Reaper

Reaper
"Death walks among you."
Real Name	Gabriel Reyes
Age	58
Nationality	American
Occupation	Mercenary
Base	Los Angeles, California, United States (birth place) Unknown
Affiliation	United States military (formerly) Overwatch (formerly) Blackwatch (formerly) Talon (council member)
Voice	Keith Ferguson (English) Jérémie Covillault (French) Torsten Michaelis (German) Oliviero Corbetta (Italian) Ryōta Takeuchi (Japanese) Shin Yong-u (Korean) Duda Ribeiro (Brazilian Portuguese) José Luis Orozco (American Spanish) Iñaki Crespo (European Spanish)
Cosmetics	Cosmetic page
Quotes	Quotation page
Role	Damage
Health	250
Character Video

Reaper is a Damage hero in Overwatch.

Overview

Hellfire Shotguns, the ghostly ability to become immune to damage, and the power to step between shadows make Reaper one of the deadliest beings on Earth.

Abilities

The Reaping

Type

Passive Ability

Reaper steals health from his enemies as he damages them.

Healing:

40% of hero damage dealt

• Details

Ability details:

• Counts all damage from Reaper, even from quick melee or environmental kills.
• Does not give ultimate charge.

Hellfire Shotguns

Type

Weapon

Effect Type

Shotgun

Reaper tears enemies apart with twin shotguns.

Damage:

2.1 - 7 per pellet
42 - 140 per shot

Falloff range:

10 to 20 meters

Headshot:

✓

Rate of fire:

2 shots per second

Bullets per shot:

20 per shot

Ammo:

8

Reload time:

1.5 seconds

Spread angle:

Constant: 20.1 degrees

Example Video

Wraith Form

8 seconds

Type

Ability

Reaper becomes a shadow for a short period of time. While in this form, he takes no damage and is able to pass through enemies, but cannot fire his weapons or use other abilities.

Duration:

Up to 3 seconds

Move. speed:

+50%

• Details

Ability details:

• Reaper is cleansed of status effects and becomes immune to enemy damage and abilities.
• Automatically reloads Hellfire Shotguns to full ammo.
• Can be cancelled early.
• Can be used to take Health Packs.

Example Video

Shadow Step

10 seconds

Type

Ability

After marking a destination, Reaper disappears and reappears at that location.

Cast time:

1.5 seconds

Duration:

2 seconds

Max. range:

35 meters

• Details

Ability details:

• Can be used while Reaper is in the air.
• Reaper is invulnerable when exiting.

Example Video

Death Blossom

Q

2100

Type

Ultimate Ability

In a blur of motion, Reaper empties both Hellfire Shotguns at breakneck speed, dealing massive damage to all nearby enemies.

Damage:

170 per second
510 total

Headshot:

✕

Duration:

3 seconds

Area of effect:

8 meter radius

Move. speed:

-50%

• Details

Ability details:

• Reaper passively generates 1% Ult Charge every 4.20 seconds.
• Automatically reloads Hellfire Shotguns to full ammo.
• Deals 155 damage per second against armor.

Example Video

Strategy

Strength

Reaper is a short-ranged flanker and one of the deadliest heroes in the game up close, with even Tanks like Reinhardt and Roadhog melting under the power of his Hellfire Shotguns. Wraith Form is one of the greatest invulnerability; he can use it to escape or chase the enemies thanks to his increased speed and immediate reload. Shadow Step is another flanking ability, providing enough setup he can use it to move in any location within his line-of-sight. When the main fight begins, Death Blossom can turn the tide of battle when using it in the middle of the fight. Its high constant damage can tear most heroes if they are not prepared. His relative simplicity makes him a good hero for new players, while still remaining deadly in experienced hands.

Weakness

Reaper lacks of in-combat mobility, as his Wraith Form is mainly used to save his life and escape from near-death situation. He works best in close-combat and nearly useless in fighting mid- to- long range due to quick damage falloff and largest spread of his weapon. While Shadow Step is very loud and makes him unable to move for awhile which becomes and easy prey when spotted. His ultimate is easy to be shutdown from stunned or even blocked with friendly barrier. He is good in a team composition or a map that has the fight in close-quarter.

Weapons & Abilities

• The Reaping (Passive): Reaper's sustain ability. As Reaper damages his foes, he receives a portion of the damage he deals back as Health.
  • This provides Reaper with a steady stream of healing, so long as he's in combat. This can help him to survive for long periods of time in areas without many Health Packs.
  • This can provide Reaper with valuable in-combat healing. If up against multiple opponents, aim to damage the targets with the highest Health to maintain your own Health.

• Hellfire Shotguns: Reaper's primary weapon. The primary fire will cause Reaper to alternate shooting his two shotguns, with no secondary fire mode. These shotguns have a wide spread and deal high damage at short range, but have high damage falloff past that range.
  • Hellfire Shotguns deal extremely high damage at short range, allowing Reaper to quickly kill targets that he gets the jump on, especially Tanks with large hitboxes which allows most of the pellets to connect.
  • As the shotguns have high damage falloff, aim to get up close to your enemies so that you can deal the most damage possible.

