Overwatch 2: How to Dominate With the Reworked Roadhog

Overwatch 2 fans may rejoice – the reworked Roadhog is a blast to play with

Ever since Roadhog's nerf in Season 2 of Overwatch 2, players have eagerly anticipated a viable rework for the Junker Town Tank Hero. Finally, after five long Seasons, Roadhog has received a significant rework that includes changes to his Scrap Gun and Take a Breather abilities, as well as the introduction of a new ability called Pig Pen. 

While these positive tweaks are undoubtedly welcome, players who invested dedicated hours playing Roadhog in his previous states will need some time to adjust to his new kit. It's essential to familiarize oneself with his rework to maximize his potential in the current Overwatch 2 gameplay. 

For gamers looking to get a grasp of Hog's new abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and counters, this guide provides a comprehensive rundown of all the relevant information. Knowing the ins and outs of Roadhog's rework can give Tank players a head start in mastering his new kit and dominating the competition.

Overwatch 2 Reworked Roadhog Abilities Explained

Roadhog, the notorious tank hero in Overwatch, underwent a massive rework on November 14, 2023, which was released to the player base just one day after it was revealed. The fans were eagerly waiting for the update, but its release has sparked mixed reactions among the players. 

Some are finding it difficult to adapt to his new inputs and abilities, while others are embracing the changes with open arms. However, despite the rework, Roadhog remains an easy-to-pick-up hero, especially when it comes to learning the basics of his kit. Although mastering him might take some time, most players can enjoy playing him in Quick Play without much trouble.

Here's a quick rundown of Roadhog's new abilities:

• Scrap Gun (Weapon): This short-range spread weapon now has a medium-range shrapnel volley that can deal significant damage to enemies.
• Whole Hog (Ultimate): This ultimate ability still damages and knocks back enemies in front of Roadhog, but it has been upgraded to deal more damage and knock enemies back farther.
• Pig Pen (New ability): This new ability allows Roadhog to launch a trap that slows and damages nearby opponents, making it easier for him and his teammates to take them down.
• Chain Hook: This ability remains essentially unchanged, allowing Roadhog to drag a targeted enemy towards him and deal damage in the process.
• Take a Breather: This ability now allows Roadhog to heal himself and reduce damage taken, making him more resilient and more challenging to take down.

How to Dominate With the Reworked Roadhog

After undergoing a rework, Roadhog's fundamental playstyle has remained unaltered. However, there have been some minor modifications to how he functions in specific situations. As a result, he remains a formidable force with his Hook, capable of making life miserable for enemy squishies. If you want to dominate your ranked games with Roadhog, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

One Shot Potential Is Your Best Friend

To one-shot most enemies more than simply hooking them and using primary fire is required. To maximize the number of pellets hitting the target, move forward while the hook pulls the target towards you. This will force the character models closer, allowing more pellets from the Scrap Gun to hit the target. To further increase accuracy, aim around the neck area to reduce the number of missed pellets. 

To deal additional burst damage and shorten the animation time, follow up the hook-and-shoot combo with a melee. If an immediate elimination is necessary to halt an enemy ultimate or disrupt an opponent, use Roadhog's Whole Hog maximum ability after the previous combo. This ability causes massive damage when used at point-blank range and can eliminate any squishy target, as well as some of the lower health tanks.

Consider Flanking

Roadhog is a valuable hero due to his ability to pick off squishy targets with his hook. In situations where the enemy team has a shield tank while your team does not, it is best to play off-angles and flank heavily. If your team cannot win the shield battle, then try to find opportunities to pick off enemies by avoiding the shields. It is essential to assess the enemy team's composition and play accordingly. If they possess a lot of CC or high burst damage heroes, it is advisable to play it safe.

Another situation where playing off-angles and flanks can be advantageous is when the enemy team is spread out. Roadhog's high HP pool, Take a Breather ability, and ability to one-shot enemies make him one of the best heroes for 1v1 battles. Use the enemy team's positioning to your advantage and go for easy picks. It is recommended to aim for targets that can be one-shot and avoid tanks whenever possible.

Utilize Cover

In the game, it's vital for every hero to play around cover, but for Roadhog players, this is particularly crucial in the current meta, where shields are absent. Always be aware of your positioning and avoid taking too much damage. If you don't play around cover, your supports will have to work harder to heal you, and they may also need to move to dangerous areas to avoid the line of sight. Moreover, you'll give the enemy team a high ultimate charge. 

When you're attacking enemy shields, it's best only to be visible to them when you're shooting. Peek around corners and use alternate fire, but then take cover while the Scrap Gun recovers. By reducing the amount of time you're exposed to the enemy team, you'll significantly increase your chances of survival and avoid giving them an opportunity to charge up their ultimate.

Effectively Use the Take a Breather

It's common to see lower-ranked players misuse Roadhog's Take a Breather ability. This is problematic since it's his only tanking ability, and if it's on cooldown, Roadhog can't hold space or match enemy aggression. It's best to save the ability for solo plays or when your supports are unable to provide enough healing to sustain you. 

As previously mentioned, there are specific times and situations to take off-angles and go on flanks. In these crucial moments, Take a Breather should be on standby in case things go awry. For instance, if you're trapped in an enemy Graviton Surge or Gravitic Flux, you should use Take a Breather to survive the damage. 

However, if you're playing near your team, there's no reason to use Take a Breather. While it does grant some ultimate charge to Roadhog, it denies Support players the opportunity to gain ultimate charge. The value that support ultimates provide is far greater than the CC and damage output of Whole Hog.

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