Overwatch PTR patch nerfs Baptiste and Mei, buffs D.va

This article is brought to you by StatBanana, the best Overwatch strategy tool.

A new Overwatch PTR patch has hit controversial heroes, including Mei and Baptiste, with nerfs. Orisa, Hanzo, and D.va were also tweaked, and the latter was the only hero to get a buff.

The update made considerable changes to Baptiste’s Immortality Field, widely regarded as one of the most troublesome elements in his kit. The skill’s cooldown was increased from 20 to 25 seconds and its maximum duration was reduced to five seconds, greatly decreasing its uptime. The ultimate cost for Baptiste’s Amplification Matrix was also increased by 20 percent.

Mei was another victim of key changes in her kit. Her primary fire’s slow effect was toned down in intensity and effect. Players will only be slowed between 20 and 70 percent of their base speed, instead of the previous iteration of 30 to 90. The duration of the slow effect was also watered down to one second from the previous 1.5, a reversal of a buff from 2018.

Orisa and Hanzo got comparatively minor downgrades. The tank’s Fortify suffered a slight nerf and will now reduce 40 percent of incoming damage instead of 50. The sniper’s Storm Arrow had its projectile speed reduced by 15 units to 110, taking it to pre-rework levels.  

D.va was the only hero to receive a buff in the patch. The cooldown of her boosters was decreased to three seconds, a change that will allow her more mobility and better hit-and-run tactics. At the same time, the alteration could be an indirect threat to Pharah, since the MEKA pilot will be able to counter her more easily.

Doomfist is the last hero mentioned in the patch notes. The brawler’s recovery time following his uppercut was increased to half a second from 0.2 second, which burdens the hero with a bigger delay before he can start to follow up on the uppercut. Even though nominally the change may appear insignificant, video evidence makes it easier to visualize the difference.   

There is a degree of convergence between the Overwatch community and Blizzard. A fanmade survey evidenced that players believed Mei and Baptiste were in urgent need of a change. Immortality Field was largely named as the combat medic’s most oppressive skill, while Mei’s primary fire was the main controversy in her kit. Orisa and Hanzo also figured among the top results in the survey.

Most nerfs were already teased by Blizzard over the course of the week. Changes to Mei and D.va were teased by Overwatch developer Josh Noh on the Blizzard Forums, and Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan revealed the tweaks to Baptiste’s kit.