• Wraith Form: When activated, Reaper assumes a gaseous purple form for a short period of time. While in this form, he is invincible and untargetable by any enemy weapons or abilities and ignores enemy collision. He also moves faster for the duration. However, he cannot attack or use any abilities during this time.
  • This is Reaper's main method of escape. If you suddenly find yourself surrounded by enemies, activate Wraith Form and make a break for the safest location you can find. Offensively it can also be used to chase down enemies due to the speed increase.
  • When timed properly, Reaper can avoid potentially deadly attacks with this ability, such as Roadhog's Chain Hook or McCree's Flashbang. Try to anticipate your enemy's attacks and use Wraith Form before they hit.
  • Using Wraith Form will remove Zenyatta's Orb Of Discord as well as Tracer's Pulse Bomb. It will also remove the effect of Ana's Biotic Grenade and Widowmaker's Venom Mine.
  • Luring the enemy to waste some strong attack by staying close to them and using Wraith Form to avoid it such as Roadhog's Hook or McCree's Flashbang. Once they lose it, cancel Wraith Form early and attack them on point-blank range. Remember that your shotguns will be fully reloaded upon using this ability.

• Shadow Step: When activated, Reaper will switch to a targeting mode, allowing him to select a point within his line of sight to Shadow Step to. Once he finds a suitable point, he can press the primary fire button to teleport to the target location after a short delay.
  • This is Reaper's main method of flanking. Use Shadow Step to get to higher ground or behind enemy lines without having to travel there directly.
  • Note that Reaper is immobile and cannot use weapons or abilities while using Shadow Step. He is also a completely vulnerable to attack at the target location while the teleportation completes. Try to only Shadow Step from and to a safe position, as you otherwise make an easy target.
  • Shadow Step's voice line is loud enough where he can be heard from a considerable distance away. Be careful when using it as a flank method, make sure that the enemy won't hear his approach.

• Death Blossom (Ultimate): Reaper's Ultimate ability. When activated, Reaper begins to fire his shotguns in a large area-of-effect (AoE) around himself, dealing massive damage to all nearby enemies that are within his line of sight for a short period of time. His movement speed is slowed for the duration, and he cannot use normal attacks or abilities. This is a channeled ability, and stuns will immediately end Death Blossom's effect.
  • One of the deadliest Ultimates in the game against a stacked enemy team. Look for opportunities where your opponents are clumped together and where you can silently approach to unleash Death Blossom.
  • Death Blossom's damage is treated in much the same way as Hellfire Shotguns, meaning that it will be blocked by barriers, D.Va's Defense Matrix, and solid objects as well as enemy players themselves. Try to make sure that your opponents don't have a corner they can duck behind when you activate Death Blossom, or you may end up wasting your Ultimate.
  • The ability always checks line-of-sight on each hero to deal damage instead of spreading the same damage output around. When there are more targets behind the barrier, all of the shots will be put on the barrier which will greatly break it apart. When standing behind friendly target, the first target that blocks line-of-sight for his/her teammates will receive all damage based on how many the targets behinds him.
  • Remember that heroes with stuns, like McCree and Roadhog, can interrupt your Ultimate. Be cautious about using Death Blossom around them if their stuns are off cooldown.

General Strategies

• Reaper's high damage output makes him a great counter to durable characters like Winston or Roadhog. Consider using Reaper if up against multiple Tanks.

• Reaper is usually not effective as a straightforward Assault hero like Pharah or Soldier: 76. Instead, use a combination of Shadow Step and side routes to carefully maneuver behind your opponents so that you can ambush them with your Hellfire Shotguns. Having good knowledge of each map and learning where Reaper can use Shadow Step effectively greatly increases his usefulness. Don't be afraid to spend time in a Custom Game on each of the maps finding out where Shadow Step can take you.

• Try to focus your gameplay around Wraith Form's cooldown. When Wraith Form is off cooldown, you can afford to play more aggressively, since you have it available to escape if needed. When Wraith Form is on cooldown, play more defensively and don't take unnecessary risks.

• When flanking, look to pick off lone targets rather than charging straight into a group (unless Death Blossom is available). While Reaper is more durable than other flankers, his lack of in-combat mobility means that he relies solely on Wraith Form to escape, and its short duration means that enemy heroes can follow and kill you easily if you're too far away from your own team.

• It can be tempting to use Death Blossom when at low health, since this would remove the sources of the damage you're taking. Never do this. The enemy team will focus on you as soon as you use it, and Death Blossom ends immediately when Reaper dies.

• When ambushing with Death Blossom, look for ledges or other raised areas that you can leap off of to get into the middle of the enemy team before activating your Ultimate. Always use the element of surprise in your favor.

• When Reaper reloads, his magazine refills very quickly after reloading - roughly at the point Reaper fully releases his shotguns and they fall from his view - meaning you don't have to finish the animation. Taking an action other than firing (entering Wraith Form, using a quick melee attack, etc.) at the moment the ammo counter shows a full magazine of 8/8 allows for less time watching a useless animation and a faster response time, which is helpful against targets such as Reinhardt and Roadhog who can kill you while you are vulnerable reloading.

