Genji is one of the heroes of Overwatch and this guide is intended to provide an in-depth introduction to this character. It includes: full descriptions of abilities, tricks, strategy tips, counter tips and much more information.
Genji has very versatile offensive abilities and can move around the map seamlessly, allowing him to take out enemies individually or come in from behind. If the enemy team has this ninja, then you should not leave your team, otherwise there is a high chance of meeting him one on one, especially if you have little health.
In my opinion, Genji is one of the most difficult heroes to master: you need to be good at shuriken, know many combinations and tricks. We’ll talk about them today, but let’s start with abilities.
Genji is the Overwatch hero for whom absolutely every ability is important. That is why it is so important to study them all thoroughly.
Cyber Agility (Passive, Space)- allows Genji to move freely around the map, climb walls and double jump using the spacebar. It is one of the key abilities. You can also make a “super jump”, more details below.
The Super Jump is best performed on flat ledges to cover large areas of the map. If there is a curb, it is advisable to destroy it before jumping.
Lightning Strike (Shift)- This skill has many uses. Allows Genji to move and strike in the direction of his gaze with lightning speed. After killing the target, as well as if Genji assisted in killing the enemy within three seconds before his death, the ability is instantly restored. In addition, the skill can be used for flight, shown in the video above, as well as a spectacular finishing move or exit/initiation of an attack. You should also pay attention to where exactly you direct your gaze when using the skill: a glance directed slightly downward will reduce the distance of movement and, as a result, the attack.
Shurikens (RMB, LMB)- the main weapon of any ninja, including Genji. You can throw either sequentially with LMB over long distances, or as a fan with RMB near the enemy. They are used to accumulate ultimate abilities, finishing moves, and killing enemies, mostly non-tanks. Shurikens have the ability to headshot, i.e. dealing critical damage when hit in the head. It is worth remembering that the stars fly for quite a long time, so they may not reach the goal and you need to think ahead about where the enemy will move.
Repelling Attacks (E)- this ability has probably driven quite a few players into delirium tremens, mainly because of its unpredictability. It allows you to reflect bullets and shells back at the enemy, making kills more spectacular. Reflection is used by Genji as a basic defense to reach flanking destinations. The ability does not work on attacks from behind, from below and from the side, only in front of Genji's face.
This means that you need to develop the habit of looking at the enemy when using this ability, it is also advisable to keep the crosshair on the enemy's head, in order to gain an advantage in the form of critical damage or, for example, a one-shot (hello Widowmaker!).
Bullets and projectiles that take time to reach their target (Pharah's missiles, enemy Genji's shurikens) will be deflected back at the same speed. This means that it is necessary to carefully select the trajectory, as when throwing shurikens. It is worth remembering that Pharah's missiles and attacks with similar mechanics do not have the ability to inflict a headshot, so it is better to aim them at the body.
Reflection doesn't work against:
- Symmetra's photon turrets;
- Tesla Winston guns;
- ray of Dawn;
- flow of frost May;
- Symmetra photon cannon.
In melee combat against Genji (M key), enemy attacks are not reflected, but their damage is blocked.
When is the best time to use deflection?
- With McCree's ultimate ability "Sharpshooter";
- Farrah's "Rocket Salvo"
- "Flower of Death" by Reaper;
- "Tactical visor" of Soldier-76;
- “Tank Mode” and “Turret Mode” of Bastion;
- May's Blizzard (Deflecting May's weather probe will cause her ultimate to damage and immobilize enemies on your team);
- Zarya’s “Gravitational Pulse” (when reflected, also acts for your team; when reflected, the color will change to black);
- Torbjorn's "Turret". In this case, it is better to use it against a tier 2 turret, since a tier 3 turret will stand for a very long time and will have time to kill you.
Dragon Blade (Q)- Genji's ultimate ability. It gives him a number of advantages in close combat, but gives him an equally number of disadvantages. The advantages include increased movement speed, damage to several enemies at once, and an instant cooldown of the Lightning Strike ability. The disadvantages will be close combat (due to the low amount of health, Genji is quite easy to kill in melee), low attack speed, and a delay before using the ability.
The last drawback is fairly easy to overcome by using the skill while climbing a wall (yes, it is used while climbing) or in a secluded area. You can also use Dragon Blade immediately after Lightning Strike, thus catching the enemy by surprise. It is worth remembering that Lightning Strike has an instant cooldown after using the Dragon Blade, allowing you to use it again after using your ultimate ability.
Sometimes it can be quite risky to use an ult during a fight and it takes practice to know exactly when to do it. Here are some tips for you:
You have to be careful when using Dragonblade against a bunch of enemies that primarily attack at close range, such as McCree, Reaper, Tracer, Bastion, Mei, D.va and Reinhardt. If you have a low percentage of health or a small number of allies around, you should also refrain from using the ability.
