Overwatch 2‘s support hero Lifeweaver, introduced in Season 4 on April 11th, 2023, has quickly become a popular pick for players due to his biolight healing and utility. However, feedback from players and data gathered by Blizzard have led to the announcement of control and balance changes scheduled for April 25th.
Lead hero designer Alec Dawson shared details of the upcoming changes on Twitter, which include adjustments to Lifeweaver’s abilities such as Healing Blossom, Thorn Volley, Tree of Life, and the removal of Parting Gift. These adjustments aim to address concerns about the hero’s control scheme and balance at different skill levels.
Blizzard has noted that Lifeweaver’s win rate is higher for low-skill players than for high-skill players, suggesting that some aspects of his kit might be punishing for more experienced players. Player feedback has also indicated that his control scheme, specifically weapon swapping between damage and healing, and the use of Petal Platform on alternate fire, can be awkward to use.
In response to this feedback, Blizzard will be changing Lifeweaver’s default control scheme in the April 25th patch. Thorn Volley will be moved to alternate fire, Petal Platform to Ability slot 1, Rejuvenating Dash will be activated with a double jump, and Petal Platform will be cancelable by pressing the button again. Additionally, the passive reload for the weapon not in use will be slowed. Players who prefer the original control scheme will still have the option to use it.
Alongside these control scheme changes, several of Lifeweaver’s abilities will be adjusted. The slow effect on his heal will only kick in 1 second after fully charging, Tree of Life will receive a health buff and increased healing per pulse, and Parting Gift will be removed.
These changes to Lifeweaver have provided Blizzard with valuable insights into hero development, including the complexity of heroes, the introduction of unique abilities, and balancing heroes at launch. The company acknowledges that Lifeweaver’s complexity can be overwhelming for some players, but they believe that streamlining his kit and control scheme will make the hero more accessible and enjoyable.
Blizzard also noted that while not every future hero will be as complex as Lifeweaver, there is room for more heroes with unique and high-impact abilities. As for new hero balance, Blizzard aims to ensure that new heroes feel balanced at launch and will continue to make adjustments based on player feedback and data analysis.
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