty well
Overwatch is quite beginner-friendly. However, the hero shooter from Blizzard fails to comprehensively explain all mechanics, leading players to ask, “What does this actually do?” and initially needing to consult the internet. One of these mechanics is the “on fire” system. This is announced by the character being played occasionally during a match and is displayed via a small bar in the lower left corner of the screen. But what does it actually mean?
What are “fire points” for?
You are “on fire” when you perform certain actions in the game. You accumulate points, and at a score of 250 points, you are “on fire”. The display only shows a maximum of 350 points (then the bar is filled), but you can accumulate even more beyond that. When you are “on fire”, it is an indicator that you are doing well and positively contributing to the gameplay. Points are awarded for the following actions:
- Escorting payload – 10 fire per second
- Payload reaches checkpoint – 55 fire
- Capturing control point (completely) – 180 fire
- Capturing control point (checkpoint) – 55 fire
- Capturing point (completely) – 100 fire
- Kills grant fire points based on the damage dealt to the enemy’s total HP when the enemy dies (if you dealt 60% of the damage to a kill, you receive 60 fire)
Furthermore, there are numerous ways to gain fire that are only available to certain heroes.
All characters capable of healing (others or themselves) gain 1 fire for every 5 health points healed. This applies to Bastion, Lúcio, Mei, Zenyatta, Mercy, Soldier: 76, Torbjörn, Reaper, and Roadhog equally.
Additionally, preventing damage also leads to more fire points.
- D.Va’s Defense Matrix – 1 fire for every 25 damage points prevented
- Mei’s Ice Wall – 1 fire for every 25 damage points blocked
- Reinhardt’s Shield – 1 fire for every 25 damage points blocked
- Winston’s Shield – 1 fire for every 25 damage points blocked
- Zarya’s Barriers – 1 fire for every 25 damage points blocked
The two snipers can collect fire when they mark enemies with their abilities.
- Hanzo’s Recon Arrow – 40 fire per recon assist
- Widowmaker’s Recon Arrow – 40 fire per recon assist
Various support mechanics also grant fire.
- Symmetra’s Shield – 25 fire
- Symmetra’s Teleporter use – 25 fire
- Torbjörn’s Armor Pack (picked up by allies) – 25 fire
- Mercy’s Resurrect – 50 fire per resurrection
- Mercy’s Damage Boost – 1 fire per support
- Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord – 1 fire per support
Lastly, there are also plenty of fire points for destroying enemy objects.
- D.Va’s Mech or Symmetra’s Teleporter – 100 fire
- Junkrat’s RIP-Tire (Ultimate) – 50 fire
- Torbjörn’s Turret – 50 fire (Level 1), 75 fire (Level 2), 100 fire (Level 3)
- Widowmaker’s Venom Mine or Symmetra’s Turrets – 25 fire
- Junkrat’s Trap or his Mine – 1 fire
However, you also lose 5 fire per second – only active players who are consistently “doing something” will be able to be “on fire” for long.
The system does not have a huge benefit. It ensures that your portrait has a nice fire animation for all players, serving merely as an indicator that shows, “This player is doing really well!”
The deceptive part: Simply collecting kills will also keep you “on fire”, even if you collect these kills far from the objective and contribute little to victory on the map.
For more guides and explanations related to Blizzard’s hero shooter, check out our post on Overwatch Guides.
