Through the Eyes of the Healer: Moira

Talon-affiliated scientist, Moira O’Deorain, is Mercy’s polar opposite in terms of her power to manipulate life. She joined the Overwatch roster in 2017, making her the 26th hero. Executive producer Jeff Kaplan introduced Moira as a “hybrid hero.” Through the eyes of the healer, players can learn how best to use this combat support in this Overwatch guide.

Moira is a healer who can not only sustain a team with her healing but also deals high amounts of damage. Although her healing is strong, it is not like Mercy who can maintain a healing connection; she must play a game of give and take. On one hand (literally), she heals her teammates. On the other, she steals the life force of the enemy.

Fading

Unlike most healers, barring Dr. Ziegler, Moira has a quick escape from danger. Activating Fade allows Moira to disappear from danger and teleport a short distance in any direction the player chooses. This ability also cleanses effects from Ana’s Biotic Grenade or Ashe’s Dynamite and it allows her to leave Zarya’s Graviton Surge. But players need to be careful of using Fade too liberally. It can easily leave them stuck in a team fight or found by an unwanted assailant.

At higher levels, players can use Moira’s Fade to finish off enemies with low health and gain a little more healing for her team. Players can use it to Super Jump like Mercy off objects on the floor or hop over holes and bridges on maps. This allows for multiple places Moira can flank if she so chooses to become one of the DPS.

Biotic Orb

Biotic Orb has a ricochet effect, allowing it to bounce off any indestructible surface in the game. Players can even send an orb into the enemy team to deal damage, charging her ultimate at the beginning of the match. Players can also send an orb to heal allies at a far distance if they dive too deep or too far away.

The orb is best used for dealing with enemies stuck in hallways where it’s harder to get away. It does not give Moira any extra healing charge to pull from, so be wary of using it to damage rather than heal. There’s no telling when the extra healing could be needed in battle. There is no true problem with using it on cooldown, where players use an ability immediately after the cooldown is over.

Coalescence

Moira’s ultimate is a long-range channel of heals and damage. This is best used in two cases: entering a team fight or during a team fight. When entering a team fight with Coalescence, her beam channels through her teammates, damaging at the same time as she heals. This is a great tool to keep the team healthy while they take out the lowered enemies. Moira can also use this to solo lower health characters in order to push them off the fight or kill them altogether.

Using Coalescence during a team fight is trickier. For instance, if engaged with Graviton Surge, Moira can Fade, use a healing orb, then Coalescence to save her teammates. Players can combo with Earth Shatter, Graviton Surge or Gravitic Flux to deal extra damage, finishing off multiple enemies.

Killing Flankers

Moira isn’t always the right choice in a match. But if there is a Tracer, Sombra or Doomfist on the enemy team, she is one of the best healers to play. Unless caught by surprise, Moira can get away from every one of these heroes’ abilities. Fading out and away will become a player’s best friend. If she gets away from flankers, she can kill them relatively quickly with her orb or secondary fire. Moira is one of the most mobile characters, especially at higher levels of play. She’s able to chase down Sombra’s Translocator or Doomfist before her team needs healing.

Although Moira’s secondary fire is a lock-on ability, she is not the easiest hero to learn or master. It is difficult to learn when to use or when not to use Fade. Biotic Orb sometimes ricochets off the wrong edge or even off surfaces players didn’t know were indestructible, like trees in the middle of maps. Coalescence can sometimes give players tunnel vision. All in all, she is the most fun to learn for new and veteran players alike.

Fans interested in learning tips and tricks to becoming the best Mercy support, Reinhardt tank, or Widowmaker DPS should view Esportz Network’s other guides as well.

Written by Alana Thompson