Tips To Go From Platinum To Diamond

Overwatch’s competitive ladder includes players of all skill levels. According to a 2018 developer post, the majority of players are concentrated at Gold and Platinum tiers, while only about 15% manage to rise above them. The climb becomes especially steep past Platinum because at this point top-notch teamwork becomes mandatory. Players who can’t cooperate effectively or don’t know the characters they’re playing in and out are not going to win consistently enough to advance. Luckily, if you find yourself in this situation, there are some things you can do to improve your performance.

Master Several Heroes

Knowing how to use your character’s powers is obviously important in a hero shooter. This becomes even more important at higher skill ratings, as you will need to properly time your skill use and perform combos to gain the advantage. When you are just starting to level your account, it may make sense to focus on mastering a single main. However, at this point in your competitive progression, you will have to branch out and learn how to play as many different heroes as you can.

The most effective team compositions are less forgiving at higher skill ratings. All characters must complement each other’s strengths or compensate for weaknesses. Having at least one direct healer, shield, and hitscan character is usually a must. Depending on the choices of your teammates, you may not be able to pick your favorite character without seriously weakening your team. Mastering more characters will also make you more aware of their weaknesses, letting you counter them more effectively when they are played by your opponents. It is ideal to know a few characters from each role, but mastering as many heroes as possible in your preferred role is a viable approach as well.

Use Ultimate Combos

Getting the most out of your ultimate is a special case of hero mastery. Deciding when and where to deploy those powerful abilities can mean the difference between victory and defeat. The most effective and spectacular way to use your ults usually involves chaining them together with an ally’s combo. Whether it’s Zarya setting up a nice big target for Hanzo’s Dragonstrike or Ana powering any number of offensive characters with her Nano Boost, the end result may well be enough to guarantee a competitive win. Pulling off an ultimate combo puts both players’ character knowledge and teamwork to the test. It is a much more reliable option when you are playing Duo Queue.

Play with Friends

Effective combos are just one reason why it’s usually better to team up in advance. While you can get to Diamond using only Solo Queue, it will usually make things much harder. Even Platinum players may have gotten there partly through luck and aren’t guaranteed to be good team players. You can’t always trust random partners to coordinate with you or understand best practices. If you play with people you already know, you can discuss strategy and team composition well in advance, practice together to figure out the best tactics, and exchange constructive criticism without coming across as toxic.

Be Strategic

There is more to Overwatch than just knowing how and when to use your abilities. You should also keep in mind the big picture. Always consider how your actions would advance you towards the mode’s goals. Competitive Play has a smaller map pool than Arcade or Quick Play, so you can memorize them and plan your ambushes or kill zones while countering such tactics from the enemy.

You should also try to identify and fulfill Win Conditions – the specific things you need to do to overcome the enemy team, such as disabling a particularly dangerous threat. For example, if you’re defending a payload against a team with Bastion, taking out Bastion before he can reach the payload should be your top priority. His teammates may be more dangerous to your heroes, but they are not such major obstacles to your victory. The exact Win Conditions depend heavily on the composition of both teams, so pay close attention to this factor.

Never Underestimate Enemies

Any enemies you face this close to Diamond tier are going to have a fair amount of experience and skill. It’s safer to assume that they know what they are doing. You should keep track of their actions and especially any ultimates they may be holding back. Any tactical patterns that emerge (like a healer hanging back to support allies or a DPS character carrying out distracting maneuvers) should be analyzed so you could counter.

As a general rule, try to put yourself in your opponents’ shoes. They are likely to do the same things you would – flank you, attack your support, carry out combos. If you can predict those actions, though, it should be possible to turn the tables on them or at least minimize damage.