Match-Ups and Team Synergy

Tank

Hero	Match-Up	Team Synergy
D.Va	While D.Va will struggle to kill you, she can be annoying to deal with. Her Defense Matrix will force you to either waste shots or waste time, and it can block all the damage from Death Blossom. D.Va can also easily escape with her Boosters should the fight turn against her, making her difficult to kill. In a sustained fight with her, though, you will usually come out on top; if you can wait out the duration of her Defense Matrix and catch her while Boosters is on cooldown, you can rip through her health with a few accurate shots. You can also use Wraith Form to either flee from a poor engagement or to quickly reload and finish D.Va's Mech off before she can use Boosters or Defense Matrix. If you destroy her Mech, try to quickly kill her Pilot form before she can escape; while she can be easily dispatched at close range, she'll have you beat at long range with her accurate and powerful Light Pistol.	(To be added)
Orisa	(To be added)	(To be added)
Reinhardt	While you and Reinhardt both prefer to fight at close range, your massive damage output and self-healing will make it almost impossible for Reinhardt to kill you without a well-aimed Charge or Earthshatter. If Reinhardt is attempting to hit you with his hammer, you can easily stay just outside its range and attack away with your shotguns; if he chooses instead to lift his barrier, just walk through it and shoot him point blank. If you anticipate an oncoming Charge, have Wraith Form at the ready to dodge it.	(To be added)
Roadhog	Be wary of Roadhog's hook combo, as it can kill you if you're not careful. Barring this, a fight with Roadhog is a fight of positioning and attrition, as you both deal your best damage at close range and you both have self-heal abilities. If you avoid his Chain Hook, though, your massive damage should be able to rip through him before he has time to use it again. Roadhog can totally shut down Death Blossom with a well-placed hook, so be wary of him when using it.	(To be added)
Sigma	(To be added)	(To be added)
Wrecking Ball	(To be added)	(To be added)
Winston	With a massive body, slow movement and weak weapon, Winston is one of your weakest opponents. Watch where Winston jumps, and if he lands close enough to chase down, don't hesitate to use Wraith Form to catch up to him and finish him off. If Winston is trying to heckle your weaker teammates, stick close to them and you'll prove to be a massive deterrent. If Winston activates Primal Rage, you can try to gun him down as he'll have difficulty killing you with his weak punches; just be wary of any nearby cliffs, as he can send you flying to your doom with little means to save yourself.	(To be added)
Zarya	With well-timed shots and usage of Wraith Form, you can wait out Zarya's energy barrier. If you're not careful, though, Zarya's barriers on herself and her team can absorb your high damage to power her up. While you can burst down Zarya's barriers instead of waiting them out, this puts you at risk of a high-energy Zarya. If she (or the ally she's protecting) is at low health, it may be worth it to run through the barrier, otherwise it would be better to wait it out so Zarya doesn't get her massive charge. One on one, you should have little difficulty dealing with Zarya, but if Zarya is with a group, you shouldn't engage without support.	While you have high damage output, you're not particularly fast, meaning it can be difficult to avoid oncoming fire. A friendly Zarya barrier can free you up to lay waste to your opponents, all while making your Zarya stronger should your opponents choose to attack you. A group of enemies clustered with Graviton Surge can serve as easy pickings for Death Blossom, or even simply for some point-blank shotgun fire.

