A new patch with experimental changes just dropped in Overwatch. Most of the changes affect Hitscan heroes, but there are also apparent nerfs for D.Va. It is now available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. However, these changes can only be accessed in Practice Mode.
According to the patch notes, the biggest change is scaling Hitscan damage to 30% at the maximum falloff range instead of 50%. What this means is that the overall damage of Hitscan weapons drastically weakens when players go beyond the optimal ranges.
Even though the developers state that the change is difficult to notice, those who frequently use Hitscan heroes like Soldier 76 and Ashe must get closer to their targets if they want to deal heavy amounts of damage.
For those of you who do not know, the term “Hitscan” refers to the game's weapon mechanics where select weapons deal damage instantly when the trigger is pulled. This is because the bullets/projectiles have no travel time.
That said, the changes minimize the effectiveness of Hitscan weapons outside optimal ranges. You can no longer fire at long distances without incurring a damage penalty.
On the flip side, Soldier 76’s Heavy Pulse Rifle will not suffer any damage falloff if you use the character’s Tactical Visor Ultimate. The developers said that it will make Tactical Visor more potent aside from its inherent aim assist.
Widowmaker
Although Hitscan heroes will be nerfed, Widowmaker’s damage falloff range is increased from 60 to 85 meters to 70 to 100 meters.
Developers commented that the adjustment was made to account for certain locations where counter-sniping is rampant.
In addition, the increase in damage falloff range is to somehow weaken mid-air grapple shots at extreme distances, which is possible in some areas.
Bastion
The fans’ beloved robot has two forms. Its Recon mode allows you to move and position Bastion in places where Sentry mode is more potent.
Currently, Bastion’s Recon mode weapon is weak. So, developers reduced the weapon spread from 1.5 to 1.2 in this configuration. This is to help Bastion become more reliable and effective when running and gunning.
D.Va
Last but not the least, D.Va’s Call Mech damage area has been reduced from 3 to 2.5 meters. Also, she will no longer build her ultimate charge while using Self-Destruct. She will gain the ability back only after her mech explodes.
The reason for this nerf is that players can abuse it with Echo’s Duplicate ability where she can call her mech again while Self-Destruct is active, thanks to Echo’s accelerated ultimate charge.
The above-mentioned changes are still tentative and may or may not reach the final release. Historically speaking, however, most of the experimental changes do make it through to the final update, so we may see them in action in Competitive Play, Quick Play, and other popular game modes in the future.
What do you think about the nerf in Hitscan damage? Also, do you think D.Va’s nerf is justified?
