Overwatch 2 beta update turns Mercy into a surprise Pharah counter

Overwatch 2 players are thanking the developers after making Mercy somewhat of a counter to a Pharah in the skies with the addition of new ability.

The Overwatch 2 July 11 Beta patch reworked Mercy’s Guadian Angel Super Jump. Before the patch, some Overwatch players complained that Mercy felt “clunky” compared to other heroes.

Overwatch 2 developers stated, “our goal with the next change is to give players even more, control over Guardian Angel while also its flexibility. “After the patch, Guardian Angel will not automatically launch Mercy into the air, but it will now have a meter that charges while the ability is active.”

Mercy’s controlled jumping capabilities now even allow her to compete in the air with Pharah.

Overwatch players utilize Mercy’s rework.

Shortly after the patch went live, an Overwatch 2 player posted a clip showing the support hero killing Pharah twice in a row by making use of the new ability.

The patch adds a meter that charges up while Guardian Angel is active. Players can now cancel the ability with a jump, and she can change direction mid-air. The longer the charge, the further Mercy will travel when jumping.

Essentially, Mercy has more maneuverability in the air but needs to rely on teammates’ positioning for timing a jump correctly, but if done right, it can pose a major threat to Pharah.

[OW2] Mercy can counter Pharah much better as of today’s patch! from Overwatch

One Reddit user researched the pros and cons of the new Mercy update. They stated, “Being able to change direction and maintain your momentum instantly is a big deal, and it opens up many possibilities for fun interactions, mind games, and counterplay.”

The user also noted, “for now, this change feels somewhat uncomfortable and foreign to me, but I expect the feeling will go down in the next few days.”

Another person added, “the changes look so smooth and intuitive. I know short-range mechanics got sacrificed, but it seems like an overall upgrade to her design.”

Players uniformly agree that this change requires a slight learning curve, but overall the reception to the new Guardian Angel mechanics is positive.