Overwatch 2 has efficiently run three differently-themed Seasons of content material for the reason that sport’s launch, with Season 4 quick approaching early April 2023. Whereas there are but to be any official particulars revealed from Blizzard relating to the seasonal themes, modifications, and cosmetics that will probably be included within the upcoming Season 4, one very important issue has already caught the eyes of gamers throughout the globe.
After all, I’m speaking about none aside from the most recent addition to the Help roster, Lifeweaver. The Overwatch workforce dropped a sneak peek reveal for this new Hero on April 3, 2023, and followers instantly confirmed their love and admiration in direction of the floral-inspired particular person.
I used to be lately given the chance to discover an Early Entry construct for Overwatch 2‘s Season 4 and playtest Lifeweaver’s hero package and skills for myself. And boy, oh, boy, after I say there’s a lot to debate, nicely, there’s no higher approach than to dive into the small print.
Let’s begin with the apparent — his look. If it wasn’t obvious by the overly-enthusiastic response from followers of the sport, Lifeweaver has an excellent character design, and to place it bluntly, nicely, he’s completely lovely. In truth, he places a few of the most notoriously ‘handsome’ Heroes to disgrace, even inside the restricted materials launched to this point.
Lifeweaver additionally steps into the world of Overwatch as the primary Hero originating from Thailand. It is a welcome addition to the sport that has sparked emotions of inclusion and illustration among the many fan base, and it’s nice to see Blizzard head in new instructions when it comes to Hero origins, all whereas nonetheless tying them into the primary lore of the sport.
Lifeweaver, for essentially the most half, sounds and performs like a typically optimistic and upbeat particular person. His heal-savvy Help stance is supported with relaxed, calming voice performing and a nurturing presence. Nevertheless, Lifeweaver additionally has a moderately sassy, easy streak that pops up within the occasional voice line, comparable to when efficiently eliminating an enemy with melee. That is moderately amusing and pleasurable to witness, and I discovered myself giving the plant fanatic a slight chuckle right here and there in response on multiple event.
Whereas it’s clear that when it comes to traits, Lifeweaver will probably be moderately endearing, it’s in his utility and skill package that he actually shines as one thing completely new and memorable. All 4 earlier hero additions — Junker Queen, Ramattra, Sojourn, and Kiriko — can every profit from fairly an aggressive playstyle and have the potential to utterly flip a battle on their very own when utilized in the correct scenario/fingers. In truth, I anticipated Lifeweaver to additionally fall into this class, however this isn’t so. As an alternative, he takes a wholly new and distinctive strategy.
Lifeweaver’s skills are one among a form and completely different from another present Hero within the sport. Whereas his skills sound spectacular on paper, getting an opportunity to expertise how they work within the sport gave me much more readability on the strengths, weaknesses, and general potential of Lifeweaver.
First, he has two completely different skills linked to his major fireplace, that distinction each other on the subject of providng therapeutic and doing injury.
The primary potential linked to Lifeweaver’s major fireplace is his Therapeutic Blossom, which can generate between 10 and 65 heals per burst relying on how lengthy you click on and maintain his fireplace. This potential is a good burst heal that may present fast HP regeneration to your workforce. This could possibly be efficient when used alongside one other huge burst healer like Baptiste, Moira, or Ana. Nevertheless, that presumes that your teammates know when to tug again and use pure cowl, as there’s a slight delay between Therapeutic Blossom’s burst expenses.
The alternate fireplace, which will be accessed by hitting your shortcut key for weapon 2, is a brief click on of his major fireplace, which can activate his Thorn Volley, sending a speedy unfold of projectiles to deal injury to your enemies. This potential appears to have an expansion and management similar to Ramattra’s major fireplace once you maintain your click on, and will be helpful in shortly ending off opponents.
Subsequent is Lifeweaver’s secondary fireplace, Petal Platform, which creates a flower-shaped elevator activated upon an ally or enemy stepping onto it. Instantly I may see the worth in a ability comparable to this. It may increase Lifeweaver to excessive floor for escape throughout a misplaced workforce battle or be utilized in concord with an ally to raise them for a greater line of sight throughout their Final. I’m certain we’ll all see loads of Cassidy Excessive Noons, Soldier Tactical Visors, and even Ashe’s B.o.B being lifted to wreak havoc from above.
