How to unlock Roadhog in Overwatch 2: Abilities, class, and more explained

Overwatch 2 has finally been released, with the player base of Blizzard's popular title growing daily. This is the sequel to the highly popular MOBA game that launched six years ago in 2016, and it seems to be garnering even more attention than its predecessor and looking to attain at least the same level of fame, if not more.

Overwatch 2 is free-to-play, so many new players who have no knowledge of the previous iteration are now trying out the game. Every hero from the first game has been carried forward to Overwatch 2, and if you’re a new player, you’ll need to unlock many of them to gain access to the entire roster.

This guide to Overwatch 2 will go into detail about Roadhog, the hook-swinging maniac that likes to get in close. It will reveal how you can unlock this character as well as provide information about his abilities and role in the game. Read on to learn more about Roadhog below.

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How to unlock Roadhog in Overwatch 2

Roadhog is not a hero available from the very beginning of Overwatch 2, and will need to be unlocked by playing a few matches. Activision Blizzard announced that players will need to play over a hundred matches to unlock every single hero in the game. Luckily, Roadhog can be obtained after playing 15 unranked games.

A win in a match counts as two games, so you might even get him early on if you’re good at the game and blessed with a synergistic team. That said, unlocking him is only the first step, as you’ll also need to get an understanding of what type of character he is to make the most out of Roadhog.

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Roadhog’s class and abilities

Roadhog's abilities in Overwatch 2 (Image via Activison Blizzard)

Roadhog is a Tank class hero, which means that he is a character that can take a beating and also dole out some heavy damage in return. While Roadhog is not the most powerful tank in the game, he is still formidable because of his hook, which allows him to grab enemies and pull them closer.

Roadhog also has the default passive ability of all Tank characters, wherein they take less knockback than other classes. We’ll take a look at all of Roadhog’s abilities in the section below.

Scrap Gun: This is Roadhog's primary weapon in Overwatch 2, which functions like a short-range shotgun. Due to its shotgun-like nature, it is highly effective at close-range and can deal up to 165 damage. It also comes with an alternate fire mode that can shoot molten slag as far as 8 meters, which explodes on impact.

Chain Hook: This is Roadhog’s signature ability, wherein he uses his hook on a chain to hit an enemy, dealing 30 damage, and pulling them right up to him. This is the perfect moment to let loose with a barrage from the Scrap Gun to deal some heavy damage.

Take a Breather: This is a defensive ability that allows Roadhog to regenerate about 350 HP in a span of two seconds and also reduces incoming damage by 50% in this duration. This ability has been tweaked from Overwatch, with Roadhog restoring only 300 HP in the previous game.

Whole Hog: This is Roadhog’s ultimate, wherein he loads his Scrap Gun with a special magazine that allows him to fire rapidly and deal great damage. In the previous title, this ability was fully automatic, with Roadhog firing until the charge ran out. However, in Overwatch 2, players will have to fire manually and can also perform other abilities while Whole Hog is active, which lasts for a total of 5.5 seconds.

These are all the abilities that Roadhog has in the latest game. If you’re still looking for advice on how to play as Roadhog in a live battle, head over to the next section for some tips on the character.

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Tips for Roadhog

Roadhog unleashes his ultimate (Image via Activison Blizzard)

Roadhog is not the sturdiest of tanks, so don’t bother being the team's shield all the time. Instead, use his abilities to secure kills when you know that your high damage and surprise chain hook can surely bring down a target, either on your own or with the help of your team.

Due to his regeneration ability, Roadhog is more than capable of taking care of himself, so don’t be afraid to flank enemies to catch them off guard. Your targets should be softer heroes like the Support class, whom Roadhog can generally take out alone when used correctly.

The Chain Hook is the most useful ability in your arsenal, and in the late game, the Whole Hog ultimate can give your team quite an edge. Getting used to Roadhog can be tricky, but the end result is definitely rewarding.

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And that was all that you needed to know about Roadhog in Overwatch 2. Did you find this guide helpful? If so, why not leave us a like? You may even comment down below and let us know what other guides you’d like to see featured on the site.