Buffs and abilities to help you decide whether to use the Dragonblade
- Strengthening Ana;
- Lucio's sound barrier;
- Zarya's barrier or ultimate ability;
- Sphere of Harmony or Zenyatta's ultimate;
- Hanzo's ultimate, which helps confuse the enemy or make him run away;
- Widowmaker's Infravision
- Reinhardt earthquake
From the tactics when using the Dragon Blade, it should be noted that it is advisable to attack while jumping, with the constant use of Lightning Strike after each killed enemy, since this feature allows you to deal one more blow than usual. More details in the video at the end of the guide.
Genji's deadly combos
Genji has various combos that can hit the enemy very quickly. To learn it, it is advisable to use the training mode or the Custom Game mode, where the cooldown of abilities can be reduced to zero and you can practice calmly.
Combo for nearby enemies
For Genji, it is not a big problem where the enemy is, but it is easiest to confuse and destroy him close. Here is the first combination formula: RMB + M key + Lightning Strike (Shift). By using RMB and a melee attack almost immediately, you can remove the shuriken throwing animation, thereby attacking at a very fast speed.
Second combination: We get close to the enemy using the ability Reflect attacks (E), then RMB + M key + Lightning strike (Shift). This tactic is great against such a sedentary hero like McCree.
Combo for mid-range enemies
For medium distance, it is best to use the following combination: LMB or RMB (depending on the situation) + Lightning Strike (Shift) + RMB + M key. This combo allows you to kill an enemy with 200 HP.
Genji is strong against
Widowmaker: Genji is one of Widowmaker's best counters. His Cyber Agility ability allows him to sneak up on her to calmly take aim and land a trio of headshots for the kill. You can also use Reflect Attacks to deflect the Widow's charged shot back.
A poison mine will not be scary to an attentive Genji, since it is usually placed on the approach from the flank, and shurikens and the lightning strike ability allow you to evade or destroy it. It can also be reflected back at the widow or enemies by reflecting attacks.
When using Widowmaker's infravision, you should focus on other heroes or wait until it wears off. Since it will be quite problematic to get around from the flank in this situation.
Bastion : From a long distance, shurikens are quite effective against Bastion in turret mode. Also, if the Bastion is located in an open area, and the cooldown of abilities is not yet soon, then jumping in a circle will be an effective method.
But the main feature of Genji, which makes him one of Bastion's worst nightmares, is deflecting attacks, especially if he is in tank mode or if several enemies are firing at you from the front. They can try to save the Turret with the help of May's ice wall, but for this case we have Lightning Strike to quickly finish off Bastion and climb the wall.
Ana: In the fight with Ana, you need to aim to reflect the sleep dart and biotic grenade. Reflect will also work well against her regular attacks. You can also try to deflect the sleep dart and biotic grenade onto her allies.
Among other things, even if you get a sleeping pill, usually the enemies are not touched under this pretext, but are left to sleep. In this case, it will be even good, because the cooldown of the ability will be calmly updated and will allow you to attack with even greater power.
The only thing we should be afraid of is Ana's strengthening, in order to negate our ultimate ability Dragon Blade by one of her allies.
Angel: Mercy is one of the main enemies you should focus your attention on and she is usually located in the very heart of the battle. Genji can easily go around the map to attack it from the rear and kill it.
Hanzo: Just as they joke about Hanzo, “Not arrows, but logs,” sometimes we should be wary of him because of the constant problem with one-shots. Otherwise, it is better to engage in close combat with him, constantly making double jumps and using timely reflection of attacks. With double jumps we will avoid the cluster arrow shooting at our feet, and at the same time we will show him beautiful views in a latex suit. You can also get shuriken from afar.
Among other things, our reflection can deflect Hanzo's ultimate ability, which, at first, looks like an arrow at a short distance. Dragon Blade is the best option against this character.
Genji is weak against
Farrah: The flying beast, as a rule, is always out of reach of Genji's attacks due to the jetpack, plus it is very difficult to aim at. Getting the attacks back to Farrah is also a problem. In addition, we often will not be able to reach her with the Dragon Blade ability. All that remains is to wait for a Rocket salvo or the opportunity to finish off with a lightning strike.
Symmetra: Perhaps Genji’s voice trembles when talking about this character. She doesn't need to aim to hit with the beam, and the turrets often kill very quickly. The only thing Genji can do against her is to reflect energy balls from the weapon's alt fire.
It’s not worth fighting her close, especially if the Dragon Blade is still far away, as she can lead you into a trap with her turrets.
May: The reason Genji is weak against Mei is because of her frost ray. The key feature of our ninja is mobility, but the Chinese woman will always try to reduce it to nothing. The ice wall also confuses us for a second or two, and the Blizzard can completely interrupt our exit with the Dragon Blade. And finally, an ice block that gives her complete invulnerability.
All that Genji can do against Mei is to attack in ranged combat, reflect attacks from her alternative fire, and also, upon hearing the ability of Blizzard (a warning about the ability sounds before its use), try to reflect back, making it his own.
Tracer: Fights with Tracer are very annoying, since it is quite difficult to hit her with shurikens and the Dragon Blade, and she moves very quickly for us.
A good Tracer's bomb in a combo with Return can cause a lot of damage. The only thing that saves us from this situation is repelling attacks (to deflect the bomb away) and the ability to climb higher, where the attacks of the annoying fly will not reach us.
