In this installment of Roguish Inspiration we tackle the vibrant world of Overwatch.
Overwatch is the latest game from Blizzard Entertainment. The game itself is a fast-paced shooter, built around asymmetrical combat and unique character mechanics. Stellar gameplay, sound design, and creative direction have quickly made Overwatch a phenomenon over the course of this last year. The emerging professional scene and a steady stream of high quality free content has all but cemented Overwatch’s legacy in less than a year.
We’re going to eventually breakdown all 22 heroes that make up Overwatch’s ranks and give our uninitiated readers a brief rundown of the events leading up to the game. Each hero has a detailed history, demeanor, and gameplay style that we’ll mold into adventure hooks and other useful tools.
History of Overwatch
In the near future the world relies on self-replicating robots known as Omnics. These Omnics would eventually develop a form of technological sentience. Not content in their role as slaves, the Omnics began creating combat units and waged war across the globe.
Despite their individual efforts, the nations of the world were being overwhelmed by the Omnics. The international task-force known as Overwatch was created as a collaborative global effort to turn the tide. After years of effort, Overwatch would put an end to the aptly named Omnic Crisis and bring the world back to a state of relative peace.
In the following years, Overwatch would transition from a military taskforce to a global peacekeeping organization. They would develop bleeding edge advancements in the fields of medicine, climate preservation, engineering, and nano technology. Overwatch would also dabble in darker operations such as espionage and assassination. All in the name of global peace. Soon allegations of corruption and negligence would turn public opinion against Overwatch.
Unrest began to spread across the world. Terrorism against remaining Omnics had turned Australia into a wasteland. India was largely under the control of a single architecture conglomerate. And the rising internal tension of Overwatch would soon culminate in the destruction of their headquarters and the deaths of its two leaders. It wouldn’t be long before Overwatch would completely collapse under the weight world politics.
Now, the world is in crisis as rogue omnics, riots, and assassinations threaten to destroy all that Overwatch helped to defend.
Ana
Ana Amari was one of the founding members of Overwatch and served in the Egyptian army during the world-shaping Omnic Crisis. She was an unparalleled marksman and determined soldier. Ana would continuing deploying in combat missions well into her fifties until her alleged death in action. Truthfully, Ana survived that day and would turn away from her life of violence and death.
Years later, as the world’s conflicts grew, so did her instincts to protect the innocent. She once again took up arms. Not as an agent of death, but as a protector of those she loved, and of those who could not protect themselves.
Ana is a strange character. Her unique long-range Biotic Rifle can both heal allies and harm foes. This puts her in a unique position to dramatically affect the tide of battle while never putting herself in harm’s way. Because of this I immediately identify Ana as a ranger. Her long range and healing abilities mesh very well with the utility and arsenal of the class. Using this framework let’s set up some hooks using our jaded military mother as inspiration.
Plot Hooks
- A dedicated group of sharpshooting rangers protects the local forest. They are well known for their feats of impossible marksmanship.
- A powerful druid has become disillusioned with the world and those who seek to harm it. She needs to be convinced that the world is worth protecting, otherwise her homeland will fall to ruin.
- A local hero, thought to be dead to years, seeks the adventurer’s aid while maintaining the guise of their death.
- Rumors of a magical crossbow surface throughout the land. Its bolts heal friends and harm foes.
- An undead ranger, reanimated and driven by her sheer thirst for vengeance, seeks to kill a member of local nobility before her spirit can finally be laid to rest.
Bastion
Bastion units served as front line soldiers during the Omnic Crisis. To this day they are seen as symbols of conflict and strife. In the final days of the crisis, one unit was severely damaged and forgotten deep in the forest. More than a decade later this unit would mysteriously activate.
The years had decayed its combat programming, and Bastion was left with nothing but an intense curiosity about the world. After shaking off the grips of nature, Bastion set off to explore. Despite its now peaceful nature, certain triggers can activate fragments of its combat programming, leading to some dangerous and regretful encounters with humanity. Now, Bastion does its best to avoid humans and explore the natural world alone.
Bastion just screams Warforged. These lesser-known magical soldiers have an almost identical backstory to Bastion. (Constructed war machines stranded in a land of peace.) A lot of dungeon masters tend to shy away from Warforged as they put off too much of a science-fiction/robot vibe, so feel free to substitute Warforged for golems. Bastion also has an affinity for nature and tends to prefer the company of animals, which lends itself to the idea of a Warforged Druid. Let’s take these ideas and build some
Plot Hooks
- A warforged seeks a greater connection to nature through magic and druidic artifacts.
- A warforged druid seeks aid in discovering rare fauna to study and understand.
- A massive forgotten golem soldier from a bygone war has reactivated. It now marches towards the location of its last command, a nearby city.
- Gnome tinkers have developed a batch of modular weapons that can be reassembled into new forms.
- A wizard has perfected a ritual to instill true sentience into mundane objects. His rivals would do anything to get their hands on his research and methods.
D.Va
As the second Omnic Crisis started to cut across Asia, South Korea was besieged by a massive Omnic war machine. In response, the South Korean military developed autonomous drones called MEKA to retaliate and protect from future attacks. Over time, the Omnics adapted and managed to disrupt remote communication with the drones. In a moment of desperation, the military called upon its skilled professional gamers to pilot retrofitted MEKA drones as mechanical war suits. D.Va was one such professional.
