Overwatch Update: New Support Hero Baptiste and Balance Changes

Blizzard have released a new major update for Overwatch, which adds a new support hero – Baptiste. The hero is a combat medic who is capable of not only healing and saving his teammates, but also damaging the enemies. In addition to the new hero, Blizzard have introduced a number of balance changes for the other heroes.

Baptiste

Abilities:

• BIOTIC LAUNCHER: Baptiste’s three-round-burst Biotic Launcher rewards accuracy and recoil control with significant damage output. It also doubles as a healing device, lobbing projectiles that heal allies near the point of impact.
• REGENERATIVE BURST: Baptiste activates an intense regenerative burst that heals himself and nearby allies over time.
• IMMORTALITY FIELD: Baptiste uses a device to create a field that prevents allies from dying. The generator can be destroyed.
• AMPLIFICATION MATRIX: Baptiste creates a matrix that doubles the damage and healing effects of friendly projectiles that pass through it.
• EXO BOOTS: By first crouching, Baptiste can jump higher.

Hero Updates

Ana

• NANO BOOST: Heal reduced from 300 to 250

DOOMFIST

• RISING UPPERCUT: Cooldown reduced from 7 to 6 seconds
• SEISMIC SLAM: Cooldown reduced from 7 to 6 seconds

HANZO

• SONIC ARROW: Detection radius increased from 7 to 9 meters

Junkrat

• FRAG LAUNCHER: Impact damage increased from 40 to 50
• RIP-TIRE: Cost increased by 10%

LUCIO

• AMP IT UP: Speed Boost’s amplification reduced from 70% to 50%
• CROSS FADE: Speed Boost’s effect reduced from 30% to 20%
• SONIC AMPLIFIER: Soundwave now counts towards Offensive Assists
• WALL RIDER: Speed buff increased from 20% to 40%

MCCREE

• FAN THE HAMMER: Damage reduced from 55 to 50
• DEADEYE: Damage per second increased from 275 to 550 after locking onto targets for 1.5 seconds

MEI

• ENDOTHERMIC BLASTER: Primary fire damage increased from 2.25 to 2.75 (45 to 55 damage per second)
• ICE WALL: Health reduced from 500 to 400

MOIRA

• BIOTIC GRASP: Heal over time duration increased from 3 to 4 seconds; Total healing increased from 50 to 65

ORISA

• FUSION DRIVER: Movement speed penalty while firing reduced from 50% to 30%

Pharah

• ROCKET LAUNCHER: Minimum explosion damage increased from 16.25 to 20

Reaper

• THE REAPING: Healing received from dealing damage reduced from 50% to 40%

Soldier: 76

• PULSE RILE: Damage increased from 19 to 20
• SPRINT: Delay before you can fire the weapon after using Sprint reduced from .5 to .3 seconds
• TACTICAL VISOR: Can target RIP-Tire and Immortality Field

Sombra

• HACK: Cooldown is reduced by half when hacking a health pack; changed the visual appearance to more clearly indicate when something has been hacked

Symmetra

• PHOTON PROJECTOR: Primary Fire’s damage ramps up 20% faster

TORBJÖRN

• GENERAL: Base health increased by 50 armor (250 maximum health)
• OVERLOAD: Armor gain reduced from 150 to 100

WIDOWMAKER

• INFRA-SIGHT: Reveals enemy health bars; now canceled on death

WRECKING BALL

• ADAPTIVE SHIELD: No longer cancels Roll mode

ZARYA

• PARTICLE CANNON: Alternative Fire’s explosion radius changed to 2 meters, regardless of energy level

ZENYATTA

• ORB OF DESTRUCTION: Damage increased from 46 to 48
• ORB OF DISCORD: Effect reduced from 30% to 25%

To learn more about the update, head over to the official changelog.