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‘Overwatch’: Roadhog Hook Getting Nerfed, D.va To Receive Adjustment, Ana’s Healing Nerfed — Balance Changes Incoming Via Patch

By Bryan Star
Published on: 15:34 PST, Jan 8, 2017

Tired of getting hooked on Roadhog? If so, you might be interested in a nerf that seems worse than this pun.

Overwatch continues to grow, and developer Blizzard is actively searching for new ways to balance the game. This time around, it looks as though Roadhog and D.Va are in the line of sight for adjustment.

Roadhog has been a competitive force for quite some time. As a tank with 600 health and the means to heal himself, he makes any opponent think twice before stepping out into the open. With a single hook, the “One-Man Apocalypse” is capable of devastating damage and putting opponents into dangerous situations. Roadhog’s hook ability has come into question time and again, mainly its potential to perform acts that developers may not have anticipated. As such, Blizzard is taking measure to balance the big guy’s mechanics.

In a report by GameSpot, it’s been confirmed that Roadhog will be receiving a nerf. There are many who are happy about this, and there are some who probably didn’t see it coming. More often than not, getting hooked by Roadhog was nothing more than a moment of rage. He pulled you in, used a single shot to eliminate you, and you’d revive for another shot at moving the payload or securing the point. Beyond that, however, Roadhog can do more than a simple bait and pull.

Multiple videos have surfaced over time, and Roadhog’s hook goes beyond a simple snatch mechanic. Roadhog is able to hook characters through walls, toss helpless victims over the edge of the stage by turning himself around, and pull opponents through obstacles that leave one questioning position. With this in mind, Blizzard has decided to alter how the hook works.

No longer will Roadhog be able to pull opponents through situations where he shouldn’t be able to. While the mechanic is somewhat complicated to explain, players can rest assured that Roadhog won’t be performing any hook abilities that weren’t designated to be assigned to Overwatch.

There’s also the matter of D.va, another character who appears to be quite strong in Overwatch. While she doesn’t appear to be as apparently “broken” as Roadhog, she still boasts quite a bit of potential with armor and damage. In a report by GamesRadar, it’s been confirmed that Blizzard will be making changes to D.va’s health and damage.

Developers had this to say in regards to D.va’s overall ability.

“D.Va’s armor often made her feel like she had no weaknesses, even against heroes that are often effective against bigger targets (like Reaper). The changes to her Fusion Cannons will result in a small overall decrease in damage, but they should feel more consistent now.”

While D.va doesn’t boast multiple abilities, her ability to shield damage while having an unlimited amount of bullets is strong. It looks as though Blizzard will be splitting her hit points into armor and health. Additionally, Blizzard is nerfing D.va’s damage so that it feels more balanced. Her fire rate and damage will change, giving players more of a fair game at the mech.

Ana will also be receiving a nerf, as her healing will be reduced by 50 percent. Players won’t be able to heal to full strength with the sniper, though she will still retain her ability to support at range.

Will there be Roadhog mains in Overwatch that won’t be happy about the change? Certainly. However, competition should prove to be more focused on a balanced game over which characters players can expose. Blizzard has stated their commitment to fan feedback.

How do you feel about the nerfs in Overwatch? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

[Featured Image By Blizzard]

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