Since we are most likely not going to receive major content nor updates until the release of OW2, the only thing we can rely on are balance changes to liven up the game. These patch notes were designed for a wide scale mass change in an attempt to address everybody’s needs and also tweak|expand the possibilities for each hero. All of the data used here is pulled directly from the wiki and everything is subject to change: anybody can make suggestions or debate on what to add|remove and why.
March 14th Edit: After watching the train wreck of balancing professional OWL players and popular streamers proposed, I’ve come to the conclusion that they are no better nor more understanding of the inner mechanics of the game than we are. I’m going to take this opportunity for a comparison between some guy who peaks low diamond versus actual gaming experts…
Note: Italicized items are highly extreme, hypothetical changes that would require significant time and resources to implement. Take them with a grain of salt.
Knockback
- All heroes now possess a natural Knockback Resistance (KR) based on their mass – 10kg = 1% resistance i.e. Roadhog 550lbs ~ 250 kg = 25% KR [OW2]
Damage
- Dragonstrike, Graviton Surge, & Molten Core can now have their damage amplified
Armor
-
Damage overtime effects are reduced by 40% when damaging armor i.e. Biotic Orb, Biotic Rifle, Blizzard, Dragonstrike, Dynamite, Graviton Surge, Venom Mine
-
Temporary armor no longer grants ultimate charge i.e. Overload
Shields
- Temporary shields no longer grant ultimate charge i.e. The Best Defense, Kinetic Grasp, Sound Barrier affected enemies
Ultimates
- All ultimates now fully refill ammo after completion
Ana
- Hitpoints - base health reduced from 200 > 175
-
Biotic Rifle -
- Damage|Healing reduced from 70 > 67
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.4s
- Ammo clip increased from 12 > 16
-
Biotic Grenade -
- Damage|Healing now match @ 85 (60 > 85|100 > 85)
- Healing reduction decreased from -100% > -70%
- Healing amplification increased from +50% > +70%
- No longer affects shield regeneration
- Negates the effects of enemy Biotic Grenades
- Nanoboost - ultimate - if the interact key is pressed: applies to self
Ashe
- Nothing
Baptiste
-
Biotic Launcher -
- Primary fire rate reduced from 1 burst per 0.58s > 0.75s (124.1/dps > 96/dps; No HS)
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.4s
- Primary fire ammo clip reduced from 45 > 30
- Regenerative Burst - area of effect increased from 10m > 12m
- Regenerative Burst - removed
- Immortality Field - removed
- Healing Station - creates a permanent health pack spawner at the desired location / 7s CD small / 12s CD large
- Holoscreen - creates a barrier that blocks sight, rendering teammates invisible / same dimesion as ultimate / does not block sound / 14s CD
- Amplification Matrix - ultimate - cost decreased from 2352 > 2300 (2.2%)
Bastion
- Self-repair - recovery time between attempts reduced from 0.25s > 0.1s
-
Configuration: Tank - ultimate -
- Bastion no longer takes self-induced damage
- Casting time decreased from 1.5s > 1s
- Ultimate cost decreased from 2300 > 2100 (8.7%)
Brigitte
-
Barrier -
- Hitpoints reduced from 250 > 200
- Regeneration reduced from 85 > 50 shields/s
- Movement speed penalty reduced from -30% > -20%
-
Shield Bash -
- Stun duration decreased from 0.75s > 0.5s
- Max range increased from 6.85m > 7m
- Can now affect multiple targets
-
Rocket Flail -
- Rate of fire increased from 1 swing per 0.6 secs > 1 swing per 0.5s
- Damage decreased from 35 > 25 (58.33 dps > 50 dps)
