As I consulted with my resident tank specialist on the latest addition to Overwatch 2, Lifeweaver, he expressed his doubts about the character’s potential. “There’s no chance that this won’t be scrapped,” he opined, his unease palpable. And yet, upon closer inspection of Lifeweaver’s arsenal, it became clear that this floral-themed hero was unlike anything the game had seen before.
With an array of abilities that adapted existing Overwatch 2 mechanics, Lifeweaver boasted a toolkit that was both familiar and revolutionary. From the Petal Platform, which lifted allies and foes into the air, to the quick dash that helped Lifeweaver evade attacks and recover health, it was clear that this support hero had a lot to offer.
But it was Lifeweaver’s ability to leave behind a consumable item upon death that caught my attention. This item could replenish the vitality of teammates or enemies, making Lifeweaver’s demise even more momentous than that of most healers. And yet, it was Life Grip, the ability to seize an ally and pull them towards Lifeweaver while rendering them temporarily invulnerable, that truly intrigued my comrade Tercius, the tank specialist.
This new capability could be a game-changer, allowing heroes to be rescued from perilous situations, whether they’re plummeting off a cliff or caught in the path of an enemy’s Rip-tire. And yet, it also marked the first time in Overwatch history that a support hero had the power to forcibly relocate an ally. As my team’s discussions grew heated, it became clear that this minor modification could stoke the flames of a long-festering class conflict within the Overwatch community, potentially igniting a full-blown inferno.
Playing Overwatch can be a rollercoaster of emotions. Most players have experienced the frustration of getting trapped by Mei’s wall inside spawn, or having their ultimate blocked by a poorly timed wall. And let’s not forget about the occasional friendly Mei’s wall that can actually be useful, like when it helps lift an ally to high ground. But when it comes to Mei’s enemy walls, they can be just as accidentally handy.
Troll Potential
Lifeweaver’s pull, on the other hand, seems to be a different story. “I swear to God, as soon as I get flamed by a tank, I am swapping to this guy and ruining that tank’s day,” exclaimed our team’s Moira main when first learning about Lifeweaver’s abilities. Blizzard’s teaser video showcases Lifeweaver’s potential to save an ally from falling off the edge of the map, but it can also be used to pull back an overextending tank—whether they want you to or not. With a 20-second cooldown, Lifeweaver’s pull is like a leash that allows you to yank a teammate back, similar to how a parent would grab their child before they run out into traffic.
But, like with any ability, there’s always a potential for misuse. Could you use Lifeweaver’s pull to put someone in danger? Well, it’s not that simple. At first, the idea of grabbing your own tank and dropping them in a hole might seem tempting, but the developers have already thought of that. Unlike Roadhog’s hook, Lifeweaver’s Life Grip only pulls an ally to solid ground. And if there’s no solid ground nearby, then the ability is simply disabled.
However, this doesn’t completely eliminate the potential for trolling. After some practice against bots, I was able to occasionally pull an ally into a pit on purpose, without dying myself. But this is clearly something I wasn’t meant to do, and it only applies to pulling an ally into an environmental kill.
While the brief period of invulnerability that Lifeweaver’s Life Grip offers helps mitigate potential harm, it’s not foolproof. Anything that a Lifeweaver could pull their ally away from is something that they could also pull them into. And this includes D.va’s bomb, Junkrat’s tire, Mei’s blizzard, Rein’s shatter, and Zarya’s grav.
So, it’s not a question of whether your team’s Lifeweaver is going to get you killed, but rather a question of when and how often. It’s all part of the chaotic and unpredictable nature of Overwatch.
