Overwatch 2 Stadium Season 17: All Hero Powers & Items Guide (July 2025)

1st July, 2025

I'm absolutely thrilled to dive into the massive Season 17 update for Overwatch 2's Stadium mode! After spending countless hours testing the new heroes and experimenting with different builds, I can confidently say this is the most game-changing Stadium update yet. Stadium mode has been a smash hit ever since it arrived in Season 16, giving players a space to create wildly powerful builds without having to worry as much about balance.

The second season of Stadium brings three highly anticipated heroes - Sigma, Junkrat, and Zenyatta - along with revolutionary features like Stadium Forge, custom games support, and two reimagined maps. Whether you're a seasoned Stadium veteran or just jumping in, this comprehensive guide will help you master every new addition and dominate the competition.

Table of Contents

Quick Overview: Season 17 Stadium Changes in OW2

Feature	Details
New Heroes	Sigma (Tank), Junkrat (DPS), Zenyatta (Support)
New Maps	Esperança (Push), Samoa Volcano (Control)
Stadium Forge	Save up to 10 builds per hero with share codes
Rank Reset	All players start at Rookie 1
Custom Games	Full Stadium support with customization options
Build Categories	Early, Late, and Flex item recommendations

All New OW2 Stadium Heroes: Powers & Items Breakdown

Junkrat - The Chaos Agent (DPS)

I've been a bit worried about Junkrat's entry to Stadium ever since he was teased in the roadmap. Stadium is already a chaotic cluster of projectiles, bullets, and shields, and adding the hero with the most chaotic damage to the mix may overwhelm things slightly.

Junkrat Powers (Choose 1 per odd round):

Round 1 Powers:

Bango! - Frag Launcher Direct Hits without bouncing Burn for 20% additional Damage over 2s
Big Bang - increases projectile size by 33% every time it bounces
Slapnel - causes melee hits to explode knocking targets back

Round 3 Powers:

Bingo! - Frag Launcher Direct Hits without bouncing reduce cooldown of abilities by 25%
Rainin' Lead - will drop a Total Mayhem bomb after you launch yourself into the air with a concussion mine

Round 5 Powers:

Hop Boom - After launching yourself with Concussion Mine, detonate a Concussion Mine wherever you land with 50% reduced effectiveness

Round 7 Powers:

Additional powers unlock based on your build progression

Best Junkrat Item Builds:

Early Game (Rounds 1-3):

Zip Grease (+25 Health, +5% Weapon Power)
Jamison's Jumpers (+10% Weapon Power, 10% Ability Power)
Aftermarket Firing Pin (+10% Attack Speed, +5% Movement Speed)

Late Game (Rounds 4-7):

Eye of the Spider (+25% Weapon Power, +10% Damage to enemies below 30% HP)
Overdrive Core (+25 Shields, 10% Weapon Power)
The Closer (+20% Weapon Power, +10% Critical Damage)

Sigma - The Orbital Defender (Tank)

When you use an ability, gain the ability to fly for 2.5s - this power alone makes Sigma one of the most mobile tanks in Stadium!

Sigma Powers:

Round 1 Powers:

Trinisphere - Your primary fire launches a third Hypersphere that deals 50% reduced damage
Accretion Accuracy - Hyperspheres direct hits reduce the cooldown of Accretion by 0.5s

Round 3 Powers:

Orbital Barrier - Get a mini Experimental Barrier that orbits around you. It has 50% reduced health
Event Horizon - Damage absorbed by Kinetic Grasp also restores Experimental Barrier's health. Excess is converted to Overhealth

Round 5 Powers:

Philharmonic Fortitude - Experimental Barrier has 25% increased Max Health. Barrier health regenerates constantly, but 50% slower while deployed
Kinetic Storm - When Kinetic Grasp ends, for every 100 damage absorbed, gain 10% Attack Speed for 4s, stacking up to 4 times

Round 7 Powers:

