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Overwatch 2/Balance/Proposed Patch

Proposed Balance Patch

Trim the top-performing outliers, give the strugglers real answers

A pass across the entire 53-hero roster, not just the standout cases. The clearest overperformers — Kiriko's Kitsune Rush, Hazard's Jagged Wall zoning, Sojourn's Disruptor Shot into a guaranteed Railgun charge, Widowmaker's Widow's Kiss one-shot potential, Anran's Vermillion Ascent burst, Venture's Drill Dash mobility loop, Mauga's Cardiac Overdrive sustain, Juno's Hyper Ring, Orisa's Terra Surge, Ana's Biotic Grenade anti-heal, Wuyang's Rushing Torrent mobility, and Sombra's Virus damage-over-time — get trimmed since each is overperforming relative to its cooldown or setup cost. Heroes with a real identity but a rough patch — Torbjörn, Roadhog, Shion, Bastion, Mizuki, Moira, Sierra, Emre, Domina, and Symmetra — get buffed to bring their core tools back in line. Every other hero on the roster — Doomfist, Genji, Wrecking Ball, Reaper, Cassidy, Reinhardt, Zenyatta, and 24 more across all three roles — was reviewed individually and held as-is: already within a healthy win-rate range, not simply left out.

Projected role win rates
RoleCurrentProjectedChange
Support50.81%50.41%-0.40
Damage50.11%50.00%-0.11
Tank50.06%49.75%-0.31

Win-rate spread across roles narrows from 0.75% to 0.66%. Every role converges toward 50% — Tanks rise off the floor, Supports come down from the ceiling, and every other role's outliers are smoothed. Pick rates are held constant to isolate the win-rate effect.

