Rocket League begins with one critical decision; the battle car you maneuver to victory. However, not all car hitboxes are created equal; this article is a quick guide on the differences between each of the six main hitbox types, and how each one is optimally used.
Rocket League is a complex game; evolving from simply vehicular soccer, this game has turned into a frenzy of flip resets, double taps, and mechanics that we can’t even name yet. However, the most fundamental part of the game is something that many players sometimes overlook; the car itself. Though skill is retained no matter which car you use, all the different hitboxes can serve different purposes; are you using the optimal hitbox for your goals? Though a hitbox will never hold you back, knowing the intricacies of each one can elevate your gameplay to the next level
Professional players overwhelmingly choose a select few hitboxes, and this article will help you understand the rationale behind their decisions. We will address the technical details of each hitbox and how each one has a niche in which it excels, allowing you to unlock your full potential with the optimal hitbox for the job.
Before we begin, I would like to make clear that all of these hitboxes can be used at any level, and you can achieve similar results; just because you use a less popular category, such as the Merc, does not mean that you will be unable to become a Supersonic Legend or a master freestyler; the Octane hitbox isn’t exceptionally known for aerial mechanics, but Dignitas’s own Joris “Joreuz” Robbin hit this devastating double tap using a Fennec in the RLCS Fall Major in Stockholm, published to YouTube by “thefal”:
Another player who has broken the mold is professional player Hrant "Flakes" Yakoub, who has used various hitboxes with the same degree of success. This all goes to show that you can achieve the same with all the hitboxes, but some are better suited for certain tasks than others; a power drill is indisputably better for large-scale construction than a simple screwdriver, but that screwdriver can have the edge when it comes to precision. With that out of the way, feel free to enjoy learning about the merits of each hitbox type!
All cars in Rocket League are sorted into six main hitbox categories; this may seem confusing at first, as the dozens of cars in the game can all seem starkly different, but there is a simple reason behind this; standardizing hitboxes allows all players to have access to the same arsenal to use for their gameplay, even though the visual model itself isn’t the same; this allows for fair, equitable gameplay, so that players who purchase cosmetics such as new car bodies do not have competitive advantages. Prior to July 2017, each car had a unique hitbox. Now, the six main categories are as follows: “Octane”, “Dominus”, “Breakout”, “Plank”, “Hybrid”, and “Merc”. A complete list of which car bodies fall into each category can be found here, on the Psyonix website.
Each hitbox has its own values for length, width, height, and slope. This means that each car will indeed have a different strength, and certain hitboxes may even put you at a disadvantage in specific scenarios. Rocket League YouTuber “RocketScience” provides excellent data to help observe the differences between each hitbox type, displayed in the table below:
Length, width, and height are all measured in “Unreal Units”, a system used by Unreal Engine, with which Rocket League was created. As such, they are best viewed as relative to each other. The angle statistic refers to the angle between the height at the back of the hitbox and the height at the front; all hitboxes slope downwards, but to different degrees. Turning radius also differs between hitboxes, albeit slightly, though it doesn’t tend to be the decisive factor when differentiating hitboxes. With this data, we can go ahead and analyze how each hitbox works, and what mechanics it excels at. For each hitbox, a visualization will also be displayed, courtesy of Reddit user “Trelgne” of “Rocket League Science”.
Image courtesy of Trelgne - original Reddit post
Without a doubt, the Octane hitbox is the most prevalent in the RLCS scene; as the hitbox of both the Octane, its namesake, and the Fennec, you’ll be hard pressed to find any other hitboxes in pro games. Especially as the default, the Octane hitbox is an overwhelming choice, and we’ll figure out why it’s so mainstream and how it stacks up to its competition. There are thirty-seven car bodies classified with the Octane hitbox, notably including the Octane itself, the Fennec, the Zippy, the Aston Martin DB5, and the Jurassic Jeep Wrangler.
