Following the reveals of Junker Queen and Sojourn is far from an easy task. Still, Kiriko has already managed to become Overwatch 2’s sweetheart. Designed as elusive healing support, Kiriko embodies the spirit of the old and the new, tradition and revolution, and damage and healing as she carries the power of the fox spirit with her to the very heart of the battlefield.
Trained alongside Hanzo and Genji Shimada, Kiriko grew into a devoted protector of the Kanezaka community that will stop at nothing to save the community from an evil clan of Hashimoto. Although Kiriko is the first support of Overwatch 2, her role won’t solely come down to healing and utility. She’ll be a strong pick that also helps out with damage output. Aside from this, Kiriko will be difficult to catch and punish as she can glue herself to an ally, and heal them as you watch her slip away.
Here are Kiriko’s abilities that will be available as soon as Overwatch 2 hits the live servers on Oct. 4.
Primary Fire: Healing Ofuda
Kiriko’s primary healing spell will be Healing Ofuda which targets allied heroes throwing them ofudas–power-imbued healing talismans. As soon as ofuda reaches an ally, they will be healed. Although a powerful ability travels in a series of five projectiles, it has a slow travel speed, meaning that planning and expecting damage is necessary to utilize Kiriko to her fullest potential.
Secondary Fire: Kunai
Since Kiriko is a spirited being that does not shy away from the fight, she can throw her kunai with her secondary fire to deal damage. Unlike ofuda, kunai have rapid travel speed and inflict even more damage if they critically hit an enemy. Since this ability will handsomely reward aggressive players used to aiming projectiles, practicing your aiming skills beforehand will surely be helpful to your team.
Swift Step
Since Kiriko embodies the fox spirit, including a vulpine-like movement ability was necessary to her hero fantasy. Swift Step, similar to Mercy’s Guardian Angel ability, allows Kiriko to target an ally hero and teleport to them instantly. Although already strong enough on its own, Swift Step can even be used through walls. This powerful spell will come in handy if you’re trying to catch up with your team, or if you’re looking to save an ally from a guaranteed death. Besides, Swift Step opens up Kiriko as a hero to so many strategic plays that will only reveal itself as we more and more understand her gameplay.
Protection Suzu
Ingeniously designed, Protection Suzu is an ability that, when cast, drops a bell-like item on the ground or onto allies that blesses the allies with immortality for a short period of time and cleanses all current debuffs. Although debuff cleansing normally has reasonable restrictions, Protection Suzu will cleanse all debuffs, including Ultimate-based debuffs and effects from Reinhardt’s Earthshatter and Sombra’s EMP.
Since this already signature ability will be beyond broken in any given meta, it will reportedly have a long cooldown, so wise use of this ability that can easily turn the tides in a lost teamfight will be absolutely necessary.
Ultimate: Kitsune Rush
Kiriko’s ultimate, Kitsune Rush, takes her hero fantasy to the next level with her casting a path of buffs for her teammates. In the Developer Update, Blizzard revealed that her ultimate spell will increase allies’ movement speed, attack speed, and even reload speed. On top of this, Kiriko’s teammates will also gain cooldown reduction, making it almost impossible to lose a teamfight.
Since this ability goes hand in hand with strong engages, this reinforces Kiriko’s identity as an offensive and aggressive support hero that can effortlessly set up game-changing plays.
Kirko’s passive allows her to climb walls just like Genji and Hanzo can.
Overall, Kiriko will be an incredibly powerful support hero that could easily slip into any meta thanks to her healing, damage, mobility, and utility. Since Kirko will be such a strong and contested pick, finding a great counter for her elusiveness and healing output will be important to avoid her completely taking over the map. Still, Kiriko seems like a fun hero to play that deepens Overwatch 2 and gives players a new challenge.
