Overwatch Tips: How to Play Bastion

Bastion in Overwatch

It’s time to learn about everyone’s favorite nature-loving, whistling Omnic and its faithful winged pal, Ganymede. As its name suggests, Bastion is a veritable fortress and occupies the Defense-class of heroes in Overwatch.

Bastion’s primary ability is Reconfigure, allowing it to shift between its mobile Recon configuration and its static Sentry configuration. The main purpose of Recon mode is to find good spots to set up as a Sentry. Bastion rarely wants to get into mobile firefights as its slow movement speed, large body and reduced weapon magazine make it an easy target for most Offense-class characters.

Bastion’s Sentry configuration is how you’ll want to spend most of your time. In Sentry mode, Bastion comes equipped with a devastating Gatling gun. This weapon has one of the highest DPS in the game and, with an ammo capacity of 200, it can tear apart entire teams in moments. It is particularly effective against Tanks, who can only soak up so much before going down, and vulnerable Support characters. Be careful of Roadhog, though, as his Chain Hook ability will pull you right out of Sentry mode and into range of his Scrap Gun.

When setting up as a Sentry it is important to choose your positioning very carefully. The main weakness of Bastion’s Sentry form is that its back is fragile and enemies can exploit that for an easy kill. Be particularly wary of Tracer, Reaper and Genji as their abilities to flank your defenses and attack from the rear make them particularly good outs to Bastion. Get your back against a wall, preferably in a corner, and you can sit there taking fire for days. However, Bastion’s inability to move makes it an easy target for snipers like Widowmaker and Hanzo, as well as the explosives of Junkrat and Pharah which can deal incredible amounts of damage in very few shots.

This is where Bastion’s secondary ability comes into play. Bastion has a self-repair ability which recovers lost health for as long as the button is held.  This makes up for Sentry mode’s inability to move as it removes the necessity of going looking for health packs and allows it to recover once those pesky snipers have been dealt with. However, whilst using this skill Bastion can neither attack or move, so make sure to use it when your vicinity is clear of enemy players. Alternatively try partnering up with Mercy, who can alternate between healing Bastion and providing a damage boost, or Symmetra, who can provide an extra shield while her turrets protect your back.

Bastion’s ultimate is a Tank configuration. Whilst in its Tank form Bastion has increased movement speed and armor and its primary fire is replaced with a long-range cannon with incredibly high damage. This ability is brilliant at clearing out attackers from the capture point or disrupting a defensive set-up.

It is clear that Bastion shines when playing Defense, and it could be argued that it was made to do so. However, don’t discount Bastion’s offensive capabilities. Its high DPS in Sentry mode is great for wrecking opponents’ defensive positions and, in Payload, you can sit Bastion on the payload as it moves and slaughter the opposing defense. Try partnering up with Winston, who can drop his shield over you when things get tough, allowing you time to heal up.

Bastion’s Abilities

Submachine Gun – Left Click/R2/RT

When in Recon mode Bastion comes equipped with a submachine gun. It has decent damage at short range but has a very small magazine.

Gatling Gun – Left Click/R2/RT

When in Sentry mode Bastion’s primary fire becomes a Gatling Gun. It’s high rate of fire gives Bastion a very high DPS as short-to-medium range.

Reconfigure – Left-Shift/L1/LB

This ability allows Bastion to swap between his Recon and Sentry configurations at will. Bastion’s Recon form is mobile, although slow, and its Sentry form is static. Reconfigure can help Bastion find new points to defend from.

Self-Repair – E/R1/RB

Holding down the button will initiate Bastion’s repair module, recovering its lost health as long as the button is held down. Beware, whilst using this ability Bastion cannot move or shoot.

Configuration: Tank – Q/Triangle/Y

Once charged, Bastion’s Ultimate converts it into a tank form. With greater mobility, shielding and a powerful cannon, Bastion’s tank form is its most dangerous by far. However, it only lasts for a short time so it must be used wisely.

Backstory in Overwatch

Here’s Bastion’s official Overwatch backstory, straight from Blizzard:

• Real Name: SST Laboratories Siege Automaton E54
• Age: 30
• Occupation: Battle Automaton
• Affiliation: None

Once a frontline combatant in the devastating Omnic Crisis, this curious Bastion unit now explores the world, fascinated by nature but wary of a fearful humanity.

Originally created for peacekeeping purposes, Bastion robot units possessed the unique ability to rapidly reconfigure themselves into an assault-cannon mode. But during the Omnic Crisis, they were turned against their human makers, forming the bulk of the omnics’ rebel army. Following the resolution of the crisis, nearly all of them were destroyed or disassembled. To this day, Bastion units still symbolize the horrors of the conflict.

One unique Bastion unit, severely damaged in the final battles of the war, was left forgotten for over a decade. It lay dormant, exposed to the elements and rusting while nature slowly reclaimed it. Overgrown with vines and roots and nested upon by small animals, the robot sat inert, seemingly unaware of the passing of time. That was until one fateful day, when it unexpectedly reactivated. With its combat programming all but lost, it instead displayed an intense curiosity about the natural world and its inhabitants. This inquisitive Bastion unit set out to explore its surroundings and discover its purpose on a war-ravaged planet.

Though “Bastion” appears to be gentle — even harmless, at times — its core combat programming takes over when the unit senses danger, utilizing its entire arsenal to eliminate anything it perceives as a threat. This has led to instances of conflict with the few humans it has encountered, and has driven it to avoid populated areas in favor of the wild, uncharted regions of the world.

For more guides, tips, tricks, and information on Overwatch, check out our growing wiki.

This post was originally written by Oisin Kilkenny-Fletcher.