In Overwatch 2, D.Va is just as bright and cheery as her hot pink mech. A former professional player, D.Va’s gameplay is fast-paced and action-packed – meaning the tank isn’t afraid to dive head first into combat.
Originally, D.Va wasn’t supposed to be the main tank. In the first Overwatch game, this gaming star was supposed to be a backup to tanks like Reinhardt or Orisa. However, there is now only one tank in Overwatch 2, so D.Va had to step up. Fortunately, the extra boosted health and ability mean she is now able to compete with the big boys she once supported.
Since this colorful tank has very simple abilities, it may be the best choice for those who are taking their first steps in Overwatch 2 and the tank class. So let’s see all that this awesome tank has to offer and how you can master its top notch gaming skills.
Overwatch 2 D.Va
Overwatch 2 D.Va: Story and Background
Having been a champion in Esports, D.Va has many titles under her belt. But that wasn’t enough for our gaming queen, so she chose to add MEKA Squad’s best mech pilot to her resume as well.
Being part of South Korea’s main defense squad against total invasion, she has found herself fighting off evil red robots on more than one occasion. The national invaders are known as Gwishin but not much is known about these deadly enemies. All we know is that every few years these monstrous tentacled creatures will rise from the East China Sea and invade the coast, leaving chaos and destruction in their wake. D.Va actually went toe-to-toe with a bunch of these nationalists and barely made it out alive, leading her to take a much more serious stance against the robotic invaders.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va chose to research the threat more closely and joined forces with Cassidy to assess the Null Sector’s overarching organization, to try to learn more about this elusive group led by our new favorite Ramattra tank.
Overwatch 2 D.Va: Abilities Breakdown
Primary Fire: Fusion Cannons
Describe: Short range automatic weapons
This type of shotgun weapon provides a continuous barrage of bullets to shower the enemy team with. While D.Va isn’t the only hero in Overwatch 2 without having to reload (Hanzo also has this ability for his primary weapon), the fact that her bullets are infinite means she has to worry about one less thing in the middle of a fight.
However, you have to pay for this infinite feature. When using autocannons, there is a 40% speed penalty (except when using boosters). There’s also the issue that it’s like a shotgun, which means if you’re not up close and personal with your enemy, it won’t do much damage.
Some tricks and tips for this weapon:
- You can get a head on with this cannon so go for the kill.
Primary Fire (Pilot): Light Rifle
Describe: Medium range automatic pistol.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va is like the hero within the hero. When her mechanical health runs out and she dies, a little D.Va pops up and starts detonating. The Light Gun is a projectile weapon that fires seven rounds per second and has a total of 20 ammo.
While the bullets only deal 14 damage, you can score headshots with them and deal some serious pain to any overconfident enemy hero who thinks they can bring you down.
Some tricks and tips for this weapon:
- The Light Gun can be used as a ranged weapon that allows you to get out of combat quickly.
Ability: Defense Matrix
Describe: D.Va can deploy a forward targeting array to block projectiles.
Defense Matrix is D.Va’s version of the shield. While it travels wherever you go and is always displayed in front of you, it can be used to help others since it has a maximum range of 10 metres.
The best part of this ability is that it can be used to erase other heroes’ ultimatums. Just some of the endings that can be cleared with the Defense Matrix include Zarya’s Graviton Surge, Hanzo’s Dragon Strike, and Cassidy’s Deadeye. Watching hope drain from the eyes of enemy characters as you kill the only thing that can save their team and earn them the point is the best kind of reward in Overwatch 2.
Some tricks and tips about this ability:
- This ability can be used in conjunction with Boosters and Micro Missiles but cannot be used with Fusion Cannons for D.Va’s primary weapon.
- In Overwatch 2, D.Va cannot block RoadHog’s Chain Hook, Ramattra’s Pummel, Wrecking Ball’s Minefield, or Brigitte’s Whip Shot with this ability.
Ability: Boost
Describe: Rocket Boosters allow the D.Va mech to levitate in the air for a few seconds.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va can use her power-ups to engage in battles and quickly disengage them, such as Winston’s Jump Pack that allows mechs to engage in diving combinations effectively.
