10 Best Overwatch 2 Heroes To Counter Zarya

Zarya is one of the strongest tanks in Overwatch 2, known for her barrier-based sustain, high damage potential, and ability to protect teammates. Her Particle Barrier and Projected Barrier absorb damage, allowing her to build energy and unleash devastating beam attacks. With Graviton Surge as a powerful crowd control ultimate, Zarya can turn fights in her team’s favor if left unchecked. However, despite her strengths, she struggles against heroes who can avoid charging her energy, bypass her barriers, or outmaneuver her in fights. In this article, we’ll break down the 10 best heroes to counter Zarya, focusing on those who can deny her charge, pressure her at range, and prevent her from taking over fights.

#10: Roadhog

Roadhog is a strong counter to Zarya because his Chain Hook allows him to isolate her from her team, forcing her into unfavorable fights. Since Zarya relies on maintaining energy from her barriers to deal high damage, Roadhog’s ability to wait out her bubbles and then hook her at the right moment makes it difficult for her to stay effective.

His Scrap Gun deals massive burst damage, meaning that if Roadhog lands a hook after Zarya’s barriers are down, he can quickly chunk her health before she has a chance to react. Even if Zarya tries to bubble herself to block the hook, Roadhog can bait out her barrier and then engage once it’s on cooldown.

Additionally, Take a Breather gives Roadhog strong sustain, allowing him to outlast Zarya’s high damage when she’s fully charged. Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can avoid giving her charge and force her into isolated fights, Roadhog’s hook, burst damage, and self-healing make him a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#9: Zenyatta

Zenyatta is a strong counter to Zarya because his Orb of Discord increases the damage she takes, making it easier for his team to burn through her health before she can sustain herself with barriers. Since Zarya relies on surviving long fights to build charge and dish out high damage, Zenyatta’s ability to amplify incoming damage forces her into difficult engagements.

His Orb of Destruction deals high burst damage, allowing him to chip away at Zarya from a safe distance, where she struggles to fight back effectively. Even if Zarya manages to get high charge, Zenyatta can still pressure her from range without feeding her more energy.

Additionally, Transcendence is a strong counter to Graviton Surge, as it can completely negate the follow-up damage from Zarya’s ultimate, saving his team from being wiped. Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can pressure her from a distance and limit her sustain, Zenyatta’s Discord Orb, long-range burst damage, and team-wide healing make him a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#8: Tracer

Tracer is a strong counter to Zarya because her high mobility allows her to avoid Zarya’s attacks and prevent her from building charge efficiently. Since Zarya relies on absorbing damage with her barriers to power up her Particle Cannon, Tracer’s ability to poke without fully committing makes it difficult for Zarya to maintain high energy.

Her Blink ability lets her quickly reposition, making it hard for Zarya to land consistent damage with either her beam or explosive fire mode. Even if Zarya gets high charge, Tracer can play around her range, avoiding direct engagements while still chipping away at her health.

Additionally, Recall allows Tracer to escape dangerous situations, preventing Zarya from securing kills even when she has high damage output. Pulse Bomb is also highly effective, as Zarya’s large hitbox makes it easy to stick, forcing her to waste a bubble or take heavy damage.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can avoid charging her energy and harass her from a distance, Tracer’s speed, mobility, and ability to control engagements make her a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#7: Junkrat

Junkrat is a strong counter to Zarya because his explosive damage can pressure her without directly feeding her charge. Since Zarya relies on absorbing damage with her barriers to build energy, Junkrat’s indirect, lobbed attacks make it difficult for her to time her bubbles effectively.

His Frag Launcher allows him to spam grenades from a distance, keeping Zarya under constant pressure without giving her free energy. Even if Zarya tries to block damage with her barrier, Junkrat’s grenades can bounce around her, dealing splash damage to her and her teammates.

Additionally, Steel Trap is useful for catching Zarya in place, preventing her from escaping when she’s under pressure. If Zarya tries to push aggressively, Concussion Mine can knock her away, forcing her to reposition and making it harder for her to stay in the fight.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can apply heavy damage without directly charging her up, Junkrat’s explosive spam, traps, and area denial make him a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#6: Bastion

Bastion is a strong counter to Zarya because his high burst damage can quickly melt through her health before she can effectively sustain herself with barriers. Since Zarya relies on absorbing damage to build charge, Bastion’s ability to deal overwhelming firepower in short bursts makes it difficult for her to stay alive long enough to capitalize on her energy.

His Assault Configuration (turret mode) deals massive sustained damage, allowing him to break through Zarya’s barriers quickly and punish her if she tries to push forward. Even if Zarya gets high charge, Bastion’s sheer damage output can eliminate her before she gets full value from it.

Additionally, Bastion’s Tactical Grenade can be used to knock Zarya away or force her to reposition, disrupting her ability to maintain control in a fight. If Zarya tries to set up a Graviton Surge play, Bastion can stay at a distance and continue outputting damage safely.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can pressure her with overwhelming firepower while avoiding unnecessary energy feeding, Bastion’s burst damage, high sustain, and ability to break barriers make him a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#5: Echo

Echo is a strong counter to Zarya because her high mobility and ranged burst damage allow her to pressure Zarya without feeding her energy. Since Zarya relies on absorbing damage with her barriers to build charge, Echo’s ability to poke from a distance makes it difficult for Zarya to gain energy efficiently.

Her Sticky Bombs and Focusing Beam combo is especially dangerous, as Zarya becomes vulnerable once her barriers are down. Even if Zarya tries to sustain through healing, Focusing Beam deals increased damage to targets below half health, quickly finishing her off.

Additionally, Flight allows Echo to stay out of Zarya’s effective range, making it difficult for her to hit Echo with her beam or grenade launcher. If Zarya uses Graviton Surge, Echo can easily escape with Flight or duplicate a tank hero to survive the engagement.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can avoid giving her charge and pressure her from long-range angles, Echo’s mobility, burst potential, and ability to evade danger make her a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#4: Widowmaker

Widowmaker is a strong counter to Zarya because her long-range precision allows her to pressure Zarya without feeding her charge. Since Zarya relies on absorbing damage with her barriers to build energy, Widowmaker’s ability to one-shot her before she can sustain herself makes her a major threat.

Her sniper rifle can deal massive headshot damage, allowing her to eliminate Zarya before she has a chance to get fully charged and become a threat. Even if Zarya tries to use barriers, Widowmaker can wait them out and take the shot once they expire.

Additionally, Widowmaker’s mobility with Grappling Hook lets her reposition quickly, keeping her out of Zarya’s effective range. If Zarya tries to push aggressively, Widowmaker can maintain distance and continue applying pressure from safe angles.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can avoid giving her charge and eliminate her before she becomes a problem, Widowmaker’s long-range firepower, mobility, and ability to take her down instantly make her a strong counter in Overwatch 2.

#3: Sombra

Sombra is a strong counter to Zarya because her Hack ability disables Zarya’s barriers, leaving her completely vulnerable to incoming damage. Since Zarya relies on her Particle and Projected Barriers to sustain herself and build charge, Sombra’s ability to shut them down makes it difficult for Zarya to be effective in fights.

Her Stealth allows her to flank and Hack Zarya before she can react, preventing her from using barriers at crucial moments. Even if Zarya is fully charged, Sombra can disable her energy gain by hacking her mid-fight, forcing her to rely only on her base damage, which is far less threatening.

Additionally, EMP is devastating against Zarya, as it removes her barriers and any shields from her teammates, making her team an easy target for follow-up damage. If Zarya tries to engage aggressively, a well-timed Hack can turn the fight