Zarya: Zarya's powerful beam is one of the scary abilities against Genji, but her alt fire, like her gravity barrier, can be deflected into abilities for her team. Zarya's barriers nullify one attack with the Dragon Blade, and the large amount of HP often makes it impossible to kill her quickly. However, Zarya’s mobility will not allow her to escape from our onslaught, especially during the action of her ultimate ability.
If you suddenly ran past and got caught in a gravitational pulse (and this happens), you can get out of it with the Lightning Strike ability.
Lucio: One of the most annoying characters. It is almost impossible to hit an experienced Lucio with shurikens, due to the constant driving along walls and boosting speed. However, after turning on the healing aura, it can become a tasty prey.
Reflecting attacks is not very effective against him due to the slow movement of his projectiles. The most effective means may be a lightning strike coupled with the Dragon Blade, however, even in this case, you may be hindered by the Sound Barrier, the alternative fire of his weapon, or the acceleration aura.
Winston: Winston's weapon cannot be deflected by Genji's attacks, and the energy dome grants immunity to shurikens. The ninja's quick attacks are also futile due to the gorilla's large amount of HP, and it is impossible to escape from the automatically aiming Tesla gun.
Therefore, the best weapon against this character will be the Dragon Blade, since only in this case Genji will have greater DPS.
D.va: Although Genji is difficult to deal with tanks, D.va will be much easier to kill than Winston. The main problem with this character is her ability to fly and instantly escape from combat, which will help her escape from a lightning strike or Dragon Blade.
Reflecting attacks is also ineffective against Diva, all because it is quite easy for her to release the trigger and turn it on again after two seconds of our ability. Plus, the defensive matrix can nullify attacks that still hit Genji's reflection.
In a fight with D.va, it is best to simply stay away, hitting the enemy with your shurikens, since her atomic cannons sometimes and in combination with boosts make her a very dangerous opponent.
Torbjorn: Even though Torbjorn is fairly easy to kill for Genji, his turret can make your demise much faster. Reflecting attacks in a combo with shuriken can help against a turret, but it should not be used against a third-level turret; a much better option would be to wait a little and then strike.
The combo can be used both close to the turret and from afar if you are afraid of losing some HP. Among other things, shurikens fly an unlimited distance, while the turret only hits at a certain distance, which clearly gives us an advantage.
Among the features, it is worth noting that the cooldown of the lightning strike is not reset after the death of the turret. And the easiest way to kill Torbjorn with his Overheating ability is with the Dragon Blade.
Genji is neutral
McCree: A good McCree can still have dire consequences for a ninja. However, most of these characters simply throw a stun grenade directly at Genji, naively believing that this will stop him. But an experienced McCree can always throw it into the air or under our feet, thereby negating our ability. It is for this reason that it is advisable to approach it closely or move in a jump.
McCree is also extremely lethal when under the influence of his ultimate. Therefore, Genji should be careful and turn on the reflection of attacks in time, or hide in cover using the Lightning Strike ability if the reflection is on cooldown.
Reaper: When fighting against the reaper, remember that his shotguns are only dangerous at close range. Therefore, having used up the reflection of attacks, you can try to perform a combo with a lightning strike, or even go further away and fire from afar.
The Reaper's ultimate ability "Flower of Death" is easily reflected by Genji, however, this is often not enough, so after reflection you should immediately finish it off with a Lightning Strike. You should also be very careful when using the Dragon Blade near the Reaper, as his shotguns are much more deadly.
Soldier 76: Like the Reaper, Soldier 76 can be quite a dangerous opponent. Greater accuracy, a biotic field that heals him and his allies, and a missile salvo can cause a lot of problems.
But still, an effective remedy against it is the same reflection (especially during the tactical visor) and the Dragon Blade.
Roadhog: Among all the Genji tanks, Roadhog is one of the most harmless. He's easy to hear, deflect grappling hooks and shotgun fire, and easy to avoid. It is also quite easy to hit with shuriken, especially to the head due to its low mobility. The dragon's blade kills it in five hits, and its hook will not cancel the effect of the ultimate ability.
The only thing that can cause even a little trouble is his ultimate ability, turbo pig, which can throw us far away with our Blade.
Zenyatta: This character, like any healer, should be our main goal. Quite strong, capable of inflicting debuffs, but with low mobility. By the way, it is impossible to deflect the sphere of Dissonance and it can increase damage to you and reflect your movements, for this reason you should just wait in a secluded place until it subsides.
All attacks and combos work great against Zenyatta, allowing you to kill him very quickly, but his ultimate ability can sometimes ruin plans. In this case, it is better to just leave the fight and wait it out, even if you have the Dragon Blade active (DPS is still not enough to kill someone).
Reinhardt: Reinhardt is almost as agile as Winston, and most of his abilities can negate Genji Shuriken. However, Reinhardt is easy to get around in order to make short attacks to the back. Fire Strike is his only ability that Genji can counter.
It is also a good tactic to strike with a lightning strike and then use the Dragon Blade, which, like the lightning strike, deals damage even through the shield. However, in this case you should be wary of his melee attacks and Earthquake ability. To avoid them, we constantly make double jumps.