Proving to be a ruthless and efficient pilot, D.Va began broadcasting her combat missions and quickly became an international celebrity. Despite her fame, D.Va continues to serve in South Korea’s MEKA unit.
D.Va is a tiny person in a big suit of armor. I immediately picture either a Halfling or Gnome wading into battle in full plate armor. A tiny fully armored Paladin or Fighter would be a fearsome addition to any adventure.
Plot Hooks
- A kraken is terrorizing a port town. The locals seek to develop a disciplined fighting forces after the threat is dealt with.
- A Halfling Paladin has broken her oath and seeks penance through good deeds, but her disgrace has caused the locals to shun her.
- A princess in disguise seeks to learn the ways of a paladin, she seeks the aide of the adventurers, but pleads that they keep it secret from her family.
- An extra-dimensional being has challenged the adventurers to a friendly board game. Too late do they discover the game pieces are trapped living creatures.
- A prideful swashbuckler stands at the center of town. He plans to slay a mighty beast in the nearby wilderness and seeks an audience to recount his deeds.
Genji
Genji Shimada is the youngest son of the Shimada ninja clan. Genji took advantage of his family’s fortunes and lived a youth of luxury and privilege. Despite his playboy lifestyle, Genji excelled at his traditional ninja training. Many members of the clan resented Genji’s father for indulging in his son’s carefree behavior.
Following his father’s death, Genji faced more and more pressure to join in on the Shimada clan’s unsavory practices. Hanzo, Genji’s brother, would soon demand Genji take up his rightful role in the clan. The growing tension between the brothers would culminate in a bloody duel, leaving Genji on the brink of death.
Overwatch saved Genji’s life, leaving him more machine than man. Using his newly enhanced abilities, Genji would steadily dismantle his family’s crime empire. But this left Genji at war with what he had become. Struggling to accept his mechanical body, Genji began to wander the world searching for meaning. Genji eventually crossed paths with an Omnic monk and became its student. Under the monk’s tutelage Genji came to terms with his dual existence.
This cyborg ninja is a rich and complex half-man. I love the unique background combinations that his story provides as well. A young rogue, with a noble’s background, is maimed and eventually finds himself studying at a Monk monastery. There are options for emulating his cyborg enhancements, but I think a simple resurrection, and a second chance at life, are all we need to fit him into our adventures.
Plot Hooks
- A well known noble family proves to have seedy ties with the local thieve’s guild. The heir to the family, and the guild, seeks help in dismantling the crime syndicate without starting a bloody feud.
- A member of a nearby monastic order proves to be a wanted war criminal. He seeks only forgiveness and enlightenment in his new life, but does he deserve forgiveness?
- Tales have spread about a powerful blade seeking a worthy wielder. This blade must witness several honorable deeds before it will allow itself to be unsheathed and wielded.
- The adventurer’s stumble upon the bloody body of a man clinging to life. He seek revenge on the man who nearly cost him his life, his brother. But the adventurer’s only know one side of the story…
- A friendly tournament between monastic orders is taking place soon. Contests of skill and prizes to be won. But a disreputable order lurks in the shadows and seeks to take advantage of the gathering.
Hanzo
Hanzo Shimada was the heir to a ninja and criminal dynasty and was raised like one. Leadership, strategy, martial arts, swordsmanship, archery, Hanzo was a prodigy and mastered these disciplines at a young age. Soon after his father’s death, Hanzo found himself at the head of a major organized crime family.
Hanzo’s brother, Genji, was instructed help Hanzo lead the Shimada clan, but the younger brother refused. Pressured by the clan elders, Hanzo was forced to duel and ultimately slay his own sibling. Hanzo’s spirit and honor were broken that day, and he rejected his father’s legacy. Hanzo left the Shimada clan behind and set out to wander the earth, and to one day restore his honor.
Hanzo is a bit more straight forward than his wayward younger brother. His talent for combat and strict code of honor are a bit bland, but can definitely create some interesting adventures. In combat he relies on technologically advanced arrows and a powerful double-dragon attack that seems to spring from his elaborate tattoos.
Plot Hooks
- An order of monster hunters is known for its rituals that bind the spirits of monsters into the bodies of its members via magical tattoos.
- A world-renowned swordsman wanders the world. Legend tells of his secret blade techniques, but he has sworn to never lift a sword again.
- An group of blind archers has claimed an important mountain road as their territory. They demand tribute or respond with overwhelming force and skill.
- An enchanted bow, said to fire countless arrows at once, has fallen into the hands of a roaming band of goblinoids. Now their leader fancies himself as a bandit king.
- An exiled nobleman seeks the adventurers’ aid. Each year, on the same day, he visits his murdered brother’s grave at his ancestral home. Each year he must sneak in and mourn in secret. This year the family has hired a small army of guards to prevent the nobleman’s grieving ritual.
That’s it for this installment folks. We still have 17 Overwatch heroes to go, and countless other worlds to visit as we continue to search for Roguish Inspiration.
