Overwatch 2: The Best 10 Counters For Zarya

If you're an Overwatch 2 player, Zarya is a tank hero that's hard to escape from. Often times, she is either on your team, on the enemy team, or both, due to her incredible utility and powerful skillset. She can be a scary opponent to deal with for most players, as her abilities include a barrier on either herself or an ally, and damaging the barrier powers up her attack.

Overwatch 2: 10 Best Counters To Play

Learn all about the best counters in Overwatch 2!

However, all hope is not lost. There are a number of characters that can counter Zarya's intimidating defense, ranging across all three roles. These are our top picks to deal with Zarya in Overwatch 2.

10 Widowmaker

One of the game's iconic DPS heroes, Widowmaker is a great counter to Zarya due to a combination of her range and damage. As a sniper, she can do massive damage from afar with her Widow's Kiss rifle, and you don't need to worry about taking damage from Zarya.

Plus, with how far away you are, the opposing Zarya will likely be unable to predict your shots or where they are coming from, so them putting a shield on your targets is not an issue.

If you're having trouble aiming with Widowmaker compared to other heroes, the settings menu lets you individually adjust each hero's control settings, from sensitivity to reticle type. Try experimenting!

9 Pharah

Pharah rains down rockets from the sky as a DPS hero, which is a great way of staying out of Zarya's reach. Pharah's rockets do great single target damage, as well as splash damage around the area of impact, so perfect aim isnot vital. As long as you hit the general area around an enemy, they will take damage.

Overwatch 2: Pharah Hero Guide

Here's how you can rain justice from above with the hero of the skies, Pharah.

You also have access to a mine that can push characters away from each other, so you can seperate Zarya from her allies and other potentially shielded enemies. Pharah's ultimate ability, Barrage, is also perfect for dealing with Zarya, as even if Zarya puts up a shield, the Barrage will do enough damage to break through and eliminate her.

8 Moira

A healer hero, Moira is a solid counter to Zarya due to Moira's ease of use and lack of projectiles. Moira's damage dealing ability is Biotic Grasp, in which she siphons the life force from her target. Because this ability isn't projectile based, there is no chance of accidentally hitting Zarya, or another enemy's, shield.

As a healer, you are also providing utility to the team, able to heal any damage Zarya does to your allies, while dishing out some damage of your own. And if things get too hairy, you can always use your Fade ability to escape from trouble, becoming invisible, invincible, and increasing your movement speed.

7 Reaper

Reaper is a DPS hero whose main role is to deal massive damage to tanks. While this can be detrimental against Zarya, as any damage dealt to her shield will give her a huge increase in damage, the payoff is worth it, as if you manage to avoid shooting the shield, you'll have her down in no time.

As a bonus, Reaper heals himself every time he does damage, so you'll be able to sustain yourself if there is no healer nearby.

6 Bastion

Similar to Reaper, Bastion is a DPS hero whose main advantage is his massive damage output. While not as deadly as his Overwatch counterpart, he can still pack a punch to any character, tanks included.

Overwatch: 5 Underrated DPS Heroes (& 5 That Are Overrated)

Though many DPS Overwatch Heroes are hyped to no end, a few have gone under the radar when it comes to player preference.

Simply use your Configuration: Assault ability to turn into a moving gatling turret and out-damage any shield Zarya could put up.

Combine Bastion's turret mode with a Mercy damage boost for some serious firepower.

5 Illari

A relative newcomer to the Overwatch 2 roster, Illari is a healer that functions a lot like a DPS. Armed with her Solar Rifle, you are able to output high hitscan damage to other players. This is similar to how Widowmaker is a good counter for Zarya, as one of the best ways to deal with Zarya's is to use high damage in short bursts, because it means Zarya putting up the shield is less of an issue.

Illari's ultimate, Captive Sun, allows you to fire a solar ball at enemies, which then explodes, causing damage. This is useful as, even though you are a healer, you can focus most of your abilities on being offensive, and take out multiple enemies at once with your ultimate, be they Zarya or allies around her.

4 Echo

A swift and pesky DPS hero, Echo is a perfect counter for Zarya's range. While her beam can travel far, Echo is able to out-maneuver it and take to the skies, similar to Pharah. She also has many damaging abilities, like her Sticky Bombs and Focusing Beam, that deal high damage while being able to easily avoid touching Zarya's bubble.

Most importantly, Echo's ultimate, Duplicate, allows her to become any other hero on the battlefield, be they friend or foe. You can become Zarya and counter her that way, or even take on the form of a direct Zarya counter that you already have on the team.

3 Reinhardt

Reinhardt's strength against Zarya is in dealing with her ultimate, Graviton Surge. Her ultimate is deadly, as it shoots a gravity well that pulls every enemy into a group, leaving them wide open to an assault from the enemy.

Overwatch 2: Reinhardt Hero Guide

A team is only as good as its tank. Here's how to best utilize Reinhardt in your groups.

This is where Reinhardt shines. His signature ability is his massive shield, where he can block almost every ranged attack in the game behind it. If Zarya uses her ultimate, simply have Reinhardt hold up his shield and be safe from the incoming attack.

2 Lucio

Similar to Reinhardt, Lucio shines in negating Zarya's ultimate. Lucio's own ultimate, Sound Barrier, covers every ally in a large vicinity in a protective barrier. This is a very effective counter against any damage you could take in the game, and Zarya's Graviton Surge is no exception.

Simply pop that ultimate and ride out the Graviton Surge. Combine this with something like Reinhardt's shield, the enemy team cannot touch you.

1 Winston

Winston, one of the first heroes revealed in the original Overwatch trailer, has been in the game since it's beta, and is still the best counter to Zarya. Combining aspects of what makes other heroes good counters, his main weapon, Tesla Cannon, is a stream of electricity that has no chance of accidentally hitting a barrier, as long as you can see it.

Simply shoot at Zarya when it is off, and if it is on, leap away. He also has a defensive ability, Barrier Projector, that protects against normal attacks, as well as being a great counter to Zarya's ultimate.

Finally, Winston's ultimate, Primal Rage, sees him gain a massive amount of health and put his Tesla Cannon away in favor of his fists, allowing him to knock enemies away. Zarya troubling you? Primal Rage and knock her off the edge of the map.

Overwatch 2: Zarya Hero Guide

Zarya is a powerful Tank Hero who uses barriers to protect her allies in Overwatch 2. Here are a few tips and tricks for getting the hang of Zarya.