Overwatch March 25 PTR update patch notes: Echo nerfed again

Blizzard

The latest addition to the Overwatch roster has been scaled back once again as Blizzard has rolled out even more Echo nerfs in a March 25 Public Test Region update.

Echo immediately made a mark on the Overwatch community with her March 19 unveiling as the previously teased Support hero turned heads a Damage-based character with truly extraordinary capabilities.

From extremely powerful Sticky Bombs to a duplicating Ultimate that transforms the new hero into any one of her competitors, the new addition instantly piqued interest and seemed to be a surefire pick in any match. Just a few days into her lifespan, however, Echo has already been hit with multiple nerfs.

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Blizzard
Echo has already been hit with multiple nerfs on the PTR.

Scaled-down once already with nerfs pushed through a March 20 update, the hero has already taken a hit to her mobility as day one players highlighted the true power of her ‘Flight’ ability.

Following on from the first major tweak, two of Echo’s other functions have also been tuned slightly in a brand new PTR update.

Firstly, the impact of her damage-dealing Sticky Bombs has been reduced from 30 to 25, while the overall cost of her fight-winning Ultimate has seen a 16% increase.

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Not only will these adjustments reduce the impact of her explosives, but her Ultimate will now take slightly longer to acquire in the midst of battle. 

Blizzard
Echo’s kit is still one of the most powerful in all of Overwatch.

The March 25 update also came with a minor adjustment to fellow damage hero Ashe. While cooldowns or damage output have not been touched, a slight tweak could have players feeling more comfortable in the gunslinger’s shoes.

Her secondary fire will now provide more accurate sound effects, giving players a more up to date notification as to when they fire again.

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Bug fixes for Tracer and Echo rounded out the patch notes, as Tracer’s vertical mobility while blinking has been reverted back to normal and Echo being hacked or slept while duplicating will now work as intended.

Blizzard
Ashe players should have a much smoother experience thanks to this slight adjustment.

With a number of changes already implemented in Echo’s first week of public testing, there could still be plenty of adjustments for the hero before she winds up on the Live servers.

The full Overwatch PTR patch notes for March 25 are listed below:

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Overwatch PTR Patch Notes – March 25, 2020

Please note that the below patch notes only include changes available for testing on the PTR. While many of these changes may also be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in a future patch, the PTR is PC-only and only reflects changes coming specifically to that platform.

HERO UPDATES

Ashe

The Viper (Secondary Fire)

  • Updated lever action sound to better line up with when she can shoot again

Echo

Sticky Bombs

  • Explosion damage reduced from 30 to 25

Duplicate

  • Ultimate cost increased by 16%

BUG FIXES

Heroes

Tracer

  • Fixed a bug where blinking mid-air could allow Tracer to move slightly vertically upward

Echo

  • Fixed a bug where a Duplicated hack or sleep wouldn’t persist 3 seconds after the duplication ended