The heroes of Overwatch have acquired a wide variety of creative skins over the years, but artistically inclined fans of the game are constantly working on more skin concepts. One Overwatch fan has created a striking piece of concept art showing the front and back views of a theoretical new skin for the angelic healer Mercy.
Mercy's long blond hair, winged armor, and powerful healing abilities have helped make her popular, but while Redditor sunshxvine's Faun Druid Mercy Legendary Skin Concept keeps the wings - and presumably the healing - the piece also makes her a redhead. The design draws on a mix of Roman and Irish mythology and culture to transform the Swiss guardian angel into a forest-themed priestess. This isn't the first time Overwatch fans have overhauled a character's thematic origins in new ideas, as another fan-made skin turned D.Va's mech into a fleshy monster.
The Faun Druid Mercy Legendary Skin design gives Mercy unbound red hair almost the same color as Moira's, an ornate green and gold tunic that wouldn't look out of place in World of Warcraft, and thigh-high brown boots with a cloven hoof design on the toes. For accessories, it features a transparent green shawl hanging over her upper arms, small golden gloves, a golden headdress that includes long, fluffy brown ears, and a pair of branch-like horns that meet over Mercy's head like a sprouting halo. Her staff and wings have also been given a fantastical redesign, making them look leafy and covered with vines. The result is vivid, Spring flavored, and would look right at home on an Overwatch-themed magazine cover.
While this design doesn't actually turn Mercy into a fawn - presumably because giving her digitigrade legs and actual hooves would be a bit taxing for the character modelers - it does convey the feeling that she's become a creature of the forest. Her ornate and lightly armored costume seems a bit out of place in the high-tech world of Overwatch, but it does draw on the aesthetics of some of Blizzard's other well-known properties. The artist also included a little deer tail poking out from her skirt, which fans may find adorable. This seasonal outfit could give springtime in Overwatch a distinct feel, similar to the Overwatch Summer Games event skins.
As of writing, the design has been warmly received on Reddit, with several fans wishing to see a Faun Druid Mercy Legendary Skin in the game. One poster noted that they would tone down some of the details, as the design is quite busy, but they still love the concept and wish to see it implemented. Mercy's fans are well known for their interest in getting more skins for the character, which has led to a variety of new fan-made skin ideas like Lifeguard Mercy.
Overwatch is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.