Junkrat: This character will try to get you with ricochets of his grenades, mines and traps. For this reason, it is always worth keeping an eye on what lies under your feet if Junkrat is on the enemy team. Genji's Reflection works on mines, death bombs, and normal attacks, but does not work against traps.
And ultimately, in order to evade Junkrat’s ultimate ability, we soar up using a lightning strike or regular wall climbing.
Genji: In a battle with another Genji, only experience decides. Same skills, same combos, same Dragon Blade makes him pretty predictable against you. So the more experienced user will benefit. The only strategy advice would be to run if Genji is charging at you with Dragonblade and you don't have the fuel to use the ability.
- Widow + Mercy and Genji from the rear can easily neutralize weak enemy support;
- Lucio + Mercy can easily hold the flank, alternately reviving allies and saving through the sound barrier;
- Widow + Mercy can easily neutralize healers and attackers on the enemy team, and Lucio can help quickly change positions or break through defenses with Reinhardt, thanks to his speed aura and Earthquake;
- You can also quit pushing the load when you accumulate ultimate abilities to use Infravision + Genji Dragon Blade, Reinhardt Earthquake + Dragon Blade;
- D.va + McCree, combined with Zenyatta’s transcendence, and then Lúcio’s sound barrier, can effectively counter enemy defenses;
- Zenyatta's Sphere of Harmony on an allied Genji will allow him to come out of any 1v1 battle alive;
- Lucio's Ult or Zenyatta's Ult + McCree's Ult will allow him to complete his ability and get away with it;
- It also makes sense to take Reinhardt instead of D.va for defense.
In my opinion, this combination of heroes is one of the best
- After using the RMB + M combo, Genji will have a short delay before he can attack again. To avoid it, you can use pushing off the wall (More details in the video below);
- While using the Dragon Blade ability, you can climb walls;
- To remove the delay after using the Dragon Blade (when Genji sheathes it back), you can use a wall or lightning strike, which will remove the delay;
- If the enemy is close, you should always use RMB to attack;
- Projectiles fly slowly, you should predict the enemy’s movement and throw them forward;
- It's always worth checking the location of Torbjorn's turret before going around, otherwise you might die in vain;
- Genji reflects projectiles only within a radius of 180 degrees in front of him, it is worth remembering this at all times;
- Don't skimp on the Dragon Blade for use against two or three opponents, in fact, this is one of the best ways to use it;
- In a team with Lucio, you can ask him to use acceleration while Dragon Blade is active;
- It is advisable not to move Genji on foot at all, it is always necessary to make jumps, preferably one at a time, two jumps only when necessary;
- The lightning strike is made in the direction of your gaze, which is why it is always important to look a little higher in order to fly a greater distance.
- You should not enable reflection of attacks before the end of the Dragon Blade ability, otherwise you risk getting the ability to roll back and be interrupted;
Video detailing the mechanics of some of Genji's abilities and stealth in Overwatch:
Did you like our site? Your reposts and ratings are the best praise for us!
This guide examines the hero Genji from, his strengths and weaknesses, mechanics, recommended tactics and possible pitfalls.
The guide was written based on my experience playing Overwatch prior to the closed beta, as well as years of experience playing first-person shooters. The author tried to present his thoughts as briefly and clearly as possible in order to convey the necessary information to both beginners and experienced players.
This guide was read and approved by michr, an experienced Day of Defeat player and current member of the OWKings team who also writes for Gosu Gamers.
Official Genji video
Advantages
- Very high mobility
- Able to approach opponents from the side or behind
- Ultimate ability (Dragon Blade) has the potential to deal heavy damage and can completely wipe out the enemy team without any preparation.
Flaws
- Incredibly difficult to use
- Very fragile
How to play Genji
Genji is an offensive hero, perhaps one of the hardest heroes in Overwatch. He has a health reserve of 200 units, and, like Tracer, is very sensitive to mistakes.
Genji can cause strong damage, but this power does not come from the weapon (Shuriken), but from a whole range of abilities that are used in various combinations. This requires considerable gaming experience and good reactions. In addition to the ability to inflict heavy damage, Genji is extremely mobile (in this he can compete with Tracer and in some situations surpasses her). He has the ability to dash towards and away from opponents, reaching his targets before anyone can detect him.
All this allows us to say that Genji is intended primarily for implementing outflanking maneuvers and organizing surprise attacks. In terms of playstyle, he is very similar to Tracer. His main task is to quickly get into the enemy camp and eliminate vulnerable targets (snipers, supports or Bastion), and then escape without receiving retaliatory damage. A good Genji player will constantly attack the enemy team's back row, drawing attention to himself and thus allowing his allies to carry out their duties unhindered.
Even though Genji has the potential to kill most other heroes, those who are able to survive for a long time in battle have a good chance of winning the duel. Thus, the most dangerous opponents for Genji are tanks, and you should stay away from them (of course, unless they are engaged in combat and their health is high enough).
Finally, Genji's ultimate ability (Dragon Blade) turns him into a killing machine, but only at close range. With the Dragon Blade, Genji can eliminate entire teams (especially if the targets are close to each other), but having to get too close to them makes him even more vulnerable than usual.
