Overwatch 2 Zarya guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock

Overwatch 2 Zarya guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I can confidently say that Zarya is one of the most satisfying tank characters to play in Overwatch 2. Her ability to absorb damage and dish it back out with her powerful Particle Cannon makes me feel like a veritable Russian juggernaut on the battlefield.


In the game Overwatch 2, Zarya is an incredibly robust tank character who excels at both absorbing damage and dishing it out with her powerful energy beam. However, due to her high skill requirement, learning how to effectively utilize her playstyle and abilities can be challenging. To help you become a master of Zarya, here are some helpful tips.

Abilities explained

Overwatch 2 Zarya guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock

NameTypeEffect
Particle CannonPrimary FireShort-range linear beam weapon
Particle Cannon Alt FireSecondary FireEnergy grenade launcher
EnergyHero PassiveDamage blocked by barriers increases Particle Cannon damage
Particle BarrierAbilityCreate a damage barrier around you
Projected BarrierAbilityCreate a damage barrier around an ally
Graviton SurgeUltimateLaunch a gravity well that pulls enemies to it
Role: TankRole PassiveReduces knockbacks and critical damage received. Less ultimate generated by healing and damage received

Tips for playing Zarya

In the right hands, Zarya becomes an overwhelming presence on the battleground. As a tank, it’s crucial for you to take in the majority of the damage for your team.

Position yourself at the forefront of your team with a healer situated behind you. Absorb as much harm as feasible by activating the particle barrier, as this damage will enhance the potency of your weapon’s laser.

If a hero on your team is taking heavy damage and being focused by the enemy team, deploy the protective shield to alleviate their pressure. This brief respite gives the healing member of your team an opportunity to restore their health.

Remember that Zarya can’t create a shield for herself in this situation, so focus on assaulting opponents with your powerful beam instead. She can only use her particle or projected barriers separately, not simultaneously.

Overwatch 2 Zarya guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock

If a group of adversaries are clustered together, it would be wise to employ an energy grenade. This tactic will inflict substantial damage on them, giving you a small sense of triumph too.

A more effective approach when handling groups can be employing Zarya’s ultimate ability, the Graviton Surge. Upon activation, it attracts surrounding enemies towards you and immobilizes them. Coordinate with your team members to time their ultimates accordingly.

As a gamer, I found an effective strategy using D.Va’s Self-Destruct and my Graviton Surge. When enemies are caught in the heat of my ultimate ability, it results in a devastating combo that wipes them out swiftly!

In this specific case, Doomfist can effectively utilize his ultimate ability. Conversely, Reinhardt’s ultimate might not yield as much benefit, although it could momentarily halt their gunfire since the Gravitron Surge doesn’t entirely incapacitate targets.

How to unlock Zarya in Overwatch 2

Zarya is a free hero, and is unlocked from the start of the game.

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2024-07-31 18:12