Hanzo Abilities and Strategy

• Use Natural Agility as a shortcut around long walls, or to escape danger.
• Use Storm Bow to poke enemies from a safe distance.
• Move back and forth to keep enemies near Storm Bow's maximum range as it channels.
• Scatter Arrow can be used to quickly dismount enemies or prevent hearthing, as it does not require channeling.
• Always check bushes and vents with Sonic Arrow or Scatter Arrow before entering them.
• Use Dragon's Arrow when enemies are retreating in a straight line, so you make sure to hit them, enabling your team to follow up.
• During fights, if possible, you should only use Dragon's Arrow at the middle range of it, to stun enemies for 1,25 seconds. Use the stun to land your Basic Abilities dealing high damage to the targets.
• Bullseye can be used as follow up to any crowd control, including Dragon's Arrow's stun.

Natural Agility allows Hanzo to jump over terrain or structures. This can be used to reposition in ways that most other Heroes cannot, making it a good escape option (provided enemies are not waiting for you on the other side). This trait can also result in increased out-of-combat mobility if major terrain features are bypassed.

Storm Bow is a semi-channeled linear skillshot that gains increased range as it is channeled. Because you are able to move while channeling this, it can be very useful for pursuing enemies. Storm Bow can be fired instantly, and should be used this way when enemies are within melee range.

Scatter Arrow deals very little damage unless an enemy is hit by several arrows after it splits. It will not split if it hits an enemy Hero, and a single arrow will only deal a trivial amount of damage to them. Scatter Arrow must collide with terrain or structures at specific angles in order to be effective. Hitting an enemy with all of the split arrows will result in a good amount of damage, but is very difficult to do. If an enemy is close enough to a structure or terrain feature to be hit by a full spread of arrows, they can prevent the split by walking into the arrow.

Use Scatter Arrow to poke whenever many of the arrows will hit enemies. Look out for opportunities to hit a single enemy with several split arrows. Very tight corridors are a great place to use Scatter Arrow, because its ricochets will be very likely to hit enemies. It is also a great tool for dismounting or canceling objective channels, since it has great range and can hit many enemies.

Sonic Arrow is a slow-moving missile that flies in an arc above the battlefield until it impacts. It deals damage in a tiny radius when it lands, and grants vision in a large area. If an Enemy Hero is struck with Sonic Arrow, the vision radius granted is tethered to the target hit. Use Sonic Arrow to reveal the fog of war as needed. Bushes, vents, or sharp corners can be approached safely as long as you lob in a Sonic Arrow first.

On maps with channeled objectives, like Towers of Doom, you should be holding it to disrupt a channeling enemy, but only if you do not have any other Basic Ability to do so.

Dragonstrike is Hanzo's iconic Ability from Overwatch, and performs as one would expect. Due to the channel time, audio cues, and slow travel speed, this Ability is easy for enemies to avoid if they are not trapped or crowd-controlled. Additionally, the center area that deals more meaningful damage is very thin. Dragonstrike does not damage non-Heroic units or structures; it can only damage enemy Heroes. This Ability is strong on maps that have objectives that spawn in tight corridors, such as the tributes on Cursed Hollow. Keep in mind the dragons do not spawn directly from Hanzo, and will not hit Heroes who are within close range of him.

Dragon's Arrow is a linear skillshot that travels globally across the map, dealing damage and stunning in an area of effect upon impact. The damage and stun duration increase as Dragon's Arrow travels past distance intervals, which are demarcated while aiming the Ability. At maximum distance Dragon's Arrow will be at its strongest, but you will not be in range to follow up with your other Abilities (unless you have Play of the Game). Dragon's Arrow is usually going to be the correct Heroic to take. It is easier to hit enemies with it, does not need to be channeled, and can be used both as follow up Heroic or as an engage tool.