Alternatively, Petal Platform may probably even be used to disrupt an enemy. With exact timing, I consider it could possibly be doable to wreck a giant Loss of life Blossom from an enemy Reaper or raise a Baptiste up and away from his Amplification Matrix. After all, there’s a good likelihood of threat and reward when utilizing this potential. You could possibly additionally unintentionally grant your opponent entry to excessive floor or a extra punishing line of sight for the ally ultimates talked about above.
One other game-changing potential takes kind in Lifeweaver’s E key. Have you ever ever been enjoying a Help and witnessed your tank cost into oblivion to die, or felt helpless as you watched your squishy DPS get cornered by the enemy? Now you may pull them again into line with Lifeweaver’s Life Grip. This potential will pull an ally again in direction of you from hazard and works when pulling somebody from low floor to excessive floor and vice versa. It’s primarily a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Sadly, whereas the potential for this potential to clutch a save is simple, there’s additionally the huge chance for it to be moderately crippling to your teammates if used unnecessarily, as it could very a lot disrupt huge performs if it have been for use as Rein Earthshatters, Hammond grapples, Pharah boosts into the sky, and so forth.
Parting Present is Lifeweaver’s distinctive passive potential, which causes him to drop a flower on demise that grants a small burst of therapeutic to the primary ally or enemy that picks it up. Greater than something, this potential fits the botanist’s traits, creating a pleasant little contact of persona relating to how he operates on the sphere.
Rounding out his package is a straightforward motion potential titled Rejuvenating Sprint. When activating this potential, Lifeweaver will carry out a short sprint of motion within the route he’s touring and concurrently regenerate a small portion of his well being.
Final and definitely not least is Lifeweaver’s Final potential, Tree of Life. Upon activating the Ult, he can place and construct a 1,000 HP tree able of alternative that performs an preliminary burst of therapeutic to all allies inside AoE and a number of other extra waves of therapeutic for about one other eight seconds. This potential generally is a monster in turning a workforce battle in your favor with additional therapeutic boosts and serving to your allies survive pesky Ults comparable to Rammatra’s Annihilation or Genji’s Dragon Blade.
When these skills come collectively, there’s little question that Lifeweaver has the potential to be an especially viable decide. Nevertheless, he’ll rely closely on two issues: sport sense and communication together with your workforce. Sport sense speaks for itself in that his skills have the potential to each save or damage your allies. You could possibly use them to clutch out a workforce battle and safe victory, however one flawed transfer may additionally give your opponent the benefit and advantages meant to your allies.
Communication is essential in making up for Lifeweaver’s greatest vulnerability, maybe essentially the most important weak spot for anybody Hero within the sport. Regardless of his utility, Lifeweaver can’t do heavy injury. This leaves him extraordinarily susceptible to being swarmed by dive heroes, comparable to Winston, D.Va, Genji, and Doomfist, and flankers, comparable to Cassidy, Sombra, Tracer, and Reaper, if he have been to seek out himself out of place.
Due to this, you’ll must depend on your workforce to assist peel for you once you get separated from them and guarantee you might have good positioning always to attenuate deaths. Voice comms are essential when enjoying a hero comparable to Lifeweaver. You’ll must shortly let your allies know you’re in bother earlier than it’s too late and talk your skills to allow your workforce together with his robust arsenal of tips.
My preliminary ideas are that Lifeweaver will instantly do exceptionally nicely in excessive ranges of play, comparable to Grand Grasp, Prime 500, and Overwatch League, however show a problem for gamers in decrease ranks to make the most of to his full potential because of the technicality of his package. There’s lots to maintain your eye on, and your mind pondering of once you’re enjoying Lifeweaver, and studying the ropes could also be a steep climb for some.
There’s additionally part of me that’s considerably nervous he’ll turn into a ‘throw decide’ to destroy probabilities of profitable on function when a salty participant doesn’t get their approach in Aggressive, as a number of of his skills have the potential to do extra hurt than good to his workforce when used with ill-will. I’ve but to see a Lifeweaver soar off the map and pull a teammate with him to demise, however sadly, I’m certain it should occur ultimately. Sadly, not a lot will be executed towards these gamers aside from saying GG and transferring on to the following match.
All hesitations apart, I’m completely thrilled for Lifeweaver to debut in Overwatch 2’s upcoming Season 4 and to see how gamers throughout all ability ranges use him. There’s a whole lot of room for big-brain performs, intelligent combos, and jaw-dropping saves together with his package in-game, whereas within the lore aspect of issues, he brings a contemporary face to a well-known world, which means that something is feasible.