What Is a One Trick in Competitive Games?
A player who plays almost only one hero or champion, trading flexibility for deep mastery of a single pick.
What is a one trick?
A one trick (or OTP, one trick pony) is a player who plays almost only one hero or champion. They give up flexibility in exchange for deep mastery of that pick: matchups, combos and limits that players with a wide pool rarely learn.
Strengths and weaknesses of a one trick
- Mastery: thousands of games on one pick make mechanics automatic.
- Consistency: fewer bad games, because the hero is always comfortable.
- Counter risk: if the enemy counters the pick or it is banned, the player struggles.
- Meta dependence: a big nerf can hurt a one trick more than anyone.
One trick in team games
In games where you can swap heroes mid-match, like Overwatch, a one trick refuses to switch even when the team composition needs it. In modes with hero lock, that downside matters less.
Example
A Tracer one trick climbs fast because they know every duel, but when the enemy picks two hitscan heroes they cannot swap and the match gets much harder.
One trick in boosting
Many boosting services offer a One Trick extra that locks the booster on a single hero. In an Overwatch Rank Boost it keeps your profile consistent with how you play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is being a one trick bad?
Not necessarily. Many high-ranked players are one tricks. It works well as long as the pick is not countered or banned.
What does OTP mean?
OTP means one trick pony, another name for a player who only plays one hero or champion.