Which Hero Can Counter Joy in Overwatch 2? Finding the Right Counterplay

I remember the first time I truly felt overwhelmed by a well-played Kiriko. It was during a particularly grueling match on King’s Row. Our team was pushing the payload, making decent progress, but every time we managed to land a crucial pick or secure an elimination, Kiriko would swoop in with her Swift Step, teleporting to safety, or worse, her ultimate, Kitsune Rush, would turn the tide of battle in an instant. It felt like no matter what we did, there was always a way for her to negate our efforts and keep her team alive and kicking. It was frustrating, to say the least. This experience got me thinking, and I’m sure many of you have had similar moments: “Which hero can counter Joy in Overwatch 2?” This isn’t just about Kiriko herself, but her entire kit, the impact she has on the game, and how we, as players, can effectively shut down her overwhelming presence. Understanding how to counter Kiriko, or “Joy” as she’s affectionately nicknamed by some, is crucial for any serious Overwatch 2 player looking to climb the ranks and secure more victories. This article is dedicated to dissecting her kit and providing concrete strategies and hero recommendations to help you find that sweet counterplay.

Understanding Kiriko’s Kit: The Source of Her “Joy”

Before we can talk about countering something, we really need to understand what makes it so powerful in the first place. Kiriko’s kit is exceptionally versatile and, frankly, quite potent when played effectively. Her “Joy,” as some might describe her presence on the battlefield, stems from a combination of mobility, survivability, strong healing, and a game-changing ultimate. Let’s break down each of her abilities:

Kunai (Primary Fire):

Kiriko’s Kunai are projectiles that deal a surprisingly high amount of damage, especially on headshots. While they have a slight travel time, skilled players can land consistent headshots, making her a threat to flanking heroes and even main tanks if they’re not careful. This damage output, coupled with her other abilities, means she’s not just a passive healer; she can actively contribute to eliminations.

Ofuda (Secondary Fire):

Her primary healing comes from her Ofuda, which are seeking projectiles that lock onto allies. These provide a steady stream of healing, making her a reliable support. The lock-on nature helps her heal targets even when they’re behind slight cover or in chaotic team fights, contributing significantly to her team’s sustain.

Swift Step:

This is arguably one of her most defining abilities for survivability and repositioning. With a short cooldown, Kiriko can teleport directly to any ally within a certain range, even through walls. This allows her to escape danger instantly, get to low-health teammates quickly, or even initiate engagements by jumping to a forward-positioned ally. Its utility for survival is immense, making her notoriously difficult to pin down.

Protection Suzu:

This is where Kiriko’s true disruptive potential shines. Protection Suzu is a thrown projectile that creates a small area of effect. Any allies caught within this area are healed, become briefly invulnerable, and have negative status effects cleansed. This ability can negate powerful enemy ultimates, save teammates from burst damage, and cleanse debilitating crowd control effects like Ana’s Sleep Dart or Roadhog’s Hook. Its cooldown is relatively moderate, making its impact felt frequently in engagements.

Kitsune Rush (Ultimate Ability):

Kiriko’s ultimate is a game-changer. She summons a fox spirit that rushes forward, creating a path of speed, power, and cooldown reduction for allies within its aura. This allows her team to move faster, attack more rapidly, and spam abilities, often leading to devastating pushes and decisive team fight wins. It’s particularly effective when combined with other team-based ultimates.

The Core of the Counterplay: Targeting Kiriko’s Weaknesses

Now that we understand what makes Kiriko so effective, we can start to identify her weaknesses and, by extension, the heroes that can exploit them. Kiriko’s primary vulnerabilities revolve around her reliance on her teammates for Swift Step, her moderate healing output compared to some dedicated healers when under heavy pressure, and the fact that her Protection Suzu has a cast time and a limited area of effect. Furthermore, while she can deal damage, she isn’t typically a solo carry or a hero who can single-handedly win a fight through raw offensive power.

The most effective ways to counter Kiriko generally fall into these categories:

High Burst Damage: Enough damage to kill her before she can react with Swift Step or Suzu, or to overwhelm her healing.
Disruption and Crowd Control: Abilities that can prevent her from using her kit effectively, such as stuns, silences, or displacement.
Dive Heroes: Heroes who can quickly close the distance and pressure her directly, making it difficult for her to reposition or heal effectively.
Anti-Heal Effects: Heroes or abilities that significantly reduce enemy healing, making her own healing less impactful and her team more vulnerable.
Ultimate Denial: Strategies or heroes that can shut down her Kitsune Rush before it becomes too impactful.

