How Do You Deal With Zarya’s Bubble? A Comprehensive Guide
Zarya’s Particle Barrier and Projected Barrier are two of the most impactful abilities in Overwatch 2, capable of turning the tide of a fight by granting temporary invulnerability and boosting her damage output. Understanding how to effectively counter Zarya’s bubbles is crucial for any player looking to improve their game. The core strategy revolves around intelligent target selection, damage control, and exploiting Zarya’s weaknesses. Instead of mindlessly firing at a bubbled target, you should aim to play around the bubble, focus fire other targets, and capitalize on windows of opportunity when the bubble is down.
Here’s a breakdown of how to effectively deal with Zarya’s bubbles:
- Prioritize Targets: The most important aspect of dealing with Zarya’s bubbles is to avoid shooting into them unless it’s absolutely necessary. Shooting her bubble only charges her Energy, increasing her damage significantly. Instead, focus on other targets that are not shielded, forcing Zarya to either use her bubble reactively, or risk taking substantial damage. Prioritizing non-bubbled targets forces the Zarya to either let her teammates die or use her bubbles suboptimally.
- Play In and Out: Don’t get locked into one engagement style. If Zarya bubbles herself, you can disengage and find a better angle to attack her teammates. If Zarya bubbles a teammate, shift focus to another unprotected target. You have to be willing to leap out of focus. A Zarya’s effectiveness is dramatically diminished if she cannot be charged via the bubble.
- Quick Kills: Heroes capable of securing quick first kills and dealing high sustained damage are effective against Zarya. This is especially true if you can punish her quickly for any aggressive positioning with charged energy. Ashe, for example, is a strong counter due to her high damage output.
- Coordinate with Your Team: If a teammate is about to be eliminated while bubbled, then you may need to make the decision to take the hit. Focus fire on a bubbled enemy if you can guarantee the kill, such as when a Genji is about to unleash his Dragonblade. However, be aware that this will also charge Zarya. Always be mindful of the trade-off between securing the kill and potentially powering up Zarya.
- Exploit Zarya’s Short Range: Zarya’s Particle Cannon has a limited range, making her susceptible to long-range attacks. Utilize heroes like Widowmaker, Soldier: 76, or Ashe to poke her from a distance, forcing her to approach your team while giving your team time to react to her advance.
- Track Bubble Cooldowns: Zarya’s Particle Barrier lasts for 2 seconds, and has a 10 second cooldown, while her Projected Barrier has a 8 second cooldown. Keeping track of these cooldowns can give you an opening to exploit when she’s vulnerable. If you are aware that Zarya’s bubble is on cooldown, you may decide to play more aggressively.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Zarya’s Bubble
1. How long does Zarya’s bubble last?
Zarya’s Particle Barrier and Projected Barrier last for 2 seconds.
2. How much damage does Zarya’s bubble absorb?
Zarya’s bubble has 200 health, meaning it absorbs up to 200 damage before breaking.
3. How much energy does Zarya gain from her bubble?
Zarya gains 1 energy per 5 shield damage taken. The maximum energy she can gain from a single bubble use is 40.
4. What happens when you shoot Zarya’s bubble?
Shooting Zarya’s bubble increases her Energy, which significantly increases her damage output. It’s usually best to avoid shooting her bubble unless necessary.
5. Can D.Va’s Defense Matrix stop Zarya’s beam?
No, D.Va’s Defense Matrix does not stop Zarya’s beam. The matrix can block projectiles, but not continuous beam attacks.
6. Does Winston’s Tesla Cannon go through Zarya’s bubble?
No, Winston’s Tesla Cannon does not go through Zarya’s bubble. It will damage the bubble and charge her energy.
7. Can you break Zarya’s bubble with a D.Va bomb?
A D.Va bomb will only bring Zarya’s bubble to around 50%. The only way to max out her charge is to shield yourself and another person and have you both get hit by damage.
8. Can Reinhardt’s Hammer go through Zarya’s bubble?
With Rein’s new buff, his ultimate can now completely ignore Zarya’s bubbles. She’ll still take the shockwave damage and be stunned.
9. Can Ramattra’s punches go through Zarya’s bubble?
No, Ramattra’s punches do not go through Zarya’s bubble. His punches will go through shields but not bubbles.
10. Does Symmetra’s beam charge Zarya’s bubble?
No, Symmetra’s beam does not charge Zarya’s bubble. Her beam, unlike other beams, only does damage, but does not charge a shield, like other projectiles would.
11. What DPS heroes are good against Zarya?
Heroes that excel against Zarya are those that can deal with her range and high damage when she is charged. Ashe is a strong counter due to her high sustained damage, while Echo is great for being able to stay out of Zarya’s range and poking her. Flank heroes can also be useful as they can take advantage of the fact that Zarya has limited mobility.
12. How should Orisa play against Zarya?
As Orisa, avoid shooting the bubbled target, focus fire on overextended enemies, and concentrate fire on Zarya when she is highly charged. Use your javelin to keep her at a distance.
13. How to counter Zarya as Winston?
As Winston, you should play against her playstyle, not her directly. This means cutting off her support, leaping out of focus, and focusing down the other members of her team. Avoid engaging her directly as that can be a death sentence for Winston.
14. At what energy does Zarya do the most damage?
At 0 energy, Zarya’s beam deals 85 damage per second, and at 100 energy it deals 170 damage per second. Her damage scales linearly between these two values.
15. Can you shoot Zarya while she is reloading with her shield up?
Yes, if Zarya reloads while her shield is up, you can shoot through the shield to kill her. This tactic negates the shield’s benefit and forces her to start from zero charge.
By understanding these core strategies and frequently asked questions, players can learn how to effectively deal with Zarya’s bubbles, ultimately improving their gameplay and contributing more to their team’s success in Overwatch 2. Remember, strategic thinking, good communication, and team coordination are always key to victory.