Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ana – the first hero to be added to Overwatch since the game’s release. She’s a battle-scarred veteran who supports her teammates from a distance using a unique and highly specialized collection of weapons. We’ve collected all the information you need to know about this support sniper so you’ll be prepared for her imminent arrival.
Abilities
Her primary weapon is a Biotic Rifle that fires long range darts that heal allies and damage foes. From the backlines of the battlefield, she can safely save lives with one shot before taking a life with the next. The healing effect of her darts begins on impact, and it will regenerate a hero’s health over time.
Her first ability is a Biotic Grenade. Much like her rifle, the grenade heals her allies while damaging enemies – but, as an added bonus, the grenade will also boost ally heals and prevent enemy healing. This potentially makes Ana a hard counter to heroes that rely on self-healing like Roadhog, Lucio, and Soldier: 76.
Her next ability is a Sleep Dart, and, as you might have guessed, this will briefly render an enemy unconscious. Be careful, however, because if an enemy takes any damage while they’re knocked out, they’ll wake up and get right back into the action. The Sleep Dart is a great counter for channeled ultimates, like those of Reaper, Genji, and Pharah. Speaking of ultimates…
Ana’s ultimate ability is Nana Boost. With this, she fires a dart at an ally that grants a boost to movement speed, an increase to damage output, and a greater resistance to incoming attacks. This ability is the perfect complement for many other hero ultimates, including Genji’s Dragonblade, Reaper’s Death Blossom, and Solder: 76’s Tactical Visor.
Lore
Now that you know all about Ana’s powerful abilities, it’s time to become familiar with her emotional backstory. As a mother to Pharah and a member of the original Overwatch strike team, Ana’s only wish was to create a better world for her daughter. Despite being one of the greatest sharpshooters in history, Ana was haunted by the ghosts of those she killed. The weight of her actions weighed heavily on her heart, and, eventually, it became too much to bare.
In a defining moment, Ana and Widowmaker faced one another through the scopes of their rifles. Though Ana had the advantage, her guilt caused her to briefly hesitate – giving Widowmaker an opening. Widowmaker fired instantly, shattering Ana’s scope and blinding her in one eye. Because of Ana’s hesitation in the encounter, the people she was supposed to be protecting died. Ana was presumed dead, but she was able to recover in the time that Overwatch fell apart. For some time, she thought it was best to stay out of the action… but that’s no longer the case.
Ana now knows that she can no longer hesitate – not while there are still people who need her. Innocent people are in danger, and Ana’s sworn to keep fighting and protecting. If you’re looking to learn more about Ana, stop by her page on the Overwatch Wiki.
What do you think about Ana, and how do you think she’ll impact the game?
Brianna Reed
Brianna engages with the Gamepedia community through editorial content and social media. When she’s not busy tweeting about gaming news, she enjoys playing tabletop games, spending time outdoors, and binge-watching sci-fi.
