I play Abathur via the Ult Evo (Hero clone ult) thus I play everything.

I also play Hammer and love the hero to death... that being said for a ton of heroes that I love or don't I am doing nothing more but creatiing a series of ways to spec.

That aside, Sgt. Hammer > the Butcher, Especially one Hammer gets her wall... and even moreso if she is in a chokepoint (can block terrain).... butcher can't figure out how to unstoppably run through it, thus get stuck and is no longer unstoppable.

Finally, I used to go the rocket, but then I switched to napalm shortly thereafter... the rocket has it's place if your team thinks ti can't win or is really good at getting the enemy stuck in chokepoints... but napalm just wins everywhere else, including chokpoints.

Don't play hammer if you cannot see stealthed when their stealthed... or if you don't know how to leverage minions to your advantage (stitches)... also don't be afraid to lane swap... hammer should always have a teammate but can defend just fine without 1... push on the other hand depends on the m,ap size and a whole assortment of other factors I don't care to go over for it is beyond the scope of this guide.


Abathur Build (warning, wall of text and ramblings):
http://www.heroesfire.com/hots/guide/abathermite-wall-of-text-w-ramblings-clone-locust-strategy-5261

Range + attack Speed + Abathur Symbiote rock... epsecialylw itht aht 10% damage and hammers siege splash damage... napalm becomes short range offense/defense... the wall saves canyon that gets past the range... and your as is so high you rape those that get past... any squshies just melt, forts melt, all melt... gg. (I have had some godly defends at level 20 in which by all means we had no right to come away from (Hammer, a game changer)... after all who's going to dive a core with a hammer at max range under it that still has a wall... just fight for the fort and the opponent (your teammates) under Hammers range... makes a lot more sense... anyways).

In other words your team should be halfway decent at peeling... with this build... stealth fails to get you... unless the opponents levels get significantly ahead or there is a smart nova that goes rewind.

Save your Z (rockets/"mound") for escape unless your feeling confident, then rocket after and chase them! and blast away anyone who dares get in your way... I do it plenty of times

Finally, the range is actually valid because without it your out-range and/or a sitting duck... with range you can trade effectively as well as harass from afar... once your level 20 that range is stupid and you just are impossible to ignore and near impossible to reach (since you have the wall)...

Mines are wards, mines are some serious damage, stack them up around a corner.... bait the enemy, easy disengage or bait.

I advise warding the turn-in point on Blackhearts Bay with these whenever you get a chance. Tomb of the spider queen I'd say the steam vents near turn-in... albeit retreat and combat are far more important... thus I always plan my escape route via mines even though all they do is damage... they damage (thus dismound)... plus napalm dismounts...

Without the HP regen at level 7 your SOL, GL surviving ganks, teamfights, those that jump on you, stealth... gl staying in lane whilst having some courage... simply GL.

All in All, Hammer is pretty straightforward in how to play if you just go this build... anything else i see just fails... anytime i see stealth i say why, anytime i see mobile siege i say your still a sitting duck and one moves' so slow that within 3 seconds the extra range is virtually the same difference... except with the range increase your guaranteed the 10% extra damage still if an enemy enters it... just position yourself well to start and all's fine. Hammer is the art of learning how to defend yourself whilst simultaneously sieging from afar... which requires map awareness as well as a sense of how to position such that 1 doesn't have to reposition.