New 'Overwatch' Patch Brings Buffs For Ana, Nerfs For Mercy

A new patch that’s now live on the Overwatch PTR means big changes for both Ana and Mercy. Ana's alterations are pretty simplistic, with what amounts to a damage buff, whereas Mercy has been nerfed again significantly.

As Blizzard's Jeff Kaplan previously announced, Ana's Biotic Rifle will now do 70 damage per shot instead of 60. Though this may be a small augment in terms of damage, it should be enough to make her a viable option again for support players. That's what Blizzard is hoping for, anyway, as Kaplan explained in a post on the official Overwatch forums.

Mercy is becoming a little less powerful in contrast to Ana, with her popular Resurrect ability on the receiving end of a nerf. Previously, there was no cast time for Resurrect, but now it will take 1.75 seconds to complete Resurrect on a target.

To make matters worse for Mercy mains, her movement speed has been reduced by a whopping 75% while casting Resurrect. Casting can now be interrupted by enemies if Mercy is knocked back or damaged, as well.

It's all in a bid to rebalance the popular healer, whose Resurrect ability Blizzard has deemed "too strong and frustrating to play against."

"Now that it has a cast time, there is more room for enemies to counter the ability," Blizzard's latest patch notes read. "However, casting Resurrect happens instantly when Valkyrie is active. This should make her feel powerful when she transforms on the battlefield."

If you're itching to see how these alterations may affect your own play style, you can try them out right now. Both Ana's damage buff and Mercy's Resurrect nerf are currently available for testing via Overwatch's PTR.