Overwatch 2's Lifeweaver adds a new dynamic to support play

With a new Overwatch 2 season comes a new Hero. For Season 4 of Overwatch 2, Lifewweaver is joining the game’s roster as a new support. His unique kit not only heals allies but allows him to reposition them and even offer aid after he dies. I got to play some matches with Lifeweaver ahead of his release to get a better idea of how he shakes things up in Overwatch 2.

Lifeweaver's flower-based kit is packed with unique abilities that not only provide helpful heals and buffs, but also add unique interactions with other Hero abilities. Most healing will be done through his Healing Blossom, a standard ability that can fire bursts of healing rays at allies. The longer you charge it, the more HP is recovered. His Thorn Volley attack felt reasonably strong, making him better equipped to defend himself than some of the other support characters, which is a nice bonus.

A big part of what allows Lifeweaver to hang around in combat encounters is his mobility. His Rejuvenating Dash lets him quickly dodge projectiles while providing himself some healing in the process. It has a 5-second cooldown, which is enough to routinely evade some of the more devastating blows from Overwatch’s most powerful Heroes.

What really makes Lifeweaver unique is how polarizing his abilities can be for both allies and enemies. Take his Life Grip, for example. This signature ability pulls allies toward Lifeweaver, protecting them from damage while they travel. An ability that lets a player forcibly move an ally is sure to spark debate among players, but it’s got some incredible potential. Being able to pull somebody out of certain death is an incredible advantage, and can often prevent the enemy team from making a big momentum swing.

Life Grip can also be used to get allies out of previously inescapable situations, like when Lucio or Phara boop them off the side of a map. It’s not an ability that you can just use willy-nilly, though, as your teammates will likely be upset if you pull them out of a fight that they’re winning. It forces you to think and play with purpose.

This theme of strategy is present through a lot of Lifeweaver’s abilities. This includes his Petal Platform, which raises into the air like an elevator when stepped on. In usual cases, this can be used to reach areas previous inaccessible. However, it also has great disruption potential. You can use it to throw off an enemy charging in with their ult, or get someone off of an objective. Of course, you’ll have to be careful with your decision-making, as you don’t want to give an Ulting Soldier 76 a floating vantage point.

When Lifeweaver dies, he leaves behind a Parting Gift thanks to his passive ability. When a player picks this up, they’re instantly healed. The fascinating thing about this ability is that it can also be picked up by enemies, meaning extra punishment if you die behind enemy lines or far away from allies.

Lifeweaver feels like a support Hero with a high ceiling thanks to the dynamic uses of his abilities. It will be interesting to see where he ends up fitting into the metagame as players get a hand on him in Overwatch 2 Season 4.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_