Overwatch Zarya guide

Zarya is a tank who turns other people’s damage into her own. The bubble is the whole hero. The cannon is what you do after the bubble was earned.

Hero kits get patched. The names below are the durable version of the hero: projected barriers, a particle cannon that gets stronger with energy, and Graviton Surge. If a patch renames a button, keep the rule and update the button.

Bubble damage, not air

A barrier that expires untouched did nothing. Use it when a stun, a hook follow-up, or a piled ultimate is about to land. Throwing it on cooldown at a full-health ally in cover is how Zarya stays at low energy and feels weak.

You have a personal bubble and a projected bubble. Track both. If both are down, you are not a front line. You are a slow target.

Energy is a window, not a personality

High energy is the moment the cannon matters. Use it on the fight in front of you. Do not wander off to build a new percentage while your team fights without a tank.

Low energy means you wait for a real bubble. It does not mean you walk into six people to “build charge.”

Graviton is a commit

Graviton Surge pulls people together. It is worth using when your team can hit the group, not when you want a highlight alone. Look for the ally ultimate or the cooldown that follows it before you press it.

If you use it and nobody can shoot the group, that was a solo button. Call it earlier next time, or hold it.

One review question

After a loss, ask whether your bubbles were on people who were taking damage. If they were, look at the cannon. If they were not, the cannon was never going to save it.

Common questions

When should I use a bubble?

When damage is about to happen, not when a button is available. A bubble with nothing hitting it gives you no energy.

Should I bubble myself or a teammate?

Bubble the person who is about to take the damage. That is sometimes you. It is often the ally who just stepped in.