Moira, the latest member of the hero roster from Overwatch, has also arrived in competitive mode for some time now. New heroes are usually not well-received there – but Moira is!
No one likes new heroes in ranked – but everyone loves Moira!
New heroes in Overwatch are generally quite popular with fanart and in most game modes. In ranked games, however, they are so unpopular that phrases like “Please switch…” are not uncommon.
This is partly because the heroes released since May 2016 came with mechanics that needed to be learned. They either didn’t fit completely into the meta or were only useful in certain situations.
However, this was not the case with Moira’s entry into ranked play, shortly after her release. The community welcomed her with open arms and chose her significantly more often (7% of games, in comparison: Doomfist had 0.6%).
Was (and still is) extremely unpopular in ranked: Doomfist
That’s why Moira is more playable
First of all: Moira is a support. Since the role is traditionally not favored, and only a few healers are truly strong, she has earned a bonus point simply through her class. She is also the second strongest healer after Mercy.
Her ability kit also contributes to her not being so hated. Moira is a character that does not need to be learned completely anew. She can be played intuitively. Her abilities are already known from existing heroes and thus stick better in memory.
Phase Shift: Corresponds roughly to Tracer’s blink
Biotic Grasp (Damage): Corresponds roughly to Symmetra’s photon projector
Her idea of combining damage and healing can also be found in Zenyatta in a somewhat different form.
Intuitive Gameplay: Strong and accessible, but neither “op” nor “low-skill”
Since Moira’s playstyle is made up of several heroes, most players have little trouble getting accustomed to her. Learning and mastering her is significantly faster for many veterans than with previously newly released heroes.
This is partly because, as a support, she has no “hidden requirement” to be accurate (like Ana and Zenyatta have). Her attacks are either bouncing orbs with seeking rays or a lock-on channeling. Her heals are large cones and also bouncing orbs with automatic targeting.
Although this sounds like Moira is too easy to play for her strength, this is not the case. Since she has to balance damage and healing effectively, despite the intuitive controls, she has a certain demand that makes her more balanced for players and opponents.
Benedict says: Moira fills a gap that Overwatch has needed for a long time: A healer who is strong in many situations without being too hard to play or overpowered. She complements the hero roster rather than disrupts it. Moira fits into Overwatch’s ranked play instead of changing it.
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