Headshots, or critical hits, are triggered when striking an opponent's head. They double the damage. For example, McCree's Peacekeeper does 70 damage on the body, but 140 damage on the head. The only exception is the scoped shot of Widowmaker's Widow's Kiss (including when deflected by Genji): It has a 2.5x modifier meaning a fully charged bodyshot does 120 damage, while a headshot does 300.
Not all attacks are capable of hitting headshots.
Weapons capable of dealing headshots
- Ashe: The Viper.
- Bastion: Configuration: Recon.
- Baptiste: Biotic Launcher.
- D.Va: Fusion Cannons and Light Gun.
- Doomfist: Hand Cannon.
- Genji: Shuriken and Fan of Blades.
- Deflected shots can also score headshots.
- Hanzo: Storm Bow, Storm Arrows and Sonic Arrow.
- His Dragonstrike is also capable of headshot if it hits the head before the effect is triggered.
- Lúcio: Sonic Amplifier.
- McCree: Peacekeeper.
- Despite the official description, the shots with Deadeye don't actually count as headshots. For example, the ability will deal no damage when the "Headshots only" option is selected in a custom game.
- Mei: Endothermic Blaster secondary fire.
- Mercy: Caduceus Blaster.
- Orisa: Fusion Driver.
- Reaper: Hellfire Shotguns.
- Roadhog: Scrap Gun and Whole Hog.
- Soldier: 76: Heavy Pulse Rifle.
- He is unable to score headshots while Tactical Visor is active, even if you are standing directly above your target.
- Sombra: Machine Pistol.
- Torbjörn: Rivet Gun.
- Tracer: Pulse Pistols.
- Widowmaker: Widow's Kiss Assault and Sniper modes.
- Headshots in Sniper mode have a 2.5x modifier instead of 2x like everyone else.
- Wrecking Ball: Quad Cannons.
- Zenyatta: Orb of Destruction and Orb Volley.