Blizzard recently introduced a long-anticipated rework for Roadhog in Overwatch 2 on November 14th. Despite the addition of a new ability and a complete overhaul of his kit, the Overwatch 2 team, led by hero designer Alec Dawson, has already announced further adjustments to enhance the tank’s gameplay.
Upcoming Buff to Roadhog’s Survivability
According to Dawson’s Twitter post, Blizzard aims to increase Roadhog’s survivability by tweaking his “Take a Breather” ability, with the update expected between November 16th and 17th. This adjustment follows Roadhog’s notable rise in viability across all ranks, presenting an opportunity to further improve his gameplay impact.
Rework Details: A Shift in Mechanics
In the recent rework, “Take a Breather” was relocated to the secondary fire hotkey and its cooldown was replaced with a resource meter, akin to D.Va’s Defense Matrix. This change has been a central focus of the rework, aiming to offer more dynamic gameplay.
We'll be making some tuning adjustments to Roadhog's Take a Breather before the weekend (aiming for tomorrow). Roadhog has jumped up in viability across all rank thresholds, but there's room here to increase Take a Breather's impact overall.
— Alec Dawson (@GW_Alec) November 16, 2023
Speculations on the Buff
While specific details of the buff remain undisclosed, there are indications that it might involve accelerating the refill rate of the resource bar. This potential change aligns with Dawson’s hints during a recent Q&A session.
Roadhog’s Enhanced Viability
Dawson’s acknowledgment of Roadhog’s improved viability across all ranks is significant. This improvement suggests that the rework has successfully elevated Roadhog’s playability in the game’s tank hierarchy.
Blizzard’s Latest Patch: Fine-Tuning Roadhog
Following the rework, Blizzard has promptly released a patch to implement the planned changes for “Take a Breather.” The updates include:
- Increasing healing from 450 to 500
- Raising damage reduction to 40%
- Shortening the ability’s duration to 2.5 seconds
- Setting the recharge time at 10 seconds
In the latest Director's Take, Game Director @aaronkellerOW recaps the news at BlizzCon 2023 including Clash, Mauga updates, and the vision for Overwatch ✨
👉 https://t.co/mRaZ06RMkt pic.twitter.com/sT6GrTLabR
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) November 16, 2023
The Awaited Roadhog Changes
Blizzard’s swift response to community feedback and in-game data exemplifies their commitment to maintaining balanced and enjoyable gameplay in Overwatch 2. Players should anticipate a more formidable and versatile Roadhog post-update, offering a fresh experience in tank gameplay.