Overwatch 2 D.Va guide: abilities, lore and gameplay
In Overwatch 2, D.Va is mech-ing a difference
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In Overwatch 2, D.Va is just as bright and bubbly as her hot pink mech. An ex-pro gamer, D.Va’s playstyle is fast-paced and action-packed – meaning this tank isn’t afraid to dive into the fight first.
Originally, D.Va was never meant to be the main tank. In the first Overwatch, this gaming superstar was meant to be a backup for tanks likeReinhardtorOrisa. However, now there’s only one tank inOverwatch 2, so D.Va has had to step up. Fortunately, extra health and ability boosts mean she is now capable of competing with the big boys she once supported.
As this colorful tank has pretty simple abilities, she may be the best choice for those taking their first steps into Overwatch 2 and the tank class. So let’s see everything this great tank has to offer and how you can master her top-class gaming skills.
Overwatch 2 D.Va
Overwatch 2 D.Va: story and background
Once a championEsportsplayer, D.Va has a lot of titles under her belt. But, that wasn’t enough for our gamer queen, so she chose to add top mech pilot for the MEKA Squad to her resume too.
Being a part of South Korea’s main defense squad against the omnic invasion she finds herself fighting evil red robots on more than one occasion. The Invading omnics are known as the Gwishin but not much is known about these deadly enemies. All we know is that every few years these tentacled monstrosities would rise from the East China Sea and invade the coastline, leaving havoc and destruction in their wake. D.Va actually went toe-to-toe with a group of these omnics and barely made it out alive, leading her to take a more serious stance against the robotic invaders.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va has chosen to research the threat more closely and has joined up withCassidyto assess the omnic organization Null Sector, to try and find out more about this elusive group headed by our favorite new tankRamattra.
Overwatch 2 D.Va: Abilities breakdown
Primary Fire: Fusion Cannons
Description:Automatic short-range weapons
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This shotgun weapon type provides a constant barrage of bullets to shower the enemy team with. While D.Va isn’t the only hero in Overwatch 2 with no need to reload (Hanzoalso has this ability for his primary weapon), the fact that her bullets are infinite means that she has to worry about one less thing in the midst of battle.
However, you do have to pay a price for this infinite perk. When using the automatic cannons there is a 40% speed penalty (except when using Boosters). There is also the problem of it resembling a shotgun, meaning if you aren’t up close and personal with your enemy then they won’t take a lot of damage.
Some tricks and tips for this weapon:
Primary Fire (Pilot): Light Gun
Description:A mid-range automatic pistol.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va is like a hero within a hero. When her mech runs out of health and dies, a little D.Va pops out and starts blasting. The Light Gun is a projectile weapon that fires seven rounds per second with a total ammo of 20.
While the bullets only do 14 damage, you can achieve headshots with it and deal some serious pain to any over-confident enemy hero who thinks they can take you down.
Some tricks and tips for this weapon:
Ability: Defense Matrix
Description:D.Va can deploy a forward-facing targeting matrix to block projectiles.
Defense Matrix is D.Va’s version of a shield. While it travels anywhere you go and is always projected in front of you it can be used to help others as its max range is 10 meters.
The best part of this ability is that it can be used to erase other heroes' ultimates. Just some of the ultimates that can be erased with Defense Matrix include Zarya’s Graviton Surge, Hanzo’s Dragon Strike, and Cassidy’s Deadeye. Watching the hope drain from the enemy characters' eyes as you kill off the one thing that could save their team and win them the point is the best kind of reward in Overwatch 2.
Some tricks and tips about this ability:
Ability: Boosters
Description:Rocket Boosters allow D.Va’s mech to go airborne for a few seconds.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va can use her Boosters to engage and disengage from fights quickly, like Winston’s Jump Pack it allows the mech to participate in Dive compositions effectively.
D.Va travels 12 meters per second for a max duration of two seconds. While this doesn’t seem like a lot of time the short cooldown of four seconds is useful for D.Va to use this ability little and often in order to skirmish.
Some tricks and tips for this ability:
Ability: Micro Missiles
Description:D.Va can launch a volley of explosive rockets.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va’s Micro Missiles are her most deadly asset. These explosive rockets deal seven damage per direct hit and one to four when it comes to splash damage. When you multiply this with the 11 missiles that fire per second it provides up to 77 damage. This is enough to off a DPS hero in two seconds or take a significant chunk of health out of a tank.
Some tips and tricks for this ability:
Ultimate: Self-Destruct
Description:D.Va ejects from her mech and triggers a core meltdown that acts as a small nuclear bomb.
You need to get creative in order to do well with D.Va’s ultimate. You can activate this ultimate while standing still and let the mech explode where it stands, or you can trigger your Boosters and use the ability to launch the exploding mech into enemy lines.
Always look for high walls or unsuspecting corners to shoot your mech around as if you take the enemy team by surprise then you’ll likely get a few kills under your belt.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va can be a massive help to her team by using this ultimate to clear points and payloads. If a fight goes into overtime and you can’t quite get the other team to relinquish the point then activating this ultimate will mean that plays must leave the area or die. Either way, it gives your team a better chance of winning.
Some tips and tricks for this ultimate:
Ultimate (pilot): Call Mech
Description:D.Va can call her battle suit back into action and return to the fight.
This ultimate only takes 280 points and no longer than a minute to gain as D.Va is so vulnerable in her pilot form. While some want to get back into the safety of their mech as quickly as possible you can also use this ultimate for evil.
If you have time you can find an unsuspecting DPS or support hero and call the mech on top of them by standing next to them. This will instantly kill the enemy hero as the mech dropping on someone does 250 damage. It’s also one of the most embarrassing ways to be killed in Overwatch 2.
Some tips and tricks for this ultimate:
Overwatch 2 D.Va: Gameplay Breakdown
Despite D.Va being a rather old tank, her role in team composition can be hard to master in the overhauled Overwatch. In Overwatch 2, D.Va is forced to take up a central role as her team’s only tank. Long gone are the days of her invading the back line of the enemy or scouting on her own to pick off lone heroes. Now she needs to stick to her team and the point like glue.
This can be hard to remember as her Rocket Boosters are so adept at traveling the map quickly. While you can no longer use these to run around getting yourself into trouble they are very handy when it comes to dive compositions. Dive Compositions are an old idea to Overwatch, they are teams composed of heroes that can easily scale levels of the map and engage and disengage from fights at a moment’s notice. In Overwatch 2, D.Va along with this style of fighting is the preferred method for beating the other team.
Overall, D.Va’s primary role is to look after her team. Use your Defense Matrix to block incoming ultimates or attacks, your Rocket Boosters can be used to push enemy heroes away from your vulnerable teammates, and your mech is a great shield when there’s nowhere else for your supports to hide.
Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.
Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they’ve taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.
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