The mid-cycle update for Overwatch Season 1 brings further iterations to Vendetta, the melee-focused combatant who has remained a persistent challenge for Blizzard’s balancing team. This latest patch introduces another recalibration of her lifesteal capabilities. While not a complete overhaul, Blizzard noted that the initial Season 1 hotfix stabilized the meta significantly, leaving the developers to focus on “fine-tuning” her kit before the next season arrives.
Since her debut in December 2025 during the final chapter of Overwatch 2, Vendetta has undergone half a dozen revisions. Previous attempts to curb her dominance through slight damage reductions to her Overhead Attack and Whirlwind Dash proved insufficient. To address her oppressive pressure, the developers previously forced Soaring Slice onto cooldown upon respawn, preventing her from immediately diving back into the fray. Siphoning Strike, a key component of her sustain, has oscillated between 30% and 40% lifesteal throughout her testing phases. In this update, the value returns to 40%, but Blizzard has reclassified it as a major perk, delaying its impact until later in a match.
“Siphoning Strike has offered disproportionate self-sustain for a minor perk,” Blizzard explained in the official patch notes. “Elevating it to a major slot more accurately reflects its utility while preventing an overwhelming accumulation of passive power when utilized alongside the Relentless attack speed boost.”
Vendetta isn’t the only hero seeing adjustments. Mizuki’s healing radius has been expanded, allowing her to support front-line allies from a safer distance. In the tank category, Hazard has been shifted into the Initiator sub-role passive group. Furthermore, the Stalwart passive has been modified so its movement speed increase now triggers specifically when a tank’s health drops below the 50% threshold. Emre’s health regeneration now kicks in more rapidly, while Ramattra’s Void Barrier sees a reduction in its lengthy downtime. Conversely, Illari—whose precision-based lethality has been overperforming—is receiving nerfs to her healing resource and fire rate. Finally, the fan-favorite Jetpack Cat receives a new minor perk designed to reward high-mobility playstyles.
Overwatch Season 1 Mid-Season Patch Notes
The following hero adjustments are now live:
D.Va
- Boosters: Cooldown increased from 3.5 to 4 seconds.
Hazard
- Moved from the Stalwart category to the Initiator category.
Ramattra
- Void Barrier: (5v5 only) Cooldown reduced from 13 to 12 seconds.
- Annihilation: Damage per second increased from 30 to 35.
Roadhog
- Scrap Gun: Damage per pellet increased from 6.5 to 7.
Anran
- Inferno Rush: Jump height boosted by 20%. Now features automatic navigation over small obstacles and ledges.
Emre
- Altered Vitals: Activation delay reduced from 4.5 to 4 seconds.
Vendetta
- Raging Storm (Minor Perk): Damage per rotation reduced from 35 to 30. Reclassified from a major to a minor perk.
- Siphoning Strike (Major Perk): Overhead lifesteal increased from 30% to 40%. Reclassified from a minor to a major perk.
Illari
- Solar Rifle: Secondary fire maximum resource duration reduced from 3.5 to 3 seconds.
- Summer Solstice (Minor Perk): Attack speed bonus reduced from 30% to 20%.
- Sunburn (Major Perk): Damage output reduced from 70 to 50.
Jetpack Cat
- Territorial (Major Perk): Removed from the game.
- Claws Out (Major Perk): Shifted from a minor to a major perk. Cooldown reduced from 8 to 6 seconds.
- Ulterior Motive (New Minor Perk): 15% of healing provided by Biotic Pawjectiles is now converted into fuel.
Mizuki
- Remedy Aura: Radius expanded from 10 to 12 meters. Delay before healing degeneration begins has been reduced from 2 to 1.75 seconds.
Source: Polygon
