Doomfist is undoubtedly Overwatch’s most anticipated hero. Since he was first mentioned in the Overwatch release cinematic, players have been pining to learn more about the villainous Doomfist felled by Winston, Tracer and Genji. When the game was fully released, and we saw the Doomfist gauntlet in the Numbani payload, speculation started to get serious. Finally, early this year, the Doomfist was stolen, and players knew that something was afoot.

Doomfist is no longer a dream. He is here and he packs quite a punch.

Kit

Passive - The Best Defense...

Blizzard description:

Doomfist generates temporary personal shields when he deals ability damage.

What does it do:

Every time Doomfist hits an enemy with an ability, he gains a temporary shield that blocks incoming damage.

This passive may not be too exciting, but it will save your life more times than you can count. That being said, it isn’t immediately noticeable. While it may just be a part of Doomfist, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn't be cognizant of it. The name comes from a reversal of the phrase “the best offense is a good defense.” It comes reversed for a reason, to stay alive as Doomfist, you need to go go go. The more you engage, the more shields you get. The more shields you get, the easier it is to stay alive.

Primary fire - Hand Cannon

Blizzard description:

Doomfist fires a short-range burst from the knuckles of his fist. Its ammunition is automatically regenerated over a short time.

What does it do:

Doomfist has a four barrel shotgun, with each barrel being in knuckle on his left arm. He also does not reload like a normal hero, instead, his ammo regenerates over time.

This primary is very powerful, and seems to have longer range than our other heroes with shotguns. However, the lack of a reload forces players to use abilities almost constantly. In this way, Doomfist’s Hand Cannon is somewhat of a filler move in comparison to everything else. Weave these shots in between your normal abilities to pump out serious damage without running out of charges.

Ability 1 - Rocket Punch

Blizzard description:

After charging up, Doomfist lunges forward and knocks an enemy back, dealing additional damage if they impact a wall.

What does it do:

Doomfist charges up for a set time and then rockets forward, smashing into whoever he collides with first. The collision target is then thrown backwards, taking additional damage if they hit a wall.

This is not only Doomfist’s most signature ability, it is also his best. Slamming into foes keeps you mobile and accounts for a ton of your damage. However, the wind up on Rocket Punch leaves you extremely vulnerable. Be careful where and why you use this ability, as opening yourself up to attack is rarely fortuitous. Use Rocket Fist to slip slide your way through the map, taking out enemies and making dents in walls.

Ability 2 - Rising Uppercut

Blizzard description:

Doomfist uppercuts enemies in front of him into the air.

What does it do:

Doomfist leaps into the air, punching and carrying any enemies he hits with him.

This is as much of a mobility spell as it is a damaging one. Hitting enemies into the air makes them ripe targets for other allies or for follow up from your own abilities. However, this ability is suprisingly useful when just trying to move through a fight. Uppercutting an enemy is a great way to get them out of your way, but it also gives you a new perspective on the battlefield. Use Rising Uppercut to prep your foes for Seismic Slam or Rocket Punch, but don’t forget that it can get you out of a bind as well.

Ability 3 - Seismic Slam

Blizzard description:

Doomfist leaps forward and smashes into the ground, knocking nearby enemies toward him.

What does it do:

Doomfist targets the ground and smashes it with the backside of his gauntlet, causing an eruption of damage and knocking enemies toward him.

This ability is a little ... finicky to use and takes some time to get used to. That being said, it is part of what makes Doomfist such a force to be reckoned with. Displacing enemies is a big part of what makes Doomfist great, all of his abilities allow him to do it. The draw-in factor of this ability in particular sets Doomfist up for success fairly regularly. You can make it the finisher to your Rising Uppercut, or user uppercut after you have Seismic Slammed. Both choices are good and either is viable.

Take the time to experiment with Seismic Slam, get good at it and dominate games with Doomfist.

Ultimate - Meteor Strike

Blizzard description:

Doomfist leaps into the sky, then crashes to the ground, dealing significant damage.

What does it do:

Doomfist leaps up and is able to target a location on the ground. Once he has selected an area, he will plummet back onto the earth and slam into all enemies in the area.

This ultimate is powerful and grants Doomfist, a primarily duel focused character, a chance to deal real damage to an entire enemy team. Slamming down will deal extreme damage to all targets, so you want to save this ability for a moment that requires enemies to group up. Sure, you could pair it with a Graviton Surge, but more realistically speaking, you want to Meteor Strike around the Payload or onto the Capture Point, creating space for your team or taking out enemies.

With patience, Meteor Strike can be used to turn the tide of Overwatch games completely.

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To see see all of Doomfists abilities in action, check out his reveal.

Strategy

On a basic level, Doomfist’s strategy is pretty simple. Fight all the time, get shields and kill people. I would be lying if I said that there is a lot more to it than that, so instead I will just say that it is easier said than done.

The key to Doomfist is being aggressive without being stupid.

Doomfist awards risky plays and punishes poor ones. Pick him into teams that aim to camp and be defensive. He is excellent at disrupting enemy plans, but needs a good team to back him up. If you have a Doomfist on your side, follow them and babysit them forever, especially if you are supporting them. If you are their tank, lead them, and open up places for them to strike.

If your Doomfist is doing the engaging, you have small problem, namely that you probably have a dead Doomfist before a fight starts. As Doomfist, you should be flanking or diving in after your tank, bringing destruction to a team that is already juggling 1000 other problems.

If you can catch your enemies unaware, Doomfist will be easy for you. The real trick is to fight enemies when they expect you. This is a lot easier said than done, as it will require a significant amount of time learning the character (and a generally high base skill level).

Once you can dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge your way into the enemy team without getting picked off, that is when you will truly achieve the coveted status of “Doomfist one-trick.”

Blizzard Entertainment

Conclusion

Doomfist is a strange hero to add to Overwatch. Not because he doesn’t fit or because he is too derivative, but because he promotes a style that is unlike almost anything else we have seen. In that way, it seems almost perfect that such an anticipated character brings such a fresh identity to the game.

The fear with Doomfist will come in his balance, naturally. He seems as though he will be fairly feast or famine, a trope that is not entirely uncommon with offense heroes. He offers very little utility to his team, so if he isn’t killing, he is wasting space. If he is too powerful or too hard to kill, he will ruin every game he is in. If he isn’t strong enough, he will sit on the sidelines and we will never get to see this cool ass hero get his due.

Blizzard has their hands full with Doomfist, and if they can land on that perfect grey line between broken and useful, he could really change the space of Overwatch for the better.