Blizzard has officially revealed the abilities for new Support hero Lifeweaver, with Game ZXC having the opportunity to go hands-on and try his kit out ahead of the character's Season 4 debut. Blizzard is looking to add new heroes to Overwatch 2 with every even-numbered season. Overwatch 2 Season 2 added Tank hero Ramattra, and now Lifeweaver is joining the ranks for the game's Season 4.
Along with revealing Lifeweaver's abilities, Blizzard has also confirmed some interesting details about the character's backstory. Lifeweaver was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand as Niran PruksaManee. As far as connections to existing Overwatch 2 heroes, Lifeweaver worked alongside Symmetra at the Vishkar Corporation, but he ultimately left the company to explore the world.
Lifeweaver's abilities are Healing Blossom, which can charged to heal a targeted ally; Thorn Volley, a projectile attack that acts as Lifeweaver's secondary attack; Petal Platform, which allows Lifeweaver to create a platform that flies straight up into the air; Rejuvenating Dash, which allows Lifeweaver to dash forward while also healing himself; Life Grip, which lets Lifeweaver hook allies and heal them; and Parting Gift, which drops a gift that heals anyone that picks it up upon Lifeweaver's death. Lifeweaver's Ultimate is Tree of Life, which sees him instantly sprout a large tree that heals any allies in its radius.
Overwatch 2 Lifeweaver Abilities
After going hands-on with Lifeweaver, it's clear that his abilities can be game changers in the right hands. Healing Blossom and Thorn Volley are fairly basic healing and damage attacks, but Petal Platform and Life Grip are where things get interesting. With Petal Platform, Lifeweaver can create impromptu platforms for his partners to utilize, giving snipers brand-new lines of sight in the process. Paired with the right Overwatch 2 Damage hero, Lifeweaver's Petal Platform can go a long way in turning the tide of a fight.
Life Grip is like a reverse version of Roadhog's hook. Whereas Roadhog's hook is meant to pull in enemy players and kill them, Life Grip is meant to pull in allies and heal them. There is some concern that Life Grip could be used to grief, as Lifeweaver could potentially pull his partners out of position to mess with them, so it will be interesting to see how the community reacts to it once they gain access to the character for themselves.
As far as Overwatch 2 Support heroes go, Lifeweaver seems like he could be extremely useful in the right hands, but potentially a bad pick for less-skilled players. Overwatch 2 Support players will get the most of him by communicating with teammates and coordinating abilities like Petal Platform and Life Grip. Those who are wanting to use him exclusively to heal won't be able to take full advantage of his kit.
Anyone interested in adding Lifeweaver to their roster of playable heroes should note that the character will be debuting alongside Overwatch Season 4 on April 11. Like with the other new Overwatch 2 heroes, players will either have to purchase the Battle Pass to get instant access. Otherwise, Overwatch 2 players will have to reach tier 45 to unlock Lifeweaver.
Overwatch 2 is in early access for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
