Overwatch Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Roadhog


Roadhog-Portrait

"I'm a one-man apocalypse."

Real Name
Mako Rutledge
Age
48
Nationality
Australia Australian
Occupation
Enforcer (formerly)
Bodyguard
Base
Junkertown, Australia (formerly)
Affiliation
Australian Liberation Front (formerly)
Junkers (formerly)
Josh Petersdorf (English)

Frédéric Souterelle (French)
Milton Welsh (German)
Renzo Ferrini (Italian)
Meng Xianglong (Mandarin (China))
Naomi Kusumi (Japanese)
Kim Dae-jung (Korean)
Miguel Ángel Ghigliazza (American Spanish)
Pedro Tena (European Spanish)

Cosmetics
Cosmetic page
Quotes
Quotation page
Role
Tank
Health
600 (Open queue)
750 (Role queue)
Character Video

Roadhog is a Tank hero in Overwatch.

Overview

Roadhog uses his signature Chain Hook to pull his enemies close before shredding them with blasts from his Scrap Gun. He’s hardy enough to withstand tremendous damage, and can recover his health with a short breather.

Abilities

Scrap Gun
Key mouse 1
Hero-ability-circle
Ability-Roadhog1
Type
Weapon (Primary Fire)
Effect Type
Shotgun Shotgun (projectile)
Blocked by barriers.
Ignores barriers.
Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
Affected by damage boosts.
Ignores damage boosts.
Affected by Amplification Matrix.
Ignores Amplification Matrix.
Roadhog's Scrap Gun fires short-range blasts of shrapnel with a wide spread.
Damage:
1.8 - 6 per pellet
45 - 150 per shot
Falloff range:
15 to 30 meters
Headshot:
Rate of fire:
1 shot every 0.7 seconds
~1.43 shots per second
Bullets per shot:
25 pellets per shot
Ammo:
6
Reload time:
2 seconds
Spread angle:
Constant: 20.1 degrees
Projectile speed:
80 meters per second
    Example Video


    Scrap Gun
    Key mouse 2
    Hero-ability-circle
    Ability-Roadhog1
    Type
    Weapon (Secondary Fire)
    Effect Type
    Pre-detonation:
    Projectile Projectile
    Post-detonation:
    Shotgun Shotgun (projectile)
    Blocked by barriers.
    Ignores barriers.
    Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
    Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
    Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
    Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
    Affected by damage boosts.
    Ignores damage boosts.
    Affected by Amplification Matrix.
    Ignores Amplification Matrix.
    Alternatively, it can launch a shrapnel ball that detonates farther away, scattering metal fragments from the point of impact.
    Damage:
    Pre-detonation: 50
    Post-detonation: 1.8 - 6 per pellet, 45 - 150 per shot
    Falloff range:
    23 to 38 meters
    Headshot:
    Rate of fire:
    1 shot every 0.7 seconds
    ~1.43 shots per second
    Bullets per shot:
    Post-detonation: 25 pellets
    Ammo:
    6
    Reload time:
    2 seconds
    Max. range:
    8 meters (pre-detonation)
    Projectile speed:
    80 meters per second

    Ability details:
    • Roadhog initially fires a single projectile which then explodes into 25 pellets after travelling 8 m.

    Example Video


    Take a Breather
    E
    Hero-ability-circle
    Ability-Roadhog2
    8 seconds
    Type
    Ability
    Roadhog restores a chunk of his health over a brief period of time.
    Healing:
    300 health
    Dmg. reduction:
    50%
    Cast time:
    0.5 seconds
    2 seconds total animation
    Duration:
    1 second

    Ability details:
    • This is a channeled ability; Roadhog can only move while it's being used, and stuns can interrupt the healing effect.
    • The entire animation of Take A Breather lasts 2 seconds, the part where healing takes place only lasts 1 second.
    • Take A Breather can be used to animation cancel Roadhog's reload animation and shave half a second off his reload time.

    Example Video


    Chain Hook
    LSHIFT
    Hero-ability-circle
    Ability-Roadhog3
    8 seconds
    Type
    Ability
    Roadhog hurls his chain at a target; if it catches, he yanks them into close range.
    Damage:
    30
    Headshot:
    Cast time:
    0.3 seconds
    Max. range:
    20 meters
    Projectile speed:
    40 meters per second

    Ability details:
    • Chain Hook cannot pull friendly targets.
    • Chain Hook can be used to interrupt channeled abilities, including Ultimate abilities. For example, hooking a Pharah while she is using Ability-parah4 Barrage will cancel her Ultimate, wasting the effect; while hooking a Reinhardt in the middle of using Ability-reinhardt3 Charge will cancel his charge, and will not allow him to inflict his Pinned effect.
    • The damage of Chain Hook is inflicted the instant it lands. If this damage is enough to kill the target, the hook will return instantly to Roadhog without holding him in place as it usually does on a hit.
    • Hooked targets are released if they leave Roadhog’s line of sight before being pulled.
    • Line of sight checks on Roadhog's position, not his hook.

    Example Video


    Whole Hog
    Q
    Hero-ability-circle
    Ability-Roadhog4
    2240 points
    Type
    Ultimate Ability
    Effect Type
    Shotgun Shotgun (hitscan)
    Blocked by barriers.
    Ignores barriers.
    Blocked by Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
    Ignores Defense Matrix/Kinetic Grasp.
    Blocked by Deflect/Javelin Spin.
    Ignores Deflect/Javelin Spin.
    Affected by damage boosts.
    Ignores damage boosts.
    Affected by Amplification Matrix.
    Ignores Amplification Matrix.
    After cramming a top-loader onto his Scrap Gun, Roadhog pours in ammo. For a short time, he can crank out a stream of shrapnel that knocks back enemies.
    Damage:
    7 per pellet, 4928 overall
    Headshot:
    Rate of fire:
    128 pellets per second
    Cast time:
    0.5 seconds
    Duration:
    5.5 seconds
    Move. speed:
    -25% penalty

    Ability details:
    • Roadhog cannot control his firerate or use any other abilities during the ultimate; the Scrap Gun simply fires even without a button being pressed.
    • Scrap Gun ammo is refilled by this ultimate - it can be activated with an empty Scrap Gun, and the ammo count will be full again when the ultimate ends.
    • While the ultimate is in use, Roadhog's bullets will have red tracer lines on enemy vision.
    • Whole Hog knocks back enemies at a rate of up to 14 meters per second.

