Illari Counters in Overwatch 2: Who to Pick

Understanding Illari, the newest unique support hero in Overwatch 2, involves recognizing her strengths and weaknesses. Illari’s playstyle is distinct, relying on her aggressive abilities and the Healing Pylon for support. Her Solar Rifle can deal significant damage in the right hands, but she lacks the focused healing options of other supports. Keep in mind that Illari’s strong healing abilities may change over time due to balance changes, which could alter the strategies needed to counter her effectively. In this article, we will be sharing some Illari counters in Overwatch 2 to better be prepared for whenever she pops up in your play sessions.

Understanding Illari’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Illari stands out among the support heroes with her aggressive abilities and reliance on the Healing Pylon and secondary fire for healing. Her primary fire, the Solar Rifle, can be devastating in the hands of a skilled player. However, she lacks the focused healing options provided by other supports. It is important to note that Illari’s strong healing may be subject to balance changes in the future, potentially shifting the strategies required to counter her.

Illari’s Strengths:

• Aggressive Support: Illari mixes support abilities with an aggressive playstyle, offering both damage and healing.
• Solar Rifle: Her primary fire can deal significant damage at range, making her a threat to enemies.
• Captive Sun: Her Ultimate ability, Captive Sun, can disrupt the enemy team by immobilizing them briefly.

Illari’s Weaknesses:

• Limited Healing: Compared to other support heroes, Illari’s healing options are limited. 
• Predictable: Her playstyle can become predictable, as she relies heavily on her Solar Rifle for damage.
• Balancing Changes: As with any hero, balance changes can affect Illari’s effectiveness over time.

Tank Illari Counters in Overwatch 2 

Shield tanks may not be the best choice when facing Illari because her Ultimate ability, Captive Sun, goes through shields. However, several tank heroes can effectively counter her:

• D.Va. With her high mobility, D.Va can hunt down Illari when she flanks or sets up for her Ultimate. D.Va’s Defense Matrix can eat Illari’s Captive Sun projectile, significantly impacting the outcome of the game. Additionally, D.Va’s double life with her Mecha makes her less vulnerable to Illari’s knockback ability.
• Orisa. Orisa is well-suited to counter Illari with her Javelin Spin, which can swallow Illari’s Captive Sun projectile. Her Fortify ability can protect against Illari’s knockback, and a well-timed Energy Javelin can interrupt Illari’s Ultimate cast. Orisa’s long-range capabilities make it easier to reach Illari if she stays in the backline.
• Zarya. Illari inadvertently strengthens Zarya due to her predictable Ultimate ability. Zarya can use her shield to negate the damage caused by Illari’s Captive Sun after a short delay and gain valuable charge percentage. Zarya’s shield can also protect a squishy ally from Illari’s aggressive dash, neutralizing both the damage and knockback effect.

Damage Illari Counters in Overwatch 2

Several damage heroes can disrupt Illari’s gameplay and exploit her weaknesses:

• Sombra. Sombra’s hack ability is a powerful tool against Illari. It can render Illari’s Healing Pylon ineffective by preventing it from healing and removing its shield. Additionally, Sombra can hack Illari while she’s casting Captive Sun, nullifying her abilities. Sombra’s versatility allows her to counter Illari’s every move and take her down easily if Illari isn’t protected by her teammates.
• Genji. Genji possesses the necessary tools to counter Illari effectively. His deflect ability can be game-changing, allowing him to return Illari’s Captive Sun projectile and potentially turn the tide of battle. Genji’s mobility and flanking abilities make him a significant threat to Illari at any given moment. He can also swiftly eliminate Illari’s Healing Pylon from behind.
• Cassidy. Hitscan heroes like Cassidy can pose a significant challenge to Illari. Her grenade can be lethal, punishing Illari for overextending. Cassidy’s Deadeye ultimate presents a real threat to Illari, as she becomes vulnerable when casting her Captive Sun due to being airborne before launching the projectile.

Support Illari Counters in Overwatch 2

While every support hero has tools to counter Illari, some are more effective than others. Let’s focus on three support heroes who can effectively counter Illari:

• Baptiste. Baptiste’s Immortality Field is his ultimate tool against Illari. When Illari attempts to use her Captive Sun to secure kills, Baptiste can deploy his Immortality Field to keep allies alive and negate Illari’s impact. Additionally, Baptiste’s burst healing from his Biotic Launcher can outpace Illari’s limited healing capabilities, making it challenging for her to sustain her team during intense fights.
• Lifeweaver. Lifeweaver’s ability to cleanse debuffs and provide continuous healing makes her a strong counter to Illari. She can remove Illari’s damage-over-time effects and prevent Illari from bursting down targets. Lifeweaver’s burst healing and her ability to heal multiple teammates simultaneously make her a valuable asset in countering Illari’s aggressive playstyle.
• Lucio. Lucio’s speed boost and wall-riding abilities make him a challenging target for Illari. He can quickly reposition himself and his team, making it difficult for Illari to land her Captive Sun projectiles or utilize her knockback ability effectively. Lucio’s AOE healing also provides sustained healing to counter Illari’s burst damage, allowing his team to withstand her assaults.

Final Thoughts

Countering Illari in Overwatch requires a deep understanding of her unique abilities and playstyle. Whether you’re a tank, damage, or support hero, there are effective strategies and heroes to help you deal with this strong support character. Keep in mind that the Overwatch meta is constantly changing, so adaptability and teamwork are crucial to stay ahead of the game when facing Illari.