D.Va is one of the original Overwatch tanks and of course will be reappearing in Overwatch 2. To this day she is still one of the most solid picks for any team. She has a devastating Ultimate and incredible mobility, making her one of the easiest tanks to survive with as she can escape a fight swiftly and enter it again moments later.

She has been consistently one of the best tanks out there, but only if she's played right. D.Va is a bit more complicated to use effectively than some of the other tanks.

10. Know Your Counters

Reaper poses with his two shotguns

Knowing who can counter D.Va is key to winning a game. You'll greatly increase your survivability and effectiveness if you know who to avoid and when you'll need assistance from a team member.

  • Zarya - Zarya's beam can't be blocked even with Defense Matrix up. Staying away from Zarya is a mus--especially if her beam becomes charged up.
  • Mei - Similar to Zarya, Mei's freezing can't be stops by the Defense Matrix, rendering D.Va useless against it.
  • Winston - Although D.VA can generally handle Winston, his electricity passes through her Defense Matrix. It doesn't do much damage, but bypassing Defense Matrix makes it a threat.
  • Reinhardt - Since he uses a hammer, Defense Matrix has no effect on his attacks. Also, due to her size, D.Va is one of the easiest targets for Reinhardt to charge, so be wary when Reinhardt is on the field.
  • Roadhog - If he uses Chain Hook on D.Va, she's in trouble. Despite D.Va's massive health pool, Roadhogs gun will take out a huge chunk of damage up close, and if Roadhog pulls D.Va into close range with him and several of his allies, D.Va will become quickly overwhelmed.
  • Reaper - He's the tank killer. Reaper simply does too much damage at close range for D.Va to handle, even with effective use of Defense Matrix.

9. Who Does D.Va Counter

Hanzo runs with his bow and arrows

Knowing who D.Va is most effective against offers a huge advantage during a match.

  • Torbjorn - His turret is useless against her Defense Matrix, and D.Va can fly in and destroy Torbjorn's health bar with ease
  • Hanzo - Hanzo is best at range, but D.Va can get up close and personal. Even if Hanzo gets a few shots off, it won't matter because D.Va can easily do enough damage to eliminate him.
  • Widowmaker - Same as Hanzo, she needs to be at a range to be most effective, and D.Va can reach the high spots on a map just like Widowmaker.
  • Ana - D.Va is too mobile for Ana to handle. Even if she manages to hit D.Va with her sleep dark, she can't do enough damage to take D.Va out.

8. Self-Destruct In The Right Situations

D.VA jumps out of her mech to use her ultimate

Using D.va's Ultimate ability wisely is important; if your opponents are able to break line of sight or hide behind shields, the damage from Self-Destruct will be completely negated. Making sure the enemy can't use shields to protect themselves is a must. Even when it's used to get rid of two attackers or healers, Self-Destruct can be a major boon the battlefield. Often, your best option will be to fly the mech toward your enemies, activate Self-Destruct, and jump out as the mech continues forward and detonates on your enemies. This will often leave the opposing team with less time to react, and it will increase your chances of catching some enemies in the blast.

7. Push With Defense Matrix

D.VA jumps out of her mech to use her ultimate

Using Defense Matrix to push forward, hopefully with your team in tow, helps charge D.Va's Ultimate and protect your allies from the enemy barrage. This can be key in claiming Control Points, and it can often make the difference between an ally dying or surviving. Unlike other tanks, D.Va's blocking ability (Defense Matrix) is effective in a cone in front of her, making for a fairly forgiving bullet sponge. When D.Va charges at an enemy hero with her Defense Matrix active, they are often forced to retreat--unless they happen to be of her counters.

6. Use Defense Matrix Sparingly

D.VA jumps out of her mech to use her ultimate

We've talked about using it for a push, but don't just use it anytime you're getting shot. D.Va's Defense Matrix will last around two seconds, which isn't long, but it can be extremely effective against many Ultimates.

Consider Pharah's Ultimate. Barrage doesn't last long, but it does an immense amount of damage and is capable of wiping out a team, but Pharah is stationary during the attack. If D.Va has a fully charged Defense Matrix and is positioned well, she can neutralize most, if not all, of the attack, saving her whole team from devastation.

5. Be A Nuisance

D.VA jumps out of her mech to use her ultimate

D.Va has such great mobility and such a large health pool that she can regularly fly in with her Boosters, do a good bit of damage, and then retreat. Even if she can't take a hero out, it's often just as useful to force an enemy to retreat from a great position. Take Widowmaker, for example. If she's perched on a high ledge, picking off your allies, D.Va can use her Boosters to reach Widowmaker's position and challenge her. D.Va can be equally effective at threatening the enemy's support character. Even if D.Va can't take the support hero out, putting that kind of pressure on the enemy's healer can be invaluable.

4. Support Is Important

Mercy from Overwatch

Unfortunately, D.Va is one of the easier tanks to target and destroy. Even with her swift mobility, her hit box is massive, and to do any real damage, she needs to get close to the enemy team. This is why D.Va needs a healer close to her--or at the very least, D.Va should know where to retreat for healing after a skirmish.

Picking up Health Packs can help, but most characters out-damage D.Va in a fight--and even if she wins, her health will be significantly lower. This might make her seem fragile, but D.Va's ability to survive outside of her mech shouldn't be discounted. Also, healers can charge their Ultimates more quickly by working directly with D.Va, making the pairing advantageous for everyone involved.

3. Use Micro Missiles Against That Shield

Reinhardt is on the payload with his shield active

Is a Reinhardt carrying his teams towards the next Control Point, and nothing seems to be taking his shield down? Thisis where D.Va really shines. D.Va's Micro Missiles are extremely effective at shattering an enemy's shields. Her Micro Missiles aren't as effective against a single small target due to their spread, but enemy shields offer a large hitbox, allowing you to really get your money's worth from the ability. Micro Missiles are a great choice to use against enemy shields deployed by Orisa, Sigma, and Reinhardt. It might not fully take down their shields, but along with your allies' attacks, you'll break through the shields in no time.

2. Synergize Ultimates

D.VA jumps out of her mech to use her ultimate

Tanks are the core of any team, and making sure the team is working together is necessary to achieve victory. Working with teammates and combining Ultimates will do ferocious damage. With the right coordination, paired Ultimates can wipe out the enemy team with ease. Any ally Ultimate that immobilizes or groups the enemy team together pairs beautifully with D.Va's Self-Destruct. Mei's Blizzard, for example, freezes all enemy targets caught in its area of effect, allowing for an easy enemy team wipe when paired with D.Va's Self-Destruct.

Zarya's Graviton Surge provides a similar synergy, pulling any nearby enemies together for a few moments. They can still employ their defensive shield abilities, but if you then pair that with Sombra's EMP ability, it prevents enemies from deploying or activating their shields. D.Va's Self-Destruct can be easily avoided when used alone, but when synergized with other Ultimates, it can result in the oh-so-satisfying enemy team wipe.

1. Take The High Ground

D.VA jumps out of her mech to use her ultimate

Staying on high platforms usually pays off--you'll often catch unsuspecting enemies. Most characters that can reach the same high places as D.Va have no chance killing her by themselves, so D.Va's presence can act as an effective deterrent. Additionally, firing Micro Missiles from above could potentially bypass shields and do some real damage. While above, D.Va can also dive down on top of unsuspecting enemies and damage them with her Boosters, quickly finish them off with her Fusion Cannons, and safely return to her perch.