Torbjörn Synergies and Matchups

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Overview of Torbjorn (Torbjorn Lindholm)
  • 2. Torbjorn's Strengths
  • 3. Torbjorn's Weaknesses
  • 4. Torbjörn Synergies
  • 5. Torbjörn Counters
  • 6. Torbjörn Is Strong Against
  • 7. Torbjörn TL;DR Tips
  • 8. Reading Further for Torbjörn
  • 9. Changelog
• +Abilities and Strategy
  • 1. Torbjörn TL;DR Tips
  • 2. Torbjorn's Abilities
    • 2.1. Rivet Gun
    • 2.2. Forge Hammer
    • 2.3. Deploy Turret
    • 2.4. Overload
    • 2.5. Molten Core
• +Playstyle
  • 1. Introduction to Torbjorn
  • 2. Torbjorn and Positioning
    • 2.1. Playing in the Backline
    • 2.2. Playing on the Frontline
  • 3. Using Molten Core
• ×Synergies and Matchups
  • 1. Synergies for Torbjorn
    • 1.1. Reinhardt & Torbjorn
    • 1.2. McCree & Torbjorn
    • 1.3. Zenyatta & Torbjorn
  • 2. Torbjorn Counters
    • 2.1. Widowmaker & Torbjorn
    • 2.2. Pharah & Torbjorn
    • 2.3. Zenyatta & Torbjorn
  • 3. Torbjorn Is Strong Against
    • 3.1. Winston & Torbjorn
    • 3.2. Doomfist & Torbjorn
    • 3.3. Brigitte & Torbjorn
• +Maps
  • 1. Best Maps for Torbjorn
    • 1.1. Torbjorn on Hanamura
    • 1.2. Torbjorn on Eichenwalde
  • 2. Worst Map for Torbjorn
    • 2.1. Torbjorn on Watchpoint: Gibraltar

On this page, we list the good and bad matchups for Torbjörn. More specifically, we list the heroes that Torbjörn synergizes well with, the heroes that counter Torbjörn, and those that Torbjörn is strong against.

The other pages of our Torbjörn guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

Reinhardt is arguably one of the best characters to pair with Torbjorn for a couple of reasons. First, Reinhardt's Barrier Field helps Torbjorn stay near the frontline and deal massive close-range damage to enemy tanks and damage heroes. If Torbjorn is playing in the backline, Barrier Field helps protect his turret and gives him freedom to go for long-range Rivet Gun shots. Second, Torbjorn can place his Deploy Turret near Reinhardt's position to deal damage to enemy barriers and to defend against enemy flankers. Third, Molten Core is a great weapon against enemies who are trying to overrun Reinhardt.

McCree is one of the best duelists in the game, as his Peacekeeper allows him to take a fight at practically any distance. This is good news for Torbjorn, as he and McCree can play together and fend off enemy flankers. Additionally, Torbjorn has a glaring lack of crowd control abilities, but McCree's Flashbang can help both heroes fight off dive compositions. When you add Rivet Gun and Overload into the mix, it is hard pick one character without the other.

Similar to McCree, Zenyatta is a backline hero who does best when not directly dealing with enemies. As Zenyatta has no crowd control or mobility abilities, he becomes a huge target of enemy flankers. However, with Torb's Deploy Turret, flankers either have to either kill the turret before they commit to a fight (thus, announcing their presence in the backline) or commit to a fight without killing a turret, significantly hampering the time they have to take out Zenyatta. In addition to the turret, Torbjorn himself is rather deadly thanks to his Rivet Gun and Overload. As a result, Winston and other dive characters have to be cautious of diving when Torbjorn is playing with Zenyatta.

Widowmaker's long range weapon, Widow's Kiss, deals massive amounts of damage from ranges where Torbjorn and his turret are ineffective. For example, Deploy Turret has a maximum range of 40 meters, but Widow's sniper deals damage from any distance. As stated on his playstyle page, Torbjorn's positioning is crucial to his success. Unfortunately for him, Widowmaker's Grappling Hook allows her to reach high ground areas that bypass Torbjorn's turret. Once in position, Widowmaker can easily take out Torbjorn and his turret while he is focused on the frontline or on enemy flankers.

