Lucio is one of the three primary support heroes in Overwatch, and this hero guide should help you learn a few basic tips to get you started with the character. Unlike Mercy and Zenyatta, Lucio’s healing ability is passive. This means that you won’t have to keep a line of sight with someone like Zenyatta, or follow one player around all the time like Mercy. However, it also means you’ll need to stay in constant communication with your team to ensure everyone stays close enough to gain the benefits of your abilities.
Sonic Amplifier
As a support character, Lucio isn’t on your team to produce a ton of damage. Therefore, while his Sonic Amplifier is his main offensive ability, you won’t be getting much use out of it. The ability fires a slow projectile attack that’s fairly easy to dodge if the opposing team is moderately decent at the game. You might be able to hit a stationary Bastion or catch a few enemies from behind, but landing this attack shouldn’t be your primary focus.
Soundwave
A good number of objectives on Overwatch revolve around securing a location. Lucio’s Soundwave knocks enemy players back and works well to move them out of the defending area so your team can move in. There are also several maps with drop offs that will kill a player instantly. Almost everyone has fallen off the map at some point, and with Soundwave you can knock off unsuspecting enemies if they venture too close to one of these drop off areas. The instant kill could mean the difference between winning and losing.
Crossfade
There are two different variations to Lucio’s Crossfade ability. The first is a passive heal that replenishes the health of any heroes within close proximity to Lucio. The second increases the movement speed of nearby teammates. It’s important to communicate with your teammates as Lucio because you need them t o stay within your Crossfade radius so they gain the benefits of the ability.
More often than not you should have the healing Crossfade active. However, if your team is at full health, it’s best to activate the speed boost alongside a Sound Barrier, then make a push toward an objective. Just remind your teammates that the heal won’t heal them through the burst damage of some heroes, so they still need to be careful even with the healing Crossfade and Sound Barrier active.
Amp It Up
When Lucio uses this ability it boosts the effect of Crossfade (healing or speed boost) for a short time. This ability has a moderately lengthy cooldown, so you can’t use it all the time. Instead, you should use it when your team needs to make a push, or if your team is taking heavy damage. Don’t waste it when you don’t need the extra boost, but don’t hold onto it when your team really needs it.
Wall Ride
Mercy can immediate fly to a teammate, but Lucio has the added mobility of Wall Ride. This allows him to glide along walls so he can quickly get to teammates that may be in need of his support. You can also use it to escape if a member of the opposing team has you cornered. You’ll need to memorize where on each map Wall Ride works best, and you can even chain multiple Wall Rides together to continually move along walls in certain areas. Once you get the hang of it, Lucio’s mobility increases significantly.
Sound Barrier
Similar to Crossfade, Lucio’s ultimate ability grants nearby teammates a hefty shield to help protect them against enemy attacks. It only works on teammates you can see, so anyone behind a wall or inside a nearby building will not gain the effects of the shield. Once again, it’s important to communicate with your team so they know to gather around you when you’re about to use Sound Barrier.
Be sure to check out Soldier 76, Winston and other characters in our Overwatch Hero Guide!
