Pick the moment you recognise. Read it as a decision to try, not a rule that ignores the rest of the match.
Cover keeps the next decision available.
Your team is one player short.
Use cover while they return.
A good angle can wait. Keep the route to your supports open, look for the returning teammate and avoid turning a quiet moment into a staggered fight.
Before you move
Can the players beside you act on the same target?
Your side angle has been noticed.
Leave before the route closes.
Drawing attention was useful. Stay useful by moving back through cover while the team takes advantage of that attention. A flank does not have to end in a chase.
Before you stay
Which corner will still be reachable after the next exchange?
You have a tool, not a deadline.
Wait for a fight the team can use.
Check who is alive and whether teammates can follow. Sometimes keeping the ultimate for a connected attempt creates a clearer opportunity than spending it as the last player standing.
Before you press it
What will a teammate be able to do because you used it?
No. This is an independent fan publication about Overwatch. Blizzard Entertainment develops and publishes the game. Our advice is editorial, and official hero descriptions and patch notes are linked as references.
Where should I check the current hero abilities?+
Use the official Overwatch hero directory and Blizzard’s patch notes. A live update may change an ability, a role or a mode after a guide was written. Our role selection is an introduction, not a replacement for that directory.
Do I need to play Competitive to use these guides?+
No. Cover, regrouping and ability timing are useful subjects in casual play too. Competitive has its own rules and eligibility requirements; check those in the game before queueing.