Mercy · Support
Safe Mercy guide
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Mercy is a medic support hero in Overwatch with 225 health. In competitive this season (PC, Americas, Europe and Asia averaged) it wins 48.6% of its games, is picked by 12.6% of teams and banned in 5.5% of matches: tier C on our ladder. Mercy has 225 hit points: 225 health.
Strengths
- Mobility: Guardian Angel gets it in and out of fights.
- Healing: Caduceus Staff keeps allies (or itself) alive.
Weaknesses
- Only 48.6% of competitive games won (PC, all regions): #11 of 14 support heroes.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Mercy · survival perksDefensiveRecommendedThe perks whose text adds the most healing, health or protection: for games where you die before your cooldowns matter.
- Mercy · Stadium survivalDefensiveStadiumFour of the 12 Stadium powers of Mercy, chosen by what their text adds and spread over different abilities so no single one carries the build.
- Mercy · recommended perksBalancedSituationalOne minor and one major perk, chosen by what each one's text adds to a support hero. Blizzard doesn't publish how often each perk is picked, so this is a reading of the perks, not a pick rate.
Builds
Mercy · survival perks
When to use it
The perks whose text adds the most healing, health or protection: for games where you die before your cooldowns matter.
Minor perk
Angelic ResurrectionMercy gains 100 overhealth after casting Resurrect.
Winged ReachGuardian Angel's range is increased by 30%.Picked for more survival: Mercy gains 100 overhealth after casting Resurrect.
Major perk
Chain BoostCaduceus Staff's damage boost is increased by 5% and links to a second nearby ally.
Double DoseFlash Heal gains an additional charge but its base healing is reduced by 10.Picked for more survival: Flash Heal gains an additional charge but its base healing is reduced by 10.
Mercy · Stadium survival
When to use it
Four of the 12 Stadium powers of Mercy, chosen by what their text adds and spread over different abilities so no single one carries the build.
Stadium powers (4)
- 1
SerenityCaduceus Staff: Sympathetic Recovery heals for 10% more and heals you even while you are healing a full health ally. Caduceus Staff can overheal up to 50. - 2
DistortionPicked for more survival: When you use Flash Heal, grant the target Overhealth equal to 25% of your Max Life for 2s and knockback enemies 5m around the target. - 3
The WhambulanceGuardian Angel: When Guardian Angel ends, heal your target for 4 Life for every 1m you traveled. - 4Double DoseValkyrie: Gain an extra charge of Flash Heal. When Valkyrie is activated, refresh a charge of Flash Heal.
Mercy · recommended perks
When to use it
One minor and one major perk, chosen by what each one's text adds to a support hero. Blizzard doesn't publish how often each perk is picked, so this is a reading of the perks, not a pick rate.
Minor perk
Angelic ResurrectionMercy gains 100 overhealth after casting Resurrect.Winged ReachGuardian Angel's range is increased by 30%.Picked for more survival: Mercy gains 100 overhealth after casting Resurrect.
Major perk
Chain BoostCaduceus Staff's damage boost is increased by 5% and links to a second nearby ally.Double DoseFlash Heal gains an additional charge but its base healing is reduced by 10.Picked for more survival: Flash Heal gains an additional charge but its base healing is reduced by 10.
Abilities
LMBCaduceus StaffHold to heal an ally. Hold to increase an ally's damage inflicted.Key: primary fire. Perks: Chain Boost
LMBCaduceus BlasterAutomatic weapon.
ShiftGuardian Angel1.5sFly towards an ally. While in flight, Jump launches you forward, and Crouch launches you upward.Key: Shift · cooldown 1.5 s. Perks: Winged Reach
EResurrect30sRevive a dead teammate.
Angelic DescentPassiveFall very slowly.
QValkyrieUltimateGain the ability to fly. Abilities are enhanced.
Strategy
1Staying alive
The abilities that heal, protect or move you, by their own description:
- primary fire · Caduceus Staff: Hold to heal an ally. Hold to increase an ally's damage inflicted.
- Shift · Guardian Angel · 1.5 s: Fly towards an ally. While in flight, Jump launches you forward, and Crouch launches you upward.
2Survival perks
During each match you unlock a minor perk and, later, a major perk: one of two options each time. ★ marks this guide's pick.
- ★ Angelic Resurrection: Mercy gains 100 overhealth after casting Resurrect.
- Winged Reach: Guardian Angel's range is increased by 30%.
- Chain Boost: Caduceus Staff's damage boost is increased by 5% and links to a second nearby ally.
- ★ Double Dose: Flash Heal gains an additional charge but its base healing is reduced by 10.
3Survival Stadium powers
The four powers whose text adds the most healing, health or protection:
- Serenity
- Distortion
- The Whambulance
- Double Dose
4Where to be careful
The competitive maps where it wins least:
- Antarctic Peninsula: 46.9% won (11.1% pick rate)
- Blizzard World: 47.3% won (14.1% pick rate)
- Aatlis: 47.3% won (9.3% pick rate)
5Mistakes that get you killed
- Wandering away from your team and getting picked alone.
- Using your key cooldown before the enemy commits theirs.
Tips
- When no one needs healing, shoot: support damage wins fights too.
- Guardian Angel (Shift) moves you: if you spend it to engage, you won't have it to escape.
Matchups
Works well with
Both do better than their average on the same maps, such as Route 66, Dorado and Junkertown: a good pairing when the map suits them.
Both do better than their average on the same maps, such as Dorado, Circuit Royal and Route 66: a good pairing when the map suits them.
Both do better than their average on the same maps, such as Dorado, Route 66 and Colosseo: a good pairing when the map suits them.
Both do better than their average on the same maps, such as Circuit Royal, Dorado and Havana: a good pairing when the map suits them.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch Season 4.
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