How to Unlock Genji: Changes, Skins, and Abilities

Genji is a Damage hero in Overwatch 2. Read on to learn more about Genji, their weapons and abilities, their patch notes history, their backstory, and more!

Genji Latest Buffs and Nerfs

No Rework as of Season 1

No changes received.

List of All Balance Changes and Hero Reworks

Genji Hero Profile

Basic Information

Genji (Genji Shimada)
	Role	Damage
	Ranking
	Total HP	・ 200 ・ 200 (Base Health)
	Voice Actor	Gaku Space
	Nationality	Japanese
Affiliations	Shimada Clan (formerly), Overwatch

How to Unlock

Unlocks after play a game.

Character Redesign

Overwatch 1	Overwatch 2

Genji's reworked design for Overwatch 2 is probably the most comical because Genji is already wearing armor, and then the redesign decides to put normal clothes above that armor. In any case, this redesign does humanize Genji a lot more than the original design ever did.

Genji Weapons and Abilities

Genji Main Weapon

Shuriken	Primary Fire
	Damage: 30
	Description: Throw an accurate burst of 3 projectiles.
	Secondary Fire
	Damage: 87
	Description: Throw a fan of 3 projectiles in an arc.

Genji Abilities

Deflect	Type: Ability Cooldown: 8 secs Duration: 2 secs
Effect: Deflect incoming projectiles in the direction you are aiming and block melee attacks.
Swift Strike	Type: Ability Cooldown: 8 secs Damage: 50
Effect: Rapidly dash forward and inflict damage on enemies. Eliminations reset the cooldown.
Cyber-Agility	Type: Passive
Effect: Climb on walls and double jump.
Dragonblade	Type: Ultimate Duration: 6 secs Damage: 110
Effect: Unsheathe a deadly melee weapon.
Role: Damage	Type: Passive
Effect: Eliminations grant a burst of increased movement speed and reload speed.

How to Play Genji

Shuriken Tips

Use Primary Fire at a Distance

Shuriken's primary fire remains accurate and does not decrease in damage over long distances, making it effective at harassing and taking down foes from far away. Prioritize aiming for headshots to deal large amounts of critical damage.

Preemptively Fire Shuriken Along Choke Points

You can easily take out careless foes with Genji by using Shuriken's primary fire to cover choke points and other key locations. Take your enemies by surprise by preemptively firing Shuriken at head level toward narrow paths and spawn points.

Take Down Closer Targets with Secondary Fire

Shuriken's secondary fire fans out a burst of three Shuriken, making it great for close and mid-range engagements. Fire this ability at chest level and adjust your aim depending on your target's distance to land all three Shuriken more often.

Use Secondary Fire Before Other Abilities

In Overwatch 2, Shuriken's secondary fire has an incredibly fast recovery time. This allows you to quickly use Genji's other abilities right after firing a burst of Shuriken, improving his overall damage output.

Swift Strike Tips

Finish Off Targets with Swift Strike

Use Swift Strike's long-range dash and respectable damage to chase down and finish off low-health targets. Doing this allows you to chain multiple Swift Strikes together, as its cooldown resets with every assist and elimination.

Use Swift Strike to Chip Away Health

Remember that Swift Strike can pass through and damage multiple enemies at once. Use this feature to harass clumped-up enemies behind payloads and along choke points to chip away at their health.

Flank and Pressure Key Enemy Targets

Use Swift Strike to efficiently flank the enemy team and pressure their Supports and vulnerable Damage Heroes. Doing this can easily tear apart the enemy team's positioning and can cause panicked targets to waste their abilities and ultimates.

Bait Mobility Skills Before Using Swift Strike

Since Swift Strike is Genji's only gap closer, try to bait out a fleeing opponent's mobility skills first so you can guarantee that you can catch up with them.

Swift Strike Combos

Shuriken Starter Combo

Shuriken (Secondary) > Swift Strike > Shuriken (Secondary) + Quick Melee [until eliminated]

Swift Strike Starter Combo

Swift Strike > Shuriken (Secondary) > Quick Melee > Shuriken (Secondary) + Quick Melee [until eliminated]

Ghost Dash Combo

One advanced Swift Strike combo is known as the Ghost Dash by the Overwatch community. This combo involves eliminating an opponent with Swift Strike before rapidly turning around 180 degrees to Swift Strike again in a single frame.

While difficult, Ghost Dashing is useful for taking down key targets with Genji and immediately disengaging before the rest of their team collapses on him. It is also possible to Ghost Dash multiple times in a row, possibly wiping out an entire enemy team if combined with Genji's Dragonblade.

Dragonblade Tips

Use Swift Strike Before Using Dragonblade

Always remember that Swift Strike's cooldown refreshes right after you activate Dragonblade. Take advantage of this feature by reaching advantageous positions with a Swift Strike right before using Genji's ultimate.

