Can someone explain the popularity of Roadhog?

[Jessicka]

As title. I don't get why he seems so popular, as a tank he doesn't actually seem that good, and for the heroes I play most (DVa, Widow, Reinhardt, Ana, Pharah, Soldier) he's a pretty easy kill, and not much threat. He has his one trick hook, but doesn't seem to offer a lot outside of that or his ult.

Admittedly I've never played him, so maybe I'm missing something but I don't feel like he's a major problem to face and I hate relying on him as solo tank on my side.

So what's the fuss about?

[Pendulous]

As someone who played pretty much the same five characters throughout a couple hundreds hours, I finally started to branch, out. And my first choice was Roadhog.

First, you have to forget the preconceived notions of tanks, offense, and defense. Blizzard can't seem to decide on what they are, so it's not really grounds for any kind of judgement.

Roadhog hits slow, but he hits HARD. Harder than people think, even at range. Once you get the distance down on his mid-range attack, he can dish out tons of damage. It's not about the hook-kill combo, although it is satisfying to grab someone who's been annoying the piss out of you and blast them in the face. What I find more satisfying about Roadhog is shooting people at mid-range and taking them out, perhaps them being unaware exactly how much damage he can do outside of melee range. I find myself being at silver or better damage in most games.

He's one of few non-healers who can self-heal. Off the top of my head, Mei, Soldier, and Roadhog. Reaper can heal himself, but it requires kills, not just one of his abilities. Also, his heal heals a lot, and heals fast. Mei's ice block requires a few seconds, and Soldier's biotic field heals over five seconds. Roadhog's heal takes, I don't know, two seconds, and heals about three hundred (I'm not looking it up, I'm trying to be good and do this from memory).

Between his mid-range attack and self-heal, my favorite thing to do is play peek-a-boo with the enemy team and just take powerful shots, while keeping myself healed. With this, he's actually good at holding a point, despite not having any kind of shield. Also, now that self-heals charge ults, he can get his pretty quickly. I will say, though, I'm not a big fan of his ult. It's really only fun to me in a situation where I can get a couple or more environmental kills by using it to knock people off the map. Otherwise, I find myself jumping out in front of a group of enemies I'd rather just shoot a couple times and keep myself healed. I get killed way too easily during my ult (though that may be on me. I seem to only find use out of it against one or two people, and with that, I'd rather just be shooting them).

The hook also interrupts ults, so keep that in mind. A great use of it is to pull an ulting Pharah or Reaper. And speaking of ults, a well-time mid-range shot can kill a Rip-Tire easily too.

Ok, so this became more of a guide than an explanation, but I like characters who can self-heal (I have the most hours on Junkrat, and when I go back to him, I feel way too squishy), and he can dish out more damage than just a hook and shotgun blast assumes. He COULD use a defensive ability of some kind though. I'm not sure any of the characters you mentioned are hard counters, except maybe Pharah, but an accurate hook cures that.

[Mormolyce]

1shot hook combos on many heroes. Undoubtedly one of the primary reasons for his popularity.

He is a very competent bruiser though.

[Sky High]

I agree he isn't the best when solo tanking or even going up against the enemy team, but his kit is evidence enough that he isn't meant to be played that way. he excels at either going off on his own flanking the enemy team or defending a room/corridor solo. that's why I usually pick him on KOTH or point capture maps where he can hide and eviscerate any hero except another tank in seconds. heroes that have a stun, damage immunity or quick escape like Genji, Phara or Junkrat need that skill off CD to have any chance of living through a landed hook.

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1shot hook combos on many heroes. Undoubtedly one of the primary reasons for his popularity.

that and it's so so so so satisfying.

[Aggrophobic]

I don't know, it's fun to hook people?

[Sykol]

Using his hook to drop people down holes is the best. I personally think his ult kind of sucks, but his heal and close range shots make up for it.

[Sky High]

Using his hook to drop people down holes is the best. I personally think his ult kind of sucks, but his heal and close range shots make up for it.

his ult works best in certain situations, keeping enemies off a point/payload or stacked with another. mainly Mei's or Zarya's.

[Daws001]

I do not enjoy playing as the hog (feels too slow and too reliant on his hook combo), however, I love watching good hog players. In their hands it's understandable why he's popular. Tons of health, powerful self heal, and the ability to erase most heroes in quick order.

[Mormolyce]

that and it's so so so so satisfying.

And also if you're a victim of the combo, you might get mad and decide to play Roadhog since he's so "broken".

Ergo more Roadhog popularity.

[Pendulous]

And also if you're a victim of the combo, you might get mad and decide to play Roadhog since he's so "broken".

Ergo more Roadhog popularity.

I started playing Roadhog because I played the previous brawl a lot and got him a few times in the randomness. I found out I was kinda good at it and enjoyed it.

Again, it's not about just hook and kill. It's a pot-shot, heal, kill kind of thing.

[Charge me Doctor]

He deals tons of burst damage, as CC and a heal. What is there not to like?

[Mormolyce]

Again, it's not about just hook and kill. It's a pot-shot, heal, kill kind of thing.

I'm not saying it's just that, that's only one of the reasons for his popularity.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

He is pretty easy to play, and can be useful even if your teammates are shit (unlike some heroes).

[Mifuyne]

Haven't played since Legion came out but Roadhog was my main.
His kit is really strong overall and the only thing that makes him a tank is his health.

Hooking people is a 1hitkill mostly, together with stunning other tanks and interrupting ults.
His main weapon also oneshots a LOT when you use it at midrange altfire.

[Jester Joe]

Not only is his hook the most fun ability in the game in my opinion, but he's the only tank that doesn't rely on a healer really (Well, Zarya is debatable, but that's why I play her just as much). Also, did I mention how fun it is hooking the Mercy that thinks they're safe hiding behind the team?

He's self sufficient basically in a nutshell.

[Goldielocks]

He deals tons of burst damage, as CC and a heal. What is there not to like?

He can't solo tank. Roadhog is the worst at preventing team damage.

His niche is picking off heroes that are 250 health and below, especially annoying ones like Tracer and Genji. He's also very self reliable if you're good with him.

[Mormolyce]

It is kind of annoying when the team desperately needs a proper tank, and one of the DPS grudgingly picks Roadhog. Thanks buddy but we could really use a Reinhardt...

[t1saif]

I agree with Pendulous. Many people think that Roadhog is all about that hook and that outside of it he is nothing, but they seem to not know or forget, that his right click is very strong. Yes, you need the right distance, but when you get used to it its so satisfying to 1 shot in the head all those annoying lucios and other little bugs

[Pendulous]

I'm not saying it's just that, that's only one of the reasons for his popularity.

Would you say it "hooks you in"?

[Jester Joe]

It is kind of annoying when the team desperately needs a proper tank, and one of the DPS grudgingly picks Roadhog. Thanks buddy but we could really use a Reinhardt...

If you're going by "proper tank", then that really only leaves Reinhardt, since D.Va's defense matrix, while strong, isn't as flexible (And it doesn't stop hook), and Winston's barrier is an absolute joke.

I don't see anything wrong with someone picking Roadhog to tank, you just need someone who can disrupt the team without dying quickly, and Roadhog can do just that, while even being able to pick off the squishy damage dealers quickly.