Why do people think tanks are getting buffed? 5v5

That was the beta, there’s obviously more stuff they’re gonna add to the game

You say this but remember that you will be taking ‘half’ the damage you would normally be taking from the enemy tank line up as well. That means n more hog spamming you while trying to outplay the enemy rein. etc

Tanks bring almost all the defensive capability in the game.

You’re cutting defense by 50%, and offense by around 20%.

And additionally, Blizzard is cutting that defense down by more. Why on earth do people somehow think that tanks will be able to survive better when there’s only 1 of them?

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its almost like that wasnt his final form Version

I love how people are like “Oh, Blizz just must not be done with Rein if the changes were that bad.”

You guys underestimate Blizzard’s ability to screw tanks over.

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True, especially if the rumors that OW2 is releasing in 2022 is proven to be true… With how production of the game has been–which seemed to be very little–I have my doubts that the following months after release are going to be anything but degrading. Sure, they could have been very productive and just refused to show any recent, close to finished developments, but this company has had a not-so-good track-record when it comes to releases.

On the topic of Reinhardt, most of his changes still make him exposed: Charge (while more versatile) still leaves him as a big target, having two Firestrikes means that he will drop his barrier more (leaving him open for attacks more frequently), and Barrier Shield has had a health reduction (which means less damage blocked). So unless they’ve decided to globally lower the damage of most weapons and abilities, this isn’t going to be too beneficial for the hero…

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Most of what we have seen could’ve made it’s way to OW1 and no one would’ve batted an eye (I also believe that it was going to happen anyway)

In 5V5 it will be the DPS that have to “make space” or a really aggressive Tank play to open up the fight either for their team or the enemy

Also what we were shown was unstable the DPS and Supports didn’t have any changes so it was possible they wanted to show off the Tank changes and new mode in 5V5… but I don’t think the damage numbers will be much different for 5V5

Again I can’t wait for the changes for Orisa and Sigma to be shown… here’s to hoping they’re good changes

Welcome to what it feels like to play other roles. Tanks shouldn’t be gods.

I dont want to be a god I just want to play something other than orisa

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If tanks where gods more people would play them. But that is not the case.

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Tanks as a class in Overwatch are too strong. Nerfing them in a scenario where you have 2 tanks on a team will make both of them to weak. Removing 1 tank and giving them a buff in other areas slightly will level it out.

The only problem with that is tanks are supposed to derive most of their value from making space and blocking / taking damage.

At that point they might as well just remove all roles because most characters will be DPS oriented anyways.

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Door kicker heavies also make space, not everything is about a shield to protect YOU.

This has been a recurring theme in conversation since the PvP Livestream; Tank players want to understand their role in a new 5v5 world. I talked to the Hero Design and Balance team about this thread, and have summed up some thoughts below:

Tanks in Overwatch 2 remain both disruptive line breakers and push-leading protectors. Changing from two Tanks to one creates a new dynamic, where each player (including Damage and Supports) needs to be more careful about the way they position themselves. Flanking potentially becomes more potent as a strategy, and because teams aren’t relying on holding “the high ground” due to the defensive capabilities of multiple Tanks, maps are being used to their fullest (which has resulted in some fun playtests).

Tanks will still be the unquestioned authority on blocking damage; however, they won’t be simultaneously contending with the opposing Tank blocking nearly all incoming damage for their team. Changing to a single Tank means that they will be tuned to be slightly tougher on the individual level. Tanks with overwhelming team defensive capabilities (like Reinhardt) will have their group protections reduced, while their damage and utility will be improved.

To address the pressure that a single Tank position can put on an individual player: there is an assumption that if the Tank dies, the fight is over. Realistically speaking, any player dying in a 5v5 scenario can mean a team-fight loss for their team, so everyone is going to have a bit more pressure put on their individual performance. That said, Tanks not being responsible for mitigating overwhelming damage for the entire team removes some pressure for the role. This also opens an avenue for them to focus more on getting in the opposing team’s face and pressuring with damage and disrupting enemy lines. In our own playtests, we have observed an interesting dynamic where Tanks are not usually the first to die. Support is better able to maintain their front line, creating a scenario where healing is more focused since it’s not split trying to keep multiple tanks alive.

Double Barrier team comps is another area directly impacted by this change. In Overwatch 2, there is a maximum of one shield Tank per team, which leads to changes in how we tune and adjust the total “uptime” for these barriers. This comes in the form of lowering their health, increasing their cooldowns, or lowering their durations. We want barriers to feel impactful, albeit less oppressive, across the game.

Tanks rooted in mobility, such as D.Va, Wrecking Ball, and Winston will see their utility improved, gaining additional defensive stopping power, and in some cases more freedom to flex between having an offensive impact and being a defensive bulwark for their team.

I do understand that some of us have very strong feelings about changing to a single tank, and it’s going to take more than a response like this to fully convince you that this is a net positive change.

To be completely candid: I understand that you need to get your hands on the game and experience it for yourself to fully form an opinion. As someone who was an OW fan and player before I ever joined the team, I have a huge amount of empathy for folks who are frustrated waiting for OW2.

Speaking as someone who plays retail comp nightly, and playtests 2 almost daily, it’s difficult to envision what the experience is actually like until you’ve been in the environment and played several matches. I sincerely do not mean this in a gatekeep-y or “we know better than you” tone, but more to create an understanding that we get your sentiment and understand where your feedback is coming from.

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Andy I must say its nice seeing you talking with the community on here

Most people would just take one look at this place and pour bleach into their eyes

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I very much worry about D.va and Sir Hammington…If they are disrupting the field so to speak won’t that affect the rest of the team adversely?

Beta pleassssssse. Also good day to you Andy.

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Happy Moira noises

Also i can’t help but wonder, will quickplay classic and open queue remain a thing? Will it be scaled down to 5v5 as well?

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In a perfect word - maybe but OW doesn’t play that way.

Pretty much is because tank role will be even more impactful than already is if there will be only 1 tank to relay on. You lose the tank = you lose the fight.

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Wow big post lemme see

bIGLy. YUGE.

Better grab some covfefe.