    Example Video


    Strategy

    Roadhog has a unique Tank playstyle that's focused on singling out vulnerable enemies and yanking them in for the slaughter with his Chain Hook. His Scrap Gun gives him powerful short to medium-range damage, while Take A Breather allows him to remain a persistent threat, even without a friendly Support. However, his lack of any kind of barrier makes him a lackluster pick when your focus is on protecting your teammates. He can function as a flanker, where his chain can catch enemies unawares and kill them before they can react. With his large heal on a medium cooldown, he can operate for long periods of time away from his team. However, if you can alert your team when you hook an opponent they will be likely to shoot at the target, all but guaranteeing their demise.

    Weapons & Abilities

    • Scrap Gun: Roadhog's primary weapon. The primary fire is a shotgun, suitable for dealing damage at close range. The secondary fire shoots out a projectile which, after traveling a short distance, explodes and shoots out a cone of pellets, much like his primary fire. If the projectile impacts an enemy or solid surface, it will not explode.
      • The secondary fire allows Roadhog to fight at medium range effectively. You should make sure you're at the minimum range needed for the projectile to explode successfully, as the projectile itself deals less damage than the pellets.
    • Chain Hook: When activated, Roadhog fires a hook at his crosshairs that travels out to a long range before returning back to him. If the hook strikes an enemy, it will pull that enemy back to Roadhog, as well as stunning them for a brief period of time. Solid surfaces and barriers stop the hook entirely.
      • Make sure to mind your ammo if you intend to use Chain Hook as part of a combo. If you're out of ammo, you've done nothing but bring the enemy closer.
      • Chain Hook allows Roadhog to drag enemies up close to where his Scrap Gun is most effective. Combining Chain Hook with your Scrap Gun's primary fire and a melee attack is a devastating combo, allowing Roadhog to kill softer targets instantly.
      • While Chain Hook is generous when it comes to the gaps that you can pull an enemy through, enemies can still be stopped from being pulled to you if a sufficiently high wall is in the way.
      • Targets are pulled to a location 3.5 meters away, which some hero can survive from your Scrap Gun due to their small hitbox. Try to move closer once you get a hook, and doing a combo to finish the target.
      • Certain opponents such as Reaper and Mei can use their invincibility abilities after being pulled to avoid your Scrap Gun/melee combo if you're too slow. Either force your opponents to use these abilities by damaging them with your Scrap Gun before pulling them in with Chain Hook as a finisher, or aim for the head.
      • Use the environment to your advantage - a good example would be scoring an easy kill by reeling someone into the hole on the Well section of Ilios.
      • Remember that Chain Hook can yank in Junkrat's RIP-Tire and D.Va's Self-Destruct. Use your hook if you're confident that it will not backfire. For RIP-Tire, you can use the usual hook combo (Hook+Primary Fire) to destroy it, however the tire can explode before you fire - be careful, as it kills you at point blank range even if you are full-health. For Self-Destruct, if you see D.Va casting one, you can try hooking it into cover, away from teammates and activate Take A Breather to ensure that you won't die.
      • Remember that Chain Hook pulls the target in front of Roadhog, meaning you can turn while reeling in the victim. This is effective for creating environmental kills, moving enemies out of position, or overall making it easier to disrupt the enemy.
    • Take A Breather: When activated, Roadhog will inhale from a hogdrogen canister, restoring 300 Health. This is a channeled ability; Roadhog can freely move when it's being used but unable to take other actions. Roadhog takes 50% reduced damage during duration and stuns can interrupt both the healing and damage reduction effects.
      • Use Take A Breather whenever Roadhog has been damaged and you are out of sight of enemies, as he can't attack back while using it.
      • Consider use it to body-block some damage for your teammate as he can receive a high amount of damage thanks to the damage reduction.
      • Take A Breather can be safely used in combat when you're against one or two opponents, especially certain low-damage targets like Winston, Symmetra or Lúcio, as they don't have the burst damage needed to kill you while you're using it.
      • If you feel at risk of being focused down in a team setting, Take a Breather can keep you alive whilst teammates deal with the problem, or your hook cooldown comes off.
      • Take care when using Take A Breather at low health; the healing starts 0.5 seconds after using the ability, during which he can be finished off easily.
      • If you're trapped in Mei's ultimate, quickly activate Take a Breather to restore health before the freeze kicks in (Takes practice). It's not advised to do so if Mei is already freezing you, since her ultimate and her freeze spray will freeze you before healing takes place.
    • Whole Hog (Ultimate): Roadhog's Ultimate ability. When activated, Roadhog begins to fire a broad cone of pellets in front of himself for a few seconds, dealing damage to enemies and knocking them back. Roadhog can still move while using Whole Hog, but he cannot use his normal weapons or abilities. This Ultimate is channeled, and can be interrupted by stuns.
      • While Whole Hog doesn't deal a lot of damage outside of close range, it is very effective at disabling and disrupting an enemy team.
      • Being knocked back significantly can disrupt the ability of an opposing team to fight back, and makes it almost impossible to push further engagement on Roadhog. This can be exploited further by Roadhog by avoiding the temptation to focus fire, and instead treating the knockback inflicted as soft crowd control, tagging as many targets as possible with it to cripple their ability to fight back. It can also be used to sweep enemies away from objectives.
      • To maximize damage, try to position yourself so that enemies are knocked back into walls or corners, as keeping your opponents is range of as many of your bullets as possile will greatly increase the overall damage that you're able to do.
      • Roadhog can cancel his Chain Hook animation with this ability while still pulling the target. However, due to the hook restricting only horizontal movement, the enemy is going to be pushed extremely high, instead of extremely far. This technique is not that common, but it's all about experimentation.
      • Using this ultimate against fortified Orisa or against an ulting Winston is a great idea. For Orisa, since her Fortify stops any crowd control effect, it will stop the knockback and you will be able to output the full potential strength of Whole Hog at her. With Winston, however, you either can just push him away once he leaps, or, if you manage to do so, you can pin him against the wall and take him out easily, since your ultimate deals 5000 total damage.