Genji's Abilities
Cyber agility
Before we discuss Genji's abilities, let's take a look at his passive trait Cyber Agility, which can be used in two different ways.
First of all, with Cyber Agility, Genji can climb walls by holding down the jump key (similar to Hanzo's Climb).
In addition, Cyber Agility gives you the ability to double jump. After jumping into the air, you can press the jump key again to jump again as if Genji were standing on the ground. The effect is limited to two consecutive jumps, i.e. you won't be able to jump a third time. Instead, you will have to wait for Genji to fall back to the ground. Double Jump allows you to jump twice as high as normal.
Cyber Agility is the main source of Genji's increased mobility (an additional source, Lightning Strike, will be described below). If you want to succeed with this hero, you will have to learn to use Cyber Agility to its fullest potential.
Cyber agility is used for both attack and defense. In the first case, it allows Genji to get to almost any point on the map - for example, in order to sneak behind the enemy and suddenly attack him, or to come close to an enemy sniper.
In the second case, Cyber Agility helps to get rid of pursuers or make unpredictable movements in attempts to dodge a sniper's bullet.
There is no point in listing all the specific places where you can climb walls or double jump. Use Cyber Agility wisely and experiment with all possible options, keeping your opponents guessing where you came from and where you are going.
Genji Shuriken's main attack is a burst of three projectiles that travel in a straight line at high speed and deal equal damage at any distance.
In terms of efficiency, Shuriken is good, but nothing more. Each projectile deals 28 damage. damage, so the total damage will be felt only if Genji throws several Shuriken at the target.
Shuriken should not be considered as a separate ability. Genji doesn't rely on his weapons as much as Reaper or McCree. Instead, he uses Shuriken in combination with Lightning Strike, Reflect and melee attacks. However, when playing Genji, you must first learn how to throw Shuriken correctly.
First of all, Genji's main attack is not his main tool for dealing damage at any range. Below we will describe how to use an alternative attack for these purposes. The main attack is applied primarily to distant targets (stationary or inactive). Considering that Shuriken does little damage, try to shoot your opponents in the head as often as possible.
Remember that using this weapon effectively requires a lot of experience, and don't forget to practice.
Shuriken's alternate attack also fires 3 projectiles at the target, however they are fired simultaneously in a wide horizontal arc. The damage from projectiles remains unchanged, but the rate of fire increases significantly, and this fact compensates for the difficulty of hitting due to the large spread.
As stated above, Shuriken's alt attack is its primary means of dealing damage. A high rate of fire allows you to shoot more often, as a result, opponents have less opportunity to dodge shots.
Despite the large spread, it is quite possible to hit the target with at least one projectile out of three, and as you approach the target and its model increases, the chances increase.
Reflect Attacks is a defensive ability that lasts for 2 seconds. At this time, all projectiles that fly at Genji from the front are reflected from his aiming area. There are many subtleties that are not obvious when using Attack Reflection.
Reflected projectiles can damage Genji's enemies just like normal projectiles. Thus, Pharah's missiles deal AoE damage and knock back affected targets, and McCree's Flashbang grenade stuns Genji's opponents.
Reflect attacks only reflect projectiles (including bullets). This means that channeled abilities and beams from weapons (such as Symmetra or Zarya) will still hit Genji.
Genji can reflect ultimate abilities - such as Zarya's Graviton Pulse (before the sphere she fires explodes) or Hanzo's Dragon Strike (before the arrow he fires turns into a dragon).
Reflecting attacks does not affect AoE effects (such as Pharah's exploding missile).
Melee attacks are not reflected (in the sense that they do not cause damage to opponents), but at the same time Genji himself also does not receive damage by blocking attacks.
Reflecting attacks does not affect projectiles that approach Genji from the side or behind.
Reflected projectiles do not damage Genji's allies.
Deflecting attacks serves two main purposes (defense and damage), which are often combined. This is why you shouldn't use Reflect attacks solely to block damage. Try to reflect damage so that it returns to your opponents.
Like other Genji abilities, using Reflect Attacks requires some experience. It lasts only 2 seconds, so it is very important to use it in a timely manner. Moreover, many projectiles hit targets instantly, so you are unlikely to be able to use Reflect Attacks as a reaction to enemy actions. Learn to predict them.
Reflecting attacks is good for close combat with Bastion or protection from Widow's shots. As a rule, in such cases, Reflecting attacks helps kill the enemy.
McCree's Flashbang grenade deserves special mention. McCree is a very strong opponent. If he manages to successfully throw a grenade, Genji will have no chance of winning. The grenade's reflection, in turn, stuns McCree himself and makes it possible to kill him without difficulty. It must be remembered that smart players throw a grenade not at opponents, but near them. In this case, you will not be able to reflect it, but will still be affected by the AoE effect.
Continuing with McCree, Repel is a great answer to Marksman. If a deflected projectile hits McCree, you are guaranteed to kill him.
There are other ways to use Reflect Attacks. Experiment to find the ones that suit you best.
