overwatch Geoff Goodman Details the Symmetra Rework

[Starym 3,776]

 

There were a lot of changes to Symmetra in the latest PTR patch and Lead Designer Geoff Goodman took some time to talk about all of them, why they were implemented and how they'll affect the Hero.

Geoff Goodman (source)

Hey guys,

As you may have heard, we’re making some changes to Symmetra and you can test her rework on the PTR right now! The goal of these changes is to move Symmetra to her new damage role and make her more flexible across more areas of the game. This means that not only should she be more viable in more team compositions and maps, but she should also be stronger on offense and defense. Here are the changes you can expect to see:

Photon Projector – Primary Fire

The biggest change to Symmetra’s primary fire is that it no longer locks onto enemies. This change, in turn, allows the weapon to deal significantly more damage and have increased range. While Photon Projector’s damage ramps up more slowly than previously, it also ramps down more slowly which makes it easier to maintain for the duration of a big fight.

• Replaces Photon Projector
• No longer locks onto targets
• Range increased to 10 meters
• Damage ramping (both up and down) now takes 2 seconds per damage level instead of 1 second
• Damage ramp increased from 30/60/120 to 60/120/180
• Now generates ammo instead of spending it when hitting barriers

Photon Projector – Alternate Fire

What changed?

Photon Projector’s alternate fire has changed significantly as well. It no longer pierces through enemies—it explodes on contact instead. The projectile speed has also significantly increased, making it more reliable to use the weapon at longer ranges. Explosive projectiles are even more powerful when fired above your enemies because they can deal splash damage, which is now more possible for Symmetra due to her Teleporter changes.

• No longer pierces targets
• Now explodes on contact
• Projectile speed increased
• Charge up speed increased
• Damage changed to 60 impact / 60 explosive

Overall her weapon maintains its core identity while gaining much needed flexibility with how it can be used. Now that Symmetra is no longer a support hero, she is expected to be able to dish out heavy damage and these changes allow for her to do so.

Ability 1: Sentry Turret

What changed?

By far the most noticeable change to Symmetra’s Sentry Turrets is her new ability to launch them forward as a projectile to place them, rather than having to walk up close to the placed location. In addition, Symmetra will only be able to hold and deploy a max of three turrets, but each one is significantly stronger than her previous Sentry Turrets. This allows her to spend less time trying to keep a large nest of turrets alive, as well as making them a bit more resistant against low damage area attacks.

• Turret is now placed like a projectile instead of being set in place
• Can hold a max of 3 now, down from 6
• Can now deploy a max of 3, down from 6
• Health increased from 1 to 30
• Damage increased
• Amount of slowing effect increased

Symmetra’s turrets are a core part of her identity and now they are stronger than ever. With the new deploy method she can place them in more difficult to reach places, or just throw them down in the middle of combat while fighting with her weapon.

Ability 2: Teleporter

What changed?

The Teleporter has swapped places with her old Photon Barrier ability. However, the new Teleporter works significantly differently than the original one, and it will be used in very different ways. Now instead of building the exit directly in front of you, players instead can now place the exit far away (up to 25 meters) and the entrance will be built right in front of you automatically. Then, for a limited duration, you or your allies can run to either teleporter and press the Interact/Acknowledge input to be teleported to the opposite portal.

• Can now place the exit up to 25 meters away from Symmetra
• The entrance will automatically be built in front of Symmetra, rather than at her team’s spawn point
• Lasts 10 seconds
• Health lowered to 300
• More things can teleport through it, such as Junkrat tire and D.Va’s exploding mech
• Entrance can now be destroyed
  * If either the entrance or exit dies, the other is removed

This change allows Symmetra to bring unique functionality to her teammates and create super fun and interesting combos and plays. For example, you can now place Bastion,Torbjörn, and other limited mobility heroes in hard-to-reach places where they couldn’t otherwise get to by themselves. In addition, Teleporter can now move new objects such as D.Va’s exploding mech or Torbjörn turrets. In playtests we’ve seen it used for simple things such as giving an escape option to normally mobility-lacking heroes like as Ana or Zenyatta, but also for amazing saves such as dropping it into an enemy Zarya’s Graviton Surge that has caught your allies, allowing them to teleport out to safety.

We’re really excited to see how players use her new Teleporter!

Ultimate: Photon Barrier

What is it?