    General Strategies

    • Roadhog is an unusual Tank. While he has a lot of personal survivability thanks to Take A Breather and his massive base Health pool, he has nothing like Reinhardt or Winston's barrier, making him poorer at protecting his team from damage. In fact, playing Roadhog as a "tank" per se will help the opposing team achieve victory faster, as unlike the other tanks, he does not possess a way to prevent damage from occurring in the first place; every time he takes damage and heals it back up, he's feeding the enemy more ultimate charge. His real value comes from his ability to single out and kill valuable targets like Mercy or Bastion with his Chain Hook, as well as being able to protect his team from flankers like Genji more effectively than other tanks. Consider playing Roadhog in combination with another Tank so that you cover each other's weaknesses, and treat him like an up-close Defense assassin.
    • Chain Hook is a core part of Roadhog's gameplay. The standard combo is to pull an enemy with Chain Hook, then use your Scrap Gun's primary fire to the chest of your opponent so all the pellets hit , followed up immediately with a melee attack. If done quickly enough, Roadhog can instantly kill most enemies who are at or below 200 Health. This is an effective strategy for taking out valuable targets like Mercy or Zenyatta, as well as countering normally agile characters like Tracer or Pharah. Landing Chain Hook on Bastion in Sentry-mode will force it back to Recon and leave it vulnerable even if you're immediately slain. Note that Chain Hook's stun starts as soon as it impacts an enemy, so you'll have less time to execute your combo successfully against certain targets if you pull them from medium or long range.
    • An advanced Chain Hook combo is to first use the Scrap Gun's secondary fire, then use Chain Hook immediately after you've fired (as Chain Hook can be activated even when your gun is firing). Follow this up with the standard primary fire and melee attack. This is useful on soft targets who have extra Health from Brigitte, Torbjörn, or Symmetra or targets who have a slim hitbox (Moira, Symmetra etc.). Once you've mastered it, you should always use it since it will secure the kill.
    • Don't get too cocky when using Chain Hook. Try to pull targets into a relatively safe position that's protected from enemy fire, as Roadhog is immobile while pulling an enemy and an easy target for their allies.
    • The Scrap Gun's secondary fire can deal devastating damage when used correctly. The pellets fired by the projectile come out in a much smaller cone than the Scrap Gun's primary fire. Firing this projectile at an opponent's head can instantly kill softer targets if all of the pellets are headshots, and even bodyshots can be deadly if all of the pellets hit. Remember that the secondary fire needs to travel a minimum distance before it explodes.
    • It can be difficult to tell when it's the right time to use Whole Hog. Its main purpose is to push back or separate an enemy team; look for opportunities where you can split an enemy team in half with its knockback effect. In an enclosed space, it can also be used to push enemies into a corner, leaving them helpless as you juggle them in the air. It can even be used to knock enemies into open pits, instantly killing them. Keep in mind that enemies like McCree and other Roadhogs can interrupt the channeled effect, so be wary of using Whole Hog while they're around.
    • Whole Hog is countered effectively by Bastion, who ignores the knockback when deployed as a turret, and by shields, which can often endure its low damage and protect allies enough to focus down Roadhog, who gains no durability when using the ultimate, and becomes even slower, making him an easy target for focused fire.
    • An unusual, but effective strategy for Roadhog on Defense is the "Hook and Cook". On maps such as King's Row, Roadhog can use Chain Hook to pull enemies into a corridor, filled with Symmetra turrets. This is a useful strategy for eliminating Supports.