Swift Strike Between Dragonblade Eliminations

Because Dragonblade allows you to quickly take down foes, it pairs up amazingly well with Swift Strike. Pair these two abilities to rapidly slash and dash between your targets and maximize the ultimate's damage output.

You can also combine these two abilities with Genji's Double Jump to improve his mobility during the ultimate and further disorient the enemy team.

Deflect is Available During Dragonblade

Keep in mind that you can still use Genji's Deflect while Dragonblade is active. While using Deflect is generally unadvised as it decreases your Dragonblade uptime, having it available allows you to escape death in dire situations.

Wall Climb to Cancel Dragonblade Recovery

You can recover from Dragonblade's sheathing animation faster by starting a wall climb, decreasing the time it takes for Genji to use his abilities again.

Weave Quick Melee Between Dragonblade

The most basic way to improve your Dragonblade damage output is by weaving Quick Melee strikes between slashes. While each Quick Melee only does 30 damage, they add up heavily throughout Dragonblade's duration.

Dragonblade Openers

Aerial Swift Strike Starter

Before using Dragonblade, leap directly above the enemy team with Swift Strike to have a clear view of each opponent. Afterward, activate Genji's ultimate and dive downward with Swift Strike, focusing on targets with 250 health and below.

This opener is particularly effective when paired with Ana, as leaping up into the air allows her to easily give you a Nano Boost before you activate Dragonblade.

Horizontal Swift Strike Starter

Dive toward your primary target with Swift Strike before activating Dragonblade. Afterward, slash them once or twice before finishing them off by directing a Swift Strike through them and toward your next target. Repeat these steps until you eliminate the entire enemy team or until Dragonblade ends.

You Can Double Jump After Wall Climbing

After using your first jump to start a wall climb, remember that you still have a second jump due to Genji's Cyber-Agility. Keep this in mind when looking for better escape routes and flanking paths.

Use Genji's Double Jump in Combat

Aside from providing him with better map traversal, you can also use Genji's Double Jump to improve his in-combat mobility. Use Genji's Double Jump to leap over the shields and barriers of Tank Heroes like Reinhardt to have an easier time dispatching them with headshots.

You can also use Genji's Double Jump in combination with Swift Strike to chase down aerial targets like Pharah and Echo. Start with a single jump into a Swift Strike and eliminate foes using Shuriken and Quick Melee, with your Double Jump allowing you to extend your air time.

Maintain Line-of-Sight With Your Team

Even while flanking your opponents, always maintain line-of-sight with your allies as Genji. Doing this allows you to easily return to your team and quickly react whenever they require assistance or whenever you need healing. A good rule of thumb to follow is to maintain enough distance to return to your team after the duration of your Deflect.

Remember Health Pack Locations

Playing as Genji often means flanking deep into the enemy team with no nearby Supports to heal you back up. Improve your survivability, especially after using Genji's Dragonblade, by memorizing the Health Pack locations on each map.

Communicate and Coordinate With Your Team

Make frequent use of voice communication or the game's Ping System to make the most out of Genji's flanking-based playstyle. Ping vital enemy targets to let your team know who you're focusing on, and use the Countdown ping to signal when you're about to flank and use Dragonblade.

How to Counter

Genji can be dangerous for most heroes that use projectiles as he can use Deflect on them. Use heroes like Winston, Moira, and Mei, whose attacks he cannot deflect.

There are a couple of ways to counter Genji's ultimate. The most common one is to kill him before he can even do any damage. Immobilizing him using Orisa's Javelin or Ana's sleep dart works as well if you can get the timing right. Healing using Zenyatta's ultimate will mostly likely keep all your teammates alive.

Genji Hero Counters

Genji Skins

Base Game Skins

Hero Skins
Bedouin (Legendary)	Nomad (Legendary)	Oni (Legendary)
Sparrow (Legendary)	Young Genji (Legendary)	Carbon Fiber (Epic)
Chrome (Epic)	Azurite (Rare)	Cinnabar (Rare)
Malachite (Rare)	Ochre (Rare)	Classic (Common)

League Skins

Hero Skins
Atlanta Reign (Epic)	Boston Uprising (Epic)	Chengdu Hunters (Epic)
Dallas Fuel (Epic)	Florida Mayhem (Epic)	Guangzhou Charge (Epic)
Hangzhou Spark (Epic)	Houston Outlaws (Epic)	London Spitfire (Epic)
Los Angeles Gladiators (Epic)	Los Angeles Valiant (Epic)	New York Excelsior (Epic)
Paris Eternal (Epic)	Philadelphia Fusion (Epic)	San Francisco Shock (Epic)
Seoul Dynasty (Epic)	Shanghai Dragons (Epic)	Toronto Defiant (Epic)
Vancouver Titans (Epic)	Washington Justice (Epic)

