Blizzard has released the patch notes for Overwatch season 2, introducing significant balance changes to several heroes and a new rank decay mechanic for Stadium's ranked mode.
The update focuses heavily on tuning the tank roster, specifically targeting the high-impact playstyle of Roadhog. According to polygon.com, the changes aim to make the character less problematic by addressing his ability to pick off targets with minimal downtime.
Roadhog's Chain Hook cooldown will increase from 6 to 8 seconds. Additionally, his Scrap Gun reload time is moving from 1.5 to 1.75 seconds. To compensate for the loss of individual power, Blizzard is introducing the 'Hogdrogen Exposure' major perk, which allows his Take a Breather ability to heal nearby allies for 50% of the healing amount.
Hero roster adjustments
Other notable changes affect a wide range of characters. Soldier 76 has received a decade-long upgrade, gaining the ability to reload while sprinting, though his movement speed bonus will diminish during the process. Polygon reports that this change effectively allows him to 'sprint and reload now.'
Ramattra is also seeing an overhaul. His Ravenous Vortex ability is moving from a perk to a baseline ability, and Blizzard intends for this to help the hero compete against airborne characters like Juno and Sierra. The update also includes a buff to his Void Barrier, increasing its size and duration by 25%.
Support and damage heroes are not exempt from the tuning. Mercy's primary healing has been slightly reduced to balance the addition of Flash Heal, while Echo's Duplicate ability can now be used on allied heroes. Meanwhile, Pharah's movement speed during Hover Jets has been lowered from 40% to 30%.
In Stadium's ranked mode, Blizzard is moving away from a hard rank reset at the start of the season. Players will now instead face a more 'generous rank decay mechanic,' according to the report. The update also marks the debut of Ramattra in the competitive mode, providing players with new strategic options beyond the current reliance on Juno's kit.