Which Hero Can Counter Joy? The Top Picks for Countering Kiriko

Based on the weaknesses we’ve identified, several heroes stand out as strong contenders for countering Kiriko. It’s important to remember that “countering” in Overwatch 2 isn’t always a direct 1v1 situation. It’s about how a hero’s kit synergizes to disrupt Kiriko and her team’s ability to function effectively. Often, the best counter is the one that forces Kiriko out of her comfort zone or makes her abilities less impactful.

1. Sombra: The Ultimate Disruptor

Sombra is, in my experience, one of the most consistently effective counters to Kiriko. Her ability to hack and disable enemy abilities is precisely what Kiriko struggles with the most.

Hack: A well-timed hack on Kiriko can prevent her from using Swift Step to escape, Protection Suzu to save herself or her team, or even her Kunai to deal damage. If Sombra hacks Kiriko at the start of an engagement, Kiriko becomes incredibly vulnerable, often leading to an easy elimination for Sombra’s team. The hack also prevents her from using her ultimate.
EMP: Sombra’s ultimate, EMP, can hack all enemies in a wide area, disabling all their abilities for a significant duration. If Kiriko is caught in an EMP, especially if she’s about to use Kitsune Rush or has just used Suzu, it can completely neutralize her team’s ability to fight back.
Stealth and Translocator: Sombra’s ability to become invisible and reposition with her Translocator allows her to get into flanking positions to target Kiriko directly. She can engage Kiriko when Kiriko is isolated or when her team isn’t in a position to assist her quickly.

Specific Strategy: Prioritize hacking Kiriko whenever she is out of position or when your team is initiating an engagement. Don’t just hack her and walk away; capitalize on the hack with your team. Use your Translocator to set up ambushes or escape after a successful hack. When Kiriko uses Kitsune Rush, if you have EMP available, use it to instantly nullify the push.

2. Genji: The Agile Duelist

Genji’s high mobility and burst damage make him a constant threat to vulnerable backlines, including Kiriko’s.

Deflect: While not a direct counter to Kiriko’s abilities, Genji’s Deflect can be used to mitigate Kiriko’s Kunai damage and, crucially, reflect her Ofuda back at her or her teammates if timed perfectly, potentially securing an elimination.
Swift Strike (Dash): Genji can use his Swift Strike to quickly close the gap on Kiriko, especially if she’s caught slightly out of position. A well-aimed burst of shurikens followed by a Swift Strike can often finish her off.
Cyber-Agility (Wall Climb and Double Jump): This allows Genji to navigate the map and engage Kiriko from unexpected angles, making it harder for her to predict his approach.
Dragonblade (Ultimate): If Genji can get close to Kiriko and her team during a fight, his Dragonblade can quickly shut down her team, especially if they are clustered within the Kitsune Rush aura.

Specific Strategy: Look for opportunities to dive Kiriko when she is alone or when your team is distracting her front line. Use your mobility to flank and apply pressure. Be mindful of her Protection Suzu; if she uses it, disengage briefly or wait for the effect to wear off before committing fully. If you are confident in your abilities, you can try to bait out her Suzu with a poke and then commit to the kill.

3. Doomfist: The Mobile Tank with Disruptive Power

Doomfist, when played effectively, can be a nightmare for any backline support, and Kiriko is no exception.

Rocket Punch: Doomfist can use his Rocket Punch to quickly close distances and displace Kiriko, often sending her flying into walls or off ledges, securing an elimination.
Power Block and Hand Cannon: While Power Block is active, Doomfist gains temporary shields and charges his Hand Cannon. He can use this to absorb some of Kiriko’s damage while closing in, then unleash a burst of Hand Cannon shots.
Seismic Slam: This ability allows Doomfist to leap into the air and slam down, damaging and slowing enemies in an area. He can use this to engage Kiriko, disrupt her positioning, and set up for a follow-up Rocket Punch.
The Best Defense… (Ultimate): Doomfist’s ultimate creates a massive area of effect that deals significant damage. If Kiriko is caught in the center or near the edge, it can be devastating and force her out of the fight, potentially securing an elimination.

