Kharzette
Watcher of Overs
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Overwatch
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Valderen
Space Pirate
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Well I think I may be done with this game until they do something about Pharah. At platinum and under, the group with the better Pharah wins, that's it. She can counter her counters more easily than they counter her...since her counter require quite a bit of good aim skill to kill her, and she doesn't require much aiming to kill them.
If she's being pocketed by a Mercy, she is essentially unkillable at platinum and below. And more and more teams now run a Winston to jump harass the soldier or whoever is trying to kill her, while she kills them and does her thing.
The game is great but she's totally ruining it right now...she's in every game, and more often than not the deciding factor in all the games.
I'm not sure what the fix would be, and I'm not sure what they can do that will help at platinum and below, and not render her useless at diamond+ where players can already deal with her more easily. But at platinum and under, she is totally ruining the game.
If she's being pocketed by a Mercy, she is essentially unkillable at platinum and below. And more and more teams now run a Winston to jump harass the soldier or whoever is trying to kill her, while she kills them and does her thing.
The game is great but she's totally ruining it right now...she's in every game, and more often than not the deciding factor in all the games.
I'm not sure what the fix would be, and I'm not sure what they can do that will help at platinum and below, and not render her useless at diamond+ where players can already deal with her more easily. But at platinum and under, she is totally ruining the game.
This is not my experience. I think you're doing the countering wrong. As Penance suggests, Widow is basically a hard counter if you can shoot at all. Otherwise, run a Zen + hitscan of choice and keep her and/or Mercy permanently discorded. If the teams you play on are having trouble, try being Zen and calling for focus fire. I play a lot of Pharah, and I guarantee it ruins your day fast.
Solo soldier is actually not all that great against Pharah, and might as well not bother vs a Pharmacy until the mechanical skill levels get to Master+.
Xevy
Log Wizard
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Play Soldier. Shoot her in the head a lot, wait til she flies near a wall, rocket her. If she has a mercy? Kill mercy first. Then Pharah. If Pharah is focusing you first it means you just need to use cover and Pharah is soft countered as she won't be wrecking your other teammates as much.
Plat Pharahs are also pretty bad at protecting themselves. They tend to fly out in the open which is why I think if you really want to counter her just run Zen and keep your orb on your 76 and your discord on the Pharah. She should get ripped from the sky pretty fast.
Valderen
Space Pirate
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I guess most people missed the point, at gold ranking NOONE has the aim to kill a Pharah...EVER. I know I don't, so I tend to play classes that don't require aiming to be efficient. I play Zen a lot, and I prioritize her to be discorded, and still no DPS can ever "reliably" take her down, especially if she has a pocket Mercy.
As for Widowmaker, if you have ever seen one at gold ranking that can kill anything let me know. As much as the team with the better Pharah will win...a team with Widowmaker will lose, since for all intent and purpose it's like being short 1 player for the game. I am almost happy when I see a Widowmaker on the other as I know we'll most likely win.
I know she's not that big an issue at higher ranks, and people can target her down more easily...but at lower rank, she's broken period.
As for Widowmaker, if you have ever seen one at gold ranking that can kill anything let me know. As much as the team with the better Pharah will win...a team with Widowmaker will lose, since for all intent and purpose it's like being short 1 player for the game. I am almost happy when I see a Widowmaker on the other as I know we'll most likely win.
I know she's not that big an issue at higher ranks, and people can target her down more easily...but at lower rank, she's broken period.
Sounds like you've made up your mind which means you'll be going into the game with a tilted mindset anyways. Probably is best to let the game cool for a few weeks. Fact is everyone around you is gold so the Pharah you're playing against is just as incompetent as everyone else (probably more since if you're actually a good Pharah main you'll climb super fast in the current meta.) She's pretty easy to deal with. Harder these days for sure but still isn't a god in the sky.
I've been in gold/plat in the current season, playing as and against Pharah. In my experience it just hasn't been that big a deal.
Valderen
Space Pirate
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Don't get me wrong, I'm on the winning side just as much as losing...it's not like she's always on the opposite team. 
The idea, is from my experience and it's not new...at gold/plat she is BY FAR the most impactful hero in the game. It simply requires a very skilled hitscan to take out an average Pharah.
During group formation at the beginning of the game...there will almost always be talk about the need to counter a Pharah. People will not necessary start the game with one, but there is talk about who will need to change if there a Pharah on the opposite team. You rarely if ever see that for any other hero...but it comes up almost every time about Pharah.
I still enjoy the game, and I may come as whining more than intended...but she simply has too much of an impact right now...win or lose. I mean even when the Pharmercy combo is on my team and we win, it's boring that 1 hero out of 23 has such a big impact.