The most important statistic for the Octane hitbox is height; clocking in at a significant 36.16 uu, the Octane is the second tallest hitbox in the game, second to only the Merc. This height is a significant reason for its popularity, as it can excel in arguably the most essential mechanic in the game—50/50s. In combination with its width, which is just above average, the Octane can power through kickoffs and challenges like no other car. Its indomitable height allows the ball to go straight over other cars with much lower heights, such as the Dominus. Its width gives it another edge over hitboxes with a more meager stat, as challenges with side flips can be critically won. This attribute of the Octane hitbox makes it incredibly desirable in 1v1 situations, as 50/50 scenarios, such as the kickoff, can make or break solo matches. Contrary to the name of the mechanic, the Octane hitbox can sway the odds in your favor. Another notable strength of the Octane hitbox is shooting; due to its height, it becomes much easier to shoot with the nose of your car, allowing you to shoot immensely powerful shots on target, making this hitbox a lethal threat that deserves its place in the professional scene.
By staying in the middle of the pack in both width and angle, the Octane is able to keep up with mechanics reliant on these attributes, such as flicks and redirects. These two mechanics are able to be executed in the Octane, and these are done so incredibly consistently; however, it is much more difficult to achieve the same results as cars that are much more attuned to them, especially if you are not too comfortable with the mechanic. However, the Octane hitbox is outpaced by its competitors in the aerial domain, as it possesses a paltry height of 118.01 uu. This gives cars with the Octane hitbox far less reach in the air and can be the difference between a hit or a miss. Aerial challenges still remain about even, though, as the immense height and respectable width compensate. A solid car all around, it’s clear that the Octane hitbox is the car of choice for pros due to its broad set of proficiencies. However, if you really want aerial dominance, at the expense of a few ground mechanics, the next hitboxes may be right for you…
Image courtesy of Trelgne - original Reddit post
Though these are far less widespread than the Octane, especially in the professional scene, the Dominus and Breakout hitboxes are stellar options in their niches. I’ve grouped them together as they have similar strengths, though their level of proficiency in each aspect varies. The Dominus hitbox category contains its namesake, in addition to cars such as both Lamborghini DLC cars, the Aftershock, the Hotshot, and the ‘89 Batmobile, among others. In total, there are fifty bodies with the Dominus hitbox, according to Psyonix. On the other hand, the Breakout hitbox is distributed much more scarcely, with only eight bodies: the Animus GP, both Breakout variants, the Cyclone, the Komodo, both Nexus variants, and the Samurai. These cars, despite being used far less than the Octane in the RLCS, are overwhelmingly popular in the freestyling community; let’s find out why!
The first distinctive feature of these two hitboxes is their angle; both have much greater downward slopes, at -0.96 and -0.98 degrees for the Dominus and Breakout respectively. This greater incline allows for much greater power on flicks, which can be both a blessing and a curse; your flicks can be deadly with an immense amount of power behind them, but if you hit the backboard, that power may barrel straight back into your half. However, this immense potential tends to be a good thing, as content creator Joni “JZR” Humiloja demonstrates the sheer power of the Dominus in this clip:
However, beyond flicks, the Breakout and Dominus aren’t too exceptional on the ground. Their low heights mean that challenges from other cars can completely obliterate them, and their lower widths reduce the room for error in 50/50s, as being slightly off-center can lead to an unfavorable kickoff. These disadvantages can be overcome, but one must be much more careful when utilizing cars with these hitboxes. However, these two hitboxes are elevated to an entirely different level when they take to the skies.
The Dominus and Breakout hitboxes are the top choices in the freestyling community, and for good reason. Both cars possess exceptional length: the Dominus hitbox is nearly eight Unreal Units longer than the Octane, and the Breakout is the longest hitbox in the game, at a stunning 131.49 uu. This length grants two colossal advantages to these two hitboxes. Firstly, they can make much more consistent contact in the air, which is crucial for shots which require just the tip of your car to hit the ball. Most notable are redirects and double taps, which are made much easier with the increased length. This is why the Dominus is vastly used in freestyle clips, due to its immense versatility in the air. The Breakout amplifies these effects even more; as the longest car in the game, not only does it shine in the air, but it is the car of choice for one of the hardest mechanics in the game: flip resets. The Breakout hitbox’s monstrous length makes it much easier to activate a flip reset. This is because the length of the car allows you to maneuver the ball to the center of the car much more easily, as there is a larger area where you can aim for. Freestyler “Ganer” demonstrates the efficacy of the Breakout hitbox in this video, chaining an astonishing fifteen flip resets together:
The Breakout and Dominus hitboxes, though respectable on the ground, shine in the air. Their immense length allows them to perform aerial mechanics much more effectively, and the steep angle on the cars allows them to execute devastating flicks, in the air or on the ground. Undoubtedly, the Breakout and Dominus are the kings of the aerial scene, as solidified by their use in freestyling. If the flicks of these cars appealed to you, and you’re looking for more, the next hitbox will be right up your alley…
Image courtesy of Trelgne - original Reddit post
Beginning with the Plank hitbox, all the hitboxes from here on are much less used than the previous ones. However, they all serve their purposes and have immense potential when utilized correctly. The Plank hitbox has nine car bodies associated with it, the most notable being the ‘16 Batmobile, the Sentinel, and the Paladin. Notable players who have consistently used the Plank hitbox are Francesco "kuxir97" Cinquemani, who won RLCS Season 2 using the ‘16 Batmobile, and Team Vitality’s Victor "Fairy Peak!" Locquet, who regularly used the ‘16 Batmobile in the past. Though its usage has declined, the Plank hitbox is still exceptionally strong at ground play.
