Blizzard is testing some big balance changes on the Overwatch PTR. Junkrat, Roadhog, Orisa, and Widowmaker have all received tweaks on the current iteration of the public test realm.
First up is Junkrat: The biggest change is that his Concussion Mine can now hold two charges. Secondly, his RIP-Tire ultimate has received a 30 percent movement speed increase, and no longer has a time limit when climbing walls.
"Giving the Junkrat the ability to store two concussion mines adds some much-needed flexibility and versatility to his kit, particularly when using the mines for mobility," read the PTR patch notes. "RIP-Tire’s damage has always been very good, but it was often difficult to steer the tire into position before it was destroyed. Increasing its speed will allow players to effectively detonate the tire more often and decrease the amount of time that Junkrat is vulnerable while controlling it."
Next up is Roadhog. The high-damage tank has been in a rough spot recently after the significant nerf to his Chain Hook combo. While the Hook combo remains unchanged, Hog is getting a big survivability boost as his Take a Breather (self-heal) can now be used while moving, and damage taking while healing has been reduced by 50 percent.
"These changes help Roadhog be much more aggressive when looking for hook targets or blocking for his team," Blizzard said. "The combination of these effects significantly increases Roadhog’s sustainability and survivability."
Widowmaker received a small change with big implications: her Grappling Hook cooldown has been reduced from 12 to eight seconds, and Venom Mine now lets you see affected targets through walls.
"Widowmaker is extremely powerful in the right hands, but her abilities often felt a little weak," Blizzard said. "The Grappling Hook cooldown reduction means she is more likely to have it available when she needs to escape. Venom Mine is intended to be an early warning system, uncovering enemies that are attempting to flank her or her team. With this change, she can see enemies when they trigger the mine, even if they’re on the other side of a wall."
Finally, Orisa has had the projectile speed of her Fusion Driver (primary attack) increased by 20 percent, while her Protective Barrier has increased in size by 20 percent and slightly changed shape to allow for more coverage from enemies that are below the barrier.
"The projectile speed increase helps Orisa’s consistency, especially at medium ranges (or further)," Blizzard said. "Her barrier size has been increased to better protect her team, and the new shape makes the shield more effective when it’s used on slopes or on top of objects (such as a payload)."
Overall, these changes feel pretty drastic. I was expecting Junkrat to receive a second Concussion Mine charge, but in exchange for reduced damage. Similarly, the Roadhog changes are a big boost to his survivability, and Widowmaker's increased elusiveness is nothing to sneeze at either. It seems like Blizzard is taking a more heavy-handed approach to balance this time around—possibly cleaning up the mess in subsequent PTR changes if these tweaks prove to be too much.
This PTR also introduces the new Deathmatch game mode, which can be played either eight-man free for all or six-versus-six. As always, PTR balance updates are subject to change.