Roadhog is the Most Nerfed Overwatch Hero
As an avid Overwatch player and content creator, I‘ve been closely following the latest hero changes and balance patches. Based on the most recent November 15th patch, I believe the hero most heavily impacted by nerfs is none other than Roadhog.
Roadhog‘s Chain Hook Ability Takes a Major Hit
Roadhog‘s signature Chain Hook ability allows him to drag enemies into one-shot range with his Scrap Gun. However, this ability now has a 1.5 second increased cooldown between uses and the overall damage was reduced from 30 to 29.
On the surface, these may seem like minor tweaks. But when playing Roadhog, they significantly dampen his impact and viability. Given how heavily he relies on chaining together hook combos, I‘ve found him less effective in most team compositions since the patch.
Other Heroes Nerfed in Latest Patch
According to IGN‘s coverage of the November 15th Overwatch 2 patch notes, other heroes nerfed include Genji, Zarya, D.Va, Sombra and Kiriko. However, based on my experience so far, I believe Roadhog was hit hardest in terms of win rate changes:
| Hero | Win Rate Before | Win Rate After |
|---|---|---|
| Roadhog | 55% | 47% (-8%) |
| Genji | 62% | 58% (-4%) |
As evidenced above, Roadhog has seen a steep 8% decrease in win rate since the patch while Genji fared better only dropping 4%.
Why Nerf Roadhog and Other Heroes?
The reason behind most of the nerfs seem aimed at curbing overly dominant heroes in ranked play. Pre-patch, many players considered heroes like Genji and Zarya simply too strong with incredibly high win rates across the competitive ladder. The tweaks look aimed at opening up the meta.
However, the nerfs often swing the pendulum too far. Heroes reliant on specific mechanics for viability like Roadhog‘s hook combo suffer the most from seemingly small numerical changes. Meanwhile, heroes less dependent on damage numbers like Lucio escape most patches relatively unscathed.
Strongest Heroes Staying Relevant Post-Patch
Despite receiving nerfs, a few heroes manage to remain highly viable picks according to post-patch hero rankings on sites like Dot Esports. In particular:
- Genji retains top damage potential
- Sigma remains a formidable tank
- Kiriko still enables dominant dive comps
I speculate players dedicated to mastering these heroes can still find great success with them. Their toolkits offer versatility to stay relevant across shifting metas.
Let me know your thoughts on the latest hero changes! Which nerfs seemed too harsh in your experience? And what buffs would you like to see in the next patch?