Damage

Hero	Match-Up	Team Synergy
Ashe	(To be added)	(To be added)
Bastion	As with most heroes, Bastion will tear you apart if you're caught out in the open. However, you can use Shadow Step to easily get behind Bastion and unload into him.	(To be added)
Doomfist	(To be added)	(To be added)
Genji	Genji can easily stay out of your effective range and if he ends up too close he can use his Deflect to send your shots back at you. However, he doesn't necessarily have the killing power to put you down, and can't get into point-blank range for long enough to use Fan of Blades for obvious reasons.	(To be added)
Hanzo	While Reaper can quickly dispatch Hanzo if you can get close, Hanzo's Storm Arrows can run through you at close distances. At any sort of significant range, Hanzo has the clear advantage, as his arrows work just fine at range while Reaper's damage rapidly declines. Worse, Hanzo's Sonic Arrow can reveal you if you try to sneak around. While it is often the case that Reaper can survive an encounter with Hanzo by using Wraith Form, it is best to avoid engagement with Hanzo unless you can get the drop on him.	(To be added)
Junkrat	A lot of Junkrat's strategies are foiled by Wraith Form. You can phase right through chokepoints flooded with grenades, Steel Trap and Total Mayhem, albeit at the cost of your escape mechanism. You will likely win at close range, unless Junkrat has his Concussion Mine off cooldown, which can cause problems.	(To be added)
File:Icon-mccree.png McCree	McCree destroys close range heroes with his infamous Flashbang + Fan the Hammer combo, and the primary fire on his Peacekeeper far exceeds that of Reaper's Hellfire Shotguns. Sneak around McCree and try to deal with him with point-blank headshots.	(To be added)
Mei	Since you can avoid getting frozen by Mei with Wraith Form and you tear her apart when within range of her Endothermic Blaster, she will struggle to deal with you. However, Mei's walls can both spoil your approach as well as prevent you from retreating with Wraith Form. At range, Mei has a clear advantage with her Icicles. Mei also has Cyro-Freeze to save herself when at low health or to stall and wait for her allies to arrive. Your heavy damage can sometimes kill her before she realizes she's in danger, particularly with a close-range head shot.	(To be added)
Pharah	Pharah can stay far out of your reach and fire rockets down on you. You will be forced to retreat unless Pharah drops to the ground, where you will have a much better time dealing with her.	(To be added)
Reaper	Reaper vs Reaper simply comes down to who kills who first. Aim for the head and be ready to activate Wraith Form should the fight go sour.	(To be added)
Soldier: 76	Soldier: 76 will win if he maintains his distance and fires in short, quick bursts, using his Helix Rockets to quickly finish you off before he has a chance to escape with Wraith Form. Up close though, Reaper is much more likely to win, as 76's damage doesn't increase up close unlike his.	(To be added)
Sombra	A Hack from Sombra can keep you on ground without Wraith Form to flee from or pursue her and her team. Her Hack and EMP will also stop Death Blossom mid-use, blinding your action in the team fight. However, you have more firepower to use against Sombra and a large amount of health. Even if hacked, in a 1 on 1 situation you should be able to handle Sombra at close range.	(To be added)
Symmetra	Symmetra Photon Projector has high damage output just like your Hellfire Shotguns, but her health is 200 compared to your 250, and at point blank range you should be able to outdamage her even if her weapon is powered up. Should you spot her turrets, a single shot should be able to take them out. If caught off guard by multiple turrets, though, it may be wiser to use Wraith Form to fall back and heal before going back in to take the turrets out. A well-timed Photon Barrier can block all of the damage from Death Blossom, so be wary.	(To be added)
Torbjörn	Torbjörn, much like Reaper, has a powerful shotgun-like attack with his Rivet Gun. A well-placed Turret can annoy you, as you will be able to do little to it while at long range, while safely flanking it could cost you the use of your Wraith Form. Torbjorn's Overload can save him from Death Blossom. If Torbjörn's teammates aren't nearby, however, you shouldn't hesitate to flank his turret, as even when fighting both the turret and him, your massive damage output and self-heal should keep you alive long enough to kill him and his turret. Just watch your health when choosing which target to take down first, as The Reaping won't activate when damaging Torbjörn's turret, only Torbjörn himself.	(To be added)
Tracer	Tracer and Reaper both thrive in close-range combat, but while Tracer has mobility, you have higher firepower. Just one good shot will kill Tracer if immediately followed by a quick melee, and Tracer's Recall won't serve her much good due to how quickly you can put out damage. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you should play Reaper specifically to counter Tracer. You will only win if Tracer keeps fighting in close range with poor Blink usage. If she's attacking you from a safe middle distance, try to regroup with your team, where she'll have more difficulty picking you off.	(To be added)
Widowmaker	Widowmaker is capable of staying far outside your range and picking you off in one headshot. She can use her Venom Mine to watch out for when you are trying to flank her, and her Grappling Hook is just as much a tool for getting her out of danger as it is getting her into a fight. However, if you can successfully catch her off guard, you can very easily dispatch her with a point-blank headshot.	When Infra-Sights is active, you can get a better of view of any lone enemies who can fall victim to your ambush.

Support

Hero	Match-Up	Team Synergy
Ana	Ana will normally be far out of your range, and should you attempt to get close, she can use her Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade to keep you away, if not outright kill you. However, she doesn't have a reliable escape option like Widowmaker or other Support characters do. If attempting to flank her, be wary of her Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade, and use Wraith Form to dodge them if need be. If you can evade these tools and her teammates aren't nearby, you should have no difficulty ripping through her. Bear in mind that when affected by Biotic Grenade, The Reaping will no longer heal you. If you're in a group fight and you are hit by Biotic Grenade, it may be better to avoid combat, as without your usual self-healing, beefier enemies may be able to kill you before you can kill them. Beware of Ana when using Death Blossom, as an accurate Sleep Dart can shut you down.	While you will have a tendency to want to flank your opponents, it's important to keep an eye on where your Ana is; not only will she rely on you to deal with harassing threats such as Winston and Wrecking Ball, she also won't be able to heal you unless you're in her line of sight. If affected by a friendly Biotic Grenade, all sources of healing will be magnified; this includes The Reaping, so you can be braver for a period of time with less risk of getting killed should you put out significant damage. You are a reasonable target for Nano-Boost, especially if you combine it with Death Blossom, which can rip through even the sturdiest of barriers to slaughter a group of enemies.
Baptiste	(To be added)	If you feel the need for additional security when using Death Blossom, you can request a friendly Baptiste to throw his Immortality Field your way. This will keep you safe for the duration of your Ultimate, and can help rip through hunkered down enemies that would normally kill you before you can kill them, such as a Bastion set up with an Orisa and Baptiste.
Brigitte	(To be added)	As you and Brigitte both benefit from close-quarters engagements, it's in the best interests of both of you to stick together; her Inspire will keep you constantly healed, while you will be able to fend off any flankers as well as large targets that stand in your way. This strategy is best suited for traveling through tight indoor spaces, though, as out in the open you're both at the mercy of long-range attackers such as Widowmaker or McCree.
Lúcio	With his Speed Boost and Soundwave, Lúcio can keep you away from his team, severely dampening your potential to finish him and his allies off. Sound Barrier can also be used to mitigate a large portion of the damage from Death Blossom, so try to keep track of whether Lúcio has it ready, and if he does, attempt to bait it out before using Death Blossom. On the plus side, because Lúcio relies on keeping his teammates close, this can makes them unwitting fodder for Death Blossom should you catch them when Sound Barrier isn't ready.	Lúcio's Speed Boost can improve your slow walking speed, which can help you keep up with and kill fleeing enemies.
Mercy	Mercy is practically defenseless against Reaper. Be wary of Guardian Angel, though, as she can use it as an emergency escape to get away from your standard attacks, or even to avoid a Death Blossom.	Mercy's damage boost can improve the healing you receive from The Reaping, effectively giving you both a damage boost and a health boost. When you activate Death Blossom, it may be wise for a courageous Mercy to keep her damage boost on you, which can help you run through the enemy team with greater ease.
Moira	(To be added)	As Moira's healing requires her allies to be close by, try not to lose sight of her, or in the very least be ready to return to her when disengaging from the enemy team.
Zenyatta	Depending on the skill of both parties, Zenyatta can be an even match-up against you. While his mobility is low, he has a significant range advantage as well as the ability to amplify his damage on you with Orb of Discord. While Wraith Form will dispel Orb of Discord, Zenyatta can instantly reapply it when you rematerialize. Even at point blank range, an accurate Zenyatta may be able to land consecutive boosted headshots on you before you can finish him off, and in an emergency Zenyatta can activate Transcendence to save himself and to regroup with his team. Your best bet against Zenyatta is to catch him by surprise and flank him before he has a chance to call allies for support. Zenyatta's Transcendence can completely negate all of the damage from Death Blossom, so try to either bait Transcendence out first or kill Zenyatta before activating Death Blossom.	If you stay within Zenyatta's line of sight, Orb of Harmony can keep you sufficiently healthy to allow you to stand your ground and attack opponents, while Orb of Discord can help you quickly run through enemies one after the other.