The Plank hitbox is most notable for two statistics: firstly, it is exceptionally long, even longer than the Dominus, sitting at 128.82 uu. This gives it much of the aerial capacity of the Dominus, which allows it to be exceptionally strong in the air. However, this car really shines when you take into account its second prominent feature: the Plank hitbox is the widest in the game, at 84.67 uu. In combination with its length, you are essentially dribbling on… well, a plank! This hitbox has massive surface area, allowing for a larger area for positioning the ball for flicks and executing them with its absurd length; however, beware of the Plank hitbox’s low height, as the ball can fall off if you are not careful.
In combination with its massive surface area, the Plank hitbox also has the lowest angle in the game. This may seem counterintuitive for flicks—the Dominus and Breakout both benefit from a greater incline—but this allows the Plank to have even more versatile ball control. This is immensely important, as now flicks are made incredibly easy with far more possibilities on how to aim the ball. The length is also a grounded asset, as the further back the ball is on the Plank hitbox, the more powerful your flick will be; it is much more difficult to gain the same power on a shorter car such as the Octane. In addition, the width allows grounded outplays to occur very easily, as the ball can be dribbled with rapid direction changes, preventing your opponents from interrupting your grounded attacks.
As mentioned earlier, the Plank has one critical weak point: its height. The Plank is a paltry 29.39 uu tall, nearly seven units shorter than the Octane. This means that challenges from the opponent put Plank users at a massive disadvantage; if you are not perfectly centered, the ball can go straight over or under your car, which can prove to be incredibly unfortunate on defense. In addition, shooting with the nose of such a thin car can prove a bit harder. Of course, kuxir97 has shown that consistent accuracy is something that can be achieved, but the smaller surface on the nose of the car can prove detrimental to any situations that call for it.
The Plank hitbox is immensely powerful for ground plays and dribbling, in addition to being a dominant force in the air, but when it comes to 50/50s with other cars, its lacking height may not be the best. However, a mastery of the car can lead to great success, as Fairy Peak! has been a dominant 1v1 force using the ‘16 Batmobile, in a mode where challenges and 50/50s are arguably the most important aspect. On the other end of the spectrum is the Merc hitbox, which towers over the Plank…
The Merc hitbox is the newest category in the game, introduced in September 2020. As such, it still remains relatively unused, as players have had a much longer time to get accustomed to older hitboxes. However, upon release, quite a few players realized the strengths of the Merc hitbox. This category also contains the fewest cars in the game: the Merc itself, the Nomad, and the Fortnite Battle Bus. For a new, scarce hitbox, however, the Merc hitbox stands out in quite a few ways. The General NRG’s Justin “jstn.” Morales was one of the players who was fascinated by the Merc’s hitbox upon release, putting it to great use in the RLCS against FaZe Clan:
The below graphic, pulled from this video by RocketScience, demonstrates the most important aspect of the Merc hitbox: its height. This hitbox absolutely towers over its competitors with a whopping 41.66 uu, 5.5 uu taller than the Octane! When it comes to 50/50s, this vehicle is the Octane on steroids—as long as you approach a 50/50 straight-on, you will have such a vertical advantage, so that the ball will pinch out vertically in your opponent’s direction if your lateral movement cancels out. Dribbling is also amplified on this car; the height makes it harder to drop the ball, though other aspects of the Merc hitbox can impede your dribbling.
