Overwatch hero 28 was released back in 2018 after weeks of PTR research, and he’s much cuter than anyone would have thought. Wrecking Ball, also known as Hammond, is an Overwatch gunman, and he’s as insane as his name means – he’s a hamster in a ball.
However, the ball turns into a destructor mech with legs and cannons. Not just that, he can also roll in style, dashing around with pace and persistence, assuming the role of a modern off-tank that’s badly needed in an ever-evolving meta.
During its release, pros predicted that Hammond would alter the game’s meta, but he already seems to be a star in his own niche that will, potentially, add a fresh new viewpoint to the game.
Here’s every detail Overwatch players need to know on how to master Hammond The Wrecking Ball.
Abilities
Quad Cannons
Despite his status as an off-tank, Wrecking Ball has the potential to deal a significant amount of damage. His Quad Cannons, which deal 5 damage per shot, are his primary source of damage. While it may appear low at first, he can fire 25 shots per second, for a total of 125 – and that’s without considering the fact that he can headshot, causing even more damage.
His Quad Cannons have an ammo capacity of 80 rounds, allowing him to take out squishy heroes in an instant if he gets close enough. His weapons, like D.Va’s, have a damage falloff distance as well as a spread that is significantly more noticeable at range.
Despite the fact that his primary is highly damaging, his Quad Cannons have a long reload time. Even though his large ammo clip compensates for it, it’s something to consider. One way to avoid the awkwardness of reloading in the middle of a fight is to try to get away from the danger as quickly as possible, then use Hammond’s hypermobility to replenish his ammo in peace.
Grappling Claw
The Grappling Claw of Wrecking Ball sticks out as his defining mechanic. It’s his secondary fire, but it’s a perfect weapon for maneuvering through team battles in an unexpected manner. When the skill is triggered, he shoots a claw that connects to any object or wall on the map. He will then swing indefinitely and generate energy and raise his total move speed until he’s secured himself to a wall or an object.
When Wrecking Ball’s mech hits full height, it explodes in flames and does 50 damage to all enemies that come in his path. It also has knockback, which may drive an adversary into a corner or off the side of the map.
If Wrecking Ball is in a perfect spot, such as a choke point, he has a major role in the battle that follows. If he’s in the right place, he can swing endlessly, meeting several enemies and breaking the team in half, making it easier for his colleagues to clean up. It’s something worth experimenting with and checking out.
Roll
Wrecking Ball is a highly mobile hero who is both competitive and effective and a lot of fun to play. Along with the rest of his kit, his Roll ability has one of the highest levels of mobility in Overwatch. And without his combined powers, his Roll form’s stand-alone move speed is considerably quicker than any other heroes.
Rolling may be performed in numerous situations, even in mid-air. He has the power to turn into and out of his ball at any moment, enabling him to use his Quad Cannons when required. Another helpful feature of Roll is that it protects players from getting a headshot, enabling them to facetank without suffering too much damage. If players are getting a lot of harm in hamster form, they can aim to take advantage of this to their benefit by easily switching to Roll until they are no longer at risk.
Piledriver
The Area of Effect damage ability of Hammond’s Piledriver knocks up any enemies in its radius. It’s only available when players are at least 10 meters above the ground, so players have to master his Grappling Claw to get that far from their foes.
It’s worth it, though: the ability deals 100 damage to enemies in the center of the attack and mitigated damage to enemies further away, which decreases as the distance increases. It also only affects enemies who are in the ability’s line of sight.
Adaptive Shield
Apart from his naturally high hit points, Wrecking Ball’s only defensive ability is Adaptive Shield. Based on enemies within a 7-meter range, it provides a 100-hit-point shield. It has the potential to increase his shield’s hit points by 600 points in total.
Furthermore, when damaged, the shield does not grant enemies ultimate charge and lasts up to 7 seconds. It’s a simple ability, but it’s extremely effective when combined with his impressive ability to hard engage.
Minefield
The ultimate of Wrecking Ball is mainly a damage-based ability, but it’s better used defensively. When triggered by enemy heroes, he drops 15 mines around his position, each dealing 130 damage. The catch is that they are only armed for a fraction of a second, rendering them pretty quick to stop. They’ll even vanish immediately if they’re not activated after 20 seconds.
Despite the absence of a health bar, each mine has 100 hit points, allowing them to be quickly removed. It’s probable that the mines could burst before enemy heroes have time to respond in a crowded battle, making for a large area of effect damage, but this is impossible in most instances.
He may protect frags with his ultimate by deliberately placing his mines against a wall or a small choke point. Instead of spacing out in their usual fashion, the mines would build up on top of one another, dealing significant harm if set off. The ultimate can also be used in conjunction with Wrecking Ball’s Grappling Claw and Piledriver combo to knock the opposing team onto his Minefield.