Event Skins

Hero Skins
Cyber Demon (Mythic)	Baihu (Legendary)	Blackwatch (Legendary)
Bushi (Legendary)	Demon (Legendary)	GenjiMan (Legendary)
Ice Wraith (Legendary)	Illidan (Legendary)	Karasu-Tengu (Legendary)
Kendoka (Legendary)	Sentai (Legendary)	Nihon (Epic)
Overwatch Contenders (Epic)

Genji Cosmetics

Victory Poses

Heroic (Common) Base Game	Kneeling (Rare) Base Game	Shuriken (Rare) Base Game
Sword Stance (Rare) Base Game	Medal (Rare) Summer Games Event	R.I.P. (Rare) Halloween Terror Event
Toast (Rare) Winter Wonderland Event	Meditate (Rare) Archives Event	Over the Shoulder (Rare) Anniversary Event

Voice Lines

Hero Voice Lines
The Dragon and I Are One	"The dragon and I are one." Season 1 Battle Pass
A Steady Blade	“A steady blade balances the soul.” Base Game
My Soul Seeks Balance	“Waga tamashī wa kinkō o motomeru. (My souls seeks balance.)” Base Game
Come On!	“Come on!” Base Game
Damn!	“Kuso! (Damn!)” Base Game
I Am Prepared!	“Kakugo! (I am prepared!)” Base Game
Let's Fight!	“Iza jinji yō ni shōbu! (Now let's fight!) ” Base Game
Measure Twice, Cut Once	“Measure twice, cut once.” Base Game
My Work Here Is Done	“My work here is done.” Base Game
Not Good Enough	“Mada mada. (Not good enough.)” Base Game
Simple	“Ha! Simple.” Base Game
Yeah!	“Yoshi! (Yeah!)” Base Game
You Are Only Human	“You are only human.” Base Game
Hoping For A Challenge	“I was hoping for a challenge.” Summer Games Event
Touché	“Touché.” Summer Games Event
Happy Halloween	“Yoi harō~in o. (Happy Halloween.)” Halloween Terror Event
My Halloween Costume?	“My Halloween Costume? Cyborg ninja.” Halloween Terror Event
Sword in the Shadows	“I am the sword in the shadows.” Halloween Terror Event
Trick Or Treat	“Okashi o kurenakya, itazura suru ze. (If you don't give me sweets, I'll play a prank.)” Halloween Terror Event
Count Your Blessings	“Count your blessings.” Winter Wonderland Event
Merry Christmas!	“Merry Christmas!” Winter Wonderland Event
All Bark, No Bite	“All bark, no bite.” Lunar New Year Event
To Know Yourself	“To know yourself is to be at peace.” Lunar New Year Event
Another!	“Kaedama! (Another!)” Archives Event
Life and Death Balance	“Life and death balance on the edge of my blade.” Archives Event
Ryu-Ichimonji Strikes	“Ryu-Ichimonji strikes.” Archives Event
Your Eyes Deceive You	“Your eyes deceive you.” Archives Event
An Elegant Weapon	“The sword is an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” Anniversary Event
I'm Not Impressed	“I'm not impressed.” Anniversary Event
My Blade Never Dulls	“My blade never dulls.” Anniversary Event
You Need Healing	“You need healing.” Anniversary Event
You Seem Nice	“You seem nice. I hate to kill you” Anniversary Event

Emotes

Hero Emotes
Heroic Base Game	Amusing Base Game
Challenge Base Game	Cutting Edge Base Game
Meditate Base Game	Salute Base Game
Whirlwind Base Game	Paper Stars Winter Wonderland Event
Sky Lantern Lunar New Year Event	Dance Anniversary Event

Genji Story

A Family Legacy

Genji is one of the two dragons of the Shimada clan, along with his brother Hanzo. The Shimada clan is an infamous criminal assassin clan, which multiple enforcement agencies (including Overwatch) across the world have their sights on. Genji was born into a life of luxury and preferred to lead a playboy lifestyle, rather than assist in their illegal activities.

The Two Dragons Clash

When Hanzo attempted to pull Genji back and have him take on a more active role in the clan, a fight ensued. Genji nearly perished in the conclusion of their fight.
Hanzo, convinced he killed Genji in that fight, came to light an incense for his brother once a year, to honor his memory and pay respect to him.

Saved by Overwatch

In actuality, Genji was retrieved by Overwatch in a critical condition and saved by Dr. Angela Ziegler. Gifted with a new cybernetic body, Genji was entrusted with the mission to take down the Shimada Empire. When he completed his mission, he sunk into solitude, unable to accept his new mechanical body.

A New Purpose

He eventually trained under Zenyatta, an Omnic monk, who taught him more about the mechanical aspects of his body. Through his training and wisdom imparted from Zenyatta he learned to accept his cybernetic body and recognized the continued presence of his human soul. Now, with a renewed sense of identity and purpose, he wanders, truly free.

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