In Overwatch 2’s Stadium mode, every stat has a purpose—but that doesn’t mean every stat is useful for every hero. When it comes to Support characters like Mercy, many players are asking the same thing: “What is Ability Power, and should I build it?” Let’s break it down.
What Is Ability Power in Overwatch 2?
Ability Power (AP) is one of the many stats you can invest in while playing Stadium mode in Overwatch 2. This stat increases the healing and damage output of your hero’s abilities—not their weapon. However, not all Support heroes benefit from AP equally.
For example, abilities like Baptiste’s Regenerative Burst or Kiriko’s Healing Ofuda may scale with AP, increasing their effectiveness. But for a hero like Mercy, the benefits are more limited unless you’re using specific power upgrades.
Does Ability Power Work with Mercy?
In short: not really—unless you build around it intentionally. Here’s why:
- Mercy’s Resurrection and Guardian Angel don’t do any healing or damage. That means they don’t benefit from AP at all.
- Mercy’s healing beam is affected by Weapon Power and Attack Speed, not AP.
There are specific Stadium powers like First Responder and The Wambulence that scale with Ability Power. But unless you’re stacking AP intentionally to boost those powers, it’s not an efficient stat for Mercy. So unless you’re running a Mercy Stadium build that specifically uses powers tied to Ability Power (like First Responder or The Wambulence), you’re better off ignoring this stat entirely.
When Should You Build Ability Power for Mercy?
If you’re using one of these powers:
- First Responder – Gives you and the revived ally a chunk of overhealth. This amount can scale with AP.
- The Wambulence – Heals your target based on the distance traveled with Guardian Angel. The more AP you have, the stronger this heal becomes.
These are the rare cases where AP matters for Mercy. However, even then, the value is questionable compared to more reliable stats like:
- Weapon Power (increases healing)
- Attack Speed (increases healing rate)
Cooldown Reduction (lets you use Resurrection and Guardian Angel more frequently)
Best Stats for Support (Especially Mercy)
Here’s what you should focus on for most effective gameplay with Mercy:
- Weapon Power – Boosts her healing beam’s output.
- Attack Speed – Makes her healing apply faster.
- Cooldown Reduction – Essential for more frequent resurrections and Guardian Angel dashes.
- Max Ammo & Reload Speed – If you’re playing a Battle Mercy build.
- Movement Speed – Helpful but usually better as a bonus from items.
Is Ability Power Worth It?
For most support heroes, Ability Power can be useful, especially if their abilities directly heal or damage. But for Mercy, it’s not worth investing in unless you’re using one or two specific powers that depend on it.
In most builds, you’ll get more value from focusing on Weapon Power, Attack Speed, and Cooldown Reduction. So the next time you’re building your Support setup in Stadium mode, think twice before putting points into Ability Power—unless you have a very clear reason to do so.
Looking to experiment? Try a combo like First Responder + The Wambulence and throw some AP into the mix to see if it fits your playstyle. Just don’t forget: smarter positioning and better cooldown management will always outperform raw stat boosts.