Ana is one of the most unique Heroes on the Overwatch roster. Being a sniper and a healer makes her a popular pick, but she is also quite difficult to play well. Here are her abilities and how to use them to get the most out of her.
Biotic Rifle
Ana’s Biotic Rifle is what makes her the Hero that she is: a sniper that heals. Her gun has some unique mechanics to it, however, so keep the following in mind:
- Her shots will heal allies and damage enemies
- She can scope in by pressing alternate fire
- Scoped shots will be hitscan
- Unscoped shots are projectiles
There are three ways to use Ana’s Rifle: shooting while scoped, shooting while unscoped, and quickscoping. Scoped shots are more accurate, but Ana becomes immobile and vulnerable while scoping. Unscoped shots are projectiles that are more difficult to hit, but Ana won’t be vulnerable while aiming down sights. Quickscoping is where Ana quickly scopes in and instantly fires. This helps her land shots, but it takes longer to shoot this way.
When aiming at nearby allies, you shouldn’t scope. This allows Ana to be mobile while still healing her teammates. You can scope at allies and enemies from a distance if you aren’t in danger, but remember that this restricts your movement and vision, so always make sure you are safe. Quickscoping is best for healing from a distance while you need to strafe. You can weave in scoped shots while moving.
Sleep Dart
This ability shoots a projectile that puts the first enemy it hits to sleep for five seconds. You can use Sleep Dart offensively to try to get a pick, or defensively to stop an enemy from killing you. You can also use this to shut down a channeled ultimate ability, like Reaper’s Death Blossom or Roadhog’s Whole Hog. Don’t just fire your Sleep Dart into a crowd randomly. Save it for opportunities to get picks or defend yourself.
Biotic Grenade
Ana’s Biotic Grenade is one of the most powerful abilities in Overwatch. Ana throws a grenade that explodes and does damage to enemies while healing allies. The grenade also applies a buff to allies that increases how much healing they receive, alongside a debuff to enemies that makes it so they can’t heal.
You should generally use this offensively, as the anti-heal debuff is extremely powerful. Using it on clusters of enemies will very often win your team a fight. You can also use it to prevent healing from Zenyatta’s Transcendence, which makes Ana a great counter to him.
Nano Boost
This is Ana’s ultimate. It synergizes very well with certain Heroes and not so well with others. Nano Boost heals an ally for 250 health and increases their damage and damage resistance by 50%. You should always try to use Nano Boost on allies that can take full advantage of these buffs, such as Reinhardt. You can also combo Nano Boost with an ally that has an ultimate. Genji and Soldier: 76, for example, make great use of Nano Boost with their ultimates.
As Ana, you should try to position safely behind your team, but not so far away that you’re isolated from them if an enemy Hero tries to fight you. Focus on healing with your Biotic Rifle, and use your abilities aggressively. It will take some practice to get the hang of all of Ana’s abilities, so stay patient and focus on improving!
For more Overwatch news and guides, stay tuned to Daily Esports.
