All expected hero buffs and nerfs coming in Overwatch 2 Season 11

With Overwatch 2 Season 11 on the horizon, fans eagerly look forward to new hero changes that will no doubt arrive alongside a new theme. While the detailed specifics are unknown on that front, developer Blizzard Entertainment has disclosed a handful of information about expected hero buffs and nerfs. Many heroes are in need of a major buff or tweak to their core kit to make them more viable.

To be more specific, this includes reworks to beloved heroes such as Cassidy and Reaper, which have been implemented hoping to fix fan complaints. Here is everything fans need to know.

What hero changes can be expected in Overwatch 2 Season 11?

Much of the details come from official Reddit AMA sessions with developers from the Overwatch team answering the community's most popular queries. Based on that here's what is likely in the pipeline for Overwatch 2 Season 11:

Cassidy

His Magnetic Grenade will be overhauled (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

The beloved DPS cowboy has been a mainstay of the franchise since the 2016 original, and his powerful quick-draw revolver has made him a powerful force on the battlefield. Many fans have expressed mixed feedback about his Magnetic Grenade ability, so this will be reworked to no longer be homing and instead will only deploy at a short range.

In other words, it will behave similarly to the Flashbang from his original kit and players can expect to hear the specifics "soon", perhaps ahead of Overwatch 2 Season 11. His Ultimate Deadeye is also considered one of the worst in the game, so the developers are looking to brush it up via quality-of-life changes; as to how it will be tweaked or changed, it remains to be seen.

Reaper

Shadow Step also needs a rework (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

The masked Reaper is another powerful unit on paper, thanks to his shotguns that heal him upon dealing damage to foes. However, his fairly basic kit has left much to be desired for fans, with the Shadow Step ability being considered borderline useless. Thankfully the team is looking to rework it and is in the process of working it out.

In the meantime, fans can expect to see buffs to the DPS hero, as he is pretty much useless unless very close to opponents. The developers have suggested this buff will be "non-Tank Buster," meaning Tank players need not worry about being unable to counter him.

Symmetra

Currently, she is the weakest DPS hero (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Originally a Support hero in the first game, Symmetra is a DPS hero specializing in deploying turrets and armed with a beam that can bust through shields in Overwatch 2. With this game being 5v5 instead of 6v6 like the original, the loss of a second tank role has reduced her viability since most matches may not have opponents that use a shield.

The developers have suggested she will be reworked as well, and hopefully, this will arrive sooner than later in Overwatch 2 Season 11. They want to ensure she will be at the frontline spearheading the assault. Whether this change arrives as a rework toward her beam or enhanced survivability is up for debate until official details are up.

Roadhog

The beefy Tank hero boasts incredible survivability on the battlefield, even with his recent rework and additions. The Pig Pen, in particular, is the star of the show and a massive threat to anyone caught within it. Throw in his hook and one-shot potential with his shotgun, and hog encounters have become fairly frustrating for players.

The latest Overwatch 2 Season 10 patch nerfed his damage. Fans have suggested an increase in cooldowns to his hook so he cannot abuse it. The developers have suggested they are playing around with how to tweak Pig Pen to make it less of a threat in combo potentials; hopefully, these tweaks make it in time for Overwatch 2 Season 11.

Lifeweaver

A newcomer to Overwatch 2, the Support hero Lifeweaver is an interesting addition to the roster as he is a borderline passive unit like Mercy. His kit doesn't leave much room for offense as it's mostly focused on utility scenarios, like the Petal Platform that can be stepped on to receive a temporary vantage point.

The Overwatch 2 team is looking into seeing how they can change the Petal Platform to be more involved in combat situations, such as providing buffs, since the ability goes underused in most fights. Furthermore, the developers will look into making the friction between healing and damaging more fluid to make Lifeweaver users more active in combat.

Overwatch 2 Season 11 is expected to arrive on June 18, 2024, across all platforms.