Specific Strategy: Your goal is to isolate Kiriko and disrupt her. Use Seismic Slam to initiate, then look for a Rocket Punch to displace her. Coordinate with your team to capitalize on the disruption. Be aware that Kiriko’s Suzu can cleanse the slow from Seismic Slam, so time your engagements accordingly.

4. Ana: The Anti-Heal Specialist

Ana’s kit directly counters healing, which is a significant part of Kiriko’s value.

Biotic Grenade: This is Ana’s primary counter. If her Biotic Grenade lands on Kiriko or her teammates, it prevents any healing for a short duration. This can be devastating, especially during an enemy push or when Kiriko is trying to keep her team alive under heavy fire.
Sleep Dart: A well-aimed Sleep Dart can completely neutralize Kiriko for a few seconds, preventing her from healing, using abilities, or escaping. This allows her team to focus her down.
Nano Boost: While not a direct counter to Kiriko herself, Nano Boosting a damage hero can give them the sustained power to break through Kiriko’s defenses and eliminations, even with her healing.

Specific Strategy: Focus on landing your Biotic Grenades on Kiriko or her most critical targets. If Kiriko is the primary healer for her team, denying her healing with the grenade can turn the tide of a fight instantly. Use Sleep Dart defensively to save yourself or an ally from Kiriko’s aggression, or offensively to set up a kill. Positioning is key for Ana; stay behind your team and aim carefully.

5. Reaper: The Close-Range Eliminator

Reaper’s ability to shred through enemies at close range can be highly effective against Kiriko, especially if she’s caught out of position.

Hellfire Shotguns: Reaper’s shotguns deal massive damage up close. If he can get within range of Kiriko, he can often eliminate her very quickly before she can react with Swift Step or Suzu, especially if she’s isolated.
Wraith Form: This ability makes Reaper temporarily invulnerable and allows him to move quickly. He can use Wraith Form to escape dangerous situations, but he can also use it to close the distance on Kiriko, becoming immune to her Kunai and Ofuda as he approaches.
Death Blossom (Ultimate): Reaper’s ultimate can be devastating if he can get close to Kiriko and her team. If used effectively, it can force Kiriko to use her Protection Suzu or even secure kills on her and her allies.

Specific Strategy: Your goal as Reaper is to get close to Kiriko. Use flank routes and Wraith Form to approach her without taking too much damage. Be patient and wait for the right moment to engage. If she uses Protection Suzu, you might need to disengage with Wraith Form and re-engage once it’s on cooldown. Remember that Kiriko can use Swift Step to escape; try to cut off her escape routes or anticipate her movement.

6. Brigitte: The Brawl-Focused Support

Brigitte’s close-quarters combat style and defensive abilities can make her a strong pick against Kiriko, especially in coordinated teams.

Flail and Whip Shot: Brigitte excels in close-quarters combat. If she can get on top of Kiriko, her Flail and Whip Shot can deal consistent damage and disrupt Kiriko’s aim and movement.
Shield Bash: This ability can be used to stun Kiriko, interrupting her healing or abilities and allowing Brigitte to follow up with damage.
Repair Pack and Rally (Ultimate): Brigitte’s Repair Packs provide burst healing, and her ultimate, Rally, provides a large amount of temporary health and increased movement speed, which can help her team survive Kiriko’s Kitsune Rush or push through her defenses.
Inspire: Brigitte’s passive healing through Inspire can help her team sustain through Kiriko’s damage.

Specific Strategy: Brigitte wants to be in the thick of the fight. Engage Kiriko directly when possible. Use Shield Bash to stun her and set up a kill. Coordinate with your team to focus fire on Kiriko after she’s stunned or when she’s vulnerable. Be mindful of Kiriko’s Swift Step; if she teleports away, you might need to disengage or try to track her to her new location.

7. Pharah: The Aerial Menace

While Pharah might seem like an odd choice, her aerial dominance can actually put pressure on Kiriko, especially if Kiriko isn’t supported by hitscan heroes.

