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Sigma


Sigma

"There is no obligation for the Universe to make sense to you."

Real Name
Siebren de Kuiper
Status
Active
Age
62
Nationality
Netherlands Dutch
Occupation
Astrophysicist
Base
The Hague, Netherlands (formerly)
Affiliation
Talon
Boris Hiestand (English)
Quotes
Quotation page
Role
Tank
Health
300 (Open queue)
450 (Role queue)
Shields
100

Sigma is an upcoming Tank hero in Overwatch.

Overview

Sigma is an eccentric astrophysicist and volatile tank who gained the power to control gravity in an orbital experiment gone wrong. Manipulated by Talon and deployed as a living weapon, Sigma’s presence on the battlefield cannot be ignored.

Abilities

Hyperspheres
Key mouse 1
Hero-ability-circle
IconTBA
Type
Weapon
Effect Type
Splash projectiles
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Sigma launches two gravitic charges, which bounce off walls and implode after a short duration, damaging enemies within a sizable radius.
Damage:
2 charges per shot, each:
60 damage
10.5 - 35 splash damage
2.625 - 8.75 self damage
Headshot:
Rate of fire:
2 charges per 1.5 seconds, ~0.15 seconds between charges
Ammo:
Max. range:
20 meters
Area of effect:
3 meter explosion radius
Projectile speed:
50 meters per second

Ability details:
  • Bounces off walls.
  • Projectile is slightly affected by gravity.
  • Enemies hurt by the explosion will be slightly pulled towards the center.


Experimental Barrier
Hero-ability-circle
IconTBA
5 seconds after being destroyed
Type
Ability
Sigma propels a floating barrier to a location of his choosing. He can dismiss the barrier at any time.
Damage:
Regenerates 175 shields per second, after being down for 2 seconds
Health:
1500 shields
Cast time:
0.2 seconds
Duration:
Until destroyed or cancelled
Max. range:
Area of effect:
4 meters at the poles, curves to 6 meters in the middle
Projectile speed:
16.5 meters per second

Ability details:
  • Upon activation, the barrier moves forward by holding down the ability key and stops when released.
  • The barrier can be removed by pressing the ability key again, keeping all its remaining health.
  • Walls only block the barrier's path if the center of the barrier is blocked.


Kinetic Grasp
Hero-ability-circle
IconTBA
15 seconds
Type
Ability
Sigma freezes incoming projectiles in midair, converting them into shields.
Health:
1/3 of damage absorbed is converted to temporary shields (max. 400)
Duration:
2 seconds

Ability details:



Accretion
Hero-ability-circle
IconTBA
10 seconds
Type
Ability
Effect Type
Splash projectile
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Sigma gathers a mass of debris and flings it at an enemy to knock them down.
Damage:
80 damage
15 - 50 splash and self damage
Cast time:
~0.75 seconds
Duration:
~0.5 - 3s knock down
Max. range:
4 meters knockback
2 meters self knockback
Area of effect:
2.5 meter explosion radius
Projectile speed:
37.5 meters per second

Ability details:
  • Projectile is affected by gravity, and will fall immediately after being fired.
  • Ignores Deflect, Defense Matrix, and Kinetic Grasp.
  • Knocks down upon direct hit. The further away the target is horizontally, the longer the knock down duration will be.


Gravitic Flux
Q
Hero-ability-circle
IconTBA
2170 points
Type
Ultimate Ability
Effect Type
Area of effect
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Unleashing his full powers, Sigma takes flight, lifts enemies in a targeted area, and launches them into the sky before slamming them back down.
Damage:
50 damage from Lifting
50% of max HP from Slam
Cast time:
~1.3 seconds
Duration:
5 seconds targeting
2 seconds suspension
Max. range:
~10 meters lift
Area of effect:
7 meter radius

Ability details:
  • Sigma passively generates 1% Ult Charge every 4.34 seconds.
  • Allows Sigma to fly for the duration of the ultimate.
    • The maximum time Sigma can stay airborne is 8.3 seconds (5s targeting + 1.3s casting + 2s suspension).
  • Disables all movement abilities of enemies suspended in the air, except Moira's Fade and Reaper's Wraith Form.
  • If no player input is given within 5 seconds after activation, the ultimate will end sooner and not affect any enemies.


Strategy

Sigmas' Ultimate adds a new dimension to the game, as it will be a unique characteristic in a fight. There are many tempting scenarios to use this, and there are some of the combinations that can be used to better utilize his Ultimate.

Keep in mind Sigmas' Ultimate does a tremendous amount of damage, and should be used in one of three scenarios to best utilize it:

  • The enemy team is congregated in one spot, and you need to deal a tremendous amount of damage in a short amount of time. The most common scenarios would be in choke points, or versus a Bunker composition.
  • Clearing a pathway to the objective. This can be in the event you are pushed back and away from your objective, the enemy team will be stunned and hurting after this Ultimate and forced to play defensively. Use that time to get picks or push them further to their side of the Objective.
  • Saving your supports. This is a very situational moment, and should be used only in the event of close games or Overtime. Your supports are an essential part of your team and will keep you going in a fight. Ensuring they continue to survive is a key role of a Tank. Sigmas' Ultimate can shut down flanking DPS heros in an instant, or forfeited them to flee and possibly wasting an Ultimate.

