Is D.Va Still a Good Pick in Competitive Plays?

Yes, she is still very much viable in the ladder now after her matrix buff recently. During the double shield meta back then, DVa is nearly abandoned in high rank games as she is so much at a disadvantage compared to off tanks with shield like Sigma. In this guide, we will show you several abilities and strategy tips on how to play DVa effectively in competitive matches.

Which main tank D.Va works best with?

As classic dive comp, even for the meta now, DVa and Winston combo can still see some plays. This dive comp also works best with diving DPS such as Genji and Tracer.

In most other games, DVa works best with a shield tank such as Reinhardt or Orisa. Similar to other off tanks, you can go on to create space while your main tank provide shields for your team.

You do not want to see DVa + Roadhog or DVa + Wrecking ball comp; They just don’t work well in the meta. Shield is still very much mandatory now in the current competitive meta.

When do you use Matrix?

The most important use of DVa’s Matrix is when an enemy use an offensive ult such as Reaper’s Death Blossom, Mccree’s Deadeye, Pharah’s Barrage, Zaya’s Graviton Surge, etc. Using your Matrix this way can usually nullify the ult entirely and turn the fight around.

When you and your team are walking pass a choke point, use your Matrix to help reducing the damage taken by your team and help buying time for your team to go pass the choke. Matrix sometimes works better than a shield when the incoming damage is so heavy (esp Bation’s bunker) that the shield breaks in a sec or two.

Try to also use your Matrix to help your support when they are engaged by flankers like Tracer or Genji, and to absorb common projectiles such as opponent’s Reinhardt Firestrike.

At any other time, just try to absorb incoming projectiles that are not projected by shield. Use your Matrix wisely and don’t waste it as you will need it to deal with opponent’s ult.

D.Va Boosters tips

If your opponent team is at an elevated area, you can use your boosters to attempt pushing one or two of them down and away from their team. This will create space for your DPS to finish them off.

You can also use your boosters to chase after snipers such as Widowmaker, Hanzo, Ashe, or just any left alone enemy player.

If your Matrix ran out, you can use boosters to body block Pharah’s Barrage to force a trade (her barrage AOE would do damage to herself in close impact). This should kill her most of the time if she doesn’t move her barrage away from you.

When there is an opportunity, try to use your booster to push enemies near a cliff or a hole for environmental kill.

At any other time, try to boosters up to the sky during a fight or on the objective to pull attention from the enemy team and force them to look up. This will create space for your team.

D.Va Self Destruct

Practice throwing DVa self destruct so that you can land it perfectly on places where hiding from it is nearly impossible. You can use your self destruct before or during a teamfight to disrupt enemy team’s attention and give time and space for your team to finish them off. Doing it correctly would usually help your team win the fight even if your ult doesn’t kill anybody.

Don’t waste your self-destruct on fight where your team has already lost the fight and you are the only few that are still alive. Save your ult, regroup and attempt the fight with your ult again.

In some rare cases where you can’t afford to die (during overtime on a payload or a point), you can use your self destruct to re-mech and buy your teammates time to retake the objective.

Conclusion

The meta will keep changing and we wouldn’t know if DVa will or will not be in the meta again. But, I believe the tips shared above will still be applicable regardless the meta if you decide to use DVa in the game.