Symmetra is a very unique Overwatch hero which has struggled to find her place within the Overwatch cast. She is an interesting character, both in her spot in the lore and her characterization. I wanted to bring her into the game to fill give her a place to be.
In HotS, Symmetra is a defensive control-oriented character that focuses on keeping enemies down as she deals damage over time to them. Her main focus is to reduce an enemy’s output while her shields protect her allied heroes.
Universe: Overwatch
Role: Support
Summon Mount
Z (Mount) – 4 sec Cooldown
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: There is no need for a special mount.
Focused Beam
Trait (Passive)
Symmetra can basic attack while moving, and connects a beam with the enemy she is attacking. For the first 3 seconds Symmetra is basic attacking an enemy, the damage ramps up from 50% damage to 125% damage. The damage charge resets after 1.5 seconds of not basic attacking an enemy. In addition, an enemy that has a beam connected to it deals 20% reduced damage.
Explanation: While basic attacking while moving is a dangerous addition, the fact Symmetra’s damage ramps up the longer it is held really requires the mechanic to remain in her kit. The ramp up damage is from the game, and the added damage shred helps her support nature. It is important to note that this also applies to an enemy that is being attacked by a Sentry Turret.
Photon Projection
Q (6 sec Cooldown) - 40 Mana
Symmetra charges up her weapon over up to 1.5 seconds, being unable to basic attack and moving at 85% the speed while charging. Symmetra can reactivate the ability to fire a moving ball of energy in a target 8 unit line that deals 100 (+50 per .5 seconds charged) (+4% per level). Any enemy hit is blinded for .5 seconds (+.5 seconds per .5 seconds charged). Symmetra can hold the energy for up to 4 seconds, but remains slowed and unable to basic attack while holding the ball.
Explanation: Photon Projection is Symmetra’s primary poke tool, and it has a solid amount of ranged disruption. It cannot be spammed, but with proper pre-planning, it can devastate enemies.
Sentry Turret
W (5 sec Charge) - 15 Mana
Symmetra sends a turret in a line until it hits impassable terrain, connecting to the impact side and arming after 1 second. While armed, the Sentry Turret becomes stealthed. This ability has 3 charges, and up to 3 can be active at any time. Turrets have 125 (+4% per level) health, and will attack enemies that come within 6 range of it. It will not fire through terrain, however, and decloaks while attacking. It will recloak while not attacking. Any enemy being attacked by a turret will be dealt 10 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds, and will be slowed by 15%. This slow can accumulate per turret (up to 45%).
Explanation: Symmetra’s turrets are iconic to her, and without them she wouldn’t be the same character. The Turrets offer good CC, damage, and have relative safety. The nature of their stealth means that your trap can catch an enemy unawares if set up correctly.
Projected Barrier
E (10 sec Cooldown) - 60 Mana
Symmetra sends a slow-moving shield in the target direction that grants all allies it passes through a 240 (+4% per level) shield for 4 seconds. The shield will continue moving until it reaches impassable terrain, or until 6 seconds.
Explanation: This ability is very similar to a suggestion for Symmetra on the old forums. I wanted to keep projectile blocking restricted to Photon wall, and so I thought this would be an interesting and skillful way to protect her allies with a familiar ability.
Teleporter
Heroic #1 (60 sec Cooldown) - 80 Mana
Symmetra places a fragile teleporter at a target location that activates after 1 second, creating a duplicate portal in Symmetra’s base. Allied heroes may right click on the secondary teleporter to channel for 1 second, and then instantly teleport to the primary teleporter’s location. The Teleporter can transport 5 players before it is destroyed. The teleporter is revealed to the enemy team after 6 seconds, and has 300 (+4% per level) health. The Teleporter’s cooldown starts after it is destroyed.
Explanation: Teleporter is an iconic heroic to Symmetra’s past, and with Medivh already having her new Teleporter, I wanted to pay homage to such a unique ultimate from Overwatch. Teleporter is useful to allow allies to quickly transition to her location, or to go back t base and heal. The reveal after a delay is to allow enemies to hunt down and dispatch of it.