Combine his Ultimate with other AOE ultimate to immobilize enemy teams. Sigmas' Ultimate is an amazing moment to collect your team and get together your AOE Ultimate holders to further stop your enemies progression/push. These are some good combinations of Ultimates to use:

  • Sigma & Mei
  • Sigma & Zarya
  • Sigma Reinhardt

Combine his Ultimate with another high damage output Ultimate after the slam effect to finish low health players. While being a good ult to stop progression/pushes Sigmas' ultimate is also good setting up your team for some quick picks and finishing already low players. Here are some good Ultimate combinations to use:

  • Sigma & Hanzo
  • Sigma & McCree (During Suspension phase)
  • Sigma & Soldier (During Suspension phase)
  • Sigma & D.Va
  • Sigma & Reaper
  • Sigma & Wrecking Ball

Story

Brilliant astrophysicist Dr. Siebren de Kuiper's life changed forever when an experiment gone wrong gave him the ability to control gravity; now, Talon manipulates him to their own ends.

De Kuiper was considered a pioneer in his field. His life's work involved devising a way to harness the power of gravity. Equally known for his groundbreaking research and eccentric personality, he conducted most of his studies from his lab in The Hague. Believing that he was close to achieving his goal, he performed his most important experiment on an international space station.

But something went wrong, triggering the brief formation of a black hole. De Kuiper was only exposed to its power for a moment, but he suffered serious psychological damage. The area around him began to experience strange fluctuations in gravity, peaking and dropping in time with his reactions. He had to be evacuated immediately.

Upon returning to Earth, De Kuiper was quarantined in a secret government facility. Between his ravings about the patterns of the universe, the psychic damage he sustained, and the gravitic anomalies happening around him, he was deemed unsafe and detained for years under the name "Subject Sigma." Isolated and unable to control his powers, De Kuiper retreated into his own mind. He thought he would never see the outside world again.

When Talon discovered De Kuiper's existence, they infiltrated the facility and broke him out, planning to use his brilliance and research to further their plans. In their custody, De Kuiper slowly gained control of his powers. Now, gravity moved according to his will, and he was closer than ever to achieving his life's goal. But the same experiment that had opened his mind had also fractured it, and he struggled to keep the pieces together.

De Kuiper continues to develop his powers in hopes of unlocking the secrets of the universe, unaware that Talon is using both him and his research.

Achievements

Name Icon Description Reward
Conservation of Energy
IconTBA Gain 350 shields with a single use of Sigma's Kinetic Grasp in Quick or Competitive play.
Event Horizon
IconTBA Get 3 killing blows during a single use of Sigma's Gravitic Flux in Quick or Competitive play.

Trivia

  • Sigma is Hero 31 and the tenth new hero added to the game.
  • Sigma was leaked four days before his official reveal on July 18th, 2019 by the Mexican blog post detailing the new role queue feature. That image was then tweeted by Team Mexico of the Overwatch World Cup.
  • Sigma (Σ) is the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet, and has various uses as a symbol in science and mathematics. It is displayed on his inmate suit as "Subject Σ."
  • Sigma is currently the oldest character in the hero line-up.
  • At the beginning of Sigma's Origin Story video, there are yellow letters that appear on the screen which spell out "EM DJIRVEB." When reversed, it spells "Bevrijd me," which is Dutch for "Release me."
  • The number 31 is the Dutch International Calling Code.
  • Blizzard has a campus in The Hague and as such has several Dutch employees both in Europe and North America, so they were able to consult with their employees on names and quotes, and incorporated a lot of Dutch influences into the character.[1]
  • Sigma's voice line, "The universe is singing to me," was contributed by Chris Metzen, who acted as a creative consultant for the Origin Story video.[1]
  • Sigma's hero select voice line, "There is no obligation for the universe to make sense to you," is a quote from the famous astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
  • He is most likely inspired in part by the Dutch astronaut André Kuipers.

Development

Qiu-fang-sigma-movement-studies

Movement studies by Qiu Fang.

Blizzard began development of Hero 31 with the intent to further flesh out the Talon organization as well as to provide another barrier tank option in addition to Reinhardt and Orisa, both heavily requested by players. The creative team initially planned for Mauga to fulfill this purpose, and were in the process of developing his character for Alyssa Wong's short story, What You Left Behind, when they decided that the kit being developed by Geoff Goodman and Joshua Noh no longer meshed with Mauga's violent, aggressive personality.

Qiu-fang-sigma-final-concept

Concept art by Qiu Fang.

Rather than scrap the kit, which they found to be exceptionally fun, they pivoted and began developing a new Hero, who would become Sigma, to better reflect the more defensive and cerebral nature of the Hero's abilities. To that end, they brainstormed a physicist who would manipulate gravity, who could act as a tragic villain being manipulated by Talon without even realizing it, due to his psychological trauma, and began prototyping the character with concept artist Qiu Fang, initially using existing art. As a result of this pivoting, he was created on a tighter schedule than usual and was slightly delayed compared to previous heroes. The team consulted physics programmer Erin Catto, who holds a PhD in physics and wrote the physics engines for all of Blizzard's games, to make Sigma's physics references more scientifically accurate.[1]

Videos

Official

References

External Links

Heroes in Overwatch 2
 
Icon-sigma
Sigma
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