Lightning Strike allows Genji to dash forward (in the direction of his crosshairs) an impressive distance. Any enemy caught in Genji's path receives 50 damage. damage.
If the attack kills the target, Lightning Strike's cooldown is reset. The same thing happens when Genji uses the Dragon Blade. It should also be noted that Lightning Strike works in any direction, i.e. Genji can dash both horizontally and vertically.
Lightning Strike is another deadly move in Genji's arsenal. It is recommended to use this ability on cooldown (of course, if there are enemies nearby) to deal damage and position correctly relative to targets.
When playing as Genji and attacking a target, attack from afar with Shuriken before you are detected. After that, combine Attack Reflection (to block incoming damage and deal damage back to the enemy) and Lightning Strikes (to deal damage, dodge attacks, quickly change location and aim more carefully). If you are in close proximity to a target, don't forget to hit them with a melee attack (V key by default).
There are two common combinations of abilities that are typically used to deal heavy damage. Remember that actions must be performed very quickly.
If you are in close proximity to an enemy:
- Use an alternative attack.
- Immediately after this, strike in close combat.
- Immediately perform a Lightning Strike to go through the target.
- Keep using your alternate or main attack depending on the distance to the target.
If you are far from the enemy and want to engage him in battle:
- Perform Lightning Strike to dash towards your target.
- Immediately after this, use an alternate attack and a melee attack (very quickly and in that order).
- Keep using your alternate attack.
Lightning Strike is used for more than just attacking. It also allows you to dodge shots or escape from dangerous areas.
Finally, Lightning Strike can and should be used in combination with Cyber Agility to quickly cover long distances (double jump, dash, wall climb) when fighting opponents or when returning to the battlefield after death.
When using the Dragon Blade, Genji changes Shuriken to a long sword for 8 seconds. During this time, Genji can make a maximum of 9 swings, each of which deals high damage (120 units) to all enemies in a cone in front of him.
The Dragon Blade is applied with a slight delay, i.e. While Genji draws his blade, he cannot attack. Moreover, this ability comes with a loud warning. While Dragon Blade is active, Genji's movement speed is slightly increased and he cannot use Shuriken (all other abilities work as normal).
Dragon Blade is a very powerful ability that deals a lot of damage (over 1000 damage even if we assume that each swing only hits one target). However, it is not that easy to use. Genji has a small amount of health, so he is vulnerable even in long-range combat, but the Dragon Blade forces him to get close to opponents. Moreover, a loud warning gives them the opportunity to react in time.
Like other offensive ultimates, Dragon Blade works best when Genji's opponents are engaged in combat or stunned/immobilized. That's why it combines well with the abilities of other heroes - for example, Zarya's Graviton Pulse or Reinhardt's Earthquake. When using the Dragon Blade, be careful and choose the right angle and moment to attack. While the ability is active, do not neglect Reflect attacks, even if it does not allow you to deal the maximum possible damage.
Dragonblade is a nice situational addition to a hero's ability kit that is quite effective without it. However, it must be used as often as possible, because... it does not require special preparation or assistance from allies.
If you decide to use the Dragon Blade, follow a simple procedure. Approach your opponents and slash them until they die. Remember that the range of the ability is quite large, so it is not necessary to get close. If you need to move from target to target, use Lightning Strike.
Real name: Genji Shimada, Age: 35
Occupation: Adventurer;
Geographical Origin Base of Operations: Shambali Monastery, Nepal;
Affiliation: Shimada Clan;
This guide takes a detailed look at how to play Genji in Overwatch. We look at the hero's strengths and weaknesses, and move on to mechanics, recommended strategies, and what to watch out for.
If you have any comments about the content or structure of the guide, please let us know in the comments! 🙂
1. Strengths
Great activity
Great flanker
Ultimate (Dragon Blade) has very good damage, thanks to which it can kill the entire enemy team.
Can stress out the entire team when in full control of the situation
2. Weaknesses
Requires highly skilled player
Very thin
Nerves required
3. Strategy
In this section, we will briefly review the basic strategies you should use as a Genji. We'll start with an overview and then we'll dive into the details of each ability Genji has.
Genji is a powerful hero and may be the most difficult hero to learn out of all the Overwatch heroes. At 200 health, Genji is quite vulnerable, and as a Tracer, one wrong move can kill him.
Genji has very high damage potential, but this comes from using most of his abilities with a group rather than just his weapon (Shuriken Icon Shuriken). Using all of these abilities well requires a high level of skill. In addition to high damage, Genji also has very high mobility (rivaling or in some ways superior to Tracer), allowing him to frequently rush in and out of the enemy team's ranks, even before detection.
Given this combination, Genji should play almost exclusively as a flank, strike, or lure hero. In terms of gameplay, it is most similar to Tracer. Your Genji job will be to break away from enemy lines and take out vulnerable targets (snipers, supports, Bastion) and then exit or reposition before you can be damaged. A good Genji will be relentless, constantly wearing down the enemy team's defenses, forcing them to divert large resources to calm him down, thus giving way to the rest of Genji's team.
Although Genji has the damage potential to kill most heroes who are very durable have a good chance of repelling his attacks or killing him.
