First of all, replace Resurrect with a different ability. I get that it’s an iconic ability and all, but it’s impossible to properly balance since it’s the only ability in the game that affects players who have died. This is why Mercy has never been balanced; she’s always been either underpowered (pre-rework and currently) or overpowered (right now, after all the nerfs to her). And need I mention the nerf to her healing? Her healing is so slow that she can’t even outheal Winston’s Tesla Cannon (AKA Tickle Gun); Mercy heals for 50 health per second now, while Winston’s Tesla Cannon’s damage is 60 damage per second.
I highly disagree with people who say that Resurrect as an Ultimate should come back. Instead, here is my idea:
Replace Resurrect with an ability called Miracle Worker.
Description of Miracle Worker:
Type: Single target buff
Range: 30 meters (same as that of both Guardian Angel and Zarya’s Projected Barrier)
Duration: 3 seconds (1 second longer than Zarya’s Projected Barrier) or until lethal damage is taken
Cooldown: 15 seconds (5 seconds longer than Zarya’s Projected Barrier)
Effect 1: Buff duration expires, and the target is healed for 100 HP.
Effect 2: Prevent death when target takes damage that would normally kill them and sets the target’s health to 50 HP.
Mercy places a spell on a targeted ally. This buff will trigger an effect after 3 seconds or when the target takes lethal damage.
If the buff expires with no lethal damage taken, the target is healed for 100 HP.
If the target takes lethal damage, death is prevented, and the target’s HP is set to 50 HP.
This idea is not mine. It’s by YouTuber Blame The Controller. (Source video.)
This is an ability that could save someone from death, regardless of the amount of damage taken, just like Zarya’s Projected Barrier. However, Mercy wouldn’t directly benefit from this like Zarya does, the cooldown would be longer, and the buff would also last a little longer as well. The target would also be healed. If the target takes damage that would normally kill them, they don’t die and is instead immediately healed for 50 HP. If they don’t take any damage that would kill them during the three-second period, their health is instead set to 50 HP. Keep in mind that this wording is intentional: Ana’s Biotic Grenade would be able to stop the healing of 100 health if the target takes no lethal damage, but it wouldn’t be able to stop the second effect where the target’s health is set to 50 HP (otherwise, they would immediately die).
Due to the long cooldown, Mercy players would have to prioritize when to use this ability, even more than Zarya players and Projected Barrier. She couldn’t just use it willy-nilly. If a target is saved from death, they are healed, but the amount that they are healed for is so low that they would need to be healed by Mercy or another healer afterwards; otherwise, they’d likely die right after the buff is over if the enemy is focusing them.
Replacing Resurrect would not be enough, however. Her healing output should be reverted to 60 healing per second, and Valkyrie should be updated to work with this hypothetical new ability. For example, during Valkyrie, Miracle Worker could heal for 200 health, instead of 100, when no lethal damage is taken, and the target’s health could be set to 100, instead of 50, if lethal damage is taken.
Alternatively, the healing numbers could remain the same, but the cooldown for Miracle Worker could be reset, or she could get another charge, just like what used to happen with Resurrect when she used Valkyrie.
