Overwatch 2 update nerfs Roadhog to end his one-shot hook kills

Blizzard Entertainment has released a new patch Overwatch 2 on Tuesday that will put an end to Roadhog’s ability to one-shot kill his opponents, thanks to some substantial nerfs to his Hook Chain and Scatter Gun. That’s good news for players weary of being on the receiving (aka dying) end of a successful Roadhog hook, but it’s also not the only change that Blizzard has planned for the tank.

New adjustments to Roadhog’s Chain Hook and Scatter Gun are “just the first steps towards a bigger rework,” Blizzard said on Twitter. “Expect more changes to Roadhog’s kit soon.” For now, here are the changes in detail:

Chain Hook

• Reduction in impact damage: 30 to 5
• After being pulled, the distance between Roadhog and Roadhog was increased to 3-4 meters

Scrap Gun

• Reduced damage per pellet from 6.6 to 6.
• Recover time decreased from 0.85 seconds to 0.8 seconds
• Reload times reduced by 2 to 1.75 seconds
• Increased maximum ammo from 5-6

Overwatch developers said that the change to Roadhog, who has been part of the roster since launch, “aim[s] to reduce the frustration of dying in one shot immediately after being hooked and pulled.” The combo’s effect is now “more dependent on specific hero matchups and how the hooked target is able to respond,” and squishier characters like Moira, Tracer, and Lucio will have a better chance to respond or escape to safety with the change.

Other changes in Tuesday’s update to Overwatch 2 include a nerf to Orisa’s Fortify ability, which has its health bonus reduced from 125 to 75, and Kiriko’s Healing Ofuda, which Blizzard says has an average healing output that’s too high. The hope, Blizzard said in the game’s latest patch notes, is that Kiriko players will weave in more damage output, using her kunai, alongside her healing.

Blizzard is also tweaking Sojourn’s railgun, with energy gain now based on hitting an enemy player with her primary fire, not An enemy player using her primary fire. Blizzard says the tweak will “help smooth out Sojourn’s average Railgun charge time because it won’t benefit as much from critical damage or damage boost abilities. Hitting armored targets or other sources of damage reduction will result in quicker energy gains than before.”

Overwatch 2’s new patch is live on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X versions of the game.