Overwatch Tips: How to Play D.Va

D.Va in Overwatch

D.Va is one of the tank characters you’ll be able to take control of in Overwatch. If you enjoy getting up close and personal with your foes, and being able to fly around the arena, and cause large explosions with your mech, D.Va is the character for you.

To start off, D.Va’s mech is equipped with dual fusion cannons, which will serve as her main mode of attack. However, the important thing to note is that these cannons are best effective at close or midrange. Shooting enemies from a distance is ineffective, as the damage drop-off is rather significant. If you want to deal the most damage in the mech, you’ll have to get closer to your foes. Your movement will slow down considerably whenever you’re firing the cannon, so be sure to let go of the trigger when you need more mobility.

Thankfully, she also has a boosting ability that will allow you to escape the battle quickly if you need to. You can boost in any direction she’s facing, including skywards, and this can be helpful if you need to escape and pick up a health pack. By boosting upwards, D.Va can also reach higher ground where she’ll be able to pick off long-range characters like Widowmaker or Pharah. If you want to use this ability more offensively, D.Va can even deal a bit of damage to foes with her boost, and knock them off ledges.

D.Va also has a Defense Matrix, where she can call up a personal shield to block incoming attacks. While this will not counter melee damage, Defense Matrix coupled with the boost can come in very handy if you’re trying to take down fast shooters like Bastion.

Lastly, her Ultimate ability allows you to eject from the mech and have it self-destruct, creating an explosion that covers a large radius. This is a move that you should use when you’re low on health, and surrounded by enemies. The explosion is so devastating, it’s almost sure to insta-kill any enemies standing nearby. However, while the explosion will not kill your allies, it’s important to note that D.Va herself can be killed by the explosion, so be sure to scramble for cover once you’ve left the mech.

In human form, D.Va is equipped with an automatic blaster. D.Va is significantly weaker without the mech, but she also moves a lot faster. Unlike the mech’s fusion cannon, the blaster doesn’t seem to suffer from damage drop-off, so I advise firing at your foes from a distance, since you’ll be easy to kill in this form. Once your Ultimate ability has charged up, call in another mech and start your assault again.

D.Va’s Abilities

Fusion Cannons – R2

There’s no need to reload when firing the cannons from the mech, but take note that your movement will be considerably slower while shooting.

Light Gun – R2

D.Va is equipped with the light gun when out of her mech. Stay out of reach, and continue pummeling them with bullets while taking cover behind your allies.

Boosters – L1

You can use these boosters to charge your enemies, or use them to escape a heated battle. It’s also worth noting that you can turn and change directions even when you’re in the middle of boosting. You can also cancel the boost by firing your weapon.

Defense Matrix – R1

This personal shield helps D.Va shoot incoming projectiles out of the air. This is particularly useful when facing off with characters like Bastion and Soldier 76.

Self-Destruct – Triangle

D.Va will eject from her mech, and it will self-destruct, causing an explosion in a very large radius. You can also choose the direction of D.Va’s ejection from the robot.

Call Mech – Triangle

Once your Ultimate ability has been charge up, D.Va can call down a new mech and become a tank character once again.

Backstory in Overwatch

Here’s D.Va’s official backstory in Overwatch, straight from Blizzard:

• Real Name: Hana Song, Age: 19
• Occupation: Pro Gamer (formerly), Mech Pilot
• Base of Operations: Busan, South Korea
• Affiliation: Mobile Exo-Force of the Korean Army

D.Va is a former professional gamer who now uses her skills to pilot a state-of-the-art mech in defense of her homeland.

Twenty years ago, South Korea was attacked by a colossal omnic monstrosity that rose from the depths of the East China Sea. The massive, lumbering construct caused catastrophic damage to coastal cities before it was driven back beneath the waves. In response, the South Korean government developed a mechanized armored drone unit, called MEKA, to protect urban environments in future engagements with the omnic threat.

The government’s fears proved to be well founded, as a disturbing pattern of attacks emerged. Every few years, the monstrosity would rise from the sea to assault South Korea and its neighbors. The omnic learned from these encounters, often reconfiguring itself in a different form and appearing with new weapons and capabilities. Each incident ended in a stalemate, with the monstrosity defeated but not destroyed.

As the omnic continued to adapt, it eventually disrupted MEKA’s drone-control networks, forcing the military to place pilots in the mechs. Scrambling to find suitable candidates, the government turned to the country’s professional gamers, who possessed the necessary reflexes and instincts to operate the mechs’ advanced weapons systems. Top stars were drafted, including reigning world champion Hana Song, also known as “D.Va.” Famous for her elite skills, D.Va was a fierce competitor who played to win at all costs, and she had a well-earned reputation for showing no mercy to her opponents.

Seeing her new mission as a game, D.Va fearlessly charges into battle alongside the rest of her MEKA unit, ready to spring to her nation’s defense at a moment’s notice. Recently, she has begun to stream combat operations to her adoring fans, and her growing following has turned her into a global icon.

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