Blizzard promised that some serious hero changes for Overwatch where going to come to a longer PTR and the developer has detailed what some of those changes might be.
Posted on the official Overwatch forums, the most notable changes have to do with dealing damage to non-player objects and ultimate costs. These changes will have a significant impact on the competitive and casual scene for many players.
- Dealing damage to non-players (like Torbjorn’s turrets or Symmetra’s teleporter), no longer charges ultimate abilities
- Ultimate costs have been increased by 25% for all heroes
The first point may be limited in scope, but the second point will be a drastic change if it makes it into the game. The rate at which ultimate abilities charge has a major effect on the game and can change matches considerably. For instance, in a competitive match, players tend to hold their ultimate abilities until they can combo them with each other or they are guaranteed multiple kills.
It is not a terrible thing when an ultimate is used against a single opponent, because in another minute or two you will have another if you play well. The proposed change may make ultimate abilities too rare and force players to hold onto them for the perfect moment.
Other changes in the PTR include increases to D.Va’s health and movement speed, increases to the damage dealt by Soldier: 76 and Pharah, Zarya barriers gaining power at a slower rate, and changes to Torbjorn’s Scrap mechanic.