Overwatch 2’s latest patch (opens in new tab) considerably modifications two heroes on the heart of the group’s current discussions round one-shot kills.
Sojourn and Roadhog have had their energy decreased simply sufficient so as to add extra predictability to essentially the most deadly components of their equipment. Roadhog’s hook is now not a loss of life sentence and Sojourn’s railgun shot will now cost at a slower, regular price, unaffected by Mercy (opens in new tab) and different heroes’ harm boosts.
Whereas it is positively a nerf to each heroes’ skill to shortly kill their targets, it additionally makes their most deadly skills extra predictable—one thing Overwatch 2 has been desperately in want of. Getting hooked by a Roadhog or taking a duel with a Sojourn could have a unique stage of menace relying on which hero you are enjoying. If Overwatch 2 desires to protect the enjoyable of asymmetrical hero skills, it has to offer you room to make use of them in response to heroes like these, or swap to a hero that’s higher suited to battle them.
This is the particular modifications (out of the entire checklist) I am speaking about:
Roadhog’s Chain Hook
- Chain Hook affect harm decreased from 30 to five
- The enemy last place distance from Roadhog after being pulled elevated from 3 to 4 meters
Roadhog’s Scrap Gun
- Harm per pellet decreased from 6.6 to six
- Restoration time decreased from 0.85 to 0.8 seconds
- Reload time decreased from 2 to 1.75 seconds
- Most ammo elevated from 5 to six
Sojourn
- Railgun power achieve is now not primarily based on harm performed by major hearth. Every major hearth hit in opposition to an enemy participant now grants 5 power
It is a main change to the way in which Roadhog has at all times been performed. With decreased hook harm, squishy DPS and assist heroes are much less susceptible to a followup shot. The 4-meter leash additionally means Roadhog’s prey could have extra time to make use of a motion or safety skill to outlive. His Scrap Gun shoots sooner and has extra ammo, too, so his skill to observe up on the hook remains to be potential, however would require some marksmanship goal. Sojourn’s change has an identical impact: the slower, constant price of her railgun cost means every shot calls for extra thought and goal. It slows down each heroes and offers their targets a brief window to reply.
Talking live with streamers (opens in new tab) about in the present day’s patch notes, Overwatch 2 lead hero designer Alec Dawson stated the crew is taking a broader take a look at heroes that may successfully one-shot enemies, significantly those that can rating fast kills by spamming photographs earlier than a correct crew battle begins. “We like to take a look at it holistically, not a lot simply on that second when the one-shot happens, however quite, what was the chance of getting that, is there counter play out there?” he stated.
Particularly, Dawson introduced up Widowmaker’s well being (which was elevated in Overwatch 2) as a possible downside for anybody seeking to soar her earlier than getting sniped and the frustration of dying to a Junkrat spamming grenades down a chokepoint. Neither of those heroes have been modified in the present day, however he stated it is one thing the crew is discussing.
“Numerous our modifications aren’t about information, they’re about frustration factors.”
Alec Dawson, lead hero designer
For a lot of, the problem with one-shots and a fast time-to-kill is the lack to reply or predict what’s about to occur. Roadhog and Sojourn have dominated the meta in current months partially due to their “all or nothing” fight loop—if Roadhog lands the hook or Sojourn hits a head, it is already over. At the moment’s tweaks are the primary steps towards slowing down Overwatch and creating the chance for counter-play.
It’s extremely potential {that a} barely weaker Roadhog will eject him from the meta. Roadhog’s complete factor is the one-shot hook combo and with out that to depend on, his incapability to guard his crew may make him a goal for the excessive rank Aggressive gamers on the lookout for one thing guilty for a loss. I am unsure it is an issue Blizzard can forestall, however incremental modifications like these assist push the hero in the proper route with out fully altering how they work.
“Numerous our modifications aren’t about information, they’re about frustration factors,” Dawson stated of the crew’s method to modifications like Roadhog’s within the patch in the present day. The crew plans to compensate the nerfs to his one-shot hook combo with some form of utility he can deliver to his crew sooner or later, however the objective is to take a lightweight method to start out. Different heroes, like Sombra and Ramattra will get the identical therapy quickly. “We wanna ensure we do not basement heroes fully.”