Kiriko is a support hero first introduced to Overwatch 2 in Season 1, making her the 35th hero to appear on the lineup. She channels the fox spirit, much in the same way her old training buddies, Genji and Hanzo, channel the spirit of the dragons.
She is a cunning and skilled martial artist and is as proficient in disappearing from sticky situations as she is at causing them. Kiriko's mother was also a fierce ninja, so it's no wonder she can be a force to be reckoned with.
In this guide, we'll take you through all the tips and tricks you'd need to play Kiriko in Overwatch 2, as well as take a dive into her lore. If you're looking already playing Season 7 Rise of Darkness, it's a good idea to brush up on your knowledge. We've also got a full support hero tier list, so you can keep up to date with the meta! But for now, let's take a look at Kiriko's abilities.
Overwatch 2 Kiriko ability list
- Kunai
- A thrown projectile that deals increased critical damage.
- Protection Suzu
- Upon impact, allies in the area become briefly invulnerable and are cleansed of most negative effects.
- Healing Ofuda
- Channels a burst of healing talismans that seek out targeted allies.
- Swift Step
- Teleport directly to an ally, even through walls.
- Wall Climb
- Jumping at a wall allows Kiriko to climb it.
- Kitsune Rush
- Kiriko's ultimate ability summons a fox spirit that charts a path forward, bestowing allies to follow its trail with increased movement and attack speed and reduced cooldowns.
Kiriko uses a mix of shields, heals, and teleports to keep her team topped up and prepped for anything that may come their way.
Overwatch 2 Kiriko tips
First and foremost, Kiriko is a very mobile character. This means she's great in the middle of the fray as well as playing the backlines, and it's this versatility that makes her one of the best support heroes to choose from at the moment. You can use her Wall Climb and Swift Step abilities liberally to stay out of harm's way, especially now that her teleport isn't broken! Using Swift Step to avoid a Reinhardt charge, being caught in a Mei or an Orisa ult, as well as generally avoiding certain death, can very quickly turn the tide for your entire team.
Kiriko's Protection Suzu is best saved for heavy burst moments - like during an enemy attacker's ultimate or during the early moments of a group struggle. It can be an absolute clutch when used efficiently, and it doesn't have too long of a cooldown.
Though she's a healer, Kiriko's critical hit damage and high mobility can turn her into a deadly assassin. If your aim is up to the task, you'll be able to position yourself behind enemy lines and pick off healers and DPS with ease, all while having the get-out-of-jail-free card of teleporting back to a teammate when things get hairy.
Overwatch 2 Kiriko lore
Like with the introductions of other heroes, Blizzard dropped the official Kiriko lore video upon her release, which you can view above. It covers Kiriko Kamori's ancestry regarding the fox and the blade. With her grandmother taking the route of the latter and her mother the former, Kiriko puts both to use. Since she was a family friend of the Shimada's, she trained with both Genji and Hanzo when they were younger, so there's a reason she has a similar skillset to the two legacy heroes.
If you don't want to watch the original voiceover there, you can catch the details in this Kiriko YouTube short. There's even a developer update to catch if you want the finer details of her kit and design.
But there you have it, that's everything you need to know about Overwatch 2's Kiriko! If you're more of a DPS main, we also have a Genji guide that details his lore and all the tips and tricks you'd need. We also have all the info on the upcoming Season 7 of Overwatch 2, called Rise of Darkness, so be sure to check it out!