Pharah's kit has a number of benefits against Torbjorn. First, Pharah's Rocket Launcher can easily destroy Deploy Turret, and thanks to the turret's maximum range, Pharah can often kill it without getting shot by it. Second, Torbjorn is known for his ability to defend choke points and objectives, but Pharah can use her Jump Jet and Hover Jets to break through choke points and deal damage from behind the enemy frontline. Third, Pharah's Rocket Launcher deals good damage against armor, and Torbjorn relies on Overload's armor to stay alive. Fourth, Pharah is hard to hit with the primary fire of Rivet Gun, but it should be noted that Torbjorn can take Pharah out if he can consistently land shots. Fifth, Molten Core is practically useless against Pharah when she is in the air (which is 95% of the time).

Zenyatta is arguably one of the better healers to play against Torbjorn for the following reasons. First, Zenyatta is typically in the backline of his own team, and Torbjorn is not a flanker, which means Zenyatta typically has no fear of getting picked by Torbjorn. Second, Zenyatta's Orb of Destruction deals massive amounts of damage against Torbjorn, especially when Torbjorn is marked with Orb of Discord. Third, Zenyatta's Orb Volley can easily take out Deploy Turrets around corners. Last, Zenyatta's Transcendence is one of the most powerful abilities to counteract Torbjorn's Molten Core. Transcendence will nullify Molten Core's damage completely, and as Molten Core is typically used against enemies in a tight area, Zenyatta should have no problem healing all those affected by the ultimate.

Winston's main goal is to harass and kill the enemy backline. However, if Torbjorn is playing back with his healers, he is a direct counter to Winston. Torbjorn, unlike Roadhog and Reaper, does not have to play on the frontline to help his team. In fact, his Rivet Gun and Deploy Turret can deal plenty of ranged damage. Because of his ranged damaged, Torbjorn can sit with the backline and babysit his allies. When Winston tries to Jump Pack in, Torbjörn can turn on Overload and either break through Winston's Barrier Projector or kill Winston outright. In addition to the strength of Torbjorn's positioning and firepower against Winston, players must also realize the ineffectiveness of Tesla Cannon against Torbjorn. Due to armor Torbjorn gains from Overload, Tesla Cannon should barely pose a threat to his life. Additionally, Tesla Cannon deals minimal damage against Deploy Turret, making Winston a poor pick against Torbjorn regardless of the circumstances.

Doomfist is arguably one of the biggest threats in the Overwatch universe thanks to his mobility and his ability to take out unsuspecting enemies. Fortunately, Deploy Turret is an easy flanker detector. Doomfist is especially susceptible to Torbjorn's turret because he has no long-range damage with which to take it out. Therefore, if Doomfist wants to attack, he has to either rely on teammates to kill the turret for him, or to risk taking turret damage the whole time he is attacking the enemy backline. Thanks to Overload, Torbjorn is a scary target for Doomfist to focus, as Torbjorn's Rivet Gun can shred through his The Best Defense... shields and health pool. It is also crucial to note that Rocket Punch is not an instant kill against Torbjorn, even at full damage capacity. Therefore, Torbjorn can easily tank the punch and kill Doomfist after the fact.

Brigitte brings her team together through abilities like Inspire, Rally, and her own Barrier Shield. However, Torbjörn counters these abilities through his high-powered damage. First, Torbjorn's Rivet Gun melts through enemies getting healed from Inspire, as not many heroes can last long when taking shotgun shells at point blank range. Second, Overload allows Torbjorn to destroy Barrier Shield in a matter of seconds, and it also allows him to tank Brigitte's low-damage attacks. Third, Molten Core is a direct counter to Rally; as the lava eats through armor faster than regular health, it forces the enemy team to either split from one another or face a fiery death together, and it slows down an enemy assault on an objective or choke point.

About our Author

Mournflakes is a flex Grandmaster Overwatch player who boasts a career high SR rating of 4433. His favorite heroes are Roadhog, Soldier: 76, and Ana. He has played Overwatch since its initial release, and has put over 700 hours into competitive play. When not writing guides, you can catch Mournflakes streaming on his Twitch channel.