Her previous secondary ability has moved to become her new ultimate, with some dramatic changes. Instead of creating a small circular barrier that moves forward, she now creates an immobile wall that spans and cuts through entire maps. She can use this new wall to drop in the middle of a fight and give allies a huge advantage, or use it to block an important enemy ultimate before it triggers such as D.Va’s Self-Destruct or Junkrat’s RIP-Tire. Since the wall is nearly infinite in size, you can throw it down to affect a fight that you aren’t even a part of yet if you aim it well enough. You can also combo your abilities together and place a Teleporter on both sides of your wall, allowing your teammates (or yourself) to quickly switch which side of it they are on.

• Deploys a barrier that is big enough to span and cut through an entire map
• Orientation can be changed by pressing the ultimate button again
• Has 5000 health

We’ve been playtesting these changes for some time now and we’re still finding new and interesting things that can be done with the new Symmetra. Whenever we come out with a new hero or rework abilities, it can take some time to get it right. We’re looking forward to you guys getting a chance to play her and give feedback!

[lChronosl 182]

Those changes are looking good, specially the improved turrets. But that ultimate is kinda weird, an infinite barrier that doesn't really block movement.

Also, RIP blue noodle gun. My slow reflexes and poor aim will miss you.

Edited June 6, 2018 by lChronosl

[Sombra 28]

Thats gona be nerfed in no time ...

 

primary fire ramps up ro 180 dps in 2 seconds

 

thats just busted

[Hanz39 53]

RIP Symmetra, what's the point of using her if not counter anymore Genji Tracer and whoever moves like an idiot, 3 turrets instead of 6 , useless ult (wtf give an non damage ult to a supposed DPS hero) , teleport is identical to Sombra one except also for teammates, her health is also reduced considering 275 with her ult active before now just 200, long range atk now not even kill immobile stuff like Orisa behind barrier.

They either buff her somewhere or nobody will ever use her anymore.

[Vorguz 33]

On 6/6/2018 at 7:06 AM, Sombra said:

primary fire ramps up ro 180 dps in 2 seconds 

 

thats just busted

It is four seconds (60->2s charge->120->2s charge->180)
Roadhog does 150 damage per shot without an headshot   --> 300 with an headshot
Reaper does 280 damage per second without an headshot --> 560 with an headshot
Soldier does 171 damage per second without an headshot --> 342 with an headshot

 

On 6/6/2018 at 7:27 AM, Hanz39 said:

RIP Symmetra, what's the point of using her if not counter anymore Genji Tracer and whoever moves like an idiot, 3 turrets instead of 6 , useless ult (wtf give an non damage ult to a supposed DPS hero) , teleport is identical to Sombra one except also for teammates, her health is also reduced considering 275 with her ult active before now just 200, long range atk now not even kill immobile stuff like Orisa behind barrier.

They either buff her somewhere or nobody will ever use her anymore.

The ult is something different, we will have to see if it is useful or not. As an example: Sombra does not have a damage ult and it is considered one of the strongest ults in the game.
Same goes with Symmetra IMO. think of it as an extra 5000 barrier (or 2,5 times a larger reinhardt barrier. You can pump out damage as much as you want without thinking about the enemy (and his snipers like hanzo or widow) while the barrier is up. And believe me 5000 extra hp is absolutely worth it.

She counters Tracer and Genji even more. Place your turrets at central locations or your feet and watch them die, while you laugh.

She does 120 damage per right-click 60 of it as an aoe. Seems ok for me.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Vorguz
Typo

[lChronosl 182]

Also, throw your turrets behind the enemy lines and see if they wont take at least a couple hundred HP damage before being able to destroy them. And you can spam her right click orb quite fast, even if the non charged version does less damage it still splashes (and can be quite scary to run into a barrage of those bubbles).

[Myke 42]

17 hours ago, lChronosl said:

Also, RIP blue noodle gun. My slow reflexes and poor aim will miss you.

 

This has been the one change I've wanted for so long.

[Myke 42]

15 hours ago, Hanz39 said:

RIP Symmetra, what's the point of using her if not counter anymore Genji Tracer and whoever moves like an idiot, 3 turrets instead of 6 , useless ult (wtf give an non damage ult to a supposed DPS hero) , teleport is identical to Sombra one except also for teammates, her health is also reduced considering 275 with her ult active before now just 200, long range atk now not even kill immobile stuff like Orisa behind barrier.

They either buff her somewhere or nobody will ever use her anymore.

Gee, did you look into the future? You don't even know how this will play out. Lemme guess, you're made you can't be a lazy DPS because they removed the lock on, right?

[Seksi 208]

Symmetra, coming to OWL near you soon!

Just the teleporter changes makes her an amazing enabler, all the other changes contribute to creating a new high-impact hero (especially in the age of rein/brig/orisa/zarya bubble spam) IF your decision making and aim are up to notch.

Also, Sombra should be great to shut Symmetra down, so be on the lookout for her too!