Recreating KarQ's Tier Lists (OW2, S11)

Introduction: Season 11 Meta Overview

Overwatch 2's Season 11, dubbed "Super Mega Ultrawatch," brought significant changes to the competitive landscape. Launched on June 20, 2024, this season introduced a mix of hero buffs and reworks that shook up the meta across all roles.

The competitive scene saw a shift towards more aggressive playstyles, with several heroes receiving buffs that enhanced their offensive capabilities. Cassidy's rework, replacing his Magnetic Grenade with an improved Flashbang, added a new dimension to crowd control strategies.

Tank players found themselves with more options as several off-tanks received buffs, leading to more diverse team compositions. Support heroes also saw adjustments, with some becoming more self-sufficient and others gaining enhanced utility.

The impact of these changes was significant, with Game Director Aaron Keller revealing some official win rates. For instance, Pharah boasted a 58% win rate across all ranks at the beginning of Season 11, highlighting the strength of certain heroes in the new meta.

These changes prompted players and content creators alike to reassess hero viability, leading to updated tier lists and strategy discussions within the community. KarQ, a prominent Overwatch content creator known for his insightful analysis, was quick to provide his rankings for the new season.

In this article, we'll use OpenTierBoy to recreate KarQ's Overwatch Season 11 rankings, demonstrating how this tool can effectively visualize and compare tier lists as the meta evolves.

Understanding KarQ's Tier System

Before we dive into recreating KarQ's Season 11 rankings, let's review his tier system. KarQ categorizes heroes into different tiers based on their effectiveness in the current meta:

• S [Meta]: These heroes are considered the strongest and most impactful in the current meta. They often define team compositions and strategies.
• A [Great]: Heroes in this tier are very strong and reliable picks in most situations.
• B+ [Good]: These heroes are solid choices that can perform well in many scenarios.
• B [Fine]: Heroes in this tier are balanced and can be effective when played skillfully.
• C [Niche / Depends on comp]: These heroes may excel in specific situations or team compositions but are less versatile overall.
• D [Tough]: Underperforming heroes in the current meta.

For the Mid-Season update, KarQ introduced a new tier:

• B- [Okayish]: Heroes that are... okay..ish.

OpenTierBoy: Visualizing KarQ's Rankings

To recreate KarQ's Overwatch 2 - Season 11 rankings, we're using OpenTierBoy, an open-source web application designed for creating and sharing tier lists.

We can recreate KarQ's tier lists using OpenTierBoy by following these steps:

1. Head to OpenTierBoy's Overwatch All Heroes template: Overwatch All Heroes Template. Alternatively, you can start from scratch and add from the items' templates.
2. Drag and drop heroes into their respective tiers based on KarQ's rankings.
3. Share your tier list with others using the Share button or simply copy the URL.
4. When the URL is pasted into a social media platform or messaging app, it will generate a preview of the tier list. No longer will you need to attach an image to share your tier list (but you can still do so if you prefer).
   Here's an example preview for KarQ's Tier List.
5. Review your history of changes by using your browser's back and forward buttons.

In a nutshell, OpenTierBoy offers:

• Easy Access: Visit OpenTierBoy.com to start creating tier lists without having to sign-up.
• Flexible Creation: Drag and drop items to arrange your tier list, with options to use customize the tier systems, use templates or start from scratch.
• Sharing Capabilities:
  • Generate a stateful URL that allows others to view or edit your tier list - Copy Jutsu.
  • Capture your tier list as an image for quick sharing - Freeze Frame.
• A Focus on Privacy: No tracking or ads, just straightforward tier list creation.

KarQ's Season 11 Tier Lists

Here are the links to KarQ's rankings for Season 11, recreated with OpenTierBoy:

[OW2] KarQ's Rankings for Season 11 - First Patch

www.opentierboy.com

[OW2] KarQ's Rankings for Season 11 - Mid-Season

www.opentierboy.com

You can view, interact, modify these tier lists to explore hero placements and customize them to your liking. Go wild!

OpenTierBoy's stateful URLs make it easy to navigate through different versions of a tier list. As you make changes to the tier list, the URL updates automatically, allowing you to use your browser's back and forward buttons to move between different states of your tier list.

Key Factors Influencing Hero Placements

KarQ's hero rankings are influenced by several factors beyond just hero abilities:

• Armor Changes: The mid-season patch included significant changes to how armor works, affecting many heroes. For instance, D.Va benefited greatly from these changes, while heroes like Soldier: 76 and Sojourn were negatively impacted.
• Rise of 'Flyers': Heroes like Pharah and Echo saw increased play, influencing the viability of other heroes who struggle to counter them.
• Tank Dominance: The patch emphasized the strength of tanks, with KarQ referring to them as 'Kaiju Titans.' This shift affected which DPS and support heroes were most effective.
• Specific Ability Changes: KarQ discusses how even small changes to abilities can have significant impacts. For example, the adjustment to Cassidy's falloff range changed his optimal playstyle.

OpenTierBoy: Streamlining Content Creation

OpenTierBoy offers a unique perspective for content creators through its browser-based state management:

1. Effortless State Navigation: After finalizing a tier list, content creators can use their browser's back and forward buttons to navigate through the list's evolution. This feature allows for:

   • Quick review of placement decisions during video recording
   • Easy comparison of different list iterations without manual rearrangement

2. URL-Based State Tracking: Each change to the tier list generates a unique URL, enabling creators to:

   • Bookmark specific stages of their tier list for future reference
   • Easily return to exact list states across multiple recording sessions

3. Simplified Editing Process: The ability to navigate list states via browser controls can streamline the video editing process:

   • Reduce the need for multiple takes when explaining tier placements
   • Facilitate smoother transitions between discussing different hero rankings

These features make OpenTierBoy a powerful tool for content creators, offering a seamless way to present and discuss tier list evolution that goes beyond simple drag-and-drop functionality.

Conclusion

Recreating KarQ's Overwatch 2 Season 11 rankings with OpenTierBoy demonstrates the tool's effectiveness in visualizing and analyzing the evolving meta.

OpenTierBoy's browser-based state management simplifies tier list creation, allowing users to retrace steps and showcase list evolution effortlessly. Its accessibility makes it valuable for content creators, competitive players, and casual fans alike.

Try OpenTierBoy to create, share, and discuss your own tier lists. As Overwatch 2 continues to evolve, including the upcoming release of Juno on August 20th, 2024, OpenTierBoy is here to help you stay engaged with the ever-changing meta.

Sources and Further Analysis

Thanks to KarQ for providing valuable insights into the Overwatch 2 meta.

Check KarQ out on:

• KarQ's Twitter
• KarQ's Twitch Channel
• KarQ's YouTube Channel
• YouTube - Yeah, Pharah is dominating | Overwatch 2 - SEASON 11 Hero Tier List
• YouTube - PHARAH nerfed & DVA is OP| Overwatch 2 - MID SEASON 11 Hero Tier List

Official Overwatch 2 Resources:

• Official Overwatch 2 Season 11 Announcement
• Official Overwatch 2 Patch Notes