While most Overwatch the players were busy looking at the adorable Pachimaris, the developers worked hard to make more balance changes.
The PachiMarchi Challenge can be Overwatchthis month’s big draw, but the work still needs to be done behind the scenes. The March 11 live patch for the game brings all changes from the March 4 Experimental Board to the live servers.
Last week’s Experimental Card tested a series of minor changes to damage dealers like Genji and Mei, fine-tuning skills that can help achieve more balance during wild team fights. Reaper’s damage nerf from the last live patch has also been removed.
In addition, tank heroes like Sigma and Zarya received some balance changes. Considering that both are still incredibly popular in the current goal of the game, it is important that players pay attention to how these changes will affect gameplay.
Here are the full patch notes for Overwatch’s last live update.
Hero damage changes
Genji
- Shuriken’s recovery was reduced from 0.75 to 0.68.
- The final cost of Dragonblade has increased by 15 percent.
This lower shuriken recovery rate will allow Genji “to have more impact outside of his final state,” said the developers. In many compositions, Genji is played only by his powerful Dragonblade ultimate, which is usually combined with Ana’s Nano-Boost or a Mercy damage boost for maximum efficiency.
These changes allow Genji to be more impactful in regular team fights. An increase in the final cost means that players will have to make better use of their skills while Dragonblade loads.
Mei
- Cryogenic freeze cure increased from 37.5 to 50.
An earlier patch removed Mei’s ability to be targeted in his “ice pack” form, officially known as Cryo-Freeze. This was a great benefit for Mei players, who had more time to avoid the ire of enemy players, who would cling to them before the Cryo-Freeze ended. But this lack of direction also applies to allies who were unable to heal Mei while in the form of an ice pack.
This small increase allows Mei to gain health back at a higher rate, allowing her to regain full health (250 HP) in a maximum of five seconds, depending on the damage taken. Mei players can now be a little more adventurous knowing that Cryo-Freeze can get them back in the fight more quickly.
Farah
- The Hover Jet’s regeneration rate has increased from 35 to 43.
In order not to be defeated by fellow aerial hero Echo, Pharah has been gaining fans from developers in recent months. This change is an attempt to give it more hover power, without giving it the freedom to “scale the extreme heights that some map ceilings allow, as it can lead to less interactive gameplay,” said the developers.
Any increase in the Hover Jet’s regeneration rate will allow players to stay in the air longer, bringing justice. Players will also have to “refuel” less often, touching the ground.
Reaper
- Hellfire Shotguns damage per projectile has increased from 5.5 to six.
The developers gave Reaper a game-style makeover in the February 18 live patch, increasing the range of his primary weapon to make it more viable in teamfights. The cost of this change was projectile damage to his Hellfire Shotguns, which dropped from seven to 5.5. Sensing that the lack of damage was a problem, the developers increased it to a solid six damage per bullet.
Tank Hero Changes
Sigma
- The cooling of the experimental barrier was reduced from 2.5 to two seconds.
As one of the most popular (and oppressive) tank heroes in the game, Sigma has been hit with the nerf stick several times in the last few patches. The biggest change was in his Experimental Barrier, the main way he protects himself and protects himself and his allies. An increase in the cooling time to 2.5 seconds was a bit much, so the developers are reducing it to two seconds.
It may seem insignificant, but that half second can mean the difference between blocking a deadly or final attack and letting your team down.
Zarya
- The energy drain rate has increased from 1.6 to 1.8 per second.
When heroes with high power and AoE damage, like Ashe and Pharah, enter the finish line, Zarya tends to return in popularity. Zarya’s power comes from her ability to absorb energy and return it as damage at very high rates. This smaller nerf makes her energy drain a little faster between team fights or when she is not absorbing the damage directly. Zarya players will have to work a little harder to keep their energy buzzing at 100 percent.
These changes are now active in all Overwatch platforms, including Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch.