The new patch is a pure DPS 
patch.
DPS want to lead the charge? Go right ahead. Make space for the team.
Don’t expect tanks to do it. My Orisa may just stay back and protect a turret or healers.
3 Likes
I agree.
You’d think barrier tanks have been a dominating meta force with how this patch is shaping up. It’s weird.
3 Likes
The funny thing about all the people screaming “tanks are dead” is the patch literally buffs the CRAP out of the tanks. It only nerfs their specific shield abilities.
Orisa has more armor/max health, fortify is buffed, and she moves insanely fast while shooting. Her shield just has less health now. Stronger Orisa, weaker shield.
Sigma has faster cooldowns and can facetank more damage into shields now. Better Sigma, worse shield.
Reinheart has much faster movement speed and more CC resistance. Better Reinheart, worse shield.
Not to mention the D.va buffs, and the Winston buffs last patch. Did I forget to add that armor is buffed across the board? Tanks are now much more tanky and less paper.
The devs have very intentionally made the tanks more fun TANKS and less shield-spam robots. You now get to use your abilities and cooldowns to make space, mitigate damage, and take pressure off your team rather than hold up a shiny blue square or throw down a shiny blue oval over and over.
As the devs said:
13 Likes
both rein and orisa have literally been buffed in the “space-making” aspect because they move faster. the shield health nerfs just mean you can’t be a stationary tank, and occasionally using terrain or LOS as cover is rewarded.
sorry if you thought that standing still and refreshing shield every 10 seconds was the peak PC gaming experience. this was a major playstyle shift for tanks that increases the pace of gameplay.
11 Likes
Yeah 
Stronger tanks with out shields.
Couple of head shots. DONE 
If they remove head shots from tanks…NOW THAT’S a BUFF.
4 Likes
More like “necessary.” Especially when there’s still that threat of being two-shot as the tank from the other side of the map. Which got buffed since we have less barriers.
this was always the case, regardless of this nerf.
all i’m saying is tanking needs more brains now. for example, defending reins on kings row point B usually shield up at the end of the chokepoint, meaning he has to block damage while the cart moves a very long distance. Now you’d have to play around the corner. another good example of this is conserving your shield as an attacking tank on junkertown last point. the distance you need to travel is huge, that’s why you use the cart as cover for the first half.
don’t forget that the speed buffs compensate for this too. if both teams are running a rein, the speed at which they walk towards each other greatly reduces the duration of the approach, during which shield-breaking and poking happens
Haha get it, guys he insulted DPS, dude that’s so funny dude
3 Likes
The new PTR patch has hurt my morale.
I feel like those men do…
It’s kind of sad that you just want to no brain shield spam one spot the entire match. I assume Paris was your favorite map?
Luckily though, other people actually enjoy using their other abilities and actually playing the game.
4 Likes
The purpose of the tank is to create space and protect. The shield nerfs have retarded their ability to do that.
Sniper suppression is part of Orisa’s main function. With out an adequate shield, Orisa will not be able to suppress Widow or Hanzo anymore.
I suggest you start tallying the number of deaths that you suffer from Widow or Hanzo if the new patch goes live.
And it got buffed. Massively.
Tanking was already the hardest thing to do properly in this game, nerfing barriers sure makes it harder. No, it doesn’t require more “brain,” more like it’s even more of a chore.
Expect more double barrier after this. That will also become more necessary.
3 Likes
as a dps main my self that sometimes go to solo Q tank (i only dps when grouping))
idk what they were thinking with 600 hp orissa shield lol
well i can understand if they buff her cd maybe like 7 sec cd, 10 sec cd for 600 hp is omegalul
What are you talking about? If anything this made Orisa even more aggressive, instead of a passive almost immortal hero that sits behind the barrier forever. If you do that now, you will be basically throwing since her Barrier is trash after this patch.
That is how she defends. How else?
When Orisa is on attack, it’s a different story.
Pulling Hanzo or Widow off of perches. Rushing forward to confront Junk Rat or Mei. Rushing forward to block a Rein charge…all from behind a good shield.
The shield nerf is DEVASTATING to her current play style.
The new patch appears to have reduced her to a backline tank, cowering behind cover, protecting a turret or healer with her new paper shield.
Creating space isn’t and shouldn’t be all about shielding.
2 Likes
It’s ok. It won’t be her job anymore if the new patch goes live.
If you’re a DPS player, I suggest you start practicing how to create space for the team. My Orisa will stay back and provide covering fire from behind her new paper shield.
Rein will be a faster unstoppable force than ever before
1 Like
Like others have posted. Weakening shields may make the appearance of double shield more common versus snipers.
Start practicing your DPS skills to create space. You are going to need it when shields are reduced to a joke.
Aka more selfish buffs, and teamplay nerfs… Good buff for tanks am I right ?
3 Likes