Here’s how.
Symmetra Basic Info
Symmetra brings a mixed bag to the table. She’s basically a Defensive Support, whereas I see other characters like Lucio and Mercy as Offense Supports. I say this mainly because of her turrets, although they can be used offensively as well.
Her weapon, the Photon Projector, can be used two different ways. The first is meant for long-range fights. It creates an orb of energy, and holding the fire button (L2 on PS4) causes the orb to grow in size and damage. Release the button to fire and deal a big chunk of damage to a baddie.
The second (R2) is for much closer combat. It essentially releases a stream of energy towards your enemy to whittle down their health consistently. It does decent damage, but not as much as I’d expect for such a short range.
Abilities
Sentry Turret- Just like it sounds, it creates a small turret that you can place on walls, floors, ceilings, payloads – whatever you want. They don’t have a long range, but are similar to the steady stream of energy your R2 dishes out. You can place a maximum of 6 of these little guys, but only hold up to 3 at once.
Photon Shield - This creates a shield around your ally that lasts until they die. The shield isn’t amazing but definitely helps, and only takes a second to cast. A cursor also appears on an ally if they haven’t received the shield yet, making it easy to pick out who still needs it. Teleporter (Ultimate)- This creates a portal (and it looks just like those in Portal the game) that allows yourself and allies to teleport. One automatically goes up in your base, and the other goes wherever you deploy it on the battlefield.
Symmetra Combat Tips
Even though Support characters aren’t really known for dealing damage, Symmetra can hold her own. But there are a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of her to take your team to victory.
Create turret nests - Whether you’re on offense or defense, your turrets work best in packs of at least in close proximity. Try to put them on surfaces the enemy won’t see until they’re catching multiple lasers in the face. Around corners, on the far side of an objective like a payload, or on the ceiling of a room are great options.
Go for the long bomb - Symmetra’s close-range weapon is okay, but you aren’t the most resilient character in the game. Similar to playing Mei, you should plan on using your weapon from down range as much as possible. A fully-charged photon orb deals some serious damage, so don’t think you’re giving up much by playing defensive like this.
Hide the teleporter- A well-placed teleporter can easily turn the tide of a match. While your enemies are having to run across the map after spawning, the ability to have your allies there in 5 seconds makes a world of difference. Just make sure you hide it in rooms or areas your enemies aren’t likely to go, as the teleporter is easily destroyed.
Check your allies constantly for shields - Even though the game gives you a cursor on allies indicating they need a shield, it doesn’t appear unless you point your crosshairs right at the ally. Every time you come up to your buddy, double-check to see if they need a new shield. And if you see one coming out of the spawn room, you can almost guarantee they need a new shield.
Bait enemies- Your turrets don’t have a lot of range, so you need to draw enemies in close. Once you’ve tricked the enemy into coming after you, start charging your orb so it’s ready to unleash on them when they get to your turrets.
There you have it! Using these Overwatch Symmetra tips and techniques, I was able to get multiple Plays of the Game and almost always ended up on the leaderboard after the game.
