Season 4.5 is a numbers pass with teeth. Duelists see the most movement, sustain tools are trimmed back, and a few underpicked picks get firm nudges. Below is a complete, plain‑English rundown of every hero change and team‑up tweak, followed by quick meta implications so you know what actually shifts in play.

What’s new at a glance

  • Targeted buffs: Angela, Venom, Blade, Hela, Iron Fist, Mister Fantastic, Psylocke, Rocket Raccoon.
  • Targeted nerfs: Human Torch, Phoenix, Cloak & Dagger, Jeff the Land Shark, Ultron.
  • Team‑ups: a new Daredevil–Punisher link, a Hela–Namor link, plus several adjustments and one removal.

Season timing lands with the mid‑season update, and Daredevil arrives in the Duelist slot, built around radar scouting, a gap‑closing dash, and an Ultimate that punishes line‑of‑sight.

All hero buffs and nerfs (Season 4.5)

Role Hero Type Change details
Vanguard Angela Buff After Divine Judgment, Axes of Ichor Bonus Health increased: self per enemy hit 30 → 40; allies 15 → 20.
Vanguard Venom Buff Feast of the Abyss now applies 30% Healing Reduction to enemies hit for 4s.
Duelist Blade Buff Daywalker Dash secondary attack range 4.5m → 6.5m; Bloodline Awakening slash‑speed stack duration 0.7s → 1s; new: landing all four hits of Whirlwind Slash grants 1 slash‑speed stack.
Duelist Hela Buff Reduced Astral Flock start‑up; after casting, gains 25 Bonus Health.
Duelist Human Torch Nerf Fire Cluster damage per projectile 5.5 → 5; new 0.5s delay before ammo begins to replenish; Plasma Body movement speed 900 → 850.
Duelist Iron Fist Buff Yat Jee Chung Kuen fixed damage 9 → 8; percent max‑health per strike 2.7% → 3.1% (higher threat to tanks).
Duelist Mister Fantastic Buff After a successful Distended Grip pull, the target is immobilized for 1s.
Duelist Phoenix Nerf Melee attacks no longer stack Sparks; primary weapon ammo no longer replenishes during Dark Ascent; Dark Ascent gains a 1s cooldown.
Duelist Psylocke Buff Dance of the Butterfly self‑slow 30% → 15%; each strike damage 150 → 170.
Strategist Cloak & Dagger Nerf Eternal Bond energy cost 4300 → 4500.
Strategist Jeff the Land Shark Nerf Oblivious Cuteness passive crit damage reduction 70% → 50%.
Strategist Rocket Raccoon Buff C.Y.A. Damage Boost 25% → 40%.
Strategist Ultron Nerf Imperative: Patch healing 35 → 30; bonus to followed ally 10 → 5; Rage of Ultron energy cost 3400 → 3700.

Notes on terminology: “Healing Reduction” cuts incoming healing received by affected enemies. “Immobilize” prevents movement but typically allows actions that don’t require movement.

Team‑up Status Change details
Bestial Hunt (Daredevil – The Punisher) New Daredevil as anchor gains +25 max health and +5% damage; The Punisher unlocks Justice Sense.
Deep Wrath (Hela – Namor) New Namor gains the Tidal Dirge ability via this link.
Arcane Order (Doctor Strange – Scarlet Witch/Magik) Adjusted Magik: Chain of Cyttorak cooldown 15s → 20s; slow at max range 60% → 40%.
Gamma Charge (Hulk – Namor/Black Panther) Adjusted Namor loses the Gamma Monstro ability previously granted by this team‑up.
Ragnarok Rebirth (Hela – Thor) Removed The link is no longer available.

Winners and losers

  • Winners
    • Psylocke: A lighter self‑slow and higher Ultimate strike damage make her engage safer and her payoff higher.
    • Blade: Longer reach on the dash follow‑up and longer‑lasting slash speed stacks raise consistency in skirmishes.
    • Rocket Raccoon: A 40% team Damage Boost on C.Y.A. turns key fights when timed with ally ultimates.
    • Venom: On‑hit Healing Reduction punishes sustain comps and enables cleaner focus kills.
    • Mister Fantastic: A guaranteed 1s immobilize after a pull upgrades pick potential against mobile threats.
    • Angela and Hela: Small but relevant durability bumps smooth frontline and mid‑fight survivability.
    • Iron Fist: Higher percent‑health damage is a straight buff into high‑HP targets.
  • Losers
    • Phoenix: No melee Spark stacking, no ammo regen during Dark Ascent, and added cooldown combine to curb burst windows.
    • Human Torch: Lower Fire Cluster damage, slower ammo return, and reduced Plasma Body speed trim pressure and chase potential.
    • Ultron: Reduced personal and ally healing plus a pricier Ultimate lowers uptime in extended fights.
    • Cloak & Dagger: Higher Ultimate cost delays key combo setups.
    • Jeff the Land Shark: Weaker crit damage reduction makes dives less forgiving.

Role-by-role impact

Vanguards get sturdier attrition. Angela’s post‑Ult health and Hela’s quick buffer make them harder to dislodge on contest. Venom’s new anti‑heal shifts brawl math in his team’s favor and directly counters sustain‑heavy enemy comps.

Duelists see the highest volatility. Phoenix and Human Torch lose some ceiling and chase, while Blade, Psylocke, Iron Fist, and Mister Fantastic gain tools that translate into more reliable picks and tank pressure. Expect more proactive dives paired with Rocket’s stronger C.Y.A. windows.

Strategists are more timing‑sensitive. Ultron’s sustain dip and Ultimate cost hike slow the pace of “perma‑pressure” comps; Cloak & Dagger have to budget energy more carefully. Rocket’s buff is the standout enabler that can swing neutral fights if coordinated.

This mid‑season pass reins in outliers without upheaval. Burst Duelists must work a bit harder for conversions, sustained brawls favor anti‑heal and pick setups, and team‑ups open a few fresh macro looks. Expect a faster, more coordinated fight cadence where timing windows—and who extends or denies them—decide rounds.