In the rest of its specifications, the Merc hitbox is an absolute anomaly. It is the thinnest hitbox in the game, which proves to be somewhat of a disadvantage in challenges; if you aren’t centered, your height can be completely bypassed; the Merc is prone to losing lateral challenges, which can be troublesome. The thin hitbox can also lead to many misses, as the change in size may be a bit off-putting, especially for players who prefer powerful corner shots. When it comes to dribbling, this low width can allow some quick adjustments by shifting where the ball is, but such changes become riskier due to having a smaller area to work with. Its low length is also a bit of a crippling factor in the air, though as we’ve seen with the Octane, high-level players don’t let that impede them. However, flicks are something that the Merc is a bit behind on for two reasons: its length and its positive angle. The Merc hitbox is the only one with a positive angle, meaning that its front is higher than its back. This means that it is difficult to pick up the ball, as the car is no longer a clean incline to pick it up, and flicks are a bit odd to execute as the ball will actually have natural velocity backwards, as the hood of the Merc slopes backwards. The positive angle does have an upside, however, as it ensures that it has the maximum height at the front for effective 50/50s.
In summation, the Merc hitbox is quite the unique choice. With its combination of a positive slope, incredible height, and thin nature, it can do tasks that are much more different than in other hitboxes. As the tallest hitbox in the game, 50/50s can be executed with ease, though you must make sure to stay centered, as the Merc’s low width can come back to bite you. The upwards slope of the car can make flicks a bit awkward, but as with any car, you can achieve mastery through practice. The Merc is similar to the Octane and is a great choice if you want to mix it up!
Image courtesy of Trelgne - original Reddit post
Finally, we’ve arrived at the last hitbox in the game, and it’s not the last for no reason. The Hybrid hitbox is one of the most popular casual options and sees significant use in high-level gameplay and freestyling. The most notable Hybrid hitbox cars are the ‘99 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, the Endo, the X-Devil, and the Jäger 619 RS. The ‘99 Nissan Skyline GT-R in particular is one of the most hyped DLC cars, specifically due to the hitbox. This hitbox is classified as a hybrid for a reason; it contains the strengths of many of the other hitboxes, as a jack of all trades. Let’s dive into an analysis of the Hybrid hitbox, and how it compares to the mainstream options!
The Hybrid hitbox sits at a colossal 127.02 uu of length, less than one unit shy of the Dominus. This means that it shares the same benefits of immense length, although not to the same degree. The edge over cars with the Octane hitbox can prove valuable and be more forgiving with high-level aerial mechanics. As a vehicle significantly longer than the Octane, it is even more surprising that it is 34.16 uu tall, significantly greater than the Dominus. Through this, much of the risk of 50/50s in a long car can be mitigated, as the height more than makes up for it. This allows for more comfortable aerial play than the Octane hitbox due to farther reach, and safer ground play than the Dominus due to a much greater surface area in the front.
The respectable width of the Hybrid hitbox, combined with the same angle of the Octane hitbox, means that this hitbox can be utilized for flicks just as the Dominus can, while retaining the ground control of the Octane. However, as an intermediate, this hitbox doesn’t surpass the Octane or the Dominus, but proves itself as a strong middle ground. I’d recommend the Hybrid hitbox as a solid choice for players who want a taste of a longer or taller hitbox, but don’t feel comfortable with the Dominus or Octane respectively. I’ve personally had great success with the Hybrid hitbox, reaching Grand Champion for the first time in it!
In summation, we have discovered the strengths and weaknesses of the six hitbox types in Rocket League, and how to most effectively utilize them. The Octane hitbox is the overwhelming favorite, with prowess on the ground and with challenges. The Dominus and Breakout excel with aerial assaults, while sacrificing some ground potential, and is the go-to for many freestylers. The Plank is a monster in terms of flicks and ball manipulation on the ground and gives an unconventional way to play. The Merc is the king of 50/50s, and its immense height, in tandem with its low width, provides a completely unique experience. Finally, the Hybrid hitbox combines the most important elements of the Octane and Dominus, creating a hitbox that is apt both in the air and on the ground. As I stated earlier, hitboxes aren’t an obstacle to success, and you can succeed with any hitbox; however, I hope this article may have helped you to find a hitbox that you like or reaffirmed your confidence in a hitbox that you already do use. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and good luck with your ranked endeavors, regardless of hitbox!