Barrier Boost - Accretion projectiles that pass through Experimental Barrier gain 300% increased projectile speed and deal 20% increased damage

Sigma Item Recommendations:

Support Build:

De Kuiper's Thesis (+50 Shields, heals allies)
Martian Mender (+25 HP, +10% cooldown reduction)
Antimatter (+15% Weapon Power, +35% explosion radius)

Aggressive Build:

Volatile Gravel (+10% Ability Power, stacking damage)
The Harness (+25% Ability Power, +50% Accretion radius)
Three-Tap Tommygun (bonus damage after abilities)

Zenyatta - The Transcendent Support

Zenyatta brings incredible utility to Stadium with multiple orb options and enhanced damage potential.

Zenyatta Powers:

Round 1 Powers:

Inner Peace - Gain a Harmony Orb that is always attached to you
Multiple Orbs - Deploy additional Discord and Harmony orbs

Round 3 Powers:

Enhanced Discord - Discord Orb effects spread to nearby enemies
Healing Amplification - Harmony Orb provides damage reduction

Round 5 Powers:

Transcendent Speed - Movement abilities during Transcendence
Orb Synergy - Orbs interact with each other for bonus effects

Zenyatta Item Builds:

Damage Focus:

Orb of Perception (Discord reveals enemies)
Cybervenom (+10% ability power, healing reduction)
Haste Subroutine (100% Projectile Speed after orb use)

Support Focus:

Phantasmic Flux (+10% weapon/ability power, +15% lifesteal)
Superflexor (+25 HP, stacking Ability Power)
Aftermarket Firing Pin (+10% attack speed)

New Stadium Maps

Esperança - Elevated Combat

Over in Stadium, the streets of Esperança will return in a round-based format that introduces new elevation layers and lets tactics shift from round to round. Think of it as a Push map made for Stadium's unique format and built to keep you adapting.

Key Features:

Multiple elevation levels for vertical gameplay
Tight corridors perfect for area denial heroes
Dynamic spawn points that change each round
Enhanced sightlines for sniper builds

Samoa Volcano - Lava Meets Loadouts

Finally, lava meets loadouts as the volcanic control point from Samoa joins the Stadium pool. Expect open arenas, strong vertical mayhem, and an ideal space for high mobility comps.

Map Highlights:

Open arenas favoring long-range combat
Environmental hazards (lava pools)
Strong vertical gameplay opportunities
Perfect for mobility-focused builds

Stadium Forge: The Game-Changer

Stadium Forge allows players to share or steal, build with each other, allowing you to easily replicate powerful loadouts used by the pros. This revolutionary feature completely transforms how we approach Stadium builds.

How Stadium Forge Works:

Access: Access the new Stadium Forge from the Stadium Practice Range
Storage: Save up to 10 builds per hero
Sharing: You can share your custom builds with others by generating a share code. Share codes are good for up to a year
Stealing Builds: If a player on the enemy team is dominating the lobby, you'll have the option to save their Build to assess (or use it to exact revenge) later

Build Categories Explained:

Early Items (Rounds 1-3):

Focus on core stats (Health, Weapon Power)
Affordable options under 4,000 Stadium Cash
Foundation for your late-game strategy

Late Items (Rounds 4-7):

High-impact Epic items
Synergistic combinations
Game-winning power spikes

Flex Items:

Situational purchases
Counter-build options
Adaptability based on enemy composition

Major Balance Changes & Updates

Economy Adjustments:

Increased cash income from damage and healing by 13.3%
Bounty system rewards increased for high-value targets
Selling items retains 70% value (up from 50%)

Universal Item Changes:

Buffed Items:

Siphonic Spear: Added stat: 25 Health
Arcfinder: Added stat: 5% Cooldown reduction

Reworked Items:

Lock-On Shield: Changed Item category from Ability to Survival. Changed Item stat from 10% Ability Power to 25 Health
Boosted Rockets: Changed Item rarity from Rare to Epic

