Overwatch Quietly Buffs Support Hero Mercy During July 15 Update
As Sigma's Maestro Challenge was introduced to Overwatch on July 15, a new buff to this backline healer has been discovered by players.
News by Kiemour on Jul 17, 2020
In the Overwatch Public Test Region, better known as PTR, it seems that a new buff has been granted to one of the game's longest-standing support heroes, Mercy. With this update, Mercy is able to maneuver around the map a bit more smoothly while executing her ultimate ability, Valkyrie.
In the four years since the game's release, Mercy has received many nerfs that reduced her utility in games significantly from her first debut. Even with these nerfs, she is still playable and useful, but not as powerful as she used to be, and she can be very easy to eliminate while performing her ultimate ability. However, it seems that Blizzard has altered the character's abilities, though it has not yet been revealed if this change was intentional or not.
In January of 2018, Mercy received a nerf that reduced her Valkyrie speed by 50%. For those who don't know, Mercy is a healer that restores her team's health through an auto-lock beam, which she can also switch to a damage boost at will. When she launches Valkyrie, she is able to shoot up into the sky and heal or damage boost multiple allies at once. But being that high up in the air removes barriers, and Mercy can be shot down very quickly if the player is not careful.
With this newly added, secret buff, Mercy's Valkyrie speed has been increased, especially when using the Guardian Angel ability, which allows her to quickly fly to a specific ally. This new ability was first questioned by AquaBoost on Twitter, while practicing in the Shooting Range.
Many players believe the reasoning behind this buff is due to the diverse hero roster of support heroes, and Mercy needs a way to stand out more from the others. This change in speed will help her maneuver around the map with ease, and this sort of mobility is only comparable with Lucio, the game's AOE (Area Of Effect) musical healer.
Mercy has always been in a less popular position due to her focus on support, rather than being able to consistently deal damage to her enemies, as Overwatch is primarily an FPS. However, for those who prioritize healing over damage, she is a popular choice; one that requires skill and positioning around the map to play.
With this new buff, it is possible that Mercy will be appearing in more Overwatch games, at least until Blizzard acknowledges or fixes this change. Despite how long this change may last, fans are excited about seeing the game's original healer making a comeback to the ever-changing meta.
Kieran Mouritsen
Editor, NoobFeed
Subscriber, NoobFeed
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