New Overwatch 2 update will bring big changes for Lifeweaver

Blizzard’s next Overwatch 2 update will include some welcome changes to the multiplayer game’s new support hero, Lifeweaver. Lifeweaver launched at the start of season 4 on April 11, 2023, and fans have clamored for changes to how his primary healing and attack skills are mapped ever since.

The new update, which Blizzard’s Aaron Keller outlined on Twitter, will address those issues when it releases on April 25, 2023. It maps thorn volley as Lifeweaver’s alt-fire, so instead of switching between modes, each skill has its own button. His healing dash will activate as a double jump now, and petal platform is bound to the dash’s old button. Thorn Volley will take slightly longer to reload as well.

Lifeweaver controls update next week!

New controls:
• Alt fire will now fire Thorn Volley
• Platform replacing Dash on ability 1
• Platform also cancelable with the same button
• Dash moved to double jump
• Auto-reload of Thorns slowed to compensate (1/2)

— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) April 18, 2023

In his initial debut, Lifeweaver had his healing skill as the default fire option, and you have to manually switch to his thorn volley to attack, similar to Mercy’s staff and pistol. The problem was that it took too long to swap between both – and players had discovered ways around reloading thorn volley by switching modes. 

The new scheme will be Lifeweaver’s default, but you can swap back to the original if you prefer it.

Keller said balance changes are also planned for Lifeweaver, but the team hasn’t decided on them yet.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF