Overwatch 2's new support hero is Lifeweaver, a Thai healer with unprecedented utility.
Blizzard dropped a screenshot of Lifeweaver on Twitter and says more details will come out tomorrow, but a PCGamesN article—which was posted prematurely and has now been taken down—revealed a number of details about the character.
Blizzard says that Lifeweaver is similar to a World of Warcraft Druid. He's all about helping people with nature, or sci-fi nature known as "Biolight". Biolight is an alternative to the Hardlight tech that Symmetra uses for her abilities, like her massive barrier ultimate. He's also the game's first openly pansexual character, which will surely create some fun pre-match conversations between the existing heroes.
With his Biolight, Lifeweaver can create a Petal Platform on the ground that lifts upward when enemies or allies step on it. If Lifeweaver takes the flower elevator up, he can jump at its apex and gain increased height. He can also grab allies from afar and pull them toward him–which sounds like a griefer's dream.
“The aim was to create another support hero that didn’t rely on aim skill,” Alec Dawson told PCGamesN. “Lifeweaver is designed for players that care a bit more about their own positioning, their game sense—those are the skills they check on more than necessarily aim skill.”
In addition to putting out strong healing, Lifeweaver can also swap his primary fire to deal damage with his Thorn Volley. And if any engagement gets too risky, he can escape and heal himself a little bit with Rejuvenating Dash. In the event he doesn't make it out alive, Lifeweaver drops a Parting Gift on the ground that will heal an ally or enemy that picks it up.
Lifeweaver is about to blossom 🌸 Learn more tomorrow about the all new Support hero arriving in #Overwatch2 Season 4. pic.twitter.com/T39o93Ekz6April 3, 2023
Lifeweaver's ultimate is called Tree of Life, a literal tree he can place that heals allies in its vicinity. The tree is a destroyable object, too, so it can shield your allies from taking fire.
Dawson said Lifeweaver is "one of the harder heroes to really get the hang of," but that he was designed to be accessible for beginner support players who might rely on his healing output before they learn how to use his other abilities effectively.
Dawson said Lifeweaver's immense utility allows him to work well with flankers like Genji and Reaper. He can burst heal them and pull them out of danger.
You can join everyone else in the fight to lock Lifeweaver in a match when he arrives on Overwatch 2's season 4 premium battle pass later this month.