    Match-Ups and Team Synergy

    Tank

    Hero Match-Up Team Synergy
    Icon-dva
    D.Va
    D.Va deals her most damage at point blank range, exactly where Roadhog wants his opponents. With Scrap Gun's damage and D.Va's critical weakness being front and center, you can tear through her Mech with ease even with its armor. Chain Hook cannot be countered by her Defense Matrix, and she is such a large target that landing it is no problem. D.Va is exceedingly mobile, though, so even if you hook her she may be able to flee before you can get her out of her Mech. Once D.Va is deprived of her Mech, you can easily finish her off, unless she manages to escape. Although she is much more vulnerable out of her Mech if you can land a shot or a Hook, she is a credible threat if she has range and a clear shot with her Light Pistol, which has little to no damage dropoff and incredible fire rate and accuracy. Also, due to Roadhog's size and lack of mobility/shields, he is usually her primary target since even if he survives, she can built enough Ultimate to activate Call Mech. Worth noting is that you can Chain Hook D.Va's Mech during Self-Destruct, allowing you to pull it off a ledge with you or into a building to minimize the damage to your team. Just keep in mind that her Defense Matrix is able to block all bullets from your Scrap Gun within far range. Your Hook combo might be disrupted when she activates Defense Matrix to protect the victim from the following bullets. (To be added)
    Icon-orisa
    Orisa
    (To be added) (To be added)
    Icon-reinhardt
    Reinhardt
    Reinhardt's Barrier Field is capable of blocking Roadhog's Hook, makes him a good hero to prevent his team from being Hooked. Unfortunately, that is the greatest thing Reinhardt has to counter Roadhog. Your Scrap Gun can be used to pressure Reinhardt's Barrier Field, and when his barrier is down it can kill him in just a few shots, and from greater range than for most characters due to Reinhardt's huge hitbox. You can even survive Reinhardt's charge due to your massive health and self-healing. Roadhog can also sometimes disrupt Reinhardt's charges by hooking him mid-charge, and his very large health total makes him difficult for Reinhardt to dispatch in general. (To be added)
    Icon-roadhog
    Roadhog
    Roadhog mirror matches are decided by two factors: who can land their shots better, and how they decide to utilize their Chain Hook and Take A Breather. Hooks should be used when the other Roadhog is weak enough that one blast from Scrap Gun is enough to finish him or. Hooks can also be used to interrupt another Roadhog's Take A Breather. If you're certain the enemy Roadhog has no Chain Hook, you can Take a Breather to gain the upper hand in health. In a one-on-one, the Roadhog who hooks the other Roadhog first will generally die - both Roadhogs will fire their scrap guns after the hook, dealing massive damage in the process, then the pulled Roadhog can use their Hook immediately after firing, pulling the first one in close and killing him outright without giving them a chance to fire back due to the stun. However, if you are with your allies who will concentrate their fire on the enemy Roadhog, sometimes it is advantageous to hook the enemy Roadhog. Note also that at 10 meters range, the right click -> hook -> left click -> melee combo can kill an enemy Roadhog if executed properly. (To be added)
    Icon-sigma
    Sigma
    (To be added) (To be added)
    link=http://overwatch.gamepedia
    Wrecking Ball
    (To be added) (To be added)
    Icon-winston
    Winston
    Winston's Tesla Cannon does little damage to Roadhog's massive health. If forced to fight, Winston will fall quickly to your Scrap Gun, but he is also very capable of fleeing when things inevitably tip in your favor. (To be added)
    Icon-zarya
    Zarya
    Zarya is the best tank against Roadhog, as her barriers can prove very frustrating to fight around. She is able to not only protect herself from Scrap Gun and Chain Hook, but also a teammate in that last vital moment before you can shoot your Chain Hooked victim, getting a large amount of charge out of it. While not terribly dangerous at low energy, once she reaches higher levels, her damage output combined with the lasting power that Zarya's shields give her will make your life difficult if you're careful and will outright end it if you're not. However, if Zarya's energy barrier is baited or is otherwise on cooldown, a hook combo will shave off most of her health and can quickly lead to her death. (To be added)

    Damage

    Hero Match-Up Team Synergy
    Icon-ashe
    Ashe
    (To be added) (To be added)
    Icon-bastion
    Bastion
    The damage and range of Bastion's primary fire while in Configuration: Sentry can outrange you while still tearing you to shreds. If you can catch Bastion unaware, or if you're protected by a teammate's barrier while you approach Bastion, Chain Hook will force Bastion out of Sentry Configuration and make him an easy target. Overall, Bastion should be engaged with a Chain Hook ambush or not at all. (To be added)
    Icon-doomfist
    Doomfist
    (To be added) (To be added)
    Icon-genji
    Genji
    Genji and Roadhog can have a difficult time killing one another. Genji can outrange Roadhog with his primary fire and use Deflect to block his Chain Hook. On the flip-side, Roadhog's massive health and self-healing makes trying to kill him impractical for Genji. If Genji survives being Chain Hooked and shot by you, it's likely that he'll either use Deflect to back away, dash away with Swift Strike, or both. Should he dash away, you may be able to use your alt-fire to finish Genji as he flees. This matchup is for the most part a stalemate depending on what cooldowns are available to Genji. (To be added)
    Icon-hanzo
    Hanzo
    Hanzo often hangs back way beyond Roadhog's effective range. Short of a headshot, Roadhog can take Hanzo's arrows like a pincushion (sometimes literally with Storm Arrows). Once close, however, Hanzo has little defense against Roadhog short of well-placed headshots with his standard or Storm Arrows. How easy the fight will be entirely depends on how well the Hanzo can make headshots and how well you can avoid them. (To be added)
    Icon-junkrat
    Junkrat
    Roadhog's large frame gives Junkrat an easy time landing his grenades on you, and the damage dealt will stack up fast. If you aren't careful landing your shots and Take a Breather isn't ready, you may be trapped in a lengthy reload while Junkrat continues to lob bombs. Like most other heroes ,Junkrat falls to the Chain Hook combo easily enough. If caught in Junkrat's Steel Trap, Take a Breather's damage reduction is all that can protect you from Junkrat's onslaught of grenades. Beware of Total Mayhem when Junkrat dies, as you have little means of blocking or outrunning it. When you hear a RIP-Tire approaching, the power of your Scrap Gun may be enough to destroy it before it can explode. Barring this, activating Take a Breather in preparation could potentially save your life, between the initial damage reduction as well as the health recovery following the explosion. (To be added)
    File:Icon-mccree.png
    McCree
    McCree will have an easy time landing shots on you at most ranges given your size. McCree's effective distance leaves him open to your Chain Hook and makes him an easy kill, but successive headshots will make quick work of you. Up close McCree's Fan the Hammer combo will chew through a considerable amount of your health and his Flashbang lets him interrupt your attempts to heal. You should engage McCree with caution, as there is little room for error when facing him. (To be added)
    Icon-mei
    Mei
    Should you ambush Mei, you can make quick work of her with a hook combo. Otherwise, clashes between Mei and Roadhog will often end with neither of them dying. If Mei successfully freezes Roadhog she will likely be unable to kill him outright, even with headshots; however, Roadhog can kill Mei with a well-placed hook combo, but Mei can block Roadhog's hook both with her Ice Wall and with her Cryo-Freeze, which can make hooking her a challenge. If Mei takes damage, she can heal herself, as can you with Take a Breather. You can disrupt Mei's freeze combo by hooking her, making you an effective deterrent who can stop her from killing your allies; however, your lack of mobility means that if Mei walls you off, you have no way to get around the wall until it wears off. Mei's Ice Wall can almost completely shut down Whole Hog. While Roadhog is perhaps the character best equipped to endure Mei's Blizzard, being very tedious for her to kill, he has a hard time escaping it if he's caught inside and can serve as a gigantic Ultimate battery. However, if he does survive (as sometimes happens if he is being healed during the Blizzard), he can potentially punish enemies who overextended with his Chain Hook. (To be added)
    Icon-pharah
    Pharah
    As Pharah is high up in the air most of the time, you will have little means of harming her, especially on outdoor maps where there's no ceiling to stop her. On the other end, Pharah's rockets can seriously dent your health and if you try to heal out in the open it leaves you wide open to direct hits. Up close Pharah can put distance between you and herself with a combination of Concussive Blast, Jump Jet, and Hover. You're better off leaving Pharah to heroes more suited to fighting her, only harassing her with your alt-fire when you have no other targets. If Pharah gets within hooking distance, however, you shouldn't hesitate to punish her for it - she will die to the hook combo just like any other 200 health hero. (To be added)
    Icon-reaper
    Reaper
    Roadhog and Reaper share a massive damage output and are both very dangerous to one another. With higher health than other Damage heroes, Reaper can survive a shot from Scrap Gun better than anyone else in his class and with a higher rate of fire and larger ammo capacity than Roadhog, Reaper's Hellfire Shotguns will shred through even Roadhog's health. Roadhog's Chain Hook combo will usually kill Reaper, and even in the rare case where it doesn't, the Reaper will be at such low health that they are forced to flee using Wraith Form. However, should Reaper evade Chain Hook with Wraith Form, Roadhog will find himself in immense danger without team support. Alternating between well-timed Chain Hooks and Take a Breather can help you win the encounter, but you should still engage Reaper with extreme caution and never let Reaper get the drop on you. (To be added)
    Icon-Soldier 76
    Soldier: 76
    Soldier: 76 can constantly harass you from considerable range with his Pulse Rifle, his Helix Rockets will take a large chunk out of his health, and Biotic Field will let him soak up damage from the alt-fire of Scrap Gun. Up close Soldier: 76 will fall to Roadhog's Chain Hook combo like most other offensive heroes, but if left alone he can soften Roadhog up for the rest of his team. If stuck in a 1 on 1 situation, Soldier: 76 has higher mobility and can make a clean getaway, but you're sturdier, with your self-heal being more substantial than his. While not a large threat on his own, the threat Soldier: 76 poses only increases the more of his teammates are nearby, and his high damage output means that hooking some other hero first can give Soldier: 76 the chance to kill you. (To be added)
    Icon-sombra
    Sombra
    Sombra's Hack renders Chain Hook, and by extension your combo, useless. It can also stop your Ultimate mid-use. Her Machine Pistol and your large size allows her to deal high amounts of damage, and if hacked you will not have access to Take A Breather. While Sombra has no more health than a typical Damage hero, she excels at fleeing disadvantageous situations with Translocator. This matchup will most often tip one way or another depending on if you can Chain Hook Sombra before she hacks you; note, however, that any amount of damage will interrupt Sombra's hack, so simply firing Roadhog's scrap gun at her as she's hacking you can ruin her day. Roadhog is excellent at protecting healers from Sombra; due to Sombra's vulnerability to the chain combo and close-quarters combat style, it is very difficult for Sombra to kill a healer that you are protecting, as Roadhog can absorb a lot of damage, and if she fails to Hack you, you can easily dispatch her. (To be added)
    Icon-symmetra
    Symmetra
    Symmetra is easy for Roadhog to deal if you catch her in a 1 on 1 situation, but she is a threat if he does not prioritize her. Roadhog is a good choice to counter her front line defenses, as the wide spread of Scrap Gun lets him destroy turrets easily. Her Photon Barrier can block his fire and hooks, and if timed well can cut off Whole Hog. (To be added)
    Icon-torbjörn
    Torbjörn
    Torbjörn's turret is capable of denting your health at a distance and cannot be hooked (and can actually block the hook), but the damage is unlikely to kill you before you get to cover or use Take a Breather. Torbjörn himself should not be underestimated as his smaller frame makes it harder to land a full Scrap Gun blast, and being frequently armored he will be able to take it better than most. Torbjörn's alt-fire can kill even Roadhog in 2-3 shots if he lands headshots; he's even more of a threat when Overload is active, which can also protect him from a Chain Hook combo kill. When facing Torbjorn, Roadhog should stick close to his allies so that they can support his Chain Hook combos with extra damage. (To be added)
    Icon-tracer
    Tracer
    Tracer is very capable of being an aggressive and incessant thorn in your side. Roadhog's large hitbox makes it easy for Tracer to hit you with her Pulse Pistols, and her Blink is on a low enough cooldown that with smart use she can have one available to dodge every Chain Hook you throw at her. She can use Recall to reverse glancing blows from your Scrap Gun or to confuse you even further. Pulse Bomb is easy to stick to Roadhog due to his size and will put you in a critical state, and healing around Tracer is an invitation to keep being shot, even if you'll take reduced damage. However, if you hook her, she will die to his combo, and if Tracer gets too close, a single Scrap Gun shot can potentially dispatch her. This matchup largely comes down to if you can land his Chain Hook on Tracer or not; Roadhog's best bet for dealing with her is having other allies around to lend fire assistance or distract her. If you can get around behind her during a firefight, your hook is much more likely to land. (To be added)
    Icon-widowmaker
    Widowmaker
    Widowmaker is capable of quickly taking you out before you can get anywhere near close enough to try to Chain Hook her. Even once you close in, Widowmaker can use her Grappling Hook to quickly get away. However, on Control and Assualt maps with largely closed-in control points, it can be extremely difficult for Widowmaker to dislodge you from the point. Keep out of Widowmaker's line of sight while making sure to hook her allies as they approach you. (To be added)

    Support

    Hero Match-Up Team Synergy

    Icon-ana
    Ana
    Ana's Sleep Dart can save her from a flank or save an ally from your hook combo; likewise, it can shut down your Ultimate quite easily. Her Biotic Grenade shuts down your self-healing, too. However, Roadhog has far more health than she does, and deals a lot of damage; Ana will mostly want to Sleep Dart you and then flee, unless she has an ally nearby who can help finish you off. If you have to approach her in the open, she can deal quite a bit of damage to you from outside of your hook range. However, Ana will die to the hook combo, and she lacks any sort of mobility ability to escape or to make her harder to hit; if you manages to flank her, or simply get in close without being Sleep Darted, Ana will die. (To be added)
    Icon-baptiste
    Baptiste
    Roadhog is the deadliest enemy Baptiste can face. Your hook combo can turn his Immortality Field against his team - not only will your hook pull enemies outside of its protection, his injured teammates will likely gather around it, giving you several easy picks if you can hook one before Baptiste's Regenerative Burst or Biotic Launcher can repair the damage. Using Whole Hog on a team huddled around his Immortality Field is a good way to finish them off (or at least knock them out of its protection for your teammates to finish off.) In a 1-on-1 fight, Baptiste has few escape options, making a fight with him end quickly if you can hook him (or get him in range). However, Baptiste can be a difficult target to reach if he manages to get the height advantage before the battle, so look for alternate routes that make it easier to reach him when attacking. (To be added)
    Icon-brigitte
    Brigitte
    (To be added) (To be added)
    Icon-lúcio
    Lúcio
    Lúcio's damage is of little threat to you, but he can be very hard to pin down as he's often jumping around and riding walls. The healing song from Crossfade will patch up glancing blows from Scrap Gun, and his speed boost can give him an edge in getting away from you. Comparing Ultimates, Sound Barrier is a good answer to soak up damage from Whole Hog. A well-placed combo will put an end to him, though, and Lúcio's healing is too marginal to save most 200 health allies from the hook combo. (To be added)
    Icon-mercy
    Mercy
    In a straight up fight, Mercy is, no pun intended, at Roadhog's mercy. Her Caduceus Blaster has little hope of even getting close to chewing through your health, and you can make as quick work of her as he can any other 200 health hero. The greatest danger while combating Mercy is dealing with whoever Mercy is healing, as they will not only have sustained health to fight you with, but also give Mercy a target to fly back and forth from. You should generally try to pick her off first, if possible. (To be added)
    Icon-moira
    Moira
    (To be added) (To be added)
    Icon-zenyatta
    Zenyatta
    Despite having no mobility options, Zenyatta is not to be underestimated. Orb of Discord will allow him and anyone else near him to rip you to shreds with concentrated fire, and Zenyatta's range is good enough to allow him to harass you from a distance. Extended battles with Zenyatta are not encouraged unless you are confident that you can land a combo before Zenyatta can kill you. However, if you manage to close in on Zenyatta, he has no escape mechanisms and will likely be hooked and killed. (To be added)

    Story

    Icon-Roadhog
    "I'M A ONE-MAN APOCALYPSE."

    7'3" (221 cm) tall, and 550 lbs (250 kg),[1] Roadhog is a ruthless killer with a well-earned reputation for cruelty and wanton destruction.[2] He remains silent most of the time.[3] He wears a mask with "hogdrogen" inhalers, which contain a pressurized chemical mixture that helps counteract the effects of radiation exposure.[4]

    Background

    We fought a war to protect our home. We got the apocalypse. And everyone's left fighting over the ashes.
    ~ Mako Rutledge
    Roadhog mugshot

    Roadhog's mugshot

    After the Omnic Crisis, government officials gifted the Australian omnium and the surrounding area to the omnics that had nearly destroyed their country, hoping to establish a long-term peace accord. This arrangement permanently displaced Mako Rutledge and a large number of the Outback's residents, a scattered collection of survivalists, solar farmers, and people who just wanted to be left alone.

    Furious over the loss of their homes, Mako and others turned to violent rebellion. They formed the Australian Liberation Front and struck against the omnium and its robot population to take back the lands that had been stolen. Events continued to escalate until the rebels sabotaged the omnium's fusion core, resulting in an explosion that destroyed the facility, irradiated the region, and littered the Outback with twisted metal and wreckage for kilometers around.

    Mako watched as his home became an apocalyptic wasteland, and he was forever changed.

    Adapting to his environment, he donned a mask and took to the broken highways of the Outback on his ramshackle chopper. Little by little, his humanity was forgotten. The last vestiges of Mako faded away and the ruthless killer Roadhog was born.[2]

    Wasted Land

    World deserves them. They could scrap every panel here, and it wouldn't get them a mile toward a real city. But it'll get me something.
    ~ Roadhog
    Roadhog-Wasted Land

    Waking up the Hog

    Roadhog continued to dwell in his farm, which was located on the outskirts of Junkertown.[5]

    At some point after making himself an enemy of the Queen of Junkertown (though he was still allowed inside the settlement as long as he took no weapons in) Roadhog found some Junkers attempting to loot his farm. He hooked one of them, but the Junker told him he was sorry and Roadhog could take all of their scrap and weapons in exchange for their lives. Roadhog accepted, stating (inwardly) that the world deserved them, and that they could scrap every panel around and it still wouldn't get them a mile to a real city.

    He headed to Junkertown and (after some thinking on how he hated it there and how the Queen and the Junkers deserve what they get) went to a Junker named Bruce. He gave Bruce the scrap and weapons from the looters in exchange for some hogdrogen canisters. Bruce also told Roadhog "The world wants to forget blokes like us, Mako. Wants us to stay quiet. Don't give 'em the satisfaction."

