Alright, guys, so I’ve been playing a TON of Overwatch 2 lately, and let me tell you, Zarya is a BEAST. I used to kinda sleep on her, thinking she was just a tank, you know? But I’ve been experimenting, and holy moly, she can dish out some serious damage. Seriously, I’ve been topping the damage charts in some games. So, I wanted to share my journey to figuring out this “Zarya best DPS” thing.
My Zarya Awakening
It all started when I was getting frustrated getting rolled by teams with, like, super aggressive Reinhardts and Orisas. I was playing my usual DPS heroes, you know, Soldier, Cassidy, the usual suspects, but I just couldn’t break through their front lines. Then I thought, “Hey, Zarya’s got that beam, and it gets stronger, right?”
The Experiment Begins
So, I started picking Zarya more often. At first, I was terrible. I’d pop my bubbles way too early, get melted, and generally just be a useless blob. My beam damage was pathetic, always staying at that low-energy tickle. I was basically feeding the enemy team’s ultimates.
Key Learning #1: Bubble Timing is EVERYTHING. I watched some high-level Zarya gameplay, and it clicked. You gotta wait for the enemy to commit. Don’t just throw your bubbles out there hoping for the best. Wait for that Reinhardt to swing, that Roadhog to hook, that * to boost in. Then, BAM! Bubble yourself or your teammate, soak up that damage, and your beam turns into a freakin’ laser.
Practice Makes Perfect (and Powerful)
I started practicing in Quick Play, just focusing on my bubble timing. I’d intentionally put myself in slightly risky situations, just to get a feel for when to use them. It was rough at first, lots of deaths, lots of angry teammates yelling, “Zarya, WHY?!”. But slowly, I started to get it. I started to anticipate enemy attacks, predict their movements, and use my bubbles to not only survive but to power up.
- I started using my Projected Barrier (the one you put on teammates) more aggressively too.
- Instead of just saving it for emergencies, I’d slap it on our Genji when he dived in, or on our Ana when she got flanked.
- Every bit of damage they took while bubbled made my beam stronger.
Unleashing the Laser Beam
Once I got the hang of the bubbles, the damage started to roll in. High-energy Zarya is a MONSTER. That beam just melts through squishies, and even tanks start to panic when they see that thick, glowing beam coming at them. I went from being a bottom-of-the-barrel DPS wannabe to consistently being in the top two for damage on my team.
Key Learning #2: Tracking is Crucial. Zarya’s beam requires you to track your enemies precisely. It’s not like Soldier’s hitscan, where you just point and click. You gotta keep that beam locked on, even when they’re jumping, dodging, and flying around. I spent some time in the practice range, just working on my tracking with the beam, and it made a huge difference.
From Zero to (Almost) Hero
So yeah, that’s my story. I’m not saying I’m some pro Zarya player now, but I’m definitely holding my own. I’m climbing in ranked, I’m getting Play of the Game sometimes, and most importantly, I’m having a blast. It’s so satisfying to melt an enemy team with that high-energy beam, knowing that you earned that power by playing smart and using your bubbles effectively.
If you are still reading, give it a try. It needs time to practice but trust me you will love it!
