For years, Blizzard has continually attempted to fine tune every hero in Overwatch 2 to balance the roster’s massive character base for PvP game modes, but with the start of Overwatch 2: Invasion, the team now needs to have heroes ready for PvE.
The addition of PvE Story Missions on Aug. 10 means that Blizzard needed to also make some changes to heroes to optimize how viable they can be in PvE modes where they might be facing a horde of Null Sector Omnics.
For instance, Tracer’s 40 Pulse Pistol ammo might be enough to one-clip enemies in PvP, but that isn’t quite the sustained damage she’ll need to fight off Ramattra’s army. For that reason, the game’s playable heroes in Story Missions have some slight tweaks to their kit that enhance the PvE experience. Here’s a quick rundown of all the balance changes that Blizzard implements specifically for co-op PvE modes.
Overwatch 2 PvE hero balance updates
All Heroes
- Heroes no longer passively gain ultimate charge over time.
- Ultimate costs increased in co-op game modes.
Winston
- Tesla Cannon secondary fire now chains up to four additional nearby enemies, dealing depreciating damage each chain.
- Jump Pack landing damage now increases while in the air, up to 250 percent more damage over 2.5 seconds.
Zarya
- Particle Barrier and Projected Barrier duration increased to three seconds, up from two.
- Graviton Surge damage per second increased 30 for 105 damage total, up from five per second.
- Energy (Passive) degeneration rate reduced to 1.5 energy per second, from two.
Cassidy
- Deadeye’s initial charge rate increased to 325 damage per second, up from 130 and ramped charge rate increased to 650 damage per second, up from 260. Deadeye also has a maximum damage cap of 1560 per target to account for enemy NPC’s with massive health bars.
Echo
- Focusing Beam damage per second increased to 85, from 50.
- Duplicate Echo can duplicate her allies in Co-op modes, and its duration is increased to 20 seconds, up from 15.
- Ultimate charge rate multiplier during Duplicate increased to 9x, up from 4x.
Genji
- Shuriken damage increased to 29, up from 27.
- Deflect duration increased to three seconds, from 2.
- Dragonblade duration increased to eight seconds, up from 6.
Mei
- Endothermic Blaster primary fire damage per second increased to 100, up from 55.
Pharah
- Hover Jets and Jump now increases movement speed by 30 percent.
- Hover Jets maximum fuel increased 20 percent.
- Concussive Blast explosion deals 30 damage.
- Rocket Barrage explosion damage increased to 35, from 30.
Torbjorn
- Deploy Turret damage increased from 11 to 15.
Tracer
- Pulse Pistol ammo increased to 60, up from 40, and damage reduced to 5, down from 5.5.
- Pulse Bomb explosion damage increased to 550, up from 350.
Brigitte
- Shield Bash damage increased to 60, up from 50.
- Rally duration increased to 15 seconds, up from 10. Rally does not increase Barrier Shield size in Story Missions.
- Inspire healing total reduced to 55, down from 75.
Lúcio
- Soundwave cooldown reduced to four seconds, down from five.
- Crossfade Speed Boost now also increases attack speed by 20 percent.