The D.Va travels 12 meters per second for a maximum of two seconds. While that doesn’t sound like a lot of time, the short four-second cooldown is useful for D.Va to use this ability little and often for skirmishes.
Some tricks and tips for this ability:
- This ability is a type of melee effect which means you can push enemy heroes off the map or down into pits if you ram them.
- When entering battles, be sure to use the defense matrix to protect yourself from incoming attacks.
Ability: Mini Rockets
Describe: D.Va can fire explosive missile volleys.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va’s precision missiles are her deadliest asset. These explosive missiles deal seven damage per direct hit and one to four damage when it comes to splash damage. When you multiply this by the 11 missiles fired per second, it provides up to 77 damage. This is enough to knock out a DPS hero in 2 seconds or take a large portion of health from a tank.
Some tips and tricks for this ability:
- This ability cannot be manually canceled but can be turned off by Orisa’s Javelin Spin and reflected by Genji’s Deflect.
- You cannot achieve a headshot with this ability.
- The best course of action is to get as close as possible when using Micro Missiles.
Final: Self Destruct
Describe: D.Va explodes from her mech and causes a core fusion that acts like a mini nuclear bomb.
You need to get creative in order to ultimately do well with D.Va. You can activate this final command while standing still and letting the mech explode in place, or you can trigger your boosters and use the ability to fire the blast mech into enemy lines.
Always look for high walls or safe corners to shoot your mech as if you’re surprising the enemy team, you’ll likely get a few more kills under your belt.
In Overwatch 2, D.Va can be a huge help to her team by using this ultimate to scan points and payloads. If the battle goes into overtime and you can’t quite get the other team to give up the point, activating that final will mean the plays must leave the zone or die. Either way, it gives your team a better chance of winning.
Some tips and tricks for this ultimate goal:
- If the mech explodes too high in the sky the explosion won’t kill anyone, wait until you are relatively close to the ground to use the ultimate.
- Be wary of tanks like Reinhardt and Winston as their shield can absorb the blast, and instead aim it at their buttresses.
Ultimate (Beta): Call Mech
Describe: D.Va can summon her battle suit into action and return to combat.
This ending only takes 280 points and no more than 1 minute to earn because D.Va is very weak in its demo form. While some want to get back to the safety of their mech as quickly as possible, you can also use this ultimate goal for evil.
If you have time, you can find a DPS or support hero and summon the mech on top of them by standing next to them. This will instantly kill the enemy hero as the mech falling on someone deals 250 damage. It’s also one of the most embarrassing ways to get killed in Overwatch 2.
Some tips and tricks for this ultimate goal:
- There is a time delay of 0.91 seconds, so don’t be cocky because the enemy character can kill you when it enters the mech.
- If a D.Va is revived or uses self-destruct, this ultimate will be fully charged and ready to use immediately.
- The mech summon can be interrupted by crowd control effects like Brigitte’s Whip Shot or Orisa’s Javelin.
Overwatch 2 D.Va: gameplay breakdown
Although the D.Va is a rather old tank, its team-building role can be difficult to master in the overhauled Overwatch. In Overwatch 2, D.Va is forced to play a central role as the only tank for her team. Long gone are the days of her conquering the enemy’s back line or scouting alone to hunt down lone heroes. Now she needs to stick to her team and blob like glue.
This can be hard to remember because her rocket boosters are so adept at moving across the map quickly. Although you can no longer use these to get around yourself in trouble, they are very useful when it comes to diving fixtures. Dive combinations are an old idea for Overwatch, teams made up of heroes that can easily scale map levels and engage and separate from battles at a moment’s notice. In Overwatch 2, D.Va along with this fighting style is the preferred way to defeat the other team.
In general, D.Va’s primary role is to take care of her team. Use your defense matrix to block attacks or final attacks, missile boosters can be used to push enemy heroes away from weak teammates, and a mech serves as a great shield when your support has nowhere else to hide.