Overwatch pro shows unique reason why Sombra’s EMP is so good
Stewart Volland/Blizzard EntertainmentCanadian Overwatch pro Lane ‘Surefour’ Roberts showed off why the threat of Sombra’s EMP ultimate can win team fights without ever needing to actually use the powerful ability.
During a February 19 stream, the Toronto Defiant DPS showed how the enemy team’s positioning changed once he had built the EMP – an ultimate that removes enemy shields and prevents them from using abilities for its duration.
While attacking on King’s Row, Roberts was able to easily hack the defending Reinhardt and score a quick elimination against him, because the opposing healer, Baptiste, felt threatened by EMP and played away from the fight.
Blizzard Entertainment“You see, because I have EMP, their Bap is not playing near their team or even near their Ana,” he explained. “They’re all trying to play split and weird sh*t. They’re also not trying to max heal, because if I EMP and get caught in it, the Rein’s going to die anyway.”
He continued, “if I just solo hack him (the Reinhardt), he’s scared to Drone, and if he does Drone, I can just EMP it, and then I’ll win.”
In higher ELO games, ultimate tracking and knowing exactly what your opponents have is very much on point, meaning that teams play around combos easier and save defensive ultimates to counter offensive ones.
EMP, however, is a bit different, as it can completely negate defensive abilities such as Baptiste’s Immortality Field and Lucio’s Sound Barrier. As such, there is a bit of a cat and mouse game regarding who uses what ability first.
That said, Sombra has the advantage, because if a support is hit by the EMP, they can’t even use that defensive ability to begin with and they end up playing away from the rest of their team.
“The threat of the EMP makes people play differently,” Surefour added, going on to prove his point.
Moments later, in an important Point B team fight, Lane spotted the enemy Baptiste taking an odd line of sight to heal up his Roadhog at the risk of an EMP by Sombra. The result was his tank dying due to lack of heals.
Seconds after, Surefour and his team were able to get the enemy Reinhardt low and forced the Baptiste to use Immortality Field, which was promptly EMP’d, leading to a fight win.
“And there we go,” he added. “He finally had to save the Reinhart and I just EMP’d. Free fight win.”
Next time you’re playing Sombra, be mindful of your ultimate and see if you can force your opponents to change up how they approach you. It may help you rank up.