Story

“	Death walks among you.	„
	~ Reaper

Due to experiments carried out by Doctor Moira O'Deorain, Reaper's cells simultaneously decay and regenerate at a hyper-accelerated rate. Even after the complete destruction of his body, Reaper has been observed to retain some kind of form as a black mist, apparently able to regain physical form at a later point.

Pre-Omnic Crisis

Reyes as "Soldier: 24"

The man who would later be known as Reaper was originally known as Gabriel Reyes. He was born in Los Angeles. Prior to the Omnic Crisis, he joined the United States military, where he achieved a senior officer position. He achieved veteran status, and was highly respected.

Reyes earned a coveted position in the government's controversial and still-classified (but widely acknowledged) "soldier enhancement program." Military scientists shaped Reyes and other inductees into the perfect soldiers, blessed with superhuman speed, strength, and agility. Similar to Jack Morrison being referred to as Soldier: 76, during the soldier enhancement program, Reyes was referred to as Soldier: 24.

Overwatch

The Omnic Crisis

Reyes during the Omnic Crisis

Reyes and his fellow augmented soldiers soon put their abilities to use with the advent of the Omnic Crisis. As governments tried and failed to neutralize the omnics, the United Nations was busy forming an international task force called Overwatch. This small, experimental group would bring together the best and brightest from around the world to wage asymmetrical warfare against the robots. Overwatch's short list of prospective agents included two members of the soldier enhancement program: Reyes and Jack Morrison from rural Indiana, whose work ethic and courage caught the eye of the military brass back home. Reyes and Morrison became fast friends, despite their different backgrounds, and decided to join Overwatch together. Reyes was given leadership of the group, but it was Morrison who would have a greater impact on the group in the long term. He brought out the best in the people around him and helped mold Overwatch's diverse (and sometimes conflicting) agents into a cohesive fighting force.

Alongside Morrison and Ana Amari, Reyes took part in an operation at Rio de Janeiro. By this stage, the burden of leadership was beginning to get to him.

In unity, they found the strength to defeat the robots and end the Omnic Crisis. Morrison, because of the key role he played in shaping the group, was given the position of strike commander by the UN, the first, official commanding officer of Overwatch. Reyes was overlooked due to being "too rogue," along with his maverick leadership style. Despite losing his rank, he was relieved that Morrison was given the position, preferring to be the number 2 rather than hold the more political position. Morrison told Reyes that they made the wrong choice, that Reyes should have been in charge, but regardless, Morrison retained the position.

At some point after the Crisis, Reyes started a family.

Blackwatch

Reyes became the commander of Overwatch's Blackwatch unit. After a sting operation that resulted in the apprehension of Jesse McCree (a member of the Deadlock Gang, Reyes visited the man, as he was impressed with his expert marksmanship and resourcefulness. Reyes gave McCree the choice between rotting in a maximum security prison, or joining Blackwatch. McCree chose the latter. Reyes gave him personal instruction.

At some point, Reyes and Gerard Lacroix partook in an operation in Cape Town, where Lacroix apparently saved Reyes, though Reyes remained mute on what actually happened (though in recollection, apparently found the experience amusing).

Another individual that Reyes recruited into Blackwatch was disgraced geneticist Moira O'Deorain, as he wanted someone who could advise him on genetics. O'Deorain's experiments on Reyes gave him supernatural abilities he would later demonstrate as "Reaper."

A Growing Rift

Reyes on Halloween

At least for a time Reyes remained on good terms with the rest of the team. On one Halloween, he dressed up as a pumpkin-headed monster, bursting through the door as Reinhardt was telling a Halloween story. Angela Ziegler and Torbjörn gave praise to his costume, with Ziegler asking him if he'd be open to designing their official uniforms. He responded "that'll be the day."

As time time went on, the tension between Reyes and Morrison worsened, even though Morrison spent a lot of time defending Reyes's more questionable actions.