Photon Wall
Heroic #2 (120 sec Cooldown) - 80 Mana
This has a global range. Symmetra opens up a massive thin wall across the battlefield perpendicular to Symmetra. The wall destroys all enemy projectiles that impact it, and lasts for 5 seconds.
Explanation: Photon Wall is an incredibly simple but incredibly powerful heroic option. Symmetra is able to globally protect her team from long range poke projectiles, including basic attacks, with proper shield dancing for a short time. I wanted such an iconic playstyle and gameplay niche to be represented in Symmetra’s kit.
Tier 1
• Beam Builder: [QUEST!] Spend 60 seconds at full damage on Symmetra’s basic attack. [Reward] The time it takes to build up to maximum damage on your basic attacks is reduced from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds.
• Projected Power: Photon Projection’s speed is increased by 50%, and it explodes upon hitting impassable terrain, dealing the effects in a 3.5 radius around it. If at least one enemy Hero is hit, Photon Projection’s cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds.
• Defense Matrix Established: For each Sentry Turret within 5 units of one another, that Sentry Turret gains 15 Armor. Symmetra gains 5 Spell Armor for each Sentry Turret within 5 units of her.
Tier 2
• Compact Generator: Photon Projection no longer slows Symmetra while charging, and reduces the cooldown of Sentry Turret and Projected Barrier by 2 seconds if it hits an enemy Hero at full charge.
• Car Wash: While an enemy is effected by 2 or more Sentry Turrets, Symmetra’s basic attack deals 50% increased damage to them.
• Hypercharged Batteries: For 2 seconds after first decloaking, Sentry Turrets deal their ticks of damage every .2 seconds rather than .25 seconds.
Tier 3
• Detaining Beam: While her basic attack is at maximum power, the damage shred on enemies is increased from 20% to 35%.
• Reflective Light: Allies hit by Photon Projection gain a shield equal to 50% of the damage.
• Repairing Control: Projected Barrier’s shield lasts an additional second, and every second it persists, it’s shield amount is restored by 40 (+4% per level). This shield restoration cannot raise the shield amount over it’s base amount.
Tier 4
• Teleporter: Symmetra places a fragile teleporter at a target location that activates after 1 second, creating a duplicate portal in Symmetra’s base. Allied heroes may right click on the secondary teleporter to channel for 1 second, and then instantly teleport to the primary teleporter’s location. The Teleporter can transport 5 players before it is destroyed. The teleporter is revealed to the enemy team after 6 seconds, and has 300 (+4% per level) health. The Teleporter’s cooldown starts after it is destroyed.
• Photon Wall: This has a global range. Symmetra opens up a massive thin wall across the battlefield perpendicular to Symmetra. The wall destroys all enemy projectiles that impact it, and lasts for 6 seconds.
Tier 5
• Disorientating Flash: Enemies hit by Photon Projection are also silenced while blinded.
• Deconstruction: Sentry Turrets deal .5% of the enemy’s maximum health every tick of damage.
• Shield Matrix: Every allied hero that the Projected Barrier passes through increases the shield amount for future allies by 25%.
Tier 6
• Order!: While Focused Beam is fully charged, Symmetra can activate it to basic attack an additional enemy as long as she remains in range.
• Crippling Streams: While a Sentry Turret is attacking an enemy Hero, they cannot use mobility moves.
• Hardlight Defenses: Projected Barrier now destroys the first two enemy projectiles that collide with it before being destroyed.
Tier 7
• Peak Transit: While a Teleporter is active, all allies have their hearthstone channel duration reduced by 50%. In addition, using the Teleporter grants the ally 30% increased movement speed for 3 seconds after being transferred.
• Subdivision Logistics: Photon Wall now creates two walls in an X formation from the indicated point.
• Condensed Light: Photon Projection now has its cooldown set to 2 seconds after firing.
• My Reality: Sentry Turret’s limit is now increased to 5, and the Sentry Turrets can fire at enemies while they are being fired. In addition, using a Sentry Turret while there are three already active causes the Sentry Turret to instead rotate around Symmetra.