During Season 11, Overwatch 2 introduced a new Limited Time Mode called Community Crafted, in which professional content creators collaborated to modify all Heroes. This mode is currently playable in Arcade and has received positive feedback from players, with many requesting for some of its changes to be implemented permanently.
Upon reviewing the Hero updates implemented by Emongg, Eskay, TQQ, and Custa, it is evident that many of these changes have resulted in a more enjoyable and seamless gameplay experience. For a comprehensive overview of these changes, be sure to read our guide on the new mode.
One of the most memorable moments I’ve had in Overwatch 2 was playing Community Crafted. What made it so enjoyable were the adjustments that were made to balance out the Heroes that were previously frustrating to play as or against.
An excellent decision is to give Reinhardt a substantial damage reduction while he is charging. This eliminates much of the risk associated with the ability. In a game where there is only one Tank, this allows them to utilize the charge for more impactful plays instead of using it recklessly and getting eliminated.
While I wouldn’t recommend a full 50% reduction in damage, the main idea still stands – adjusting abilities slightly can effectively enhance a Hero’s strength without overwhelming them.
Lifeweaver is another Hero who has greatly excelled due to the alterations made in the Overwatch 2 Community Crafted.
The damage and weapon swap speed of Lifeweaver were significantly increased. Additionally, the cooldown for his Life Grip ability was reduced. However, the most notable change was to his Petal Platform, which now has two charges and provides a 50% boost in height.
Lifeweaver has always faced challenges when it comes to surviving in tough situations, causing his pick rate against Support Heroes with superior escape abilities, such as Kiriko, to suffer. These modifications have made him more viable in a range of compositions.
Zenyatta’s kick is a powerful ability to get away.
An excellent instance is the alteration to Zenyatta’s kick in the mode. Instead of knocking enemies back, he now knocks himself back, allowing for better control over positioning. This change still requires enemy Heroes to readjust.
CC abilities like Orisa’s Javelin still make an appearance in Overwatch 2, despite being largely reduced. These types of abilities have always been met with criticism from the community, and Eskay’s adjustments may offer a solution to this ongoing issue.
Not all changes should be considered permanent, as it is important to note. For instance, while Scatter Arrow, an ability from the original Overwatch, replaced Storm Arrow, it has not proven to be successful.
Storm Arrow is a more effective option for balancing Hanzo as it eliminates the randomness of Scatter Arrow. With Storm Arrow, players must have a deliberate aim and strategy, rather than relying on luck by shooting into a small room.
Despite only being available for a short time, the Arcade mode is highly enjoyable with Hanzo’s iconic Scatter Arrow ability replacing Storm Arrows.
Scatter Arrow was brought back for Community Crafted.
While I may not fully comprehend the process of creating Heroes for a game like Overwatch, I have learned that incorporating suggestions from the community can greatly impact their success.
Despite past frustrations from fans regarding Heroes being altered to fit the meta in professional settings such as the Overwatch League, it is not necessarily true that professional players or content creators have a superior understanding of how to balance the game. This highlights the significance of community input in the balancing process.
“According to ‘ZzDangerZoneZz’ on Reddit, the changes made to Heroes have been greatly appreciated by many players. As a long-time player of Lifeweaver, they believe that the Arcade mode has greatly improved the character’s gameplay experience.”
Despite the fact that some of the changes brought about by Community Crafted may seem silly and impractical in a typical environment, they are still worth considering.
Despite the possibility that these changes may not be directly applicable to Overwatch 2 in a future update, it is still worthwhile to incorporate the overall concept and incorporate them into Heroes to enhance the gameplay experience for both players and opponents.
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