Overwatch’s PTR (public test realm) is intended to test updates before they officially go live. Roadhog and his Hook ability are being tweaked again before these updates hit the game.
Prinicipal designer Geoff Goodman outlined the latest round of changes in a forum post. Blizzard has apparently found that maybe they overdid it when they nerfed Roadhog’s Hook, which should now prove to be slightly more effective again.
The new PTR update adds “some more line of sight checks towards the left/right of a potential hook target,” Goodman explained. “This means it should be easier to hook someone who is sticking halfway out of a doorway, or behind a thin pole, etc. These checks are also used for the persistent line of sight check, so if a hook target moves behind a slim object like a stump or a light pole, they won’t be released anymore.”
Targets are also treated differently when they are hit by a hook in the air. “Hooked targets are now slowed heavily while they are stunned, even if they are in the air,” Goodman explained. “This means if someone is strafe jumping away from you and you land a hook, they are a lot less likely to slide out of line on sight, breaking the hook.”
The update also corrects “a bug that could allow you to hook someone and pull them behind you if you spun around before the hook landed.”
Ana and Sombra have also been adjusted in the new patch. The duration of Ana’s Biotic Grenade has been reduced from five seconds to four, while the cooldown on Sombra’s Hack drops from twelve seconds to eight.
There is no set date as to when these changes will arrive in the live game.