Overwatch 2 Season 11 Patch Notes Include Major Hero Changes
Overwatch 2 Season 11 is here, with Super Mega Ultrawatch promising chaotic cartoon-inspired action. This includes Power Rangers and Transformers skins, a new map, and plenty of hero changes. Will the meta be changing in Season 11? Here are all of the hero balance updates coming to Overwatch 2.
Hero Updates in Season 11 Patch Notes
General
- Knockdown time when two charging abilities collide reduced from 2 to 1.7 seconds.
Developer Comments: This stun time reduction applies to the knockdown that happens when two charging abilities collide and result in a tie (with Reinhardt, Doomfist, Brigitte, Mauga, Bob). The counterplay and interaction of two charging abilities impacting each other is great, but it took both players out of the fight a little too long.
Tank
D.Va
Boosters
- Impact damage increased from 15 to 25.
Fusion Cannons
- Weapon spread reduced from 3.75 to 3.375 degrees.
Developer Comments: These changes will improve D.Va’s effectiveness against smaller targets as she became less effective against armored enemies in the previous patch.
Junker Queen
Rampage
- Startup time reduced from 0.75 to 0.5 seconds.
Jagged Blade
- Now pulls tanks further.
Developer Comments: The Tank knockback resistance passive was affecting Junker Queen’s pull effect more than intended. The distance can be affected by their movement, but Tanks are now pulled in about 5-6 meters instead of only 3 meters or so.
Orisa
Javelin Spin
- Cooldown reduced from 9 to 8 seconds.
Developer Comments: Orisa’s survivability was reduced more than necessary in her last round of changes so we’re partially reverting the cooldown increase to Javelin Spin.
Roadhog
- Base health reduced from 650 to 600.
Take a Breather
- Damage reduction reduced from 50% to 40%.
Developer Comments: Roadhog’s already-powerful survivability increased significantly with the headshot damage reduction from the tank role passive so these changes are to help bring that back in line.
Damage
Cassidy
Flashbang
- Magnetic Grenade ability is now Flashbang.
- Hinders enemies instead of Stunning them for 1.2 seconds.
- Movement speed reduction increased from 30% to 50%.
- Hinder now prevents crouching movement.
- 45 explosive damage.
- 12 second cooldown.
Deadeye
- Movement speed penalty now scales down over time, from 70% to 35%.
- Damage reduction now scales down over time, from 40% to 0%.
Combat Roll
- Damage reduction reduced from 75% to 50%.
Peacekeeper
- Secondary fire “Fan the Hammer” damage reduced from 50 to 45.
Developer Comments: We’re reverting the Magnetic Grenade ability to be deployed like Cassidy’s previous Flashbang ability, but it will keep the Hinder effect instead of a full stun. We’ve heard feedback surrounding the Magnetic Grenade ability and agree that while the fantasy of a homing grenade was fun, the moment-to-moment gameplay of it often felt too unpredictable as to whether it would land or not. The Hinder effect has been a useful tool to act as a counter to highly mobile heroes without going back to a full stun and the enemy player losing the ability to fight back.
The Deadeye ultimate is getting an adjustment to increase its flexibility toward the end of its duration, enabling it to get value outside of buying time for Cassidy or his allies, though it may be riskier to hold it for a long time as the damage reduction will fade away along with the movement speed penalty.
Mei
Endothermic Blaster
- Secondary fire base projectile size reduced from 0.15 to 0.12 meters.
- Secondary fire damage increased from 75 to 85.
Developer Comments: Mei’s damage output over time is intended to be on the low end for a Damage hero, as she offers strong utility and survivability through her ability kit, but we would like to make the secondary fire icicle more rewarding by increasing the damage and slightly more difficult to land consistently.
Reaper
Hellfire Shotguns
- Weapon spread reduced from 6.5 to 6 degrees.
Shadow Step
- Cast time reduced from 1.5 to 1.2 seconds.
Developer Comments: With the previous patch change to how armor reduces damage, shotgun weapon heroes like Reaper lost some value since much of their game plan revolved around pressuring large tank heroes. To help shift Reaper toward being more effective against smaller targets we’re tightening the weapon spread on the Hellfire Shotguns and reducing the amount of time enemies have to react to his Shadow Step teleport.
Sojourn
Railgun
- Secondary fire damage scaling reduced from 30-130 damage down to 1-100 damage.
- Secondary fire projectile no longer requires Overclock to pierce enemy players.
- Primary fire shots per second increased from 14 to 16.
Overclock
- Energy charge rate increased from 100 to 120 per second.
Developer Comments: This change is reducing the burst damage potential of the secondary fire Railgun shot to both lessen frustration from playing against that burst damage, and to shift power into her sustained primary fire damage. This should smooth out the feast-or-famine nature of Sojourn consistently hitting the secondary fire shots.
Symmetra
- Base health increased from 100 to 125 (Total health increased from 250 to 275).
Photon Projector
- Primary fire charge rate increased 25%.
Developer Comments: To help solidify Symmetra as a close-range threat, we’re increasing her health to better survive in that range, along with how quickly her primary fire beam damage ramps up.
Support
Illari
Healing Pylon
- Healing per projectile increased from 30 to 40.
- Pylon healing is now only half as effective when targeting Illari.
- Max health increased from 100 to 125.
Outburst
- Damage increased from 10 to 25.
Developer Comments: Illari’s Healing Pylon is intended to be useful for healing her team in relatively safe positions without much focus required, which enables her to either apply pressure with her primary fire or spot heal in bursts from her more limited secondary fire healing beam. To encourage this, it now has improved health and healing output, but is less effective when Illari uses it to heal herself.
Kiriko
Protection Suzu
- No longer cleanses hard knockdown stuns.
Swift Step
- Cooldown increased from 7 to 8 seconds.
Developer Comments: “Hard knockdown stuns” refer to most all of the existing knockdowns where the player is stunned and laying on the ground (such as Reinhardt’s Earthshatter), with the exception of Ana’s Sleep Dart effect, which is removed upon taking damage or Protection Suzu’s cleanse.
- Fixed an interaction where a Particle Shielded Zarya standing on a Teleporter could prevent teammates from using the teleporter.
The full patch notes can be found here.
OLIVIA RICHMAN
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!