Finally, Genji (Dragon Sword) turns its already high damage potential into something more, at the cost of turning it into melee damage. This way, Genji can break teams (especially if they're stacked, as he will deal AoE damage) during his final target, while in melee, he becomes even more vulnerable than usual.
3.2. Capabilities
Cyber Agility is Genji's passive skill, which allows him to overcome high walls and double jump.
Cyber-Agility has both offensive and defensive goals. Its benefits allow Genji to reach almost any location on any map. This makes it easier for him to sneak behind enemy teams on their backs or focus them, and it allows him to reach sniper nests and take out enemies from anywhere.
There is no point in trying to list specific places where climbing or double jumping is useful; you must constantly use this passive skill, experiment with every possible location and always keep your enemies at bay.
3.2.2. Shurikens (Primal Fire)
LMB: Accurate throw of 3 shuriken. RMB: Throws shuriken from 3 projectiles in an arc.
In terms of damage dealt, shurikens are good, but not great. Each shuriken deals 28 damage, so it takes multiple shuriken to hit to damage an enemy.
Genji Shuriken should not be viewed in isolation; he doesn't deal damage with just his weapons in the same way that Reaper or McCree do. Instead, Genji's Shuriken damage is used in conjunction with his Lightning Strike, Attack Reflection, and melee attack, as we'll see below. However, any Genji player must first master the Shuriken skill.
In general, you shouldn't use Primary Fire as your primary means of dealing damage at most ranges, as Alt Fire is preferable (as we'll see below). Primary fire is best used for long-range targets (especially stationary or slow moving ones). Given that shurikens don't do very much damage, you should aim for a headshot whenever possible.
There's not much else to say about using Shurikens effectively, except that you'll have to put in a lot of time and effort to practice the skill.
3.2.4. Deflect (Attack Reflection)
Deflection serves two main purposes for Genji: dealing damage and surviving. However, these two uses are often combined into one. This is because Genji players should never settle for blocking damage with Attack Reflect - instead, you should always aim for enemies while Attack Reflect is active to return that damage.
Like any other ability Genji has, Reflecting an Attack will require enough practice for you to master it. Its 2-second duration is short enough to make a difference. Moreover, since many projectiles are instantaneous, you can't simply use Reflect Attacks to react to what's happening; you will have to learn to anticipate the attack.
Good uses for Reflect Attacks include using it while you're running into melee/behind a Bastion, or when you know the Widowmaker enemy is about to shoot at you. In such cases, Deflect will often kill the enemy directly.
One of the particularly important abilities to Reflecting an Attack is Smoke grenade McCrea. McCree is very strong against Genji, and if he can deal damage with a Smoke Grenade, Genji will be dead in most cases.
Still on the McCree theme, Repel Attack is a great antithesis to McCree's Marksman, and during this time, if you target McCree, you will almost 100% kill him. There are so many uses for Deflect, there are many abilities in Overwatch, so you need to experiment and get a feel for how you should use it.
3.2.5. Swift Strike
Lightning Strike is an ability that causes Genji to run forward (in the direction of his crosshair) a reasonable distance. Any enemies Genji comes into contact with during this attack take 50 damage.
Whenever Genji kills or is assisted by an enemy (even if he didn't use Lightning Strike on that hero), Lightning Strike's cooldown is instantly reset. Lightning Strike's cooldown is also reset immediately when Genji uses Dragon Sword. Additionally, it is important to note that this ability works in all directions. This means Genji can use it both vertically and horizontally.
Lightning Strike is another part of Genji's damage arsenal. This ability should be used almost on cooldown (assuming there are enemies around) to deal damage and position yourself better towards your target.
Typically, you will start attacking your target from range using Shurikens before they become aware of you. Once they spot you, you'll want to combine using Attack Reflection (to block incoming damage and return it to the target) and Lightning Strike (to damage the target, dodge your attacks, and melee them, where hitting them with Shuriken is easier) . When melee targets, you should also use your melee attack (V key by default) to add extra damage.
For Genji, there are two popular damage combos that allow you to deal a lot of damage. We've listed them below, and keep in mind that the steps must be performed in very quick succession.
Use the following combo if you are already in melee range of the target. 
Use Shurikens.
Immediately use your melee attack.
Immediately after this, use Lightning Strike to fly through the target.
Follow the alternating fire (or possibly the main fire, depending on the distance to your target).
The following combination should be used if you are far from your target when you engage it.
Use Lightning Strike to dash towards your target.
Immediately use your alt fire and your melee attack (in that order, but very quickly).
Follow with more alternating fire.
However, using Lightning Strike far is simply offensive. On defense, Lightning Strike is excellent at allowing Genji to evade abilities or break out of melee range.
Finally, don't forget that Lightning Strike can and should be paired with Genji's Cyber-Agility, allowing him to cross huge gaps (double jump off the edge and then jump forward/up, and climb up the wall if necessary) while moving smoothly to the enemy team, and also quickly return after respawning.
3.2.6. Dragon Blade
Genji activates Dragonblade, the melee sword replaces his Shuriken for 8 seconds. During this time, Genji can make a maximum of 9 sword strikes (limited by sword speed/fire), and deals (120) damage to all enemies in front of him due to the slash.
