OWL pro explains why Mercy & Zarya feel “useless” in Overwatch 2
Blizzard EntertainmentWith multiple heroes being reworked for Overwatch 2, some pros have warned that Mercy and Zarya feel especially weak in the build they playtested, calling them two of the worst characters in the game.
Two-time Overwatch League champion Matthew ‘Super’ DeLisi was one of the pros in Hawaii for the 2021 OWL playoffs and had a chance to playtest the sequel once the San Francisco Shock were eliminated in fourth place.
According to Super, both Mercy and Zarya could be the worst heroes in the build they played and, thanks to certain conditions, the angelic support was “useless.”
Speaking on Twitch, Super explained how Mercy’s raw healing output was even lower than it currently is in Overwatch.
Blizzard EntertainmentMercy already nerfed in Overwatch 2
In the live version of Overwatch, Mercy heals for 55HP per second, but according to Super, in Overwatch 2, she heals for only 50.
This may seem like a minor nerf, but with how damage break points function, that extra five HP can be the difference between life and death for an ally you’re trying to heal.
Additionally, during the pro playtest, there was a special healing change implemented where heroes that take damage receive 25% less healing for four seconds, meaning Mercy only heals for 37.5 HP/S.
While the developers have gone on to say that this change likely won’t make it through to the live game “as it is now” there’s still the possibility that it’s implemented in some capacity.
“She does nothing!” Super cried. “Useless character.”
Sadly, Mercy was not the only hero feeling much weaker in the sequel.
Why is Zarya weak in Overwatch 2?
In Overwatch 2, Zarya has two bubbles that she can apply to either herself or teammates operating on the same cooldown. This is different from the first game where each bubble, either for herself or an ally, has separate cooldowns.
“If she uses both of her bubbles, they’re on the same cooldown cycle!” the Shock tank explained. “Whereas right now, you get them back at roughly the same time, if you bubble yourself and a teammate, you have to wait twenty seconds to get both your bubbles back!”
Just like with Mercy, DeLisa said this made Zarya feel “useless,” calling the support and tank “trash” characters.
Of course, there is still a lot of time for the devs to tweak parts of both Zarya and Mercy’s kits to adjust for cooldowns and healing numbers, so all hope isn’t lost. Still, it will be interesting to see what the devs change by the time the next big public showcase airs.