Overwatch 2 hotfix weakens a DPS character

A recently released Overwatch 2 hotfix has resulted in Bastion's ability to reconfigure no longer restoring armor when transforming. This significant weakening will make the Overwatch 2 DPS hero considerably less resilient and easier to counter in matches.

Previously, Bastion's ability to reconfigure in Overwatch 2 also restored 50 armor for the hero, effectively serving as self-healing. This, combined with his passive ability Ironclad, which reduced incoming damage by 20% while in transformation, as well as the inherent 30% damage reduction from armor, made him one of the most resilient DPS heroes overall.

However, the recently released Overwatch 2 hotfix slightly reduces this survivability. Now, when using the reconfiguration ability, Bastion no longer restores armor. According to the developers, the combination of self-healing and damage reduction made Bastion too adept at surviving attacks and ambushes. This change aims to make playing against the hero slightly less frustrating. The weakening of Bastion is the only modification made in the hotfix.

The past few weeks haven't been particularly kind to Bastion. The mid-season patch of Overwatch 2 on September 7th also introduced some other nerfs to the DPS hero. The impact damage of the A-36 Tactical Grenade was halved to balance out the increased range from a previous buff, and its Configuration: Artillery ultimate can no longer deal critical hits - a bug fix that technically represents a weakening.

Bastion is one of the characters that has undergone the most changes since its original appearance in Overwatch 1. The DPS hero used to transform into an immobile turret weapon with a shield projector and had the ability to temporarily turn into a mobile tank when using its ultimate. The hero received a significant overhaul in the sequel, but Bastion was unavailable for several weeks after the launch of Overwatch 2 due to a game-breaking bug. The robotic turret weapon has had a bumpy journey, and these nerfs don't make things any easier.

Nevertheless, Bastion remains a terror on the battlefield. Even without its self-healing, it has more health in Overwatch 2 than any other DPS hero – even without considering the damage reduction from its armor or its Ironclad passive ability. Despite the changes, Bastion is still a strong choice for any team. Players facing Bastion should now find it easier to take him down in its assault mode, but they still need to be cautious as it can easily melt even the most resilient tanks with a few seconds of focused fire.

OVERWATCH 2 RETAIL PATCH NOTES - SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

HERO UPDATES

DAMAGE

BASTION

Developer comments: Bastion's self-healing during transformation was too powerful due to the double effectiveness when combined with the damage reduction from the Ironclad passive ability and armor, making him too capable of surviving attacks and ambushes.

Reconfigure

• No longer restores armor when transforming

Overwatch 2 is now available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: Blizzard