The idea, is from my experience and it's not new...at gold/plat she is BY FAR the most impactful hero in the game. It simply requires a very skilled hitscan to take out an average Pharah.
During group formation at the beginning of the game...there will almost always be talk about the need to counter a Pharah. People will not necessary start the game with one, but there is talk about who will need to change if there a Pharah on the opposite team. You rarely if ever see that for any other hero...but it comes up almost every time about Pharah.
I still enjoy the game, and I may come as whining more than intended...but she simply has too much of an impact right now...win or lose. I mean even when the Pharmercy combo is on my team and we win, it's boring that 1 hero out of 23 has such a big impact.
Penance
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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I main hitscan mostly, besides Phara which I also play a lot. First off, if they have a Widow who is remotely good I'll switch off phara. It's impossible to play with her around. Second, if they are doing 3/4 tank shield meta, I'll probably switch off. Having a strong front line to protect the hitscan is huge against Phara. Also, if they are doing the pharmacy combo, I find mcree is better at dealing with that then Soldier, unless you have a Zen on the team. The worst thing about dealing with a Phara is if they have a strong front line or dive comp. Then as a soldier/mcree you can't find the time to deal with her when you are getting zoned by Roadhog or DVA/Winston. In that case, if the phara really is dominating, you either have two choices, you go hard front line shield comp like Rein/Winston/DVA with a soldier/mcree, or you break out the Widow. As long as you are killing their phara and laying in some damage to the other members, you are doing your job and shouldn't feel useless. I think the worst mindset I've seen at plat is not knowing how to change the comp around. I think that changes in diamond but it's amazing seeing people switch like 3 times when they are getting owned, at all 3 switches are absolutely mind boggling.
Believe, I know at those levels Phara can absolutely carry. Especially if she is smart and flanks the healers, it can feel like you can't do anything to stop her. If your team mates aren't getting it done, its up to you. So what if you already have 3 DPS and you are the only healer, if you feel like you are going to lose anyway might as well switch. I promise you 99% of the time somebody else will jump on healer.
Believe, I know at those levels Phara can absolutely carry. Especially if she is smart and flanks the healers, it can feel like you can't do anything to stop her. If your team mates aren't getting it done, its up to you. So what if you already have 3 DPS and you are the only healer, if you feel like you are going to lose anyway might as well switch. I promise you 99% of the time somebody else will jump on healer.
Ravishing
Uninspiring Title
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Don't get me wrong, I'm on the winning side just as much as losing...it's not like she's always on the opposite team.
The idea, is from my experience and it's not new...at gold/plat she is BY FAR the most impactful hero in the game. It simply requires a very skilled hitscan to take out an average Pharah.
During group formation at the beginning of the game...there will almost always be talk about the need to counter a Pharah. People will not necessary start the game with one, but there is talk about who will need to change if there a Pharah on the opposite team. You rarely if ever see that for any other hero...but it comes up almost every time about Pharah.
I still enjoy the game, and I may come as whining more than intended...but she simply has too much of an impact right now...win or lose. I mean even when the Pharmercy combo is on my team and we win, it's boring that 1 hero out of 23 has such a big impact.
I find Pharah to be oppressive when the rest of her team is also oppressive. Always seems like Pharah can run wild simply because your team is getting man-handled, not by 1 hero, but by the whole enemy team. I play soldier a lot and Pharah is impossible if I have no frontline because I'm dodging Road hooks, Rein charges, enemy soldier & Pharah while my team is seeing gray.
When my team can stand their ground then enemy pharahs get plucked so easily.
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Amzin
Lord Nagafen Raider
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Pharah is my most played and probably by a reasonable amount my best character, I'm in the 2200-2800 range right now, and I cannot play her in like half my matches because of the enemy team comp. So I'm not entirely sure about these claims
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ex-genj
Golden Squire
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Whats your winrate with her? Thinking about taking her more seriously. Yesterday was playing Ana on Oasis, not doing great vs a Mei/Junkrat, I say in chat "ok well taking Pharah, if someone could take 2nd healer that'd be great" and miraculously someone did and we rolled them with even my mediocre Pharah as they never changed off.
Runnen
Vyemm Raider
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I'm a Junkrat/Widowmaker main (Junkrat in competitive, Widowmaker in other modes) and Pharahs always change after a couple deaths when I'm playing sniper. I'm not some Widowmaker God either, just platinum rank with 40 hours or so into her. I don't have problems with Pharah, I think Roadhog is more overpowered for instance.
Kharzette
Watcher of Overs
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pharachu in full form. sick play from mangachu for renegades
The recent carbon series and the current pit tourney have had some amazing phara play. Reminded me of the old days of watching Surefour and Talespin fight it out midair.
The recent carbon series and the current pit tourney have had some amazing phara play. Reminded me of the old days of watching Surefour and Talespin fight it out midair.