Released today.
Patch notes:
https://overwatch.blizzard.com/en-us/news/patch-notes/
My thoughts below:
D.Va
Summary
- Nano Cola seems pretty hard nerfed to where I don’t…even know if it’s worth using anymore? Aight, I guess. Not too bad, addresses a very very popular build so I dig it.
Orisa
Summary
Feels fair enough, she did feel unkillable with that build. Hopefully this will get more Orisa players to use power builds and try other ones so we can gage her balance better. I rarely see her.
Reinhardt
Summary
The amount of cash he got wasn’t the problem. It was what his abilities enabled that allowed him to be that close for that long. He’s still going to be strong, so I don’t know if this is a proper nerf or just a band-aid solution.
Zarya
Summary
I’m skeptical this will be enough, but it is a good start. The problem is that you can make the bubbles 100% their size and the cooldown reduction on them on top of it, with the fact she can get 150% charge in builds. Hopefully if she is still too strong, they hit that part next.
Mei
Summary
Fair nerfs IMO. Coulder was a must-pick and basically CC-locked you. This will help it be a good boop tool on certain maps or be a good damage tool with ability power, without completely stunning you in place with the other power-ups you can add on to it.
Reaper
Summary
Why? This feels like it should have been added before they fixed his gun so that it didn’t ignore armor. With that fix, this just feels like an overnerf. He wasn’t doing too much. I struggle to see a reason to pick Reaper over Cass or Soldier. This nerf feels out of place on this patch.
Cass is stronger than him and you gave them the same cash nerf, and left Cass untouched. How does it make sense to nerf Reaper when he’s weaker than Cass after the fix? The same nerfs should not apply to him. If Reaper needs a 10% reduction, increase Cass’ reduction in cash.
Soldier
Summary
This is a good start. I don’t know if that will knock it out as the most necessary power-up, but it is a very good start.
Rewarding more for the ammo restoration for critical hits is going to be huge. Especially because it is not difficult to hit crit shots with Soldier’s giant bullets. This is a good power shift.
Kiriko
Summary
Fair nerf. But, again…you nerfed Kiriko harder than Cass’ cash reduction and that feels so…weird. The team really likes Cass, huh.
I was hoping to see something more to be done with ability power. Right now it’s lackluster for the most part, weapon power is the way to go. This doesn’t…really do much to shift that.
Juno
Summary
Fair nerfs IMO. Torpedo build was the ONLY build I’d ever see on her. It was frustrating to go against all the time. Any time I didn’t, it wouldn’t matter how much I heal or do damage, I felt like I got significantly less cash. So this is a good shift to be good out of the game, but not build an overbearing torpedo build in the long-run.
Hopefully this makes it less mandatory.
Lucio
Summary
This is excellent and will give incentive to move power into his weapon with Signature Shift. More health will also help in addition to this. Excited to try this!
Missed opportunities:
- Nerfing Cass (lmao he’s so busted bro please nerf him in a meaningful way, idc if he makes less cash if he’s still two-tapping despite putting everything into sustain to try to survive his auto-aim after roll).
- Ana is…uh, there. She’s not great. It would be good to revisit her soon since having her on your team feels like a liability.
- Ashe’s abilities feel kind of lackluster outside of a few of them. I hope they revisit hers.
- I would like to see Round 1 timer decreased…we don’t get to pick more than a few options. I think the first round can be a fit faster since your selections are a lot fewer. Proceeding rounds can remain the same duration to allow others to read on abilities/figure out the best build.