When Dragonblade is used, there is a delay while Genji draws his sword, during which he cannot attack. Moreover, Genji's enemies hear a very unique sound warning. While Dragonblade is active, Genji's movement speed increases slightly and he cannot use his shuriken (but all other abilities work normally).
However, Dragonblade is not easy to use. This is due to Genji's low health and general fragility - he is quite vulnerable even when attacked from range, but being limited to melee combat greatly damages him. Moreover, the audio warning gives enemies a good chance to react and be prepared for Genji.
As with most touchy-feely heroes, Dragonblade should be used when Genji's enemies are distracted or dazed/incapacitated. So it's no surprise that Dragonblade pairs well with Graviton Surge Icon Graviton Surge and Earthshatter Earth Earth Icon, which can be called two abilities. You must be very careful when using Dragonblade, and you must choose the timing and angle of your attack carefully. Moreover, even if it's a loss of damage, feel free to use Deflect Icon Deflect when Dragonblade is active.
We feel that Dragon Sword is a good, situational bonus for a hero who can perform at the highest level without even using its end result. However, you should still use it whenever it is available.
When you use Dragonblade, the strategy is quite simple. Get close to your enemies (Dragonblade's "melee" range is pretty forgiving, so you don't need to really be on top of them) and throw them away until they die. You must continue to use Swift Strike Icon Swift Strike during this time to move from one target to another.
Genji is a real ninja Overwatch, capable of throwing shurikens at enemies, climbing walls, and also destroying unwanted people with his sword. Playing for this character is very difficult, and therefore it will be difficult for beginners at first. However, as you all know, patience and work... In general, read the guide.
Genji Abilities:
- Shurikens – Genji throws shurikens at enemies, each dealing 28 damage. The attack has two modes - in the first, the hero releases three shuriken flying one after another. In the second mode, shurikens fly horizontally towards each other, which will help to catch several enemies at once. Recharges for one second;
- Reflect Attacks - Genji, like a Jedi, can deflect enemy attacks with his sword. The ability lasts two seconds and can reflect both standard enemy attacks and some of their very dangerous abilities. The cooldown lasts eight seconds;
- Lightning strike – the hero is instantly transported to the enemy and strikes him with his sword, causing him damage in the amount of 50 units. Recharges in eight seconds;
- Cyber Agility is a passive skill that allows Genji to climb onto various ledges, double jump, etc.;
- Dragon Blade – Genji can strike his opponents with his sword for six seconds. Each hit deals about 120 damage, and the more enemies killed, the greater the damage.
Benefits of Genji:
- Genji's acrobatic abilities help him not only surprise opponents, but also evade enemy attacks;
- Even with low health, Genji can instantly kill his opponent with the ability “Reflect Attacks”;
- Very fast and dexterous. The hero is difficult to hit.
Disadvantages of Genji:
- Ineffective at long distances;
- Low damage and rate of fire.
Since Genji is a ninja, he needs to act like a ninja - secretly. You must use his acrobatic skills as often as possible to perform surprise attacks from hard-to-reach places. Don't forget about "Repel Attacks". This ability is best used at the moment when the enemy has already started shooting at you. Try to use Dragon Blade when there is serious support nearby, because alone you will quickly be killed.
Beware of heroes like Winston, May And Zarya.
Genji is especially strong against heroes such as Bastion, Angel And Widowmaker.
Genji is one of the most difficult characters in the game. To get comfortable and successfully play for this hero, you will need some time. To make this task easier, check out a number of tips.
An ability called " Shurikens"allows you to throw these weapons in two modes. In the first, Genji throws them one after another, in the second, he throws three shuriken at the same time, which is very effective in close combat. Throwing will require some skill on your part.
Unique feature " Repelling attacks"allows you not only to repel an enemy attack, but also to inflict damage on the enemy by sending the attack back. The aim should be aimed at the enemy, but keep in mind that in close combat you will not be able to repel an attack, but only block it. 
Key " Shift"enables the function " Lightning Strike". At the same time, Genji quickly heads forward, hitting the enemy with his blade. If you managed to kill the enemy, you can use this function again. The mode is suitable for quickly reducing the distance to a target, or escaping.
« Dragon Blade» activated by the Q key. This absolute ability allows you to perform powerful melee attacks. Please note that while connecting and disabling this function, attacks and the use of other abilities are impossible. But during the action it is possible to use abilities such as “Lightning Strike” and “Repel Attacks”. 
Thanks to " Cyber agility“(spacebar) Genji climbs walls and double jumps. Thanks to this, he easily goes behind the enemy’s back and delivers unexpected blows.
Note:
Using an absolute ability is only effective when the enemy cannot see you. Otherwise, Genji will most likely be killed.
Do not neglect the use of “Cyber Agility”; in case of obvious danger, retreat. This gives a significant advantage over the enemy. In addition, you will be able to strike unexpectedly, catching the enemy by surprise.
Remember that Genji has a small amount of health, so avoid engaging in direct attacks from the opposing side.
