Overwatch Cassidy (ex-McCree) Guide

The Overwatch hero formerly known as McCree has been under the spotlight lately. His recent name change to Cassidy and November’s New Blood event (which gave a Cassidy skin for playing 27 Quick Play, Competitive, or Arcade matches) have drawn extra attention to the iconic cowboy. Fortunately, his gameplay role and mechanics are compelling enough to justify this interest. Keep reading this Cassidy (ex-McCree) Overwatch Guide to learn all about this hero and how to use him.

Cassidy (ex-McCree) Overview

Cassidy is one of Overwatch’s most popular Damage heroes. His primary asset is his pistol, which allows him to inflict extreme damage in very little time at short to medium range. While his other abilities are comparatively limited in effect, they are still situationally useful, granting him some mobility and cementing his status as a superb duelist. Cassidy fares more poorly when facing more than one target at a time, limiting his ability to counter them. He only has 225 health and is quite vulnerable if cornered. Even with his roll, he is not as mobile as most heroes of his type. Nevertheless, his core strengths and focused playstyle grant him an independence that makes him especially suitable for the solo queue.

From the beginner perspective, Cassidy may be described as easy to learn and difficult to master. His abilities are fairly straightforward and reminiscent of other shooters, but making the most of them requires a lot of skill. The gunslinger’s attacks use hitscan registry, meaning that his accuracy depends solely on the player’s aim, without any intermediaries like projectiles. His entire skillset requires good positioning, timing, and situational awareness to be effective, especially as you get closer to Diamond rank. It is too easy for him to slip up, and difficult to recover from mistakes. If you wish to master this character, our Overwatch Cassidy (ex-McCree) guide should be a good starting point, but you will probably have to work on your general player skills as well.

Cassidy (ex-McCree)’s Abilities

In this part of our Overwatch guide Cassidy (ex-McCree), we will examine each of the cowboy’s abilities in detail and show how they can be best used to achieve Competitive Wins.

Peacekeeper

Peacekeeper is the name of Cassidy’s revolver. Its primary firing mode lets off a single shot that deals 70 damage within 20 meters, but suffers a drastic fall-off to 21 damage at longer range. The gunslinger can use this attack twice per second. Reloading after running out of the classic six bullets takes a second and a half. Given good aim, Peacekeeper can take out all but the toughest enemies in three bodyshots or two headshots. Landing consistent hits becomes critical as you go up in Skill Rating, as that would allow Cassidy to take down an enemy faster than they could retreat or heal.

The pistol also has a secondary firing mode, sometimes referred to as Fan the Hammer. When using it, Cassidy fires all remaining rounds within one or two seconds without aiming. Accuracy is predictably much lower, and there is no way to score headshots. Damage is capped at 50. Despite those drawbacks, it can be an effective means of finishing off weaker (or weakened) enemies at close range. The burst attack may also be used to whittle away at tougher enemies in a pinch, potentially breaking shields and generally softening them up for allies to finish off.

Combat Roll

Combat Roll is Cassidy’s sole mobility power. It allows him to roll six meters in the direction in which he was walking. The roll takes less than half a second. Additionally, it reloads the Peacekeeper as a free action. The ability does not confer invincibility frames, but it does make him more difficult for rival players to aim at. While unspectacular compared to similar abilities available to other heroes, it definitely has its uses. Defensively, it may be used to quickly escape a disadvantageous situation or simply avoid enemy fire. It can also let Cassidy close the distance with his target before using Flashbang or Fan the Hammer. Such a combo is inherently risky, but if timed well, it may decide the outcome of high-stakes games like Placement Matches.

Flashbang

As the name implies, Flashbang has Cassidy toss a flashbang that inflicts 25 damage and a stun that lasts for most of a second to enemies in a three-meter radius. Unlike Cassidy’s other attacks, it is an arcing projectile that is subject to physics and may be evaded or blocked before it hits. It also has a ten-second cooldown and a 0.35-second recovery time, leaving the hero briefly vulnerable (especially if he fails to stun his targets!). Nonetheless, it is very effective, allowing Cassidy to head off an enemy rush or get in a free headshot - or possibly both at once. It might also make for good teamplay, particularly in the duo queue where allies can take proper advantage of the opening.

