Overwatch’s latest Experimental Card buffs Reinhardt, nerfs Baptiste

Reinhardt mains may finally get back on top of the food chain if Overwatch’s latest Experimental Card is successful. The Dec. 3 experiment tests sizable buffs to the tank, including increased armor and damage. More changes come to the tank line with D.Va’s health and armor getting rearranged to bring back some of her former hardiness. 

Baptiste has been experiencing a resurgence on the ranked ladder lately, but if this Experimental Card goes to the live servers, that time may be over. His ultimate, Amplification Matrix, recently got a huge buff in size but will now be more costly to use. 

As usual, these changes are experimental only and may not make it to the live Overwatch servers in their current state, if at all. 

Hero changes 

Reinhardt 

• Base Armor increased from 200 to 250.
• Rocket Hammer damage increased from 75 to 85.

The era of glory, justice, and Reinhardt may be returning. This Experimental Card gives Reinhardt a huge boost to armor, making him more able to withstand damage. His base melee ability, Rocket Hammer, gets a minor upgrade as well. “The increased Rocket Hammer damage will reduce the number of swings necessary to eliminate some heroes,” the developers said. At two swings, Reinhardt could now eliminate low health heroes or glass cannons like Tracer.

D.Va

• Mech Armor and Health has been redistributed, from 200 armor and 400 health to 300 armor and 300 health. 

While this is a minor change to D.Va, an increase in armor means that her mech can withstand a larger barrage from projectile damage or beams from heroes like Zarya. It’s a little boost that may bring her back into the competitive meta. 

Baptiste 

• Immortality Field health decreased from 200 to 150.
• Amplification Matrix ultimate cost increased by 15 percent. 

After receiving a series of buffs in the past few live patches, Baptiste is now feeling the pain of proposed nerfs. Amplification Matrix would now take 15 percent longer to charge. This seems like a lot, but the proposed change is actually a revision from a September patch that took the cost down. 

The big change for Baptiste is the health of his key ability, Immortality Field. A 50 health decrease means that enemy players can destroy an Immortality Field more quickly, leaving Baptiste and his allies open to destruction from ultimates. 

These changes can be tested on the Experimental Card, which can be found on Overwatch’s main page. The changes will be tested using the ranked role queue ruleset to best mimic the atmosphere in which they’ll be used.