Retribution

Rome

“	Our enemies think they can get away with this. They think Overwatch has limits to how far it will go to protect the world...because it follows a system of rules that Talon doesn't play by. But what they don't realize is...I don't play by those rules either.	„
	~ Gabriel Reyes

Reyes deep in thought

Nine years before the present day, Talon appeared on Overwatch's radar. One year later, Reyes was in Rome's new Blackwatch facility alongside McCree to meet up with Gérard Lacroix, who was spearheading anti-Talon operations. Lacroix briefed them on Antonio, a Talon arms dealer who had links with the Italian government, and who was also behind a recent attack on Overwatch's Oslo facilities. Antonio was holed up in a compound in Venice. McCree was all for a "road trip," but Lacroix pointed out that Antonio was too well connected, and planned to play the long game in bringing Antonio to justice. Reyes agreed with Lacroix, and left the building with McCree. Seconds after exiting, the building was destroyed in an explosion set by a Talon agent. Reyes and McCree rushed into the burning rubble to save whoever they could find, with Reyes pulling out Lacroix.

Reyes was shaken by the event. Lacroix survived, and Ziegler informed him that he would make a full recovery, but at least 14 other agents and personnel weren't as lucky. At Overwatch Headquarters, he discussed the issue with Morrison as they placed Overwatch flags on the coffins, with Morrison stating that they'd launch an official investigation. Reyes stated that Morrison's approach of "by the book" wasn't working, and that Antonio would weasel his way out of any proceedings launched at him. He told Morrison that he wanted to apprehend Antonio to interrogate him, but Morrison pointed out that if such an operation was sanctioned, it would be a violation of Italy's sovereignty, and would erode the public trust in Overwatch. Reyes agreed that officially Morrison could never do so, but Blackwatch could get it done with no one the wiser. Morrison left the final choice with Reyes, but asked him to seriously consider if it would help Overwatch keep the world safe in the long run.

After silently thinking things over at Lacroix's bedside, Reyes decided to go ahead with the op, with himself, McCree, O'Deorain, and Genji Shimada taking the "road trip" that McCree had suggested back in Rome. Reyes planned to snatch Antonio from Venice for a few days of interrogation, and use what he knew of Talon to hit the organization hard.

Rialto

“	You sure you want to hear about this Jack? You haven't left me much choice. Whatever happened to plausible deniability? Little late for that.	„
	~ Reyes and Morrison in the debriefing

Reyes fights his way through Talon's forces

Arriving in Venice, Reyes and his team used the safehouse there and set up survaillance on Antonio's manor. It was heavily guarded by Talon soldiers, but when night fell, the unit moved in. The initial plan was to go in quietly, and in that, they succeeded, stealthily making their way to Antonio's office. Antonio however, was unfazed, calling Reyes by name. He pointed out that Overwatch abducting a "respected businessman" would be a public relations nightmare, and even if they did take him, Antonio's "friends" would have him released within the week. Reyes, after some thought, said "you're right," and shot Antonio, sending his body flying out the office window, much to the constenation of McCree. This alerted the guards to their presence, and the Blackwatch team had to fight their way out of the manor. As they fought, Reyes and McCree continued to verbally spar over Reyes's actions. O'Deorain however, stated that Reyes had done the right thing. Reyes stated that he'd never apologised for anything before, and that he didn't intend to start now—someone had to get things done.

Reyes is debriefed

The team succeeded in escaping the manor. In the aftermath, Morrison was incensed by Reyes's actions; the attack was reported in the press, and the existence of Blackwatch had been made public. Reyes was debriefed by Morrison, Ana Amari, and a recovered Lacroix. Morrison grilled Reyes in the debriefing, demanding to know what had actually happened. Reyes snidely responded to Morrison's demands, but nonetheless recounted the Rialto mission. In his debrief, he pointed out that things don't always go according to plan, and stood by the decisions he had made.

Uprising

“	Sounds like the Brits have the situation under control. Ever the hero, Gabriel. I'm not the one with the statue.	„
	~ Reyes and Ana Amari

Reyes during the King's Row Uprising

Seven years before the present day, Reyes and Morrison attended a briefing on the King's Row Uprising in Overwatch's headquarters. During the briefing, Blackwatch agent McCree reported on a developing hostage situation occurring at a power plant, despite the prime minister of England's demands that Overwatch remain out of the crisis. Angered by the breach of protocol, Reyes shrugged off Jack's accusing finger, stating that McCree was merely on "vacation," and that he was not tied down by the statute. He left the command room, stating that the Brits had this under control, snidely drawing reference to Morrison's statue in the headquarters's courtyard.

The following day, a strike team sent in by Morrison arrived in King's Row. Reyes informed them that Blackwatch assets had reported that Null Sector had set up heavy fortifications, and they had tactical control of the area. Null Sector was defeated, but the events that transpired were classified within Overwatch's archives.

Reflections

After Ana disappeared in an operation conducted in Poland, Reyes assigned McCree to find her. However, Overwatch was unable to find her.

