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Overwatch Patch Notes: 3 Biggest Changes From April 22 Update

By Andrea Saravia Pérez

One of the most significant nerfs was aimed towards Baptiste.
One of the most significant nerfs was aimed towards Baptiste. / Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

The three biggest changes from the April 22 update in the patch notes are game-changers. Healers, tanks, and DPS heroes have seen changes take place after being tested in the Experimental.

1. Baptiste

This patch brought a lot of nerfs to Baptiste, who has been performing well in the casual and competitive scene. Being able to deal damage as a hit-scan hero while also being a high-tier healer meant that some changes had to come Baptiste's way. The developers justified the Baptiste changes with the following note,
"We are reducing Immortality Field's minimum health threshold and Baptiste's area-of-effect healing output as they were providing too much value overall for closely grouped teams. However, direct impacts with the healing grenade projectiles will now grant additional healing to the impacted ally to keep his single target healing effective, with a slightly higher skill requirement."


Biotic Launcher (Secondary Fire)

Healing projectile explosion reduced from 60 to 50 health

Healing projectile direct impact now restores an additional 20 health


Immortality Field

Now protects teammates to a minimum health threshold of 10% maximum health, down from 20%

2. Roadhog

overwatch patch notes: 3 biggest changes from April 22 update
The upcoming buff will make Roadhog's hook and auto-attack combo a one-shot ability if executed correctly towards low-health heroes. / Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

Some nerfs had made Roadhog unviable in most situations, and he is in a unique spot amongst the tanks in the game. Not an anchor tank, but not a dive tank either, he works best as a hero that can make a 6v6 fight a 5v6 and this upcoming nerf does exactly that. Previously, Roadhog's Scrap Gun dealt 6 damage points. If he lands all 25 pellets, he could deal a total of 150 damage. Now that the damage has been increased to 6.6, he can deal a total of 165 damage in one shot. His hook deals 30, meaning that we might see more of Roadhog.

"Roadhog is a hero who has been underperforming lately with not much changing about him since late last year when he had a more dominant presence, though the balance of other heroes has indeed shifted around. We're partially reverting the reduction to his damage to help bring him back up to a more effective level."
Scrap Gun (Primary and Secondary Fire)
Damage per projectile increased from 6 to 6.6

3. D.Va

overwatch patch notes: 3 biggest changes from April 22 update
D.Va players can now execute certain heroes even when out of their mech. / Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

When calling her mech, D.Va deals a little bit of damage. That damage has been increased five-fold, from 50 to 250. The developers' note in this new buff states that this is to make the respawn of the mech more dangerous.

"D.Va's respawn is often intentionally delayed by the enemy team if she is the last player alive from her team and without her mech. This change will make it more dangerous to be near the Call Mech arrival area for low health heroes."

Call Mech

Damage increased from 50 to 250.

So going forward, stay away from Roadhog hooks and D.Vas who are not in their mechs. While Baptiste may be more difficult to play due to the nerfs, being a hit-scan healer can definitely help against Pharahs and the like.

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