Illari's Radiant Return: Overwatch 2 Player Proposes Game-Changing Buff to Revitalize the Solar Warrior

A player in Overwatch 2 has proposed a thoughtful buff for Illari, aiming to enhance her Solar Rifle's healing capabilities while maintaining her damage output. In the ever-evolving landscape of Overwatch 2's meta, balance adjustments by Blizzard and the introduction of new heroes consistently shape the competitive scene.

Last year, Overwatch 2 thrust support players into the spotlight with the introduction of two heroes for the role. Lifeweaver, a healing and mobility hero, debuted in April, showcasing a kit capable of creating impressive plays. In August, Illari, a heroine with a poignant origin story and solar-powered abilities, made her entrance. Despite generating initial excitement, Illari's popularity dwindled over time. To address this, a buff is in the works, and a player has proposed an intriguing adjustment for Illari.

Reddit user Slamfire_ow suggests increasing the range of Illari's Solar Rifle's alternative fire from 15 to 23 meters, reducing the healing per second from 105 to 90, and extending the maximum duration from three to four seconds. According to the user, these tweaks would provide Illari with balanced healing over a larger range without sacrificing her damage impact. Furthermore, the adjustment would allow Illari to seamlessly switch between damage and healing, akin to Ana's abilities, while maintaining a safe position. If deemed insufficient, the user recommends elevating the fire rate to enhance Illari's consistency in poking and dueling opponents, and even reinstating her crit multiplier.

Illari's announcement in Overwatch 2 sparked strong reactions from players due to her potent damage and healing capabilities. Following her impactful debut, Blizzard swiftly announced nerfs for Illari. However, she gradually fell behind in the Overwatch 2 meta, with her pick rate dropping below that of Brigitte, an underdog hero. Another ironically underutilized support hero is Lifeweaver, with a pick rate only slightly higher than Brigitte's.

The unveiling of Illari's buff is imminent, scheduled for the midseason patch release for Season 8 next week. In addition to bolstering Illari to restore her prominence, the upcoming update will bring substantial nerfs to Mauga, the Samoan tank known for causing headaches with his overpowered kit since his Overwatch 2 debut. Developers aim to alleviate Mauga's oppressive impact on the game.