D.Va's Boosters Establish Her as the Supreme Aerial Defender

For a long time, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I played plenty of them with companions, but few held my interest. I was bad at shooting, and felt like more of a hindrance than aid to my squad. Subsequently, the release of Overwatch in 2016 happened and presented me with a hero and an ability that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who commands a MEKA, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. Widowmaker was more my style, with her dark aesthetic and monotone drawl. However D.Va possessed the advantage of being the role I prefer: a tank. The one who soaks up all that incoming fire while protecting damage-dealers and support classes. Better yet, D.Va has two forms: her out-of-mech state, in which she moves with a blaster, and her mech form, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. These two forms make her pretty unique, but there’s something else that makes her stand out among her fellow tanks, and is why I ultimately adored her: her melee and movement ability, Boosters.

Thrusters represent a skill that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, giving her a boost of speed and letting her advance through the air for 24 meters. Additionally, players may alter course while airborne, opting to rise onto a higher level or veer entirely and navigate past barriers like turns or the payload. This grants D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that no other defender can truly emulate — including Reinhardt with his charge ability. Her Thrusters is ideal for my approach: I like to soak up the damage and protect my team, while also being able to get out if it gets gnarly so I can regroup – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though that’s never really the case.

D.Va’s Boosters is not just for movility; it also inflicts harm to foes along the route.

An offensive component exists to the Thrusters skill. If enemies get in the way as activating Thrusters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by striking her directly with the mech. That serves as a lesson to attempt long-range attacks.

D.Va may not be the top defender in Overwatch 2 currently, particularly with characters like certain other tanks whose raw defensive abilities make them a better pick for present strategies. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I’ve ever played in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely that any a D.Va equivalent, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals since leaving Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for my next D.Va, and my next Boosters, for a long time. The truth is, after playing her for years, I feel like no future tank character as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as she is. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, character design and abilities are certainly not among them.

• The MEKA Pilot excels in mobility and disruption.
• Her Boosters provide unmatched aerial control.
• She can soak damage while creating opportunities for allies.
• Regardless of strategy changes, she remains a fan-favorite for her unique playstyle.