High Noon, the ultimate ability of the gunslinging hero Jesse McCree (now known as Cole Cassidy) in Overwatch, is one of the game's most recognizable and potentially devastating abilities. This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricacies of High Noon, exploring its mechanics, effective usage, counters, and its place in the Overwatch meta. Whether you're a seasoned Cassidy player or just looking to understand the ability better, this article will provide valuable insights.
What is High Noon?
High Noon is an ultimate ability that allows Cassidy to lock onto enemies within his line of sight. After a brief charging period, Cassidy fires a shot at each locked-on target, dealing significant damage. The damage scales with the charge time, meaning that targets who are locked on for longer will receive more damage.
Mechanics of High Noon
Understanding the mechanics of High Noon is crucial for effective use. Here's a breakdown:
- Activation: Upon activation, Cassidy dramatically announces "It's High Noon," and his movement speed is significantly reduced.
- Lock-on: Cassidy begins to lock onto targets within his line of sight and range (20 meters). A skull icon appears above enemies as they are locked on.
- Charge Time: The longer Cassidy maintains line of sight on a target, the faster the damage charges. The damage scaling is linear, meaning consistent line of sight is key to maximizing damage.
- Firing: After a brief delay (1.5 seconds), Cassidy automatically fires at all locked-on targets simultaneously.
- Damage: The damage per shot scales from 80 to 160 per second of charge time, up to a maximum of 1000 damage. This damage is sufficient to eliminate most heroes with a fully charged shot.
- Interruption: High Noon can be interrupted by stuns, knockbacks, or Cassidy's death. Abilities like Roadhog's Hook, McCree's Flashbang, or even a well-timed boop from Lucio can cancel the ability.
High Noon's Strengths
High Noon possesses several strengths that make it a powerful tool in the right hands:
- High Burst Damage: The potential for massive burst damage makes High Noon excellent for eliminating priority targets or wiping out entire teams. A fully charged High Noon can one-shot almost every hero in the game.
- Area Denial: The threat of High Noon can force enemies to reposition or take cover, effectively denying them access to certain areas of the map.
- Psychological Impact: The iconic voice line "It's High Noon" is often enough to instill fear in the enemy team, causing them to scatter and make mistakes.
Weaknesses of High Noon
Despite its strengths, High Noon also has several weaknesses that can be exploited:
- Vulnerability: Cassidy is extremely vulnerable while using High Noon. His movement speed is significantly reduced, making him an easy target for snipers, flankers, and other damage heroes.
- Counterability: High Noon is easily countered by shields, crowd control abilities, and defensive ultimates like Transcendence or Sound Barrier.
- Line of Sight Requirement: High Noon requires a clear line of sight to lock onto targets. This means that positioning and map knowledge are crucial for effective use.
How to Effectively Use High Noon
Mastering High Noon requires a combination of strategic positioning, timing, and awareness. Here are some tips to help you maximize its effectiveness:
Positioning is Key
- Flanking: The most effective way to use High Noon is to flank the enemy team and catch them off guard. This allows you to lock onto multiple targets without being immediately focused down.
- High Ground: Utilizing high ground provides a better vantage point and makes it harder for enemies to interrupt your High Noon.
- Cover: Position yourself near cover so you can quickly duck behind it if you come under fire or need to reposition.
Timing Matters
- Capitalize on Distractions: Use High Noon when the enemy team is distracted or engaged in a team fight. This makes it harder for them to focus you down and interrupt your ultimate.
- Anticipate Enemy Movement: Try to predict where the enemy team will be positioned and set up your High Noon accordingly.
- Don't Be Afraid to Cancel: If you're in a bad position or the enemy team is countering your ultimate, don't hesitate to cancel High Noon. You can cancel the ability by pressing the ultimate button again.
Awareness and Prediction
- Track Enemy Cooldowns: Pay attention to enemy cooldowns, particularly those that can counter High Noon, such as stuns, shields, and defensive ultimates.
- Communicate with Your Team: Let your team know when you plan to use High Noon so they can provide support and create opportunities.
- Adapt to the Situation: Be flexible and willing to adjust your strategy based on the enemy team's composition and positioning.
Common Counters to High Noon
Understanding the counters to High Noon is essential for both using the ability effectively and defending against it. Here are some common counters:
Shields
- Reinhardt's Barrier Shield: Reinhardt's shield can block High Noon's shots, protecting his team.
- Orisa's Protective Barrier: Orisa's barrier provides a stationary shield that can block High Noon's line of sight.
- Winston's Barrier Projector: Winston's bubble shield can disrupt High Noon and force Cassidy to reposition.
Crowd Control
- McCree's Flashbang: A well-timed Flashbang can interrupt High Noon and leave Cassidy vulnerable.
- Roadhog's Hook: Roadhog's Hook can pull Cassidy out of position and cancel High Noon.
- Ana's Sleep Dart: Ana's Sleep Dart can put Cassidy to sleep, interrupting his ultimate.
- Brigitte's Shield Bash: Brigitte's Shield Bash can stun Cassidy and cancel High Noon.
Defensive Ultimates
- Zenyatta's Transcendence: Zenyatta's Transcendence provides invulnerability to his team, negating High Noon's damage.
- Lucio's Sound Barrier: Lucio's Sound Barrier provides a large burst of shields that can absorb High Noon's shots.
- Baptiste's Immortality Field: Baptiste's Immortality Field prevents allies from dropping below a certain health threshold, potentially mitigating High Noon's damage.
Other Counters
- Snipers (Widowmaker, Hanzo): Snipers can eliminate Cassidy before he can charge High Noon fully.
- Flankers (Tracer, Genji): Flankers can pressure Cassidy and force him to cancel High Noon.
- D.Va's Defense Matrix: D.Va's Defense Matrix can absorb High Noon's shots.
High Noon in the Overwatch Meta
High Noon's viability in the Overwatch meta has fluctuated over time, depending on hero balance changes and the prevailing team compositions. Currently, High Noon is considered a situational but potentially powerful ultimate.
Synergies
High Noon works well in compositions that can provide crowd control or distractions, such as those featuring Reinhardt, Zarya, or Mei. These heroes can create opportunities for Cassidy to use High Noon effectively.
Counters
High Noon is less effective against compositions that feature multiple shields, crowd control abilities, or defensive ultimates. Teams with strong defensive capabilities can shut down High Noon consistently.
Tips for Playing Against High Noon
- Stay Behind Cover: The most effective way to avoid High Noon is to stay behind cover and break line of sight.
- Listen for the Voice Line: The "It's High Noon" voice line is a clear warning that Cassidy is using his ultimate. React quickly and take cover.
- Use Crowd Control: If you have a crowd control ability, use it to interrupt Cassidy's High Noon.
- Coordinate with Your Team: Communicate with your team to focus fire on Cassidy during his High Noon.
Conclusion
High Noon is a high-risk, high-reward ultimate ability that can be incredibly effective in the right hands. By understanding its mechanics, strengths, and weaknesses, and by practicing effective positioning and timing, you can master High Noon and become a formidable force on the Overwatch battlefield. Remember to adapt to the situation, track enemy cooldowns, and communicate with your team to maximize your impact. Whether you're facing down a skilled Cassidy or wielding High Noon yourself, this guide provides the knowledge you need to succeed.