Deadeye

Cassidy’s Ultimate locks on up to six enemy heroes over a channeling period that can last for up to six seconds and makes him move at 30% speed. Once released, he shoots all targets that remain in the line of fire, dealing damage to each depending on how much time passed after locking on to that target. The first second can give up to 80 damage, while later ones add 250 damage per second. Ammo is not a concern, as the gun reloads once the Ultimate is activated. The ability is devastating in the best case scenario, but it has a major drawback: it is easy to evade while charging. That means it is best used against less mobile targets or ones without obvious escape routes. Especially at Platinum rank and higher, you should take what kills you can get, even if you only get one or two enemies.

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Cassidy (ex-McCree)’s Strategy

Although Cassidy’s skillset may seem relatively simple and straightforward, it lends itself to a surprising amount of tricky plays, especially in synergy with other characters. Our Cassidy (ex-McCree) guide Overwatch does not attempt to cover every possible permutation. Instead, we consider the basic considerations that should inform your strategy as a Cassidy player. That includes your role within the team, synergies with allies, and the qualities that make other heroes your best or worst enemies.

Cassidy’s chief strength is his ability to deal damage quickly and reliably, while his weaknesses are insufficient mobility and poor survivability. Because of those factors, you should resist the temptation to send him out on his own. He is at his best when sticking somewhat close to his team. Tanks should prevent enemies from focusing fire on him, while healers would make up for his lack of self-sustaining powers. In return, Cassidy could plug holes in his team’s defences, stopping anyone who threatens the backline and maintaining a constant pressure on the enemy frontline. He would also be able to swiftly exploit opportunities set up by his allies, executing wounded foes or exposed healers.

Although Cassidy can work well with pretty much any team composition, some heroes would definitely work better with him than the others. The ideal teammates for Cassidy must be mobile enough to keep up with him and sturdy enough to survive on the frontline. For example, Brigitte can simultaneously draw away enemy fire and keep him from getting too damaged. The likes of D.Va and Reinhardt excel at throwing the other team into a disarray that the cowboy can then exploit by attacking stragglers. They also do well at shielding him from attacks. Genji is a less direct ally, but he is well-equipped to use the opportunities that Cassidy provides. With competent allies filling such niches, even a starter player should be able to do well with Cassidy so long as they play aggressively.

Cassidy’s preferred targets are relatively flimsy heroes like himself, who rely on mobility or hanging back to avoid harm. Genji is a prime example of the former. He and similar flankers can be stopped in their tracks with a well-timed Flashbang and headshot combo. The gunslinger can also wreak havoc on support heroes like Mercy if they ever become exposed. On the other hand, he is very vulnerable to snipers such as Widowmaker, finding it difficult to either fight back or escape in time due to his insufficient range and mobility. Heroes who can block or survive the bulk of his offensive skillset, like D.Va and Reinhardt, are also best avoided when possible.

Cassidy (ex-McCree) Tips & Tricks

There are also some less sweeping tips for you to consider:

• If you want to know how to get better at Cassidy (ex-McCree), the answer is practice. This character is especially skill-intensive, so there is really no alternative to it. However, practice can take many forms. Aim trainers can improve your hitscan efficiency. Positioning and situational awareness are best improved in actual low-stakes games, such as Arcade matches;
• Never let yourself get drawn into a duel with two enemies at once. All of Cassidy’s non-Ultimate abilities are geared towards fighting one foe at a time;
• You should go for headshots whenever possible. For that matter, even bodyshots are more efficient than Fanning the Hammer, which should usually be reserved for very close-range encounters. Primary fire conserves ammo and leaves you ready for other threats;
• The secondary firing mode may also be used for clearing away player-made structures such as barriers or other obstacles;
• Flashbang is your main defensive tool, so it is best kept in reserve unless you get a perfect opportunity, such as interrupting a charge and leaving an enemy exposed. The stun effect can interrupt many Ultimates, suggesting another viable use case so long as you do not overexpose yourself;
• The threat of Deadeye can be more effective than the ability itself. You can use it to deny an area to enemies or flush them out. Both bluffs and actual uses of Deadeye are much more viable when you have allies backing you up, keeping you safe and limiting enemy responses.

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