Overwatch 2: Kiriko Guide

Kiriko, the fresh addition to the Overwatch 2 roster, redefines the Support role with her versatile and impactful kit. Hailing from Japan, she combines exceptional utility with potent offensive capabilities, making her one of the most dynamic supports in the game. From her teleportation skill to Overwatch’s first-ever cleanse ability, Kiriko is a force to be reckoned with.

But don’t mistake her for a passive support. In the hands of a skilled player, Kiriko can dish out impressive damage, eliminating squishy heroes with precision. This guide delves into her abilities and provides key strategies to help you unlock her full potential. If you’re ready to master this unique hero and elevate your gameplay, let’s dive right in.

Kiriko Overview

Kiriko is a highly versatile Support hero in Overwatch 2, blending exceptional utility with strong offensive potential. She excels in keeping her teammates alive with her healing abilities while maintaining the ability to deliver precise damage to enemies. Her kit is designed to reward both quick decision-making and mechanical skill, making her a high-ceiling hero for those looking to make a major impact on the battlefield.

Abilities Overview

• Healing Ofuda
• Kiriko’s primary healing ability lets her throw small, homing talismans to her teammates. These projectiles heal over time and are particularly effective for keeping squishy allies alive. Healing Ofuda works best when used strategically to prioritize injured teammates, as it doesn’t instantly top up health like some other healing abilities.
• Kunai
• Kiriko’s secondary fire, Kunai, throws a high-precision projectile that deals increased critical damage. While its base damage is modest, landing headshots can quickly eliminate low-health enemies, making it a deadly weapon in the hands of an accurate player.
• Swift Step
• One of Kiriko’s signature abilities, Swift Step, allows her to teleport instantly to an ally, even through walls. This ability makes her one of the most mobile Supports, enabling her to reposition rapidly for healing or escape from danger.
• Protection Suzu
• Kiriko’s game-changing cleanse ability. Protection Suzu grants allies temporary invulnerability and removes negative effects like anti-healing and stuns. Proper timing is key to maximizing its value, as it can turn the tide of battle by countering devastating enemy ultimates or saving allies in critical moments.
• Wall Climb (Passive)
• Borrowing a trait from her Shimada family roots, Kiriko can climb walls by holding the jump key. This ability grants her additional mobility, making her excellent at reaching high ground for better positioning.
• Kitsune Rush (Ultimate)
• Kiriko’s ultimate summons a spiritual fox that creates a path, boosting the movement speed, attack speed, and ability cooldown reduction of her allies. Kitsune Rush can enable devastating team pushes or create critical defensive opportunities when paired with your team’s abilities.

Playstyle Summary

Kiriko is a hybrid Support hero, balancing healing and damage output while leveraging her unique mobility and cleanse utility. She thrives in chaotic fights, where her ability to teleport, heal effectively, and land precise Kunai hits can swing the momentum in her team’s favor. Her skill ceiling is high, rewarding players who can time Protection Suzu perfectly and use Swift Step to consistently maintain excellent positioning.

Whether you’re anchoring a team fight with Kitsune Rush or darting across the battlefield to save teammates, Kiriko brings an unmatched blend of utility and impact to Overwatch 2.

How To Play Kiriko in Overwatch 2

Kiriko is a versatile and impactful Support hero, but mastering her playstyle requires understanding the nuances of her kit and playing strategically. From timing your abilities to making the most of her high mobility and offensive potential, here’s how to maximize her effectiveness.

Manage Your Cooldowns Wisely

Kiriko’s abilities are incredibly powerful, but each comes with a significant cooldown. Careful timing and judicious use of her Protection Suzu and Swift Step are key. Overusing them without considering the situation can leave you vulnerable or unable to assist your team when they need it most.

Maximizing Kunai Effectiveness

Kiriko’s Kunai has a high damage multiplier for headshots, making precision essential. For consistent results:
• Spam at choke points: Aim at head level in areas where enemies frequently pass. Even a few lucky hits can make a difference.
• Combine melee for close-range duels: Fire a Kunai and follow up immediately with a melee attack. Against low-health heroes like Tracer, this combo can be lethal.
• Engage opportunistically: Kiriko’s Kunai is most effective at mid-range, so don’t rely on it for long-range duels.

Smart Use of Swift Step

Kiriko’s teleport ability, Swift Step, is an exceptional tool for repositioning and saving teammates, but it must be used with care:
• Assess safety before teleporting: Jumping into danger without backup can quickly lead to your demise. Always check the situation and have an escape plan.
• Save it for emergencies: Use Swift Step to dodge high-damage ultimates or to reposition when flanked by dive heroes.

Efficient Healing With Healing Ofuda

Kiriko’s Healing Ofuda automatically tracks nearby allies, but mastering its nuances will increase your healing output:
• Pay attention to the color of the talismans: Yellow indicates a locked target, while blue shows it’s not tracking anyone. Always aim slightly toward your allies to ensure they benefit.
• Use it with Swift Step: Teleport to low-health allies to heal them effectively, especially if they’re out of sight or in a dangerous position.

Placing Kitsune Rush

Kiriko’s ultimate, Kitsune Rush, is one of the strongest in the game, enabling massive pushes or defensive holds:
• Plan the path carefully: Ensure the buff path aligns with where your team will fight or push, maximizing its effectiveness.
• Coordinate with teammates: Pair Kitsune Rush with other ultimates like Soldier 76’s Tactical Visor or Bastion’s Artillery Form to wipe out enemies quickly.

Strong Hero Synergies

While Kiriko works well with most team compositions, certain heroes stand out as exceptional partners:
• Ana: Offers great synergy with her Biotic Grenade, allowing Kiriko to keep allies alive during tough battles. Swift Step can also help Kiriko support Ana when she’s flanked.
• Bastion: Kitsune Rush turns Bastion’s turret form into an unstoppable force.
• Soldier 76: Amplifies the effectiveness of Tactical Visor, making Soldier’s aim even more devastating.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages
• Counters Ana and Reinhardt: Protection Suzu cleanses Ana’s Biotic Grenade and nullifies Reinhardt’s Earthshatter, making Kiriko a critical pick against these threats.
• Counters D.Va and Orisa: Both have large head hitboxes, making them vulnerable to Kiriko’s Kunai. Suzu also negates D.Va’s Self-Destruct.
• Pressures Widowmaker: Kiriko can harass snipers by peeking from cover and landing headshots, forcing them to reposition.

Counters
Kiriko struggles against dive heroes who can close the gap and eliminate her quickly:
• Genji and Tracer: Both have high mobility and can easily pressure Kiriko, leaving her little time to react.
• Sombra: Hacking disables her abilities, making her an easy target.
• Winston and Doomfist: Both Tanks excel at diving into the backline and targeting fragile Supports like Kiriko.

By mastering Kiriko’s cooldown management, positioning, and team synergies, players can make her a game-changing asset in Overwatch 2.

Conclusion

Kiriko is a standout Support hero in Overwatch 2, offering a dynamic mix of mobility, healing, and offensive capabilities. Her versatile toolkit makes her a valuable addition to any team, whether she’s cleansing debuffs with Protection Suzu, teleporting to save an ally in danger, or empowering her team with Kitsune Rush. However, mastering Kiriko requires careful timing, smart positioning, and effective team coordination to maximize her impact in a match.

By balancing her healing with precise Kunai shots and knowing when to engage or retreat, Kiriko players can turn the tide of battle. Whether you’re saving allies, pressuring snipers, or boosting your team’s firepower, Kiriko’s utility ensures she shines as one of the most versatile and impactful Supports in Overwatch 2.