Rocket Launcher: Pharah’s rockets deal splash damage and significant direct hit damage. If she can maintain an advantageous position above Kiriko, she can consistently pressure her and her team.
Concussive Blast: This ability can be used to displace Kiriko, pushing her away from her team or into a more vulnerable position. It can also be used to knock her out of her Kitsune Rush path.
Jump Jet: Pharah’s ability to fly allows her to maintain high ground and engage Kiriko from angles Kiriko cannot easily contest.

Specific Strategy: As Pharah, you need to control the airspace. If Kiriko is on the ground and not being heavily protected by hitscan heroes, you can bombard her effectively. Use Concussive Blast to disrupt her positioning, especially if she’s trying to use Protection Suzu. Be aware of Kiriko’s ability to Swift Step to her teammates; if her team is spread out, she might be harder to pin down. Your biggest threat as Pharah is usually the enemy hitscan, not Kiriko herself, but a good Pharah can force Kiriko to play defensively and limit her effectiveness.

Countering Kitsune Rush: The Ultimate Threat

Kiriko’s ultimate, Kitsune Rush, is one of the most impactful ultimates in the game. It dramatically increases her team’s effectiveness, and countering it is paramount to winning team fights. Here’s how you can approach it:

Positioning: The best “counter” is often to avoid being in the path of the Kitsune Rush in the first place. If you see Kiriko channeling her ultimate, try to retreat to cover or reposition to avoid the speed and damage buff.
Sombra’s EMP: As mentioned, EMP is a hard counter to Kitsune Rush. If you can hack the entire enemy team while they are within the aura, you effectively negate the ultimate.
Stuns and Interrupts: While Kitsune Rush is being channeled, heroes like Cassidy (Magnetic Grenade, though it’s not a stun, it can disrupt aim and apply pressure), or Ana (Sleep Dart) can try to interrupt Kiriko’s casting animation, though Kitsune Rush has a relatively short cast time. It’s more about preventing the team from benefiting from it.
Burst Damage on Kiriko: If you can eliminate Kiriko *before* she fully activates Kitsune Rush, or quickly after, you can significantly reduce its impact. This is where dive heroes and high-burst damage heroes shine.
Ultimate Cycling: Having your own impactful ultimates ready can help you contest or overcome the push. Ultimates that provide invulnerability (Zarya’s Graviton Surge into a friendly Zarya bubble), high damage, or significant disruption can be used to counter.
Focus Fire: If the enemy team commits to a Kitsune Rush, and you can’t escape it, your best bet is to focus fire on their most vulnerable targets first. Even with the buffs, they are still susceptible to damage.

The Importance of Teamwork and Communication

It’s crucial to reiterate that Overwatch 2 is a team-based game. While individual hero picks can provide an advantage, coordinated teamwork and clear communication are often the deciding factors. If you pick a hero to counter Kiriko, but your team doesn’t follow up on your pressure or ignores her weaknesses, your pick might not be as effective as you’d hoped.

Callouts: Communicate when Kiriko uses her Protection Suzu or Swift Step. Knowing when these abilities are on cooldown is vital for your team’s decision-making.
Target Prioritization: If your team identifies Kiriko as the primary threat, focus your damage on her. This forces her to use her cooldowns defensively, making her less effective offensively.
Synergy: Pick heroes that synergize well with each other. For example, a Genji diving Kiriko can be even more effective if he has support from a Zarya bubble or a Lucio speed boost.

Frequently Asked Questions About Countering Kiriko

How do I counter Kiriko if I play a Tank?

As a Tank, your role in countering Kiriko is primarily about creating space, disrupting her team, and drawing attention away from your damage dealers and supports.

Doomfist: As previously discussed, Doomfist is an excellent choice. His ability to punch through the enemy line, disrupt Kiriko’s positioning with Rocket Punch, and follow up with damage makes him a consistent threat. His Seismic Slam can also be used to engage her from a distance, and his ultimate can zone her out or secure kills.

Wrecking Ball: Wrecking Ball can be very effective at harassing Kiriko and her backline. His high mobility allows him to quickly dive into the enemy team, displace supports with his Pile Driver and Adaptive Shields, and disrupt their formation. While he doesn’t have the direct kill potential of Doomfist against a Kiriko, he can force her to constantly reposition and peel for herself, taking pressure off his own team.

Ramattra: In his Nemesis form, Ramattra has significant brawling potential. If Kiriko is caught in close proximity during a brawl, Ramattra can apply a lot of pressure. His ultimate, Annihilation, can also be used to create space and zone out Kiriko’s team, potentially forcing her out of optimal healing positions.

