What Changes Were Made in the Overwatch Season 11 Patch

The Season 11 patch brought significant changes to several heroes, particularly the tanks. Basically, tanks are tankier. Blizzard turned them into unkillable raid bosses and the community is mostly upset.

These updates aim to balance the game and ensure a dynamic and competitive environment. However, the resounding view of the player base is that the devs missed the mark. Here are the spark notes of what changed:

• Armor got buffed, with the armor flat damage reduction increased from 5 to 10 per projectile. This is a big nerf to any hero that deals small damage numbers over a large number of projectiles (think Bastion or Reaper).
• The tank role passive got a facelift. Now, ult generation is 40% lower instead of 30% lower when compared to doing damage to DPS or Support characters. Additionally, knockback resistance was reduced from 50 to 40%.
• Most tanks either got more health/armor/shield AND/OR increased damage output. Wild.

Here, based on these changes, we highlight the best heroes to play in Season 11 after the mid-season patch.

D.Va

D.Va continues to be a strong pick in Season 11, benefiting from buffs that enhance her survivability and damage output. The patch increased the maximum duration of her Defense Matrix from 3 to 3.5 seconds, allowing D.Va to mitigate more incoming damage and protect her team effectively. Additionally, her Micro Missiles now deal more damage, increasing their impact in both poke and burst scenarios.

Why D.Va is Strong This Season:

• Enhanced Defense Matrix: The extended duration of Defense Matrix means D.Va can protect her team for longer periods, especially during crucial engagements.
• Increased Damage Output: The buff to Micro Missiles makes D.Va a more formidable threat in skirmishes, allowing her to secure kills more effectively.
• Versatility: D.Va’s mobility and ability to contest high ground make her an excellent choice for various map types and team compositions.

Zarya

Despite receiving nerfs to her barriers in a hotfix, Zarya remains a powerhouse in Season 11 due to her overall tankiness and high damage potential. The Season 11 Overwatch patch increased the health and duration of her Particle and Projected Barriers, making her more resilient and allowing her to build energy quickly.

Why Zarya is Strong This Season:

• Improved Barriers: The increased health and duration of Zarya’s barriers enhance her ability to protect herself and her teammates, leading to higher energy levels and more damage output.
• Energy Management: Zarya excels at managing her energy, which translates to consistently high damage when played effectively.
• Team Utility: Her Graviton Surge remains one of the most powerful ultimates in the game, capable of turning fights in her team’s favor.

Echo

Echo’s flexibility and burst damage make her a top-tier DPS hero in Season 11. Although she hasn’t received major changes in the latest patch, her ability to adapt to different situations and target priorities keeps her relevant in the current meta.

Why Echo is Strong This Season:

• Versatile Damage Output: Echo can deal substantial damage with her Tri-Shot and Sticky Bombs, making her a threat to both tanks and squishies.
• Ultimate Duplication: Echo’s Duplicate ultimate allows her to mimic enemy heroes’ abilities, creating opportunities for clutch plays and high-impact moments. She can also use the ult as a second life, allowing her to take very aggressive angles against the enemy team.
• Mobility: Echo’s flight and mobility make her hard to pin down, allowing her to engage and disengage at will.

Pharah

Pharah remains a dominant aerial threat in Season 11. Although her base health was reduced in the latest patch, her ability to control the skies and deal consistent damage makes her a valuable asset in the right hands.

Why Pharah is Strong This Season:

• Aerial Dominance: Pharah’s ability to stay airborne and rain down rockets from above provides a significant strategic advantage on open maps. The meta currently favors flying characters, which is interesting that they can still dominate even without a Mercy pocket.
• Consistent Damage: Her Rocket Launcher deals high burst damage, making her effective against clustered enemies and shielding characters.
• Environmental Kills: Pharah’s Concussive Blast can displace enemies, creating opportunities for environmental kills and disrupting enemy formations. The increased range on the boop means Pharah players should secure even more environmental kills in the latter half of this season.

Lucio

Lucio’s speed boost and healing capabilities make him a vital support hero in Season 11. Despite the slight reduction in his knockback effect, Lucio’s overall utility and impact on team movement remain unparalleled.

Why Lucio is Strong This Season:

• Speed Boost: Lucio’s ability to speed up his team allows for quick rotations, engagements, and disengagements, which is crucial in high-level play. This is the primary part of his kit.
• Versatile Healing: Lucio can switch between healing and speed boost, providing flexibility in different combat scenarios.
• Sound Barrier: His ultimate, Sound Barrier, provides a massive shield to his team, making it invaluable during team fights and against powerful enemy ultimates. It’s a great counter to the ultimates of the top tanks for this season.

Kiriko

Kiriko’s healing and utility make her a standout support hero in Season 11. She has one of the most versatile kits in the game, with high mobility, support, and offensive pressure potential. 

Why Kiriko is Strong This Season:

• Healing Output: Kiriko’s healing abilities are robust, allowing her to keep her team sustained during prolonged fights. You don’t need to be as accurate with her healing as a Support like Baptiste or Ana.
• Utility: Kiriko’s ability to cleanse debuffs and provide invulnerability with her Protection Suzu can turn the tide of battle in her team’s favor.
• Ultimate Impact: Her ultimate, Kitsune Rush, enhances her team’s attack speed and cooldown reduction, making it a game-changing ability during engagements.

Tips to Rank Up This Season of Overwatch

1. Master the Meta Heroes: Focus on mastering the heroes highlighted in this article. Understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and optimal playstyles will give you an edge in matches.
2. Communicate with Your Team: Effective communication is crucial in Overwatch 2. Coordinate with your team to plan engagements, manage ultimates, and adapt to the enemy’s strategy.
3. Stay Informed: Keep up with patch notes and meta changes. Understanding the latest updates will help you make informed decisions about hero picks and strategies.
4. Practice Consistently: Regular practice is essential for improving your skills and climbing the ranks. Focus on honing your mechanics, game sense, and teamwork.

By following these tips and leveraging the strengths of the best heroes in Season 11, you can improve your performance and climb the competitive ladder in Overwatch 2. Good luck, and, as always, have a good time!

Who do you think are the strongest heroes in Season 11 of Overwatch 2 after the mid-season patch? Join the conversation in the comments section!

By Fred

Fred has been gaming since his dad brought home a recycled PC from work and installed Hugo's House of Horrors as a toddler. He continues to play games almost daily across PC, console and mobile and may have a slightly addictive personality.