D.Va's Boosters Make Her the Supreme Flying Tank

Over many years, I was not a fan of online competitive titles. I played plenty of them with my friends, but none kept my attention. I was bad at shooting, and seemed more a liability than aid to my squad. Subsequently, 2016’s Overwatch arrived and introduced me to a hero and an skill that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. Widowmaker was more my style, with her gothic look and measured speech. But D.Va had the benefit of being the role I prefer: a tank. The one who soaks up all that incoming fire while shielding attackers and healers. Better yet, D.Va has two forms: her out-of-mech state, in which she runs around with a gun, and her MEKA configuration, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. These two forms make her quite distinctive, but another feature that sets her apart among her fellow tanks, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her melee and movement ability, Thrusters.

Boosters is an ability that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, giving her a boost of speed and allowing her to fly forward for a set distance. Additionally, players may change directions mid-flight, opting to rise onto a higher level or veer entirely and navigate past barriers like turns or the objective. This grants D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that no other defender can truly emulate — not even Reinhardt with his charge ability. Her Thrusters is ideal for my approach: I prefer to absorb attacks and defend allies, while also being able to get out if it gets gnarly so I can regroup – it makes me feel indestructible, even though that’s never really the case.

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

There’s even a damage element to the Thrusters skill. When opponents obstruct the path as you’re using Boosters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. I assure you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by striking her directly with your MEKA. That serves as a lesson to try and snipe you from afar.

The hero might not rank as the top defender in Overwatch 2 nowadays, especially when you’ve got heroes like Orisa and Ramattra whose raw defensive abilities make them a superior choice for the current meta. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I have experienced in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely that any a D.Va equivalent, and trust me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I have sought a replacement for D.Va, and my next Boosters, for years. The truth is, after playing her for years, I feel like there isn’t ever going to be as fun and innovative to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• D.Va excels in movement and interference.
• Her Thrusters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• She can absorb attacks while opening chances for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a beloved choice for her unique playstyle.