- Whip Shot - damage increased from 70 > 75
- Inspire - removed
-
Armor Regen - passive -
- Generates 10 armor/s: up to 50 armor for all allies
- Duration reduced from 6s > 3s
- Range reduced from 20m > 12m
- Now activated by Shield Bash
- Does not disappear until death
- Brigitte’s armor now regenerates outside of battle at a rate of 25 armor/s
-
Repair Pack -
- No longer heals hitpoints: now fully repairs all armor possessed by target + grants an additional 50 armor
- Does not repair Rally armor, armor generated by passive, nor armor of a previous repair pack
- Does not disappear until death
-
Rally - ultimate -
- Movement speed increase reduced from +30% > +25%
- Rally armor does not disappear until death & does not stack on itself
- Ultimate cost decreased from 2800 > 2600 (7.1%)
Doomfist
-
Rocket Punch -
- Punch damage decreased from 49-100 > 49-99
- Wall impact damage decreased from 49-150 > 49-99
- Movement speed decreased from -50% > -85% while charging
- Maximum charging time decreased from 1.4s > 1s
- No longer ignores the knockback from Roadhog’s ultimate
-
Rising Uppercut -
- Recovery time removed (from 0.5s > 0.0s)
- Doomfist’s fall speed is no longer slowed
-
Seismic Slam -
- Can now be canceled early by pressing right-click (momentum is preserved)
- No longer knocks enemies upwards
-
The Best Defense -
- Shield generation decreased from +75 > +50 shields per enemy hit with ultimate ability
- Maximum shield generation limit of 150 removed
- Shield decay increased from 3/s > 5/s
-
Meteor Strike - ultimate -
- Inner ring damage increased from 300 > 325
- Knockback increased by 75%
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1680 > 1650 (1.8%)
D.VA
- Call Mech - damage increased from 50 > 125
- Self Destruct - ultimate - ultimate cost increased from 1540 > 1550 (.65%)
Echo
- Hitpoints - base health reduced from 200 > 125 | shield health increased from 0 > 75
- Focusing Beam - range reduced from 16m > 10m
-
Duplicate - ultimate -
- Duration reduced from 15s > 12s
- Ultimate generation decreased from 650% > 500%
- Echo now retains the same health before and after duplication
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1960 > 1925 (1.8%)
Genji
- Hitpoints - base health reduced from 200 > 100 | Armor health increased from 0 > 75
- Melee - damage increased from 30 > 40
-
Cyber Agility - passive -
- Max range removed
- Movement speed increased from 7.8m/s > 9.8m/s
- Wall climb now resets double jump
- Enemies can no longer hear footsteps
-
Shuriken -
- Damage decreased from 28 per shuriken > 27
- Projectile speed increased from 60m/s > 90m/s
- Recovery time increased from 0.68s > 0.75s
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.1s
-
Swift Strike -
- CD reduced from 8s > 7s
-
Deflect -
- The following interactions have been changed:
- Rising Uppercut – deals 0 damage
- Rocket Punch – does not stun + deals 0 damage (does not apply to wall impact)
- Shield Bash – does not stun + deals 0 damage
- Accretion – does not stun + deals 0 damage
- CD reduced from 8s > 7s
- The following interactions have been changed:
-
Dragonblade - ultimate -
- If Deflect is initiated while Dragonblade is active, it no longer burns the ultimate timer
- Damage increased from 120 > 125 per slash
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1680 > 1650 (1.8%)
Hanzo
-
Wall Climb -
- Max range removed
- Movement speed increased from 7.15m/s > 9.8m/s
- Storm Bow - damage adjusted from 27.2-125 > 25-125
- Storm Arrows - removed
-
Shock Flare -
- Hanzo shoots an arrow that, on contact, blinds all enemies
- 1s duration