    Afterwards he headed to the bar and silently bought a beer with the leftover coins from the looters. While there, he overheard some Junkers confronting Junkrat about what treasure he'd found and also overheard him say he'd offer a friend he could trust a ten percent share. Junkrat pointed at Roadhog as he said the words. Roadhog ignored this at first while some Junkers told him to stay out of it. Junkrat offered higher percentage shares while an unnamed Junker told Roadhog to sit where he was. Roadhog then incapacitated the Junkers threatening Junkrat.

    Roadhog demanded fifty percent of Junkrat's treasure, and after some haggling, Junkrat relented. He thought about Junkrat as the two walked away: "This idiot. He's a liar. Lies to himself most of all. But he's not the quiet type. The world deserves him. Deserves both of us. And we'll make sure they don't forget it."[6]

    On the Road

    Well that's a fine 'how do ya do?'. What was it you think that got us the boot? The stealing the queen's cash? Blowing up her summer shack? The beatdown at the bar? Whatever it was, you really ticked off the big boss this time.
    ~ Junkrat to Roadhog
    Junkrat & Roadhog

    Junkrat & Roadhog

    Roadhog grudgingly agreed to be Junkrat's bodyguard in exchange for a 50/50 share of the spoils.[7]

    For some reason, Junkrat and Roadhog were kicked out of Junkertown, following a string of incidents that included stealing the Queen of Junkertown's money, blowing up her summer shack, and a bar brawl (possibly the one where they first met). Whatever the reason, Junkrat blamed Roadhog for it. Still, as Junkrat was well aware, there were two things that solved every problem—money, and explosives. That gave him an idea...[8]

    The pair left the Outback, and embarked upon an international crime spree leaving nothing but havoc and bedlam in their wake.[7] They were responsible for a string of robberies, arson,[9] murder,[1] and other crimes stretching from Sydney to King's Row.[9] They had a creed of "no job too big, no score too small."[1] It is known that they performed a heist of the Banco de Dorado[10] by digging a tunnel. While in the United Kingdom, they stole the crown jewels.[11] Their spree of mayhem and chaos caused untold millions in property damage around the world.[1]

    British, French, and Latin American authorities offered rewards for information on the fugitives, and theorized that they were intent on crossing the Atlantic to North America.[9] Their activities were reported on by A Moment in Crime, by which point the bounty on their heads had reached $25 million.[1]

    Going Legit
    JunkratRoadhog-Going Legit

    The Junkers face off against the cop bots

    At some point during their escapades, Roadhog and Junkrat were offered a job by a "Suit" from Hyde Global. The Suit claimed that a factory of his in downtown Sydney had been attacked by omnic terrorists, with his workers taken hostage. The Suit told the pair that he wanted to keep the police out of it, and that there "was no-one better" at keeping things quiet than the duo. The pair accepted the job, and made their way to the factory. Their 'quiet' approach consisted of detonating explosives on the roof and entering the factory in force. They blasted their way through the factory's robots, exited, and brought the whole structure down. As Roadhog reminded Junkrat, there were meant to be hostages, except there were none. And the robots they'd destroyed weren't omnics, but cop bots. At this point the actual police arrived, but the two made their escape. Upon realizing they'd been set up, the pair headed back to see their corporate friend. They strung him up on a crane and headed off, leaving the suit to die in an explosion that consumed the entire Hyde Global building.[3]

    Return to Junkertown

    Idiot.
    ~ Roadhog, after Junkrat messes up
    JunkratRoadhogPlan2

    Roadhog, after Junkrat's screw-up

    Their worldwide heist complete, Junkrat and Roadhog returned to Junkertown, with a hover-trolley loaded with gold and explosives. At the town gates, Junkrat laid out his plan—light the fuse, put on 'inconspicuous disguises', sneak into town, get the trolley to the queen's throne, reveal their deception, and kaboom! Roadhog had Junkrat refine the plan so that it included them escaping the detonation, and escaping with the gold at that. The plan was set in motion, only to be screwed up as Junkrat revealed their identities to the gate warden. The gates were barred shut, leaving the pair with a trolley of gold, useless disguises, and a ticking fuse. Breaking his long silence, Roadhog uttered a single word...

    "Idiot."[8]

    Achievements

    Name Icon Description Reward
    Giving You The Hook
    Ability-Roadhog3 Interrupt an enemy Ultimate Ability with Roadhog's Hook in Quick or Competitive play. Spray Roadhog Pixel
    Pixel
    Hog Wild
    Ability-Roadhog4 Knock 2 enemies to their deaths with one use of Roadhog's Whole Hog in Quick or Competitive play. Spray Roadhog Cute
    Cute

    Trivia

    • Roadhog wears a pin depicting Greentooth, the Polycount mascot.
    • Both Roadhog and Junkrat's designs, as well as the state of Australia in Overwatch's setting, are references to the post-apocalyptic Mad Max universe.
    • He is the only hero whose face is never shown in any of his skins.
    • Roadhog's hook was made in the Man At Arms series who are part of the Azeroth Armory series.[12]
    • A Roadhog-themed hoodie is available from JINX.[13]
    • A Junkenstein's Monster Roadhog figure is on sale.[14]

    Nationality

    • Roadhog's official nationality is Australian[15], but there are many hints that may point to him as being a Kiwi and/or of New Zealand Maori descent.
      • Roadhog's name, Mako, means "Shark"[16] in the New Zealand Maori dialect. The meaning and use of Mako in his legendary skin supports this as well.
      • The legendary skins Islander and Toa are strongly linked with New Zealand over their neighbors Australia, as Toa is used as an adjective to describe "Brave/Bold/Victorious" in Maori[17].
        • New Zealand has the biggest population of Polynesian ethnicities which is reflected through the Islander skin that also uses a Tamoko/Tatau/Tattoo to reflect his heritage.
      • Mako can be heard saying[18] on Dorado, "If I wanted to go to the wop-wops[19], I could have stayed at home." The use of "wop-wops" is strictly an informal noun in New Zealand as opposed to Australia which uses "out in the sticks" to imply that it is out in the middle of nowhere.
      • In a forum thread discussing what pet each hero would have, Michael Chu stated that he thinks Roadhog would have a kunekune.[20] Kunekune is a small breed of domestic pig and the Maori word for "fat and round."
      • Roadhog's blanket on his bed in the Junkertown map and the tea cup in his Toast victory pose both feature a Kowhaiwhai pattern, which is part of Maori tradition.

