How to counter Vendetta in Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2’s newest hero is Vandetta, the DPS hero who utilizes melee attacks to deal insane burst damage. While she may initially seem like she’s so much stronger than other melee heroes, that isn’t the case if you know how to properly counter her.

The first step is to memorize Vandetta’s abilities and playing style, which includes mastering her mobility and knowing that she doesn’t have too many ranged abilities. Next, learn the best heroes to counter her, before mastering role-specific tips to counter the hero.

Here’s everything to know about countering Vandetta in Overwatch 2 to start winning more fights against her.

Vendetta’s abilities, strengths, and weaknesses

Vendetta is a melee-focused DPS hero built around fast engages, burst damage, and relentless pressure. Her main damage comes from a three-hit sword combo, the final strike dealing a lot of damage if it hits. She also has high-mobility tools such as Whirlwind Dash, which allows her to lunge forward, and Soaring Slice, which lets her throw her sword and rapidly close distance by leaping to it.

Her defensive option, Warding Stance, reduces incoming damage and can release a short projectile, letting her push through attacks. Her ultimate, Sundering Blade, is a multi-stage channeled attack that deals heavy damage but leaves her vulnerable while charging.

Vendetta excels at eliminating isolated targets, especially supports and low-mobility DPS heroes. She does well in close-range fights, right spaces, and team fights where she can dash in, get a quick kill, and escape before being targeted.

However, she lacks consistent long-range damage, small room to escape once she uses her mobility, and relies strongly on timing. Crowd control, sustained poke, and high ground all significantly reduce her effectiveness. If Vendetta fails to secure a quick elimination, she often becomes an easy target.

Best heroes to counter Vendetta

Crowd control heroes are among the strongest counters against Vendetta in Overwatch 2. Ana is very effective since Sleep Dart can shut down Vendetta during her dive and set up an early kill. Biotic Grenade further limits her survivability by denying healing. Roadhog is another hard counter, as a single Chain Hook pulls Vendetta out of position and sets up strong burst damage. Sigma also performs well by using barriers to block her approach, Kinetic Grasp to mitigate damage, and Accretion to interrupt her mid-dash or during her ultimate.

Long-range and airborne DPS heroes are also highly effective. Pharah and Echo can remain completely outside Vendetta’s threat range, forcing her to back off or commit to unfavorable fights. Widowmaker, Ashe, and Soldier: 76 can punish her during approaches and eliminate her before she reaches melee range. Bastion, when positioned correctly, melts Vendetta during her engage, while Cassidy’s burst and crowd control tools can make close-range fights risky for her.

Support heroes with escape tools or defensive utility also counter her well. Moira can Fade out of danger whenever Vendetta dives. Kiriko’s Protection Suzu can counter Vendetta’s burst damage and disrupt her combo timing. Baptiste’s Immortality Field prevents quick fights and forces Vendetta to retreat. Brigitte is especially effective at peeling, using Shield Bash and Whip Shot to prevent Vendetta from entering the backline.

Map and positioning tips against Vendetta in Overwatch 2

Vendetta performs best on tight, enclosed maps with multiple flank routes. To counter her, teams should prioritize vision, spacing, and controlled positioning. On open maps with long sightlines, playing poke-heavy compositions greatly weakens her value. High ground is vital, as Vendetta struggles to threaten enemies above her without using all of her mobility tools.

On control or payload maps with narrow chokes, teams should hold corners carefully and avoid overextending. Turrets, traps, and area-denial abilities are good at exposing Vendetta’s flank routes. Keeping supports positioned near tanks or peel-oriented DPS reduces her ability to isolate targets. Communication is critical, and calling out her position early allows teammates to prepare defensive cooldowns.

Role-specific tips to counter Vendetta in Overwatch 2

Tank

Your main responsibility as a Tank is peeling and area control. Save crowd control abilities for Vendetta’s dive instead of using them offensively. Barrier tanks should block her initial dash, forcing her to retreat or make risky moves. Roadhog players should hold Hook specifically for her, while Sigma players should interrupt her ultimate whenever possible. D.Va can counter her damage with Defense Matrix and chase her down after a failed attack.

Damage

Maintain distance and apply consistent pressure. Prioritize Vendetta the moment she commits, because she relies on momentum to survive. Abilities that deal quick damage or push enemies are very effective. Heroes who control high ground or have strong area-control abilities should use the terrain to force her into predictable paths. Avoid isolated positioning, especially when playing DPS heroes with less mobility.

Support

Positioning and cooldown management are key. Stay within line of sight of teammates who can peel for you. Save defensive abilities specifically for Vendetta’s dive rather than using them ahead of time. Ana players should prioritize landing Sleep Dart, while Brigitte and Lucio should focus on displacement and protection. Keeping track of flank routes and listening for sound cues helps prevent surprise attacks.

By prioritizing range, crowd control, and positioning, teams can reliably counter Vendetta. She is strongest when enemies panic and split up, but coordinated play, clear communication, and smart hero choices reduce her effectiveness.