- 6m range
- 12s CD
-
Dragonstrike - ultimate -
- Casting time reduced from 1.4s > 1s
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1680 > 1650 (1.8%)
Junkrat
- Hitpoints - base health increased from 200 > 225
- Total Mayhem - passive - casting time decreased from 0.7s > 0.25s
-
Frag Launcher -
- Projectile size increased from 0.2 > 0.3
- Reload time reduced from 1.55s > 1.45s
- Ammo clip increased from 5 > 7
- Projectile speed increased from 25m/s > 30m/s
- Damage reduced from 130 > 125
- Concussion Mine - damage increased from 120 > 125
- Steel Trap - CD reduced from 10s > 6s
Lucio
- Hitpoints - base health reduced from 200 > 175
-
Sonic Amplifier -
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.1s
- Ammo clip increased from 20 > 30
- Soundwave - damage increased from 25 > 35
-
Crossfade -
- Ally + Self-healing now match @ 16/hps
-
Amp it Up
- Ally + Self-healing now match @ 50/hps (52 > 50|40 > 50)
- Movement speed increase reduced from +60% > +55%
- Duration increased from 3s > 4s
- Sound Barrier - ultimate cost decreased from 2940 > 2600 (13%)
McCree
-
Peacekeeper -
- Primary fire damage reduced from 70 > 67 per shot
- Secondary fire damage reduced from 25-50 > 25-42 per shot
-
Flashbang -
- Damage reduced from 25 > 20
- Stun Duration reduced from 0.8s > 0.6s
- CD reduced from 10s > 9s
- Targets are no longer heavily slowed and preserve momentum when stunned
- Deadeye - ultimate - cost decreased from 1680 > 1650 (1.8%)
Mei
- Hitpoints - base health reduced from 250 > 225
-
Endothermic Blaster -
- Primary fire damage decreased from 55/dps > 5/dps
- Secondary rate of fire increased from 0.8s > 0.6s
- Freezing + frozen duration decreased from 1.3s > 0.6s
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.3s
-
Ice Wall -
- Now functions as a single wall with 450 HP
- Now is translucent
- CD reduced from 12s > 8s
-
Cryofreeze -
- Now has a breakpoint limit of 450 damage
- Now fully refills ammo
- CD reduced from 12s > 8s
- Glaciate - passive - Mei’s primary fire can be used to temporarily freeze the ground, increasing movement speed by 30% + nullifying friction / 2.5s duration
-
Blizzard - ultimate -
- Minimum casting time decreased from 1.5s > 1s
- Damage reduced from 20/dps > 5/dps
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1610 > 1550 (3.72%)
Mercy
- Guardian Angel - can now be used immediately after Resurrect
-
Resurrection -
- Movement speed decreased from -75% > -85%
- Can now be cancelled early with right-click
-
Valkyrie - ultimate -
- Initiating Valkyrie no longer breaks target connection
- Ultimate cost increased from 1820 > 1925 (5.76%)
Moira
-
Biotic Grasp -
- Lingering healing increased from 17.5/hps > 70/hps
- Lingering healing duration increased from 2s > 3s
- Secondary fire max range reduced from 20m > 16m
- Damage adjusted from 50/dps > 65/dps - 30/dps (0-16m range)
- Self heal now recovers 50% of damage dealt with Biotic grasp
- Self heal no longer activated when damaging armor, barriers, or personal shields
-
Biotic Orb -
- Damage increased from 200 > 300
- Now bounces off of walls and objects a maximum of 4 times
-
Fade -
- CD increased from 6s > 9s
- Now grants invulnerability to self + allies for 0.1s / 8m radius
-
Coalescence - ultimate -
- Movement speed increase reduced from +50% > +35%
- Self healing now equates to 50% of damage dealt (reduced from 50/hps > 35/hps)
- Ultimate cost decreased from 2380 > 2300 (3.5%)
Orisa
- Fusion Driver - reload time reduced from 2.55s > 1.6s
- Protective Barrier - shield health increased from 600 > 650
-
Halt -
- CD increased from 8s > 9s