The End of Overwatch

Ultimately, Overwatch met its end through a combination of accusations that tainted the organization's reputation, and Reyes himself. Officially, Reyes and Morrison were killed in the blast that destroyed Overwatch's Swiss headquarters, an event the UN ruled as an accident. In reality, Overwatch had become split down the middle, with Reyes leading a rebellion against Morrison's leadership. As a battle was waged within the base, their fighting triggered an explosion that destroyed the facility, and apparently took Reyes and Morrison into the inferno with it. He had somehow survived the incident, however. To this day, Reyes's true agenda remains unknown. He blames Morrison for what had happened to him, and he didn't believe that his former friend had perished in the blast. He set out on a personal crusade to find Morrison and finish what had begun in Switzerland.

Reaper

“	Some speak of a black-robed terrorist known only as the Reaper. His identity and motives are a mystery. What is known is that where he appears, death follows.	„
	~ Character description

Reyes, now known as "Reaper"

Reyes resurfaced as a volatile mercenary known as "Reaper." His identity and motives remained unknown. Now a ruthless and remorseless killer, he was responsible for terrorist attacks throughout the world. He fought in many armed conflicts throughout the 6 years since the blast, showing no loyalty to any cause or organization. Survivors described him as a black shadow ghosting unscathed through the most hellish battlefields. The few bodies recovered of his victims were pale, empty husks drained of life, their cells showing signs of intense degradation. It was speculated that Reaper was a byproduct of failed genetic alteration which forced his cells to simultaneously decay and regenerate at a hyper-accelerated rate.

Those attempting to track his movements began to see a pattern in his appearances. They believed (correctly) that Reaper was hunting former Overwatch agents and systematically eliminating them. This was indeed the case, as Reaper carried a list of Overwatch agents that he intended on eliminating.

Watchpoint: Gibraltar

“	I'll be sure to send them your regards, monkey.	„
	~ Reaper to Winston

Reaper accesses the Overwatch database

Alongside Talon operatives, Reaper entered Watchpoint: Gibraltar in an effort to gain a list of Overwatch agents. The Talon soldiers kept Winston occupied long enough for Reaper to begin downloading the agent database, but soon found themselves overpowered, forcing Reaper to enter the fray. He quickly incapacitated Winston, and mocked the ape that he'd send his fellow agents his regards. Winston stunned Reaper by activating a shield device that detonated, and then used his Tesla Cannon on Reaper, incinerating him. Yet despite this, a cloud of black mist was seen leaving the base awhile later.

In truth, Reaper not only survived Winston's cannon, but had managed to gain access to a portion of the database. He used the data to eliminate a number of Overwatch agents.

Doomfist's Gauntlet

“	Die.	„
	~ Reaper

Reaper advances on Winston

Having regained physical form, Reaper teamed up with Widowmaker in order to steal Doomfist's gauntlet, but was hampered by former Overwatch agents Tracer and Winston. While he initially held the advantage, breaking Winston's glasses was enough to send the ape into a berserk fury, and Reaper and Widowmaker were forced to retreat without the device, having been used by a bystander to punch Widowmaker which ended up damaging the gauntlet, their foes hot on their heels.

Old Soldiers

“	They left you to die. They left me to suffer...Never forget that.	„
	~ Reaper's parting words

Reaper gets the drop on Morrison

Reaper was present in Egypt while Hakim was trying to set a trap for Morrison, now waging a one-man war as "Soldier: 76." Hakim's compound came under attack by Morrison, though Reaper managed to get the jump on his old nemesis, shooting him in the back. Before he could finish off Morrison, he was interrupted by Ana Amari, another former Overwatch operative. She healed Morrison through her biotic rifle, and Reaper and Morrison engaged in a fist fight. Reaper was again able to incapacitate Morrison, and engaged in a dual with Ana, bitterly commenting that he shouldn't be surprised, that Ana had always taken Jack's side during their days in Overwatch. In the fight, Ana pulled off his mask, revealing his identity as Gabriel Reyes, and his disfigured face. Reaper faded away, commenting that Overwatch had left him to die, and that Ana should never forget what happened to him.

Infiltration

Going in guns blazing

Reaper worked with Widowmaker and Sombra in a mission to assassinate Katya Volskaya, the CEO of Volskaya Industries, on the orders of Vialli. Sombra hacked the site's systems, allowing Reaper to bypass the factory's defenses and get within striking distance of the target, though it would be Widowmaker who would take the shot. The operation went awry when an alarm was sounded, and Widowmaker missed her shot in the commotion. Reaper ordered her to hold the perimeter while he entered the factory, guns blazing, killing numerous guards. He was confronted by a mech, which temporarily incapacitated him, and he ordered that Sombra take out the target. Reaper was able to reduce the mech to a pile of scrap, but Sombra reported that Katya had escaped. Furious, Reaper ordered that the agents return to the ship. He walked off, throwing away his shotguns in frustration.

In truth, Sombra had let Volskaya live, in an attempt to gain leverage over her due to her dealings with the omnics. Reaper later developed suspicions about her actions with Volskaya, possibly learning the truth in its entirety.

Reflections

Reaper stalks the family

At Christmas, Reaper stalked a family down the streets through the rain. The family was not randomly chosen by him.

Prison Break

“	You're late.	„
	~ Reaper to Doomfist, upon the latter's escape

Reaper and Doomfist escape the HSI facility

Reaper was able to gain access to a Helix Securities maximum security prison, using an aircraft that was able to penetrate the base's defenses, likely due to Talon moles within Helix. Once inside the base's perimeter, Reaper headed to the prison grounds. He killed over a dozen of the base's security agents, before breaking out Doomfist, as well as possibly other inmates.

