Overwatch’s Baptiste Ability Overview, Live on PTR

Blizzard has released a video detailing Overwatch’s 30^th hero, Baptiste, and his abilities today. He is currently live on the PTR. Baptiste comes straight to us as a what looks like a completely dedicated healer, with the exception of his ultimate, which we’ll get to in a minute. Even with ultimate, I’ve got news for you folks. If we thought this hero was going to shake up the meta, we might be disappointed. At first glance, Baptiste is going to fit right in with GOATS. Enough of that, though! Let's get into the Baptiste ability overview.

Mobilize alongside the combat medic who made the shrewd decision to make the world a better place, one bandage… or bullet at a time: Baptiste pic.twitter.com/qmAO8EqxLM

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 26, 2019

Weapon: Medic SMG and Biotic Launcher

Baptiste has a three-shot primary fire on his Medic SMG. The weapon also has an alternate fire called the Biotic Launcher (its projectiles move much like Junkrat’s grenades) that heals teammates in its area of effect. Biotic Launcher does not damage enemies. The SMG has 45 bullets in a magazine, and players can fire the Biotic Launcher's 10 grenades before it has to be reloaded. Interestingly, Baptiste cannot heal himself with the Biotic Launcher's secondary fire.

Passive: Exo Boots

Exo Boots, Baptiste’s passive, allows him to perform a jump much higher than any other character. By crouching before you jump, players can charge up a meter that increases jump height.

Ability 1: Regenerative Burst (15 Second cooldown, 7 second duration)

His first ability, Regenerative Burst, is an AOE heal-over-time that emanates from Baptiste himself and heals allies around him. The radius looks like it is just about as large as Soldier 76's Biotic Field.

Ability 2: Immortality Field (20 Second cd, 10 second duration)

His second ability, Immortality Field, is a deployable, floating robot that projects an invulnerability field around itself. It seems to have about the same radius as Lucio’s healing and speed buff. While inside this field, Baptiste and his team cannot take fatal damage. This means that teammates can be taken down to a single point of health and not die, giving the healers ample time to refill the health bars of their injured allies. The robot itself has its own health bar and can presumably be damaged and destroyed.

Ultimate: Amplification Matrix (10 second duration)

Finally, Baptiste’s Ultimate Amplification Matrix is a clear, electronic “wall,” much like Mei’s Ice Wall (also like Mei’s wall, it can be rotated before it is placed). Both enemies and allies can move through the barrier. The wall boosts outgoing damage, like a Widowmaker’s sniper shot or a burst from Soldier 76’s pulse rifle is amplified. In other words, shooting through the wall will increase the damage that the shot does. It is unclear whether this applies to physical damage like Reinhardt’s hammer, Brigitte’s flail, or Genji's ultimate. This ultimate seems to be meant to be used in conjunction with ranged DPS players, allowing them to dish out a large amount of damage quickly.

Jeff Kaplan has also recorded a video detailing Baptiste's abilities and lore:

Players and fans have been clamoring for something to break up the GOATS compositions in both solo queue and the Overwatch League. That said, it’s hard to know exactly how Baptiste will affect the meta. He has some seriously strong AOE healing and lifesaving abilities in his kit that may continue to promote the much-maligned GOATS composition. Only time will tell!

Baptiste is live on the PTR right now, so go check him out and tell us what you think in the comments!

Image VIA: Blizzard Entertainment