Junkrat gets more bang, faster RIP-Tires on PTR

Junkrat has always been an interesting character in Overwatch. His absurd amounts of damage means he’s never quite irrelevant in the meta, even if he’s a niche pick. Whether he’s used to pump endless grenades and damage into chokepoints, or used in the World Cup to shut down Dive comps, Junkrat’s ability to rain destruction from afar is perennially useful.

If you have trouble playing him like the pros, there’s good news ahead: Junkrat currently getting a round of buffs on the PTR which will make that damage a little more accessible for players to unlock. While he’s useful, he’s never been as reliable as, say, a Soldier 76. These changes may make it a little bit easier to tap into Junkrat’s demolition.

The first change is to his concussion mine, where he can now hold two mines instead of one. This is a straight buff, with absolutely no drawbacks. He can now use a mine for mobility and one for damage, chuck out two mines to take out a high priority target, or hold onto a mine for the next scrap after blowing up a Pharah.

The second changes make his RIP-Tire even more deadly. RIP-Tire now rolls 30% faster, giving Junkrat a little more time to maneuver it into the enemy team before that sneaky Soldier 76 misses it. To make the deal even sweeter, RIP-Tire no longer has a wall climb tall limit, so we’re going to see lots of new RIP-Tire routes popping up in games.

These changes are still being tested on the PTR, so manage your expectations accordingly, but if all goes well we may see a bangier, boomier Junkrat in the next patch of Overwatch.