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Two opposing forces—one a benevolent protector of Numbani, the other a mighty successor to the city's Scourge—are both receiving reworks just in time for the Overwatch 2 PvP Beta. Although the new 5v5 team composition will change the way tanks approach team fights, their primary objectives will remain the same: focus on making space for their team, initiate engagements, and peel for allies in trouble. Overall, they’re going to feel brawlier, dishing out damage while utilizing their strong defensive capabilities. Lead Hero Designer Geoff Goodman led the charge on Doomfist’s transition from damage to tank hero, and Senior Hero Designer Brandon Brennan took point on the Orisa rework. Let’s jump into how both heroes have been tailored to fit the changes coming in Overwatch 2!
DOOMFIST
Doomfist’s current playstyle is unique, even for a damage hero: He’s a fast-paced, mobile, and lethal brawling machine. “Doomfist is a combo hero, taking a page out of fighting games. We want to keep that feeling while moving him to the tank role,” explains Goodman. Some abilities, he says, will seem familiar, while others will further define him as a tank.
His base health is increasing from 250 to 450, putting him much more in line with other tank heroes. Hand Cannon will function similarly, trading faster ammo recharge for slightly less damage. Rocket Punch is quicker and deals less damage, but still has the potential to knock back enemies.
Power Block is the new core of Doomfist’s kit. With Power Block, Doomfist enters a defensive stance that reduces all damage taken from the front by 90%. Doomfist’s gauntlet becomes charged if he blocks enough damage with Power Block. His charged gauntlet empowers his next Rocket Punch’s damage, knockback radius, travel speed, and distance. His targets will be stunned if he knocks them against a wall.
“Opposing players should be cautious about charging Doomfist’s gauntlet,” says Goodman. “Power Block feels kind of like Zarya when people shoot into her shields, but instead of passively gaining damage, his next punch will get a buff that lasts until he either uses Rocket Punch or is eliminated.” Doomfist’s kit rewards both defensive and offensive playstyles with many high-damage combos. When he blocks damage for his team, he can quickly charge Rocket Punch, knock enemies back, and potentially stun them for around one second if they are punched into a wall. “When you block a hard-hitting attack, you get powered up instantly. It almost feels like a parry,” says Goodman.
Seismic Slam now launches Doomfist into the air towards where you’re aiming, like Winston’s leap. Upon landing, he creates a shockwave that damages and slows enemies. “Doomfist has super fluid mobility on all planes right now,” says Goodman. “He gained a ton of mobility with Seismic Slam, but he doesn’t have as much jerky, unpredictable movement.” He has many similarities to other disruptor tanks like Wrecking Ball or Winston, so it’s important to be very aware of Doomfist’s placement. For example, remembering that Power Block only blocks damage from the front is key when jumping into the enemy team with Seismic Slam; you’ll want to ensure that you jump all the way over your enemies so you can Power Block their damage and Rocket Punch them into your team without taking heavy hits from the back.
Doomfist’s ultimate, Meteor Strike, has gained new utility and a shorter cast time. Overall, the damage has been reduced, but the impact damage at the center will still be a hard hitter. The knockback has been removed and replaced by a slow for all enemies hit, making this ability a great initiating tool for your team. This modified ultimate, paired with his tank-aligned changes, enables the quick, impactful gameplay that he had as a damage hero. While his new positioning and combos require more finesse to manage, he has transformed into a more approachable, free-flowing, and impactful tank—all while feeling familiar to current Doomfist players.
ORISA
While some of Doomfist’s power was shifted to his defensive abilities to make him a viable tank pick, Orisa underwent the opposite. The team noticed that she struggled with brawling and toe-to-toe engagements, so we had to adapt her into the future of the game. “We don’t take Orisa’s rework lightly,” says Brennan. “We want it to be meaningful to the game and feel good for players who are attached to her.” Orisa’s rework will adapt her playstyle to 5v5 and give her more tools to engage in team fights.
Her health and armor are being increased to help her push head on into the enemy team. Orisa’s primary fire is a projectile that is larger and does more damage the closer she is to enemies. Instead of ammo, her primary fire builds up heat that only decreases when not firing her weapon. If her weapon overheats, it will be unusable for 3 seconds. “We want Orisa to push and engage enemies more,” says Brennan. “Her gun encourages her to get close to enemies and play more forward in Overwatch 2.” Orisa’s secondary fire, Energy Javelin, is now a skill shot projectile javelin that impacts the first enemy in its path. “It’s a micro-stun and can do more damage when there’s a wall behind you,” says Brennan.
Javelin Spin, another new ability, enables Orisa to rapidly spin a javelin that destroys incoming projectiles, increases forward movement speed, and damages enemies while pushing them back. “Our primary purpose with Javelin Spin is to help Orisa engage and get into the fight,” says Brennan. “When paired with her other abilities, it can become a lethal combo. You can herd enemies backward and follow up with an Energy Javelin to push them into a wall.”
Fortify has received a few adjustments to fit her new playstyle, including generating less heat with Orisa’s primary weapon, allowing her to fire it for longer. The ability also provides 125 extra health, giving her increased survivability in team fights. Brennan explains: “The idea behind this change is that Fortify will always yield meaningful defensive value for Orisa whenever she uses it.”
Terra Surge is Orisa’s new Ultimate ability. She becomes fortified and pulls in nearby enemies while charging up an area-of-effect attack. “We started her rework by removing Orisa’s barrier and her Halt ability, but we still thought Halt was really cool,” says Brennan. “We incorporated the idea of Halt into Orisa’s new ultimate, and this is where the pull comes from.” This creates a moment for the team to rally around and quickly coordinate combos. However, enemies aren’t bound to the center of Orisa’s pull like a Zarya Graviton Surge, so you will need to collaborate quickly to make the most of this ultimate!
As we begin beta testing with the significant shift to 5v5 and one tank per team, please keep in mind that all these changes and reworks are a work in progress. They are subject to change as we see more and more players use these heroes in game. We look forward to hearing your feedback and seeing these reworked heroes shine in the upcoming PvP Beta!