- 0.45s activation time removed
- Targets no longer slowed
-
Fortify -
- Orisa now acts as an obstacle that blocks Earthshatter when activated
- Modified to a meter / 2.5s intermittence CD / 2.5s of charge = 1.5s of use / maximum duration of 4.5s
-
Supercharger - ultimate -
- Casting time decreased from 1s > 0.5s
- +50% damage boost modified > +30% fire rate increase
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1680 > 1650 (1.8%)
Pharah
- Health - base health decreased from 200 HP > 150 HP | Armor health increased from 0 > 50
-
Rocket Launcher -
- Direct damage increased from 120 > 125 per rocket
- Explosion damage reduced from 24.6-80 > 25-50
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.4s
- Jump Jet - can now be used omnidirectionally
- Rocket Barrage - ultimate - can now be canceled by pressing right-click
Reaper
-
Wraith -
- Movement speed increased from 50% > 75%
- Modified to a meter / 3s intermittence CD / 2s of charge = 1s of use / maximum duration of 4s
- Now able to climb terrain @ 9.8m/s
-
The Reaping -
- Now ramps up by 10% per hit up to 50% / 2s duration / multitarget
- No longer activated by armor or personal shields (will still ramp up each it)
- Now gives ultimate charge
- Haze - creates a black cloud that decreases healing output by 25% / 7m radius / 5s duration / 14s CD
-
Death Blossom - ultimate -
- Movement penalty reduced from -50% > -40%
- Can be canceled by pressing right-click
Reinhardt
- Steadfast - removed due to universal KR [OW2]
- Rocket Hammer - damage reduced from 85 > 84
- Fire Strike - CD increased from 6s > 7s
-
Charge -
- Can now be canceled early by pressing right-click (momentum is preserved) [OW2]
- CD reduced from 10s > 8s
- Earthshatter - ultimate - cost increased from 1540 > 1550 (.65%)
Roadhog
-
Scrap Gun -
- Damage increased from 1.8-6 > 2-7 per pellet
- Number of pellets per shot reduced from 25 > 24
- Reload time reduced from 2s > 1.5s
- Ammo clip increased from 5 > 6
- Chainhook - damage reduced from 30 > 5
-
Wholehog - ultimate -
- Can be canceled by pressing right-click
- Ultimate cost decreased from 2240 > 2225 (.67%)
Sigma
- Hyperspheres - direct damage decreased from 55 > 50 per sphere
- Experimental Barrier - barrier health increased from 700 > 750
-
Kinetic Grasp -
- Maximum shield generation limit of 400 removed
- Shield decay increased from 7/s > 10/s
-
Accretion -
- Damage increased from 70 > 75
- Knockdown duration reduced from 0.75s > 0.5s
- Movement penalty increased from -75% > -85%
- Can now be used during Gravitic Flux
-
Gravitic Flux - ultimate -
- Initial 50 lift damage removed
- Ultimate cost decreased from 1960 > 1925 (1.8%)
Soldier 76
-
Pulse Rifle -
- Reload time reduced from 1.55s > 1.25s
- Ammo clip increased from 30 > 35
- Can now reload while sprinting
- No shooting delay between sprints (from 0.3s > 0.0s)
-
Helix Rockets -
- Now has 3 charges
- 65 damage each
- 0.15s delay between firing of charges
- 6s CD per charge
- Biotic Field - area of effect increased from 4.5m > 5m
- Dynamic Piercing - new ultimate - critical hit damage x2.5 / 9s duration / ultimate cost decreased from 2310 > 2100 (10%)
Sombra
- Hitpoints - base health reduced from 200 > 175
- Machine Pistol - reload time reduced from 1.5 > 1.25s
- Opportunist - passive - all allies can now see enemies’ ultimate charge throughout the match
-
Stealth -
- Casting time decreased from 0.8s > 0.2s
- CD reduced from 6s > 2s
-
Hack - reworked - (friendly)
- Increases ally ultimate generation by 25%
- Decreases ally CD time by 25%
- Hacked health packs now give ultimate charge (reduced by 60%)
