Frequently Asked Questions
Service Overview
Q. What is OW ADVISOR?
OW ADVISOR is a web application that analyzes and optimizes team compositions for Overwatch. It uses Bayesian statistical methods on your party's match data to recommend optimal hero compositions based on maps and enemy team compositions. Unlike generic tier lists, it provides personalized suggestions based on your group's own play data.
Q. Who is OW ADVISOR for?
OW ADVISOR is designed for players who play Overwatch in parties of 1 to 5 players. Instead of relying only on general solo queue statistics, it uses your group's actual match data to generate recommendations. It's ideal for fixed parties or friend groups who want to improve their team's win rate.
Q. Is OW ADVISOR free to use?
Yes, OW ADVISOR is completely free to use. Once you register an account, you can access all features including match recording, statistical analysis, and composition recommendations at no cost. No download is required -- you can access it directly from your browser.
Q. Is OW ADVISOR an official Blizzard tool?
No, OW ADVISOR is an independently developed tool with no affiliation to Blizzard Entertainment. It does not connect to any official Overwatch data APIs. All analysis is based on match data that users manually record (as general data, it also uses the per-map hero win rates Blizzard publishes, imported once per season). "Overwatch" is a trademark of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Q. How is OW ADVISOR different from tier lists like Overpicker?
Traditional tier lists and meta pick sites provide rankings based on aggregate statistics from all players. OW ADVISOR starts from the official per-map win rates and then adjusts them with your group's own match data. This means it recommends compositions that actually work for your party, not just what's popular in the global meta. It also factors in pair synergy and counter matchups, not just individual hero strength.
Usage
Q. How do I get started?
First, register an account and create a group. Then add your party members as players and start recording matches. For each match, you'll input the map, team compositions, and match result. As your data accumulates, the recommendation accuracy will progressively improve.
Q. How do I record matches?
From the match recording screen, you input the map, your team's hero composition (which hero each player used), the enemy team's composition, and the match result (win or loss). Input is done through dropdown menus and takes about 1-2 minutes per match. Recording immediately after a match gives the most accurate data.
Q. How do recommendations work?
Recommendations start from the official per-map win rates and add three effects estimated from your group's records, all in one statistical model (a Bayesian logistic regression): each player's strengths and weaknesses on each hero, the compatibility of two specific players' heroes (pair synergy), and how heroes fare against the enemy tank and composition (counter matchups). The model predicts every possible composition, and the compositions with the highest predictions are recommended.
Q. Does OW ADVISOR support Japanese and English?
Yes, OW ADVISOR fully supports both Japanese and English. You can switch languages at any time using the language toggle button in the top-right corner of the screen. Hero names and map names are displayed in both languages.
Q. Can I use OW ADVISOR on mobile?
Yes, OW ADVISOR uses responsive design and works on smartphones, tablets, and PCs through any modern browser. No dedicated app download is needed. It's convenient for recording matches from your phone between games.
Recommendation Logic
Q. What data does the system use?
OW ADVISOR uses the match data recorded by your group: maps, allied hero compositions, enemy hero compositions, match results, and scores. The only general data it uses is Blizzard's official per-map hero win rates (refreshed every season) and hand-authored matchup meta knowledge. It does not use other groups' match data or any API integrations. All data is managed at the group level and is not shared with other groups.
Q. How does accuracy improve over time?
The more matches you record, the more the recommendations reflect your own results. With few records they follow the official per-map win rates; each player's hero strengths, pairings, and enemy matchups then take effect one by one as records accumulate. The recommendation screen shows how much a recommendation rests on your own records (share from your records) and one of three stages: mostly general data, learning from your games, or mostly your own games. Recent matches are also weighted more heavily than older ones (180-day half-life).
Q. What happens when there's no match data?
While match data is limited, recommendations start from general data: Blizzard's official per-map hero win rates (or mode-level values when a map-level value is missing). If you enter the enemy composition, meta knowledge about composition-type matchups is applied as well. Basic recommendations are therefore possible even with no data at all, and the more matches you record, the more your own results are reflected.
Q. How do counter matchups work?
Counter matchups measure how effective each hero is against the enemy team composition. From your group's past matches, the system estimates how much better than its usual level each hero (and each player's version of that hero) does against the enemy tank and against the enemy's composition type (its shares of dive, poke, brawl, etc.). When you specify the enemy composition during recommendation, these matchups are reflected in the recommendation.
Q. What is pair synergy?
Pair synergy measures whether two players' heroes win more together on the same team than their individual strengths predict. It quantifies the "combination strength" that individual win rates alone cannot capture. For example, two heroes with average individual win rates might show a high synergy score if they consistently win when paired together.
Data & Privacy
Q. What data is stored?
The stored data includes account information (username and hashed password), group information, player names, and match records (map, hero compositions, results, and timestamps). Email addresses are not required for standard registration. However, if you sign in via Google OAuth, your Google ID and email address are also stored. Passwords are encrypted using bcrypt before storage.
Q. Can I delete my data?
Yes, match records can be deleted individually. Deleted data is processed as a soft delete (logical deletion), and can be restored within a certain period. You can delete your account from your account settings. If you are a group owner, you must first delete your groups.
Q. Is my data shared with others?
Match data is managed at the group level, and only members of the same group can access it. Your data is never shared with other groups or users. Joining a group requires an invitation code, and only users who know the code can join.
Operations & Support
Q. How often is the game data updated?
Hero and map data is manually updated to align with each Overwatch season update. When new heroes are added or maps are changed, updates are applied as soon as possible. The system currently supports Season 5: A Grim Doctrine (2026), with 54 heroes and 33 maps.
Q. What version of Overwatch is supported?
OW ADVISOR currently supports Overwatch Season 5: A Grim Doctrine (2026). It includes 54 heroes (15 Tank, 23 Damage, 16 Support) and 33 maps across 6 game modes (Control, Escort, Hybrid, Push, Flashpoint, and Clash).
Q. Can I use it solo or do I need a group?
OW ADVISOR is designed for party play with 1 to 5 players. Solo players can use it, but the system's strength lies in analyzing pair synergy and team composition between party members, so it's more effective with groups of 2 or more. Since data is based on your own match results, it differs from general solo queue statistics.
Q. How many matches do I need for good recommendations?
Recommendations are available even with no data, based on the official per-map win rates. How soon your records start to count differs by component: a player's strength on a hero after a dozen or so games on that hero (at 16 effective games, records and general data weigh equally), and a pairing's synergy after a few dozen games of the same pairing (about 44). No features switch on at fixed match counts; each match you record counts a little. Just keep recording your regular matches.