August 2, 2023
Described by Blizzard as the first “Temp Tank,” Ramattra can switch between his Omnic and Menesis Forms. In his Omnic Form, Ramattra can attack at long range with his Void Accelerator and drop a shield to protect his teammates. In his Nemesis Form, he turns into a close-range brawler. Nemesis Form Ramattra uses his Pummel ability to deal AoE damage that pierces barriers and reduces incoming damage if Ramattra blocks.
No matter the form he’s in, Ramattra has access to his Ravenous Vortex ability which can damage and slow enemies within its radius and pull airborne targets to the ground. This ability can be a great way to group enemies together and make his ultimate more effective. Rmattra’s ultimate, Annihilation, is an area denial ability that deals light but steady damage to all enemies within a wide radius. Though his ultimate is timed, you can slow the timer as long as you are causing damage. Let’s look at these abilities to learn more about Ramattra and how to take advantage of his moveset.
Void Accelerator (Omnic Form)
Fire a stream of projectiles.
In his Omnic Form, Ramattra’s primary weapon is the Void Accelerator. Ramattra’s staff sends out a stream of rapid-fire projectiles that deal good damage and have zero damage fall-off, which means he can chip away at enemies from long-range. The projectiles travel at medium speed and can also be utilized at close range like a beam.
This is a good ability if you don’t want to push too aggressively at certain points and would rather drop your shield to protect your team and chip away at the enemies from afar.
Void Barrier (Omnic Form)
Create a barrier at a targeted location.
With Ramattra’s Omnic Form, he also has access to his Void Barrier ability. This is a strong shield that can take a lot of damage. However, it does not last long, and it has a rather long cooldown. This barrier can be tricky to use as it requires good timing to be effective.
Unlike other tanks’ shields, Ramattra’s is smaller in scale and has a shorter duration. Coupled with the longer cooldown time, if you use the shield too soon, it can be gone before you’re in any real danger, effectively making it useless. It may be useful to use the shield as a way to save yourself or a teammate rather than to use it in a defensive position.
Nemesis Form
In this form, Ramattra transforms into a tougher and stronger brawler for around eight seconds with about an 8-second cooldown. This form also changes his primary and secondary abilities and grants Ramattra 150 armor which comes in handy as he pushes in for a close-range battle.
Pummel (Nemesis Form)
Punch, creating a wave of piercing energy with every swing.
Pummel is Rammatra’s primary fire in Nemesis Form. Using this ability will allow Ramattra to throw energy-charged punches that extend about 12 meters in front of him. This pierces both enemy heroes along with any barriers it touches.
This is a good weapon against close-range enemies and is still effective against lower defense characters like Mercy or Kiriko, who may be hiding behind their tanks.
Block (Nemesis Form)
Block is the secondary ability Ramattra gains in his Nemesis Form. This ability raises Ramattra’s secondary arms and reduces incoming damage by 75%. While this can be an effective tool to utilize defensively, it does also slow Ramattra’s movement speed by about 50% when active.
It also only protects Ramattra from attacks coming in from the front, so he would still be exposed on his sides and back. It would be best to use this when facing down an enemy head on, so you can try and wait for an opening to launch a counter-attack.
Ravenous Vortex
Fire a sphere of energy that creates a slowing vortex on the ground, damaging enemies within and pulling them downward.
This is Ramattra’s only ability that can be utilized no matter what form he is currently in. Ramattra will throw this ability like a grenade, and it will trigger once it hits the ground. This ability will damage and slow enemies trapped within it, and it can also cause airborne enemies to be grounded.
Annihilation (Ultimate Ability)
This Ultimate will automatically launch Ramatra into his Nemesis Form and surround him with an 11-meter ring of energy that deals low but steady damage to all enemy Heroes caught within. Without applying damage, Annihilation will disperse after about three seconds.
However, suppose you are damaging enemies while Annihilation is active. In that case, the timer will slow and can last up to a total of 20 seconds. This means it is best to use Ramattra’s ultimate in densely populated areas. The more enemies you can catch nearby, the longer the ultimate will last.
With a support character pocketing Ramattra to keep him alive when he launches into Annihilation, Ramatra can cause devastating damage against grouped up enemy combatants.
Tips and Tricks
- Void Accelerator is good for picking at enemies from afar.
- It’s best to time the use of Void Barrier since it does not last long and has a pretty long cooldown. Save it to save yourself or a teammate from a dire situation rather than using it defensively and risk not having it when you really need it.
- Pummel can be used to pierce through enemies and barriers, so you can target low-defense healers even if they are hiding behind barriers or tanks.
- Block is best used when your enemy is right in front of you. Wait for an opening and launch a counter-attack. It significantly decreases your movement speed, and your sides and back are still vulnerable to attack, so don’t use it when crowded.
- Ravenous Vortex can be used to ground flying enemies, and it is a good tool to use to try and group up your enemies before triggering Annihilation.
- Annihilation is best used when your opponents are grouped up. Get a healer to help keep you up as well for maximum effectiveness.
Ramattra is a versatile tank since he comes in two forms. However, timing is key. You’ll have to know when it’s best to hang back and use your long-range Omnic Form or when you should push in with your Nemesis Form. Mastering your timing will allow you to bring your Ramatra plays to the next level.