-
Hack - reworked - (enemy)
- Decreases enemy ultimate generation + usage by 100%
- Increases enemy CD time by 95%
- Now disables Torbjorn’s Turret + Symmetra’s Teleporter & Bounce Pad
-
EMP - ultimate -
- Hacked and/or EMPed targets cannot gain nor do they begin to regenerate shields/armor until the effect’s duration has been carried out
- If EMP touches any point of a barrier within it is range it will be destroyed
- Zarya no longer gains charge from bubbles destroyed by EMP
- Ultimate cost increased from 1400 > 1650 (16%)
Symmetra
-
Photon Projector -
- Ammo gain effect now activated by personal shields i.e. Sigma, Zarya, Symmetra, The Best Defense, Adaptive Shields, & Sound Barrier affected enemies
- Secondary fire travel speed increased from 25m/s > 30m/s
- Secondary fire direct damage increased from 120 > 125
-
Sentry Turret -
- Damage doubled against barriers
- Damage increased from 40 per turret > 45
- Slowing effect reduced from -20% > -15% per turret
- Projectile speed increased from 15m/s > 30m/s
- Teleporter - CD reduced from 10s > 6s
- Bounce Pad - deploy a small bounce pad that lasts indefinitely + affects enemies & allies / 50 HP / 100 Shields / 6s CD
-
Shield Regen - passive -
- Damage done to enemy barriers now generates 1 shield per 10 damage / up to 50 temporary shields for all allies (they do not regenerate nor disappear overtime) 12m radius
- Symmetra and her allies now begin to regenerate their personal shields instantly when out of combat (from 3s > 0s)
- Photon Barrier - ultimate - cost decreased from 1680 > 1650 (1.8%)
Torbjorn
-
Rivet Gun -
- Now ignores armor damage reduction
- Ammo size increased from 18 > 24
- Reload time reduced from 2s > 1.5s
- Turret - Lvl 1 > Lvl 2 (5s), Lvl 2 > Lvl 3 (20s)
- Molten Core - ultimate - cost decreased from 2142 > 2100 (2%)
Tracer
- Pulse Bomb - ultimate - cost decreased from 1260 > 1250 (.8%)
Widowmaker
- Hitpoints - base health increased from 175 > 200
-
Widow’s Kiss -
- Damage reduced from 60-120 > 50-100 @ 100% charge
- Reload time reduced from 1.55s > 1.4s
- Venom Mine - CD reduced from 15s > 9s
- Venom Mine - removed
-
Spider’s Web -
- Deploys a thin net that lasts indefinitely until replaced|destroyed
- Slows enemy movement speed by 25%
- 50 hitpoints
- 8m range
- 3s duration
- 10s CD
- Grappling Hook - CD reduced from 10s > 9s
- Infrasight - ultimate - cost decreased from 1540 > 1250 (23.2%)
Winston
-
Tesla Cannon -
- Reload time reduced from 1.7s > 1.2s
- Ammo clip increased from 100 > 150
-
Barrier Projector -
- Barrier health increased from 700 > 750
- CD reduced from 13s > 12s
- Jump Pack - CD reduced from 6s > 5s
- Primal Rage - ultimate - cost increased from 1540 > 1550 (.65%)
Wrecking Ball
- Grappling Claw - knockback increased by 25% (Reversion due to KR)
-
Quad Cannons -
- Damage per shot reduced from 2.5-5 > 1-4
- Ammo clip increased from 80 > 120
- Reload time reduced from 2.1s > 1.5s
-
Piledriver -
- Does not target enemies that are mid air unless directly underneath him
- Does not target enemies that are at the same elevation but not contacting a platform
Zarya
-
Particle Cannon -
- Primary fire range reduced from 15m > 12m
- Secondary fire ammo cost reduced from 25 > 20
- Ammo clip increased from 100 > 120
- Reload time reduced from 1.6s > 1.4s
- Projected Barrier - now has 2 charges / 150 HP absorption / 20% charge generation / 6s CD (each)
Zenyatta
-
Orb of Destruction -
- Reload time reduced from 1.5s > 1.3s
- Ammo clip increased from 20 > 25
- Transcendence - ultimate - cost reduced from 2310 > 2300 (.4%)
