Decoding the Controversy Surrounding Overwatch 2's Cassidy Rework

With the cancellation of Overwatch 2's highly anticipated PvE mode, the focus has shifted to the game's PvP offerings and future seasons. While the current fifth season may not meet all players' expectations, it introduces enough modifications to keep fans engaged until the upcoming canon story missions in season six. Presently, players can indulge in an Overwatch season infused with Dungeons And Dragons-like elements, featuring mythical cosmetics, a community-made mode called Defeat The Demon Lord, and a captivating story intertwined with battle pass progression.

Naturally, each new Overwatch 2 season brings adjustments to the hero meta. Junker Queen, Widowmaker, Tracer, Moira, and Reaper have undergone significant nerfs, while Roadhog, Lifeweaver, and Genji have received buffs to enhance their viability. Mei and Cassidy, however, fall into a unique category as their abilities have undergone drastic changes. Mei's Endothermic Blaster has transformed into a crowd control tool rather than a pure damage-dealing weapon, and Cassidy's Magnetic Grenade has become an even greater menace.

The Evolution of Cassidy's Magnetic Grenade in Overwatch 2

In the original Overwatch, Cassidy wielded a Flashbang instead of the Magnetic Grenade. Aligned with his sharpshooter persona, Cassidy's Flashbang stunned enemies, providing a window of opportunity for well-aimed shots. Aside from the stun effect, the Flashbang interrupted enemy skills and dealt 25 damage. This was during the early days of Overwatch, where crowd control abilities like Brigitte's Shield Bash and Lucio's Soundwave played a crucial role in restraining adversaries.

In Overwatch 2, the developers aimed to reduce the prevalence of crowd control abilities, resulting in changes to several heroes' skillsets, including Cassidy's Flashbang. Instead of a grenade that immobilizes foes, Cassidy's Magnetic Grenade now pursues enemies and inflicts more damage. The need for precise aiming after stunning opponents with Cassidy's Peacekeeper revolver has been replaced with a throwable ability that is easier to use. Naturally, opponents facing Cassidy became frustrated with what essentially amounts to an aim-assist grenade, leaving little room for countering the ability.

In the fifth season of Overwatch 2, Cassidy's Magnetic Grenade underwent a significant overhaul. Departing from the concept of a grenade with high base damage, Blizzard decided to nerf the ability's damage from 120 to 70. To compensate, the Magnetic Grenade now deals an additional 10 damage on impact and can hinder stuck targets. The "hindered" status effect prevents heroes from utilizing movement abilities, effectively immobilizing characters like Tracer and Genji, granting Cassidy's team ample time to eliminate them. Moreover, the Magnetic Grenade slows affected targets' movement speed by 30% and can magnetize to any enemy within a 1.5-meter radius.

While the slow and magnetize effects may pose some challenges for agile heroes like Tracer and Genji, larger heroes can find themselves heavily countered by Cassidy's Magnetic Grenade. Tank heroes like Doomfist and Wrecking Ball heavily rely on movement abilities to fulfill their roles in combat. Falling victim to the Magnetic Grenade incapacitates them and may necessitate a hero swap. The Magnetic Grenade seems to push the boundaries of Blizzard's guidelines regarding crowd control, arguably becoming more of an annoyance than Cassidy's previous Flashbang. Its low 10-second cooldown and versatile utility make it an indispensable tool that begs to be utilized before Blizzard potentially addresses its power through future nerfs.