Tank · 15 changes
DominaBuff
Barrier Array's segmented barrier breaks down too quickly under focus fire. Barrier Array health +20%.
47.5% → 49.7% (+2.20)
RoadhogBuff
Take a Breather's self-heal is too low against the burst damage in the current meta. Take a Breather healing +15%.
47.9% → 50.1% (+2.20)
SigmaHold
Held — Gravitic Flux's cast time gives enemies a fair chance to spread out before it lands.
49.0% → 48.8% (-0.20)
Junker QueenHold
Held — Carnage's per-hit cooldown reduction rewards landing it on multiple targets, not spamming it.
49.2% → 49.0% (-0.20)
ZaryaHold
Held — Graviton Surge's cast time gives enemies a fair window to spread out before it lands.
49.3% → 49.1% (-0.20)
RamattraHold
Held — Annihilation's channel time keeps its steady damage appropriately interruptible.
49.4% → 49.2% (-0.20)
Wrecking BallHold
Held — Piledriver's setup requirement keeps its burst damage appropriately conditional.
49.5% → 49.3% (-0.20)
DoomfistHold
Held — Rocket Punch's wall-combo damage is appropriately risky to line up.
49.9% → 49.7% (-0.20)
D.VaHold
Held — Defense Matrix's ammo consumption keeps its projectile denial appropriately limited.
50.5% → 50.3% (-0.20)
D.MonHold
Held — Limit Break's self-overhealth and enemy vulnerability window are a fair trade for its cooldown.
50.8% → 50.6% (-0.20)
WinstonHold
Held — Primal Rage's melee-only restriction is a fair trade for its massive health pool.
51.1% → 50.9% (-0.20)
ReinhardtHold
Held — Earthshatter's wind-up telegraph is a fair trade for its fight-defining knockdown.
51.2% → 51.0% (-0.20)
OrisaNerf
Terra Surge's damage-per-second while anchored is too strong for a hero that's already hard to kill during it. Terra Surge damage −15%.
51.6% → 49.6% (-2.00)
HazardNerf
Jagged Wall's knockback lets him control space too cheaply for its cooldown. Jagged Wall cooldown 7s → 9s.
52.1% → 50.1% (-2.00)
MaugaNerf
Cardiac Overdrive's damage reduction makes Mauga too hard to punish while he's dealing damage. Cardiac Overdrive damage reduction 30% → 25%.
53.4% → 51.4% (-2.00)
Damage · 24 changes
EmreBuff
Override Protocol's transformation window is too short to pay off its cooldown. Override Protocol duration +2s.
46.5% → 48.7% (+2.20)
TorbjörnBuff
Deploy Turret's build time leaves it too vulnerable before it can start contributing. Turret build time −0.5s.
46.7% → 48.9% (+2.20)
SymmetraBuff
Photon Projector's damage ramp-up takes too long to reward sustained fire on a stationary target. Photon Projector max charge-up time −0.5s.
47.0% → 49.2% (+2.20)
BastionBuff
Configuration: Assault's movement speed penalty makes him too easy to kite. Configuration: Assault movement speed +15%.
47.5% → 49.7% (+2.20)
SierraBuff
Anchor Drone's grapple range is too short to be a reliable repositioning tool. Anchor Drone grapple range +20%.
47.5% → 49.7% (+2.20)
ShionBuff
Execution's damage-per-hit is too low for a channel that telegraphs so clearly. Execution damage per hit +8%.
48.1% → 50.3% (+2.20)
MeiHold
Held — Ice Wall's cooldown keeps her zoning tool from being spammed every engagement.
48.7% → 48.5% (-0.20)
Soldier: 76Hold
Held — Tactical Visor's aim-assist window is short enough that good positioning still counters it.
48.8% → 48.6% (-0.20)
GenjiHold
Held — Deflect's window and Dragonblade's damage remain a fair risk-reward for a hero with no inherent survivability.
49.2% → 49.0% (-0.20)
EchoHold
Held — Duplicate's time limit keeps borrowing an enemy ultimate appropriately risky.
49.6% → 49.4% (-0.20)
FrejaHold
Held — Bola Shot's bind duration gives targets a fair chance to fight back before it detonates.
49.7% → 49.5% (-0.20)
HanzoHold
Held — Storm Arrows' reduced damage per arrow keeps its burst window fair for such a low cooldown.
49.7% → 49.5% (-0.20)
AsheHold
Held — B.O.B.'s cast time gives enemies a fair window to reposition before he lands.
49.7% → 49.5% (-0.20)
JunkratHold
Held — Steel Trap's visible tell gives careful players a fair chance to avoid it.
49.8% → 49.6% (-0.20)
ReaperHold
Held — Death Blossom's exposure during the channel balances its close-range burst.
50.8% → 50.6% (-0.20)
PharahHold
Held — Barrage's self-exposure during the channel balances its high burst potential.
50.9% → 50.7% (-0.20)
VendettaHold
Held — Warding Stance's frontal-only block keeps her defense exploitable from the sides.
50.9% → 50.7% (-0.20)
CassidyHold
Held — Deadeye's lock-on time gives targets a fair chance to break line of sight.
51.2% → 51.0% (-0.20)
TracerHold
Held — Pulse Bomb's stick-and-detonate delay gives targets a fair chance to break line of sight.
51.4% → 51.2% (-0.20)
VentureNerf
Drill Dash's cooldown acceleration while burrowed lets Venture chain engages too quickly. Drill Dash cooldown +1s.
51.7% → 49.7% (-2.00)
SombraNerf
Virus's damage-over-time is too efficient against targets she's already hacked. Virus damage vs. hacked enemies −15%.
52.1% → 50.1% (-2.00)
WidowmakerNerf
Widow's Kiss's fully-charged headshot damage is too rewarding relative to her lack of mobility outside Grappling Hook. Widow's Kiss charged headshot damage −10%.
52.1% → 50.1% (-2.00)
AnranNerf
Vermillion Ascent's instant ignition on impact deals too much guaranteed burst for its cooldown. Vermillion Ascent damage −10%.
52.7% → 50.7% (-2.00)
SojournNerf
Disruptor Shot makes landing a fully-charged Railgun shot too consistent. Disruptor Shot damage −15%.
54.2% → 52.2% (-2.00)
Support · 14 changes
MoiraBuff
Biotic Orb's healing-per-bounce is too low relative to its long cooldown. Biotic Orb healing +10%.
46.9% → 49.1% (+2.20)
MizukiBuff
Kekkai Sanctuary's radius is too small to reliably protect a team fight. Kekkai Sanctuary radius +20%.
47.1% → 49.3% (+2.20)
ZenyattaHold
Held — Transcendence's healing-per-second is appropriately costed against his lack of mobility.
49.2% → 49.0% (-0.20)
MercyHold
Held — Resurrect's cast time and range keep it a high-risk, high-reward play, not a free reset.
49.5% → 49.3% (-0.20)
IllariHold
Held — Outburst's self-launch cost keeps her aggressive angles appropriately risky.
49.6% → 49.4% (-0.20)
LifeweaverHold
Held — Life Grip's cast time keeps rescuing an overextended ally appropriately risky to time.
50.7% → 50.5% (-0.20)
BaptisteHold
Held — Immortality Field's device health is a fair trade for completely denying a pick.
50.9% → 50.7% (-0.20)
LúcioHold
Held — Sound Barrier's shield amount rewards good timing without single-handedly winning a fight.
50.9% → 50.7% (-0.20)
Jetpack CatHold
Held — Purr's ramping heal rate rewards holding position instead of an instant full-power burst.
51.1% → 50.9% (-0.20)
BrigitteHold
Held — Inspire's passive healing rewards proactive engagement without being overbearing.
51.4% → 51.2% (-0.20)
AnaNerf
Biotic Grenade's anti-heal denial is too punishing for a single low-cooldown throw. Biotic Grenade anti-heal duration −1s.
51.6% → 49.6% (-2.00)
JunoNerf
Hyper Ring's speed and damage buff covers too much of the map for its cooldown. Hyper Ring radius −20%.
52.3% → 50.3% (-2.00)
WuyangNerf
Rushing Torrent gives too much mobility for a low-cooldown movement tool. Rushing Torrent speed bonus −10%.
53.5% → 51.5% (-2.00)
KirikoNerf
Kitsune Rush's cooldown-reduction effect is too strong for a single ultimate charge. Kitsune Rush cooldown-reduction effect −20%.
54.2% → 52.2% (-2.00)

Note: This is a hypothetical design proposal, not a live patch. All 3 roles are addressed. Balance changes are limited to hero ability numbers (damage, cooldowns, durations), since Overwatch 2 has no purchasable item system for a separate equipment patch. Every hero on the current 53-hero roster gets a listed recommendation below — nerf, buff, or hold — not just the standout cases.

← Back to current role balance