Bastion Key Takeaways
- Bastion is best on maps with natural cover around corners, allowing him to control the flow of combat and get maximum value from his high-damage abilities without making him too vulnerable.
- Bastion is worst on maps which feature open spaces and long sightlines, both of which make him excessively vulnerable to enemy fire.
- Bastion counters heroes with large hitboxes, such as Mei and most tanks, though many heroes have options to negate his effect on them.
- Bastion is countered by heroes that can take advantage of his large hitbox, such as Reaper, and those with small hitboxes, such as Junker Queen.
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Bastion Quick Tips
- Bastion has 200 total health, with 100 armor.
- Thanks to his armor, Bastion is a tank damage (DPS) hero, but this upside is counterbalanced by his large hitbox, which is as large as certain tank heroes.
- Bastion relies on his teammates playing around him and enabling his high damage output. Download the Z League app for free to find competent long-term teammates to help you out.
Bastion Abilities Explained
Img via Blizzard Entertainment
Configuration: Recon (Primary Fire)
While in Configuration: Recon, Bastion shoots a hitscan weapon that deals up to 25 damage per bullet. With damage falloff starting at 30 meters, Configuration: Recon deals similar damage to other hitscan heroes, such as Soldier 76.
Configuration: Assault
Configuration: Assault transforms Bastion into a literal tank. The ability lasts for six seconds. While in Configuration: Assault, Bastion fires a minigun that deals between three and 12 damage per bullet. The gun fires very quickly, allowing Bastion to quickly burst down heroes with large total health pools, such as Reinhardt.
Configuration: Assault is the primary way that Bastion gets value from his kit. Bastion players should aim to use Configuration: Assault when enemy players are out of position. The high damage output can secure kills before enemy players are able to get behind cover. Configuration: Assault works best when coupled with defensive abilities like D.Va’s Defense Matrix.
A-36 Tactical Grenade
Bastion’s A-36 Tactical Grenade bounces off the ground and walls, and sticks to enemy players if impact is made. The ability can deal up to 115 damage, with 15 damage dealt on impact and 100 damage dealt upon explosion. The ability also has splash damage, meaning it can damage multiple enemy players if they’re clumped together.
The A-36 is an often overlooked but very important part of Bastion’s kit. It allows him to increase his burst damage while Configuration: Recon is active. Sticking the grenade to enemy players, especially damage (DPS) and support players, allows Bastion and his teammates to easily burst down the rest of their health and secure the kill.
Configuration: Artillery (Ultimate)
Configuration: Artillery lets Bastion shoot three bullets which come down from the sky to deal up to 550 damage, depending on how close the enemy player is to the center of the blast radius. The ultimate has the ability to secure multiple kills, even on tank heroes with large total health pools. However, each shot is telegraphed before it lands, meaning enemy players can potentially move to safety, even without movement abilities. As such, the ultimate is best used when enemy players are distracted, or when they are trapped against map geometry and therefore unable to escape the damage.
While in Configuration: Artillery, Bastion is vulnerable and has no way to defend himself. Therefore, the ultimate should ideally be used when Bastion is safely behind cover, though he can quickly enter Configuration: Artillery and shoot the three bullets even while under pressure if he has support from his teammates to mitigate damage and heal him.
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