Overwatch 2 Season 9 won't be out until tomorrow, but Blizzard has already revealed the patch notes for the game's new competitive season. Here are some of the major changes:
Pharah Rework
Blizzard has officially reworked the rocket launcher-wielding vixen in Overwatch 2. One of the main pain points for those who are new to using Pharah is the self-damage caused by firing her Rocket Launcher up close. This is now reduced by half, so it is not too punishing for beginners.
Aside from that, Pharah gains a new ability called Jet Dash. When activated, Pharah uses her boosters to quickly move forward. This is helpful, especially when securing a point.
There are some changes that would force Pharah players to adapt, though. For one, recharging her Hover Jets now requires her to be on land. Quick taps just to stay in the air will no longer be possible. Furthermore, her Jump Jet does restore 50% of Hover Jets fuel, albeit its vertical boost has been reduced by a considerable 20%.
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Self-Healing
Overwatch 2 is a hero shooter where two teams of five battle it out to win. That said, while there are a couple of Support heroes in each team in competitive play, that may not be enough to keep everyone alive.
That is why Blizzard is implementing a new mechanic in Season 9 that will change the landscape of the game forever. Once the new competitive season goes live, all heroes in the game will have the ability to regenerate their HP without the help of a healer. This happens five seconds after they take damage.
On top of that, Support heroes like Lucio and Baptiste, will start to regenerate their health by just waiting 2.5 seconds after taking damage from enemy fire.
According to Blizzard, the self-healing mechanic is a way to alleviate the burden that Support heroes typically have in every match.
Updates to Competitive Play
Substantial changes have been made to Ranked Play as well. First, placement matches have been rebuilt from the ground up. Players must do their very best to win them because these matches will have a more significant impact on their final rank.
Second, players no longer have to lose 15 times or win five matches just to get a competitive update. Instead, players will get new information about their current competitive status after every single match. This should give players the information they need to plan their next actions accordingly.
Third, there is a new skill tier called "Champion" which is a step above the current highest tier, Grandmaster. Ultra-competitive players will definitely love this new addition!
New Crosshairs
By default, each Overwatch 2 hero has different crosshairs that might not be to everyone's liking. Fortunately, in Season 9, Blizzard is going to add new reticle types, dots, and color options so that players can choose which one they like. Perhaps a Teal-colored square reticle will do the trick, eh?
Overwatch 2 Season 9 begins tomorrow, February 13, at 2 p.m. EST.
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