Overwatch 2’s new perk system has completely shaken up the game, and for the most part, it’s been a much-needed refresh. After a rocky start and stiff competition from titles like Marvel Rivals, Blizzard had to find a way to keep players engaged. The introduction of Hero Perks was supposed to do just that—giving every hero a unique buff that could change the way they play. And while this system has certainly spiced things up, it’s also brought a fair share of balance issues.
Blizzard itself admitted that Hero Perks might need some fine-tuning, especially in the early stages. With all 41 heroes getting their own specialized perks, it was inevitable that some would be stronger than others. But one particular hero is already standing out in a way that’s making the community groan in frustration—Bastion. Thanks to his new perk, he’s gone from being a glass cannon to something close to immortal.
Bastion self-heal going crazy
byu/Holi- inOverwatch
Bastion’s Self-Repair Is Back, And It’s A Problem
If you’ve played the original Overwatch, you might remember Bastion’s old Self-Repair ability. Back then, he could put away his weapon and heal himself on command, but there was a catch—his healing was tied to a resource meter. This prevented him from endlessly healing and forced players to use it strategically. Well, in Overwatch 2, that limitation is gone. Now, with the new perk system, Bastion has unlimited access to Self-Repair, allowing him to heal himself indefinitely with no cooldowns or restrictions.
You don’t need to be an Overwatch expert to see why that’s a problem. Imagine trying to take down an enemy, only for them to completely nullify all of your damage by healing themselves faster than you can hurt them. That’s exactly what’s happening with Bastion. And while certain high-damage heroes can still bring him down, a large portion of the roster now struggles to deal with him at all.
Overwatch 2 Players Are Struggling Against Bastion’s Near-Invincibility
This ability dude LMAO half the roster just cannot get you any more pic.twitter.com/hpjhj5FFZL
— Shroomiiee (@mushroomiiee) February 20, 2025
The community hasn’t wasted any time pointing out just how ridiculous this perk makes Bastion. A Twitter user named Shroomiiee recently shared a clip of a match where Bastion manages to escape a dangerous situation simply by running away while spamming Self-Repair. Normally, a hero caught in the middle of a fight like that wouldn’t stand a chance, but Bastion’s infinite healing let him walk away unscathed.
It doesn’t stop there. A Reddit user, Holi-, shared another video that further highlights the issue. In the clip, Bastion stands completely still while a D.Va unloads bullets into him. Despite taking constant damage, he doesn’t go down—he just keeps healing through it. And because D.Va doesn’t have the burst damage needed to outpace his healing, she’s effectively powerless. The same problem applies to heroes like Tracer, Moira, Winston, and several others. If you’re playing as one of these characters, Bastion is basically unkillable unless you have backup from a higher-damage teammate.
The Impact On Overwatch 2’s Meta
This is the kind of balance issue that can drastically shift the game’s meta. Right now, players are already finding that certain heroes feel completely useless against Bastion, which isn’t great for the overall experience. In a game like Overwatch 2—where team compositions and counterplay are key—having a hero that invalidates half the roster is a serious problem.
For example, let’s say you’re playing Tracer. Tracer is all about mobility and quick damage, relying on her ability to dart around enemies while chipping away at their health. But against a Bastion that can heal himself indefinitely? She might as well not exist. Even if you land every shot, Bastion’s healing completely cancels out your damage, making it impossible to take him down alone. The same goes for heroes like Winston and Moira, who rely on sustained damage rather than high burst.
This also means that team fights are being skewed in favor of compositions that can counter Bastion. Suddenly, heroes with high burst damage, like Hanzo, Reaper, or Junkrat, become even more necessary, while others fade into irrelevance. And while hero viability fluctuating is normal in competitive games, this level of imbalance isn’t fun for anyone.
Will Blizzard Nerf Bastion’s Self-Repair?
It’s hard to imagine Blizzard letting this slide for too long. A perk that makes a hero nearly unkillable is bound to get nerfed at some point—it’s just a question of how and when. The easiest fix would be to reintroduce the resource meter, limiting how much Bastion can heal at a time. Another option would be reducing the amount of healing per second so that players can still damage him faster than he heals.
Of course, nerfing Bastion’s healing too much could make him unplayable, which is the last thing Blizzard wants. Balancing Overwatch 2 is already a delicate task, and finding the right middle ground will take some careful adjustments. But given how quickly the community has picked up on this issue, a fix is almost certainly on the way.
As a D.Va main myself, I’m hoping Blizzard does something about this sooner rather than later. There’s nothing more frustrating than unloading a full clip into an enemy, only for them to shrug it off and heal back to full health like nothing happened. If Overwatch 2 is going to stay competitive and fun, it needs to ensure that every hero has a fighting chance—and right now, Bastion’s perk is making that impossible for too many characters.
Final Thoughts
The new perk system in Overwatch 2 has been an exciting change overall, but it’s clear that some abilities need balancing. Bastion’s infinite Self-Repair is one of the biggest offenders, giving him a level of survivability that makes him feel nearly invincible. Until Blizzard steps in with a nerf, players will have to find ways to work around this broken ability—or just avoid fighting Bastion altogether.
Overwatch 2 has always been a game about adapting, but when one hero completely shuts down a large portion of the roster, something has to give. Whether it’s a healing cap, a cooldown, or some other tweak, Blizzard needs to address this issue before it warps the meta any further. Otherwise, we might all be seeing a lot more Bastions in our matches—and that’s not exactly an exciting prospect.
For now, if you’re up against Bastion, your best bet is to bring in a hero with high burst damage and hope for the best. But let’s be real—no one wants to rely on luck just to take down a single enemy. Here’s hoping Blizzard acts fast.