Masquerade

“	Targets neutralized.	„
	~ Reaper, after killing Vialli's men

Reaper kills Vialli's men

Away from the base, Doomfist and Reaper discussed recent Talon operations, such as the assassination of Mondatta, and the failed assassination of Volskaya. He discussed his list with Doomfist, and how Morrison and Ana were still on it. When asked if that was due to sentimentality on his part, Reaper denied it. He helped set Doomfist up with Maximilien in Monaco, where Vialli sent some of his men to assassinate Doomfist. The attempt failed, and Reaper, along with Doomfist, Widowmaker, and Sombra, headed for Venice. There, they killed Vialli's men, while Doomfist killed Vialli himself. Afterwards, Doomfist and Reaper met with Talon's inner council, where Doomfist declared his intention to start a war.

Achievements

Name	Icon	Waste Not, Want Not	Reward
Waste Not, Want Not		Get 3 solo kills with a single clip of Reaper's shotguns in Quick or Competitive Play.	Pixel
Die Die Die... Die		Kill 4 enemies with a single use of Reaper's Death Blossom in Quick or Competitive play.	Cute

Trivia

The Reaper statue

• Reapers are a type of unit in Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft series. Like Reaper himself, they dual-wield firearms and wear masks.

• A statue of Reaper was present at GamesCom 2015.

• A Reaper portrait is available in StarCraft II for those who purchase the Origins Edition.

• Reaper bears resemblance to the Grim Reaper, from various real-world cultures.

• Reaper's stance bears resemblance to the Diablo III antagonist Malthael.

• Reaper's face mask's design is similar to the Blackwatch logo as well as his emblem, possibly to highlight that he was the leader of the group or they all symbolize an owl which represents death.

• It is possible for Reaper to one hit kill every hero except Bastion and tanks.

• Reaper wears bandoliers of grenade shells

• Reaper's reload animation is possibly a reference to the lobby shootout scene from The Matrix.

• Reaper's guns open up when fired on all of his skins and on his default sets have vents on the outside that say "🔺Caution" with the red arrow pointing to them as well as a glowing red switch that's always set to "OFF" as it says. Similarly his set of shotguns on his Soldier: 24 skin say "◀ Caution Moving Part" on them.

• Reaper's guns actually have different words on them for each set of skins such as:
  • Default sets say "RPNT", "RPNT MK6", "MN 666-SHGX1", and "WTL-Type 8 Devil Chamber"
  • Blackwatch Reyes say "BLK001"
  • Plague Doctor and Nevermore say "CRW-ND"
  • Biker say "Speed Fang", "T4", and "REAPER"
  • Soldier: 24 say "RVGR" and "US ADVANCED MILITARY ARMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE ALLOY SUPERFOIL TYPE-24"

• Death Blossom might be a reference to
  • a weapon used in the 1984 movie The Last Starfighter named Death Blossom.
  • Katarina from League of Legends, whose ultimate "Death Lotus" behaves similarly.
  • Strafe, an ability for the Demon Hunter class from Diablo III, another Blizzard title.
  • the art of Gun-kata from the movie Equilibrium.
  • a military term used to describe a group of men firing wildly in all directions surrounding the group.

• The "CRW-ND" written on Plague Doctor and Nevermore skins' guns might be a reference to "crowning", a technique from the game Left 4 Dead that involves focusing the devastating fire of a shotgun in point blank range on the Witch, a very high health enemy, essentially killing her before she can react - this being a reference to Reaper's tank busting abilities.
  • It may be a play on the gaming term "owned", crossed with the skins' "crow" theme ("crow-ned", rather than "crown-ed").

• Reaper's Pumpkin skin is shown on the poster of The Reapening.

• According to Reaper's dog tag on his Soldier: 24 skin his blood type is AB Negative, his soldier ID number is 06 0000 0024, and he has no religion.

• Contradictory information exists as to the nature of Reaper and Morrison's relationship. An Atlas News post in 2015 stated that Morrison becoming head of Overwatch was the source of the rift between them. In 2018, Jeff Kaplan stated that there was no rift, that Reyes was happy for Morrison to have the more political role and be "number two," as there would be less accountability.

• Reaper was a big basketball and football fan. His favourite team was the L.A Lakers.

Merchandise

• A Funko Pop Reaper figurine was released in June, 2016.

• A 12" Reaper statue was made available in 2017.

• A Figma Reaper statue will ship from Blizzard in 2019.

Development

The Reaper class from Project Titan

Reaper Pumpkin skin concept art

Prior to the development of Overwatch, Reaper was the name of one of the player classes in the cancelled Project Titan, which in the original pitch for the game that would become Overwatch was envisioned as wielding dual shotguns and a magnum, and using the abilities Death Blossom and Shadow Walk. This class was reworked into the present day Reaper as one of the first three characters designed for Overwatch, alongside Tracer and Widowmaker. The character of Reaper was inspired entirely by concept art for the game—his actual character was developed after his appearance was presented. Under Overwatch's original leveling system, Reaper's wraith form would give him healing abilities once he reached a certain level. Reaper once had a slimmer design with a mask that was more human looking and dual wielded SMGs.

External links

• Official Site - Reaper
• Reaper Guide on Icy Veins