Is Mercy’s Damage Boost Worth It? A Deep Dive
Unequivocally, yes, Mercy’s damage boost is absolutely worth it. While often overlooked in favor of her consistent healing, Mercy’s blue beam is a game-changing ability that, when used strategically, can significantly amplify your team’s damage output and swing the momentum of a fight. A well-timed damage boost can turn a close encounter into a decisive victory, secure crucial eliminations, and even enable otherwise impossible one-shots. The key lies in understanding when and how to use it effectively.
The Power of Amplification: Unveiling the Numbers
Mercy’s damage boost increases a target’s damage output by 30%. This might seem like a small number on paper, but its impact is far greater than it appears. Consider the following:
- Turning Close Calls into Kills: That extra 30% can be the difference between an enemy escaping with a sliver of health and a crucial elimination.
- Enabling One-Shots: As mentioned, damage boosting heroes like Widowmaker, Hanzo, and Ashe allows them to one-shot Tracer with a body shot, drastically altering the battlefield dynamic.
- Boosting Tank DPS: While often overlooked, damage boosting tanks like Orisa or even a charging Reinhardt can significantly increase their damage output, making them more threatening in engagements. Remember, the article mentioned that a boosted Orisa does the damage of an unboosted Roadhog.
Damage boosting also contributes to Mercy’s ultimate charge. Mercy gains ultimate charge equal to the damage she amplified, this incentivizes Mercy players to actively seek opportunities to empower their teammates.
Beyond the Numbers: Strategic Damage Boosting
While the raw numbers are important, mastering Mercy’s damage boost requires understanding the nuances of each situation. Here’s a look at key considerations:
Priority Targets
The best damage boost targets are generally high-damage DPS heroes. These include:
- Hitscan Heroes: Soldier: 76, Ashe, Cassidy, and Sojourn, as their consistent damage output benefits greatly from the amplification.
- Projectile Heroes: Pharah, Junkrat, and Hanzo, as the extra damage can make their projectiles more lethal.
- Burst Damage Heroes: Widowmaker or Hanzo, to help secure one-shot kills on squishy targets.
However, don’t neglect your tanks! Damage boosting a tank during their offensive push can quickly turn the tide of a fight.
When to Heal, When to Boost
The decision between healing and damage boosting is a constant balancing act. As the article stated, Mercy players should aim for around a 55/45 split, with damage boosting as the main priority.
- Prioritize healing when a teammate is critically low or taking significant damage.
- Switch to damage boost when your team is engaging, the target is healthy, or you anticipate a key offensive play.
- Use Valkyrie effectively and when the team doesn’t desperately need healing, switch to a damage boost instead.
Understanding Cooldowns and Abilities
Anticipate when your teammates are about to use their abilities and pre-emptively damage boost them. For example, boosting a Soldier: 76 as he uses his Tactical Visor or a Pharah during her Barrage can dramatically increase their effectiveness.
Communication is Key
Coordinate with your team to maximize the impact of your damage boost. Let your DPS know when you’re focusing on them, so they can position themselves accordingly.
Damage Boost Synergies and Stacking
The article briefly touched on how damage boosts interact with other abilities. Let’s delve deeper:
- Additive Stacking: Damage boosts from multiple Mercy beams or Orisa’s Supercharger stack additively. This means two Mercy’s boosting a target will result in a 60% damage increase, not a multiplicative one.
- Discord Orb: Zenyatta’s Discord Orb, on the other hand, stacks multiplicatively with damage boosts, resulting in a massive increase in damage taken by the Discorded target.
- Abilities that Cannot be Boosted: Be aware that Mercy’s damage boost does not affect Torbjorn’s turrets, Symmetra’s turrets, or Junkrat’s Riptire.
The VITAL Guide to Mercy’s Damage Boost: FAQs
Here are 15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you master Mercy’s damage boost:
1. How much damage does Mercy’s damage boost increase?
Mercy’s Damage Boost increases damage by 30%.
2. Does Mercy gain ultimate charge from damage boosting?
Yes, Mercy gains ultimate charge equal to the damage she amplified.
3. What are the best heroes to damage boost?
High-damage DPS heroes like Soldier: 76, Ashe, Cassidy, Widowmaker, Hanzo, Junkrat, and Pharah are excellent choices, as are tanks during offensive pushes.
4. Can Mercy damage boost healing?
No, Mercy cannot damage boost healing. The beam only affects damage output.
5. How long does Mercy’s damage boost last?
The damage boost beam will linger for 1.3 seconds if the target breaks line of sight or moves out of range.
6. Can Mercy damage boost Torbjorn’s turret?
No, Mercy cannot damage boost Torbjorn’s turret. It also does not affect Symmetra’s turrets, or Junkrat’s Riptire.
7. Does Mercy’s damage boost stack with Discord Orb?
Yes, Mercy’s damage boost stacks additively with other damage boosts but multiplicatively with Zenyatta’s Discord Orb.
8. What is the optimal balance between healing and damage boosting?
Mercy players should aim for around a 55/45 split, with damage boosting as the main priority.
9. Can multiple Mercy damage boosts stack?
Yes, damage boosts from multiple Mercy beams stack additively.
10. How do I decide when to heal versus when to damage boost?
Prioritize healing when teammates are critically low or taking significant damage. Switch to damage boost when your team is engaging, the target is healthy, or you anticipate a key offensive play.
11. Is Mercy a good healer?
Mercy is a decent healer, but she excels when she can balance healing with damage boosting. Other healers may offer higher healing output, but Mercy’s utility lies in her mobility and damage amplification. She is often considered the weakest of healers.
12. Does damage boost affect Mercy’s pistol damage?
No, Mercy’s damage boost only affects the damage output of her targeted ally, not her own pistol.
13. How does Valkyrie affect Mercy’s damage boost?
Valkyrie increases the damage boost range and allows it to chain to multiple allies.
14. What is the best way to improve my Mercy damage boost usage?
Practice, communication with your team, and understanding the cooldowns and abilities of your teammates are key.
15. What are the counters to Mercy’s damage boost?
Burst damage heroes can quickly eliminate a damage-boosted target, negating the amplified damage output. Focusing fire on Mercy herself can also disrupt her ability to provide damage boosts.
Conclusion: Mastering the Blue Beam
Mercy’s damage boost is a powerful tool that, when used correctly, can significantly impact the outcome of a match. By understanding the numbers, prioritizing targets, and coordinating with your team, you can elevate your Mercy gameplay and become a true asset to your team. The game is more than just numbers, understanding the psychology and social dynamics is part of it, which the Games Learning Society studies. Head over to GamesLearningSociety.org to find out more. So, embrace the blue beam, and watch as your teammates unleash their full potential.