    Development

    Roadhog-Tattoo

    Roadhog's original tattoo

    • The Junkers originated as a group that would have appeared in the cancelled Project Titan, with Roadhog being a concept for one of its members. During early development of Overwatch a flamethrower was briefly considered for his weapon, a holdover from the Juggernaut class in the original pitch for the game that became Overwatch, which also served as a basis for the design of Reinhardt.[21]
    • Concept artwork of Roadhog portrayed him with a tattoo of an eagle and a pig in the Overwatch cinematic trailer. In his final design the eagle was replaced with a motorcycle engine and a banner with the words "Wild Hog Power."
    • Early artwork of Roadhog depicts him possessing an actual pig visage (or mask).[22]

    Videos

    Official

    Curse

    Balance Change Logs

    Patch
    Description

    Ability-Roadhog4 Whole Hog

    • Knockback increased 20%

    Ability-Roadhog1 Scrap Gun

    • Ammunition increased from 5 to 6.

    Ability-Roadhog3 Chain Hook

    • Decreased the delay before pulling a hooked target from 0.5 seconds to 0.3 seconds
    • Now greatly reduces the target’s momentum upon being hooked
    • Cooldown now begins immediately, instead of after the target has been pulled

    Ability-Roadhog1 Scrap Gun

    • Spread pattern adjusted for both primary and secondary fire
    • Spread randomization reduced by 50%

    Ability-Roadhog4 Whole Hog

    • Knockback maximum velocity increased by 25% (from 8 to 10 meters per second)
    • Horizontal recoil decreased slightly

    Ability-Roadhog1 Scrap Gun

    • Primary fire falloff range changed from 10-20 meters to 15-30 meters
    • Alternate fire now has damage falloff, which is the same as the new primary fire falloff (15-30 meters)

    Ability-Roadhog4 Whole Hog

    • Now restores ammunition after completion

    Ability-Roadhog2 Take a Breather

    • Can now be used while moving
    • Damage taken while healing has been reduced by 50%
    • Head hitbox size reduced by 20%

    Ability-Roadhog1 Scrap Gun

    • Bullet damage decreased by 33%
    • Fire rate increased by 30%
    • Clip size increased from 4 to 5

    Ability-Roadhog1 Scrap Gun

    • Spread decreased by 20%

    Ability-Roadhog3 Chain Hook

    • Targets are now pulled to a location 3.5 meters away, up from 2 meters
    • Cooldown increased from 6 to 8

    Ability-Roadhog3 Chain Hook

    • Targets are now pulled directly in front of Roadhog (rather than straight to him), except in cases where Roadhog drastically rotates
    • Hooked targets are now released if they leave Roadhog’s line of sight before being pulled
    • Line of sight checks (which determines if targets are hit by the hook) are now done from Roadhog’s position, rather than the hook’s position
    Developer Comments
    The hook should now feel more consistent for Roadhog players, but it should also feel more reasonable to his enemies, as they cannot be hooked or pulled around corners anymore.
    • Ultimate costs have been increased by 25% for all heroes
    Developer Comment
    Game-changing ultimate abilities were coming up a bit too frequently. This change helps keep them in check while still allowing them to be powerful.

    Ability-Roadhog3 Chain Hook

    • If the hooked target isn't in Roadhog's line of sight when retracting the hook, they will be moved back to the position where they were originally hooked
    Developer Comments
    This change means that hooked targets will be less likely to slide along walls, potentially ending up in an odd place after they've been reeled in.
    • Self-healing abilities now charge ultimate abilities. As a result, some heroes’ ultimate costs have been adjusted (see below).

    Ability-Roadhog4 Whole Hog

    • Ultimate cost increased by 45%

    References

    1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2015-09-21, A Moment in Crime Special Report: "The Junkers" | Overwatch. YouTube, accessed on 2015-09-27
    2. 2.0 2.1 Roadhog, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2015-23-09
    3. 3.0 3.1 Overwatch: Junkrat & Roadhog: Going Legit
    4. Overwatch Visual Source Book
    5. 2017-09-12, New Map Preview: Junkertown | Overwatch. YouTube, accessed on 2017-09-15
    6. Junkertown: Wasted Land
    7. 7.0 7.1 Junkrat, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2015-23-09
    8. 8.0 8.1 2017-08-21, "Junkertown: The Plan" | Overwatch. YouTube, accessed on 2017-08-25
    9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 2015-09-15, Teasing : Two new heroes on their way?. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-09-19
    10. 2015-09-17, Overwatch Map Teaser: Banco de Dorado Robbery. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-09-21
    11. Overwatch, Junkrat Quotes
    12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tuNwMIPGug
    13. 2017-11-22, Overwatch Hoodies. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2017-11-23
    14. 2018-10-09, OVERWATCH HALLOWEEN TERROR GEAR AVAILABLE NOW. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2018-10-10
    15. 2016-06-21, @PlayOverwatch: "Roadhog's nationality is Australian." Twitter. Accessed on 2017-12-23.
    16. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mako
    17. http://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/8278
    18. Roadhog/Quotes
    19. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wop-wops
    20. 2017-05-17, Michael Chu: "I think he'd have a kunekune." Battle.net Forums. Accessed on 2017-12-17
    21. Blizzcon 2017, Overwatch: Archives
    22. 2017-02-22, DICE Summit 2017: Jeff Kaplan Overwatch Opening Keynote. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2017-03-05

    External links

    Heroes in Overwatch 2
     
    Icon-roadhog
    Roadhog
    Advertisement