Hero-Specific Changes:

Ana:

Redesigned to work only on enemies, only up to 30%. Does not stack. Decreased cooldown to 30% (Down from 35%)

D.Va:

Increased health stat to 50 (up from 25). Removed stat: health increase 5%

Reaper:

Now also has +30% Shadow Step Cast Speed
Multiple Death Blossom bug fixes

Stadium Competitive & Rewards

Rank Reset:

Competitive Ranks have been reset with everyone restarting at Rookie 1. This gives everyone a fresh start to climb the ladder!

All-Star Rewards:

Both the All-Star Juno skin and the All-Star Mercy skin will no longer be available to earn after the end of Season 17
New All-Star rewards introduced for Season 17
Competitive Drives coming in late Season 17

Custom Games Support:

Stadium is now supported in Custom Games. Choose from a variety of options to customize your Stadium games. This includes:

Modified economy settings
Hero restrictions
Power selection options
Map rotation control

Pro Tips for Season 17 Success

1. Master the New Heroes First

I recommend spending time in the Practice Range with each new hero before jumping into competitive. Understanding their power interactions is crucial for both playing as and against them.

2. Utilize Stadium Forge

Don't reinvent the wheel - use Stadium Forge to copy successful builds from top players. Each Build will be accessible with a five-character code, just like Workshop codes, so they're easy to share and easy to swipe.

3. Adapt Your Playstyle

The new maps favor different strategies:

Esperança rewards vertical mobility
Samoa benefits long-range poke compositions

4. Economy Management

With the 13.3% increase in cash generation, you can be more aggressive with early purchases while still affording late-game power spikes.

5. Counter-Building

Keep flex slots in your build for counter items. The new anti-air item is essential when facing aerial threats.

Future Stadium Updates

Looking ahead to Season 18 and beyond:

Competitive Drafts will bring a new level of strategy to hero picking in Stadium, giving you more agency over Heroes you want (or don't want) to play against
Sojourn, Winston, and Brigitte will join in Season 18
Unranked Stadium mode with best-of-5 format
Stadium Trials with quest rewards (Season 19)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When do I unlock powers in Stadium?

A: Powers are unlocked on odd rounds (1, 3, 5, and 7). You must choose one power per round and cannot change it once selected.

Q: Can I change my build mid-match?

A: You can sell items between rounds for 70% of their value, but powers are permanent once chosen.

Q: How do I save enemy builds?

A: After a match, access the scoreboard and select any player to copy their build to your Stadium Forge.

Q: Are the new maps in regular rotation?

A: Yes, Esperança and Samoa are added to the standard Stadium map pool alongside existing maps.

Q: Do I need to unlock the new heroes?

A: No, all Stadium heroes are available immediately to all players regardless of account progression.

Q: How long do Stadium Forge share codes last?

A: Share codes are good for up to a year.

Q: Can I use Stadium builds in custom games?

A: Yes, custom games have full Stadium support including all powers and items.

Conclusion

Season 17 represents a massive evolution for Stadium mode, introducing game-changing features that enhance both competitive integrity and creative freedom. The addition of Sigma, Junkrat, and Zenyatta expands strategic possibilities exponentially, while Stadium Forge revolutionizes how we share and learn optimal builds.

Whether you're grinding for All-Star rewards or experimenting with chaotic custom games, this update offers something for everyone. I'm particularly excited about the potential for community-created builds and the strategic depth added by the new heroes.

Remember to grab those All-Star skins before Season 17 ends - this is your last chance! Now get out there and start climbing with these powerful new additions to the Stadium roster. See you in the arena!

For more Overwatch 2 guides and the latest updates, check out our complete Overwatch 2 tier list and discover if Overwatch is cross-platform for playing with friends on different systems. Stay tuned for our upcoming Season 18 preview and best gaming laptops for Overwatch guide!