In Overwatch 2, Cassidy is a rootin’ tootin’ outlaw. Starting off as one of the founding members of the notorious Deadlock Gang, this criminal organization wasn’t to be messed with, and neither was he.
Cassidy wasn’t always this cowboy’s name, however. In the beginning, this outlaw was known as McCree. However, his name was changed following the departure of developer Jesse McCree, who he was named after, from Blizzard following sexual harassment allegations.
This isn’t the only change we’ve seen Cassidy go through. There have been major and minor tweaks to both his character and abilities over the years but, in Overwatch 2, Cassidy is largely the same loveable outlaw we’ve always known. His abilities and primary fire are one of the most simple in the game; he has a gun. This is great for new players looking to get into Overwatch 2 for the first time.
Overwatch 2 Cassidy
Overwatch 2 Cassidy: Story and background
Ashe isn’t the only one who can claim gangster infamy in Overwatch 2; in fact, her first outlaw partner was Cassidy. Founding the Deadlock Gang together, Cassidy and Ashe ruled the wild west. That is, until Cassidy was enticed into Overwatch’s secret stealth group Blackwatch and left Ashe and the gang behind.
In Overwatch 2, Cassidy makes a name for himself as a gun for hire, but this time he only chose jobs that he believes are just.
One of these jobs even resulted in a new hero being added to the Overwatch 2 roster. In the animated short Reunion (which you can watch above), Cassidy can be seen fighting Ashe for control of a special package. After defeating his former partner and her omnic ultimate B.O.B., Cassidy opens the package to reveal Echo, an omnic who had played a crucial role in Overwatch’s communication and strategy. Waking her up, he says it's time she returns to Overwatch to join the fight.
Overwatch 2 Cassidy: Abilities
Primary fire: Peacekeeper
Description: An accurate and powerful revolver
In Overwatch 2, Cassidy’s Peacekeeper revolver can dish out up to six sequential hitscan shots that can travel up to 40 meters. This is a great weapon to combat shy heroes who tend to hide toward the far end of the map.
The firing range is 0.5 seconds per shot which gives a great rhythm to his fights. If you right-click or left-trigger while using this pistol then you can fan the hammer and unleash the entire cylinder in one quick flash
Some tips and tricks for this weapon:
- Fanning the hammer is great to use in close combat fights.
- Make sure you count your shots; there’s nothing worse than being caught off guard with an empty chamber.
Ability: Combat Roll
Description: Cassidy dives in the direction he’s moving, effortlessly reloading his Peacekeeper in the process.
This roll is just a great ability to get the hell out of the way with. While Cassidy’s simplicity is great it is also a hindrance as he has no passive abilities or skills that help his mobility. Therefore his Combat Roll is often the only way to effectively dodge incoming attacks or travel across the map faster.
It is important to note that you roll in the direction you're moving in and not the one you’re facing. This means you can keep your eyes on the enemy and dodge attacks simultaneously.
Some tips and tricks for this ability:
- This can be used when airborne.
- Cassidy can roll off edges, so be careful to not fall off the side of the map.
Ability: Magnetic Grenade
Description: A short-range grenade that homes in on nearby enemies and deals additional damage if it sticks to them.
Blizzard chose to remove almost all stun abilities from Overwatch 2 to promote more fluid flights. This is why Cassidy’s original Flash Bang was replaced with his Magnetic Grenade. While his Flash Bang could temporarily stun people, his Magnetic Grenade takes a more direct route to kill his enemies.
If stuck to an enemy, this grenade can do a max total of 131 damage, meaning all Cassidy has to do is hit a DPS before or after the detonation with his Peacekeeper revolver, and he’ll secure the kill.
Some tips and tricks for this ability:
- Sticking this grenade to heroes who have teleport abilities could be a waste as they can phase out of the explosion.
- The grenade explodes upon reaching the max range of 10 meters.
Ultimate: Deadeye
Description: A hitscan ultimate that, after a few seconds, can lock onto enemies for a headshot.
In Overwatch 2, Cassidy’s ultimate isn’t something to write home about; while it is effective in creating space due to everyone having to hide out of view, it is pretty poor in actually securing kills.
The problem with this ultimate is a mix of several things. First off, it is very easy to avoid this ultimate; it is also very easy to combat. There are several heroes that have direct counters to Deadeye. For example, Genji’s Deflect D.Va’s Defense Matrix, or Reinhardt’s Shield.
Unfortunately, this means that by using Cassidy’s ultimate, you are equally as likely to die then you are to get a kill. Sometimes it can even feel like a slight pain to actually press Q and use it.
Some tips and tricks for this ultimate:
- If you see an enemy tank racing towards you or a Genji deflecting, then canceling this ultimate is the best choice of action.
- You need to be creative when it comes to going behind the enemy team and finding a vantage point that is unexpected, as it will be harder to see and counter then.
Overwatch 2 Cassidy: Gameplay breakdown
As heroes go in Overwatch 2, Cassidy is a pretty easy character to get used to. Armed with a pistol and a homing grenade, as long as you hit your shots, you can do well with this character.
Among the heroes in Overwatch 2, Cassidy is one of the best hitscan characters available due to the simplicity of his pistol and how easy it is to use. So if there are any annoying airborne heroes like Pharah or Echo, then Cassidy is a great counter to pick.
His only major downfall is his ultimate. Arguably Deadeye is one of the worst ultimates in the game. Despite lasting for a long time, Cassidy usually counts down to a headshot that may never come as it is incredibly easy to avoid. You just need to hide behind a wall for seven seconds.