Sigma: While Sigma isn’t a dive tank, his Accretion (rock) can stun Kiriko and interrupt her abilities. His Experimental Barrier can provide cover for your team to take out Kiriko, and his Grasp can absorb her Kunai damage. His ultimate, Gravitic Flux, can lift Kiriko and her teammates into the air, setting them up for a kill from your team.

The key for tanks is to disrupt Kiriko’s ability to heal and position effectively. You’re not necessarily looking to 1v1 her, but to make her life difficult and create opportunities for your team to secure eliminations.

Why is Ana a good counter to Kiriko?

Ana is a potent counter to Kiriko primarily because of her Biotic Grenade. Kiriko’s entire kit relies on her ability to heal and enable her team. When Ana’s Biotic Grenade lands on Kiriko or her teammates, it completely negates healing for a significant duration. This means Kiriko’s Ofuda become ineffective, and any damage taken by her team during that window is much harder to recover from. This is especially devastating if Kiriko has already used her Protection Suzu to try and save her team; the Biotic Grenade renders that effort moot.

Furthermore, Ana’s Sleep Dart is a powerful tool for disabling Kiriko. A single well-aimed Sleep Dart can take Kiriko out of the fight for several seconds, preventing her from using any of her abilities, including Swift Step to escape or Protection Suzu to save herself. This presents a window for Ana’s team to focus her down and secure an elimination.

While Kiriko can cleanse negative status effects with her Suzu, she cannot cleanse the healing-blocking effect of the Biotic Grenade once it has been applied. This makes Ana’s grenade a persistent threat that Kiriko has to constantly play around. The synergy between Ana’s ability to shut down healing and Kiriko’s reliance on it is what makes Ana such a strong counter.

What is the best way to counter Kiriko’s Kitsune Rush?

Countering Kitsune Rush requires a combination of awareness, positioning, and often, specific ability usage. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

1. Early Detection and Avoidance: The absolute best way to counter Kitsune Rush is to avoid being in its path. When Kiriko channels her ultimate, it has a distinct visual and audio cue. As soon as you hear or see it, your priority should be to disengage or find cover. This might mean retreating behind your tanks, using movement abilities to reposition, or finding a flank route that bypasses the ultimate’s area of effect. This is often easier for heroes with high mobility like Tracer, Genji, or even Lucio.

2. Sombra’s EMP: This is the most definitive hard counter. Sombra’s EMP ability hacks all enemies within its large radius, disabling all their abilities for a significant duration. If Kiriko and her team are caught in an EMP, the buffs from Kitsune Rush are instantly negated, and they are left vulnerable. This can completely turn the tide of a fight where the enemy team is trying to push with Kitsune Rush.

3. Disruption and Stuns: While Kitsune Rush itself cannot be interrupted once it’s active on the ground, Kiriko can be disrupted during her channel. Heroes like Ana with Sleep Dart or Cassidy with his Magnetic Grenade can try to interrupt her. Even if they can’t stop the ultimate from being cast, they can make it harder for Kiriko to maintain her aim and positioning, thus reducing the effectiveness of the rush. Other heroes like Doomfist with Rocket Punch or Brigitte with Shield Bash can also displace Kiriko or her allies, disrupting their coordinated push.

4. Focus Fire on Kiriko: If you anticipate the Kitsune Rush or if it’s already active, your team can try to focus fire on Kiriko herself. If you can eliminate her quickly, the Kitsune Rush aura will still persist for a short while, but her team will lose their primary healer and enabler. This requires excellent target prioritization and coordination.

5. Ultimate Cycling and Defensive Ultimates: Sometimes, the best response to an enemy ultimate is to use your own to contest it. Ultimates like Zarya’s Graviton Surge combined with another damaging ultimate can be used to try and counter-initiate the enemy’s rush. Defensive ultimates like Lucio’s Sound Barrier or Brigitte’s Rally can provide enough survivability to weather the storm of the Kitsune Rush, allowing your team to survive and retaliate.

6. Environmental Kills: If the Kitsune Rush is pushing players near ledges or hazards, heroes like Lucio, Pharah, or Doomfist can use their abilities to knock enemies off the map, effectively countering the push through environmental deaths.

Ultimately, countering Kitsune Rush is about denying its intended impact. Whether you do this by avoiding it, negating it with an ability, eliminating the caster, or overwhelming the enemy team despite the buffs, the goal is to prevent it from securing a decisive victory for the enemy.

Can I counter Kiriko as another Support?

Yes, absolutely! While Ana is a standout counter, other supports can also make Kiriko’s life difficult and enable their own team to succeed.

Baptiste: Baptiste’s Immortality Field can save his teammates from the burst damage that Kiriko often enables. His Biotic Launcher can deal significant damage, and if he lands headshots, he can be a threat to Kiriko herself. His ultimate, Amplification Matrix, can significantly boost his team’s damage output, helping them punch through Kiriko’s healing and defensive abilities.

Lucio: Lucio’s speed boost can help his team disengage from a Kitsune Rush or chase down Kiriko if she’s caught out of position. His Sound Barrier ultimate is a powerful defensive tool that can mitigate the damage from a Kitsune Rush push. His boop ability can also disrupt Kiriko’s positioning and knock her away.

Mercy: While Mercy doesn’t directly counter Kiriko’s abilities, her ability to resurrect allies can negate Kiriko’s picks. Her damage boost can help her team secure eliminations faster, making it harder for Kiriko to keep up with the sustained damage. If Kiriko is being pressured by flankers, Mercy can use her Guardian Angel to quickly fly to safety. However, Mercy is also a prime target for Kiriko’s team during a Kitsune Rush, so positioning is crucial.

The key for supports is to play around Kiriko’s cooldowns and her team’s ultimate usage. If Kiriko is forced to constantly use her Suzu to save herself or her team from burst damage, she will have fewer opportunities to use it to cleanse crowd control or negate critical damage during a push.

Is Kiriko truly “countered” by specific heroes, or is it more about execution?

This is a fantastic question, and it gets to the heart of Overwatch 2’s strategic depth. It’s a bit of both, honestly. Specific heroes have kits that are *designed* to exploit Kiriko’s weaknesses, giving players who pick those heroes a statistical and tactical advantage. For example, Sombra’s hack directly bypasses Kiriko’s ability to use her core defensive tools like Swift Step and Protection Suzu. This is a hard counter from a kit perspective.

However, execution is always paramount. A Sombra who misses her hacks, times her EMP poorly, or doesn’t coordinate with her team will struggle to counter an experienced Kiriko. Similarly, a Genji who fails to land his shurikens or mismanages his cooldowns will be easily dealt with by a Kiriko who effectively uses her Protection Suzu and Swift Step.

Think of it this way: the hero pick provides the *potential* for a counter. The player’s skill, game sense, and understanding of the matchup unlock that potential. If you pick Ana against Kiriko, you have the tools (Biotic Grenade, Sleep Dart) to shut her down. But if you miss every Sleep Dart and your grenades land on empty space, you’re not effectively countering her. Conversely, an incredibly skilled Kiriko player can sometimes overcome a “hard counter” pick through superior positioning, mechanical skill, and clever use of her cooldowns to survive and enable her team.

So, while certain heroes offer a more favorable matchup, it’s the player’s ability to leverage those advantages that ultimately determines the outcome. A good player on a “counter” hero will have a much easier time than a good player on a “countered” hero, but a truly exceptional player on the “countered” hero can still perform exceptionally well.

Conclusion: Finding Your “Joy” in Countering Joy

Understanding which hero can counter Kiriko, or “Joy” as she’s sometimes called, is a vital piece of knowledge for any Overwatch 2 player. Her kit provides immense utility, making her a high-priority target and a significant threat when played well. By understanding her strengths and weaknesses, and by choosing heroes like Sombra, Ana, Genji, Doomfist, or Reaper, you can significantly disrupt her effectiveness and gain an advantage for your team.

Remember that effective counterplay often involves more than just picking the right hero; it requires good positioning, communication, and mechanical skill. Focus on exploiting her cooldowns, denying her healing, and punishing her when she’s out of position. With the right strategy and hero choices, you can effectively turn the tide of battle and ensure that your team finds more victories, turning that overwhelming “Joy” into a manageable challenge.

Which Hero Can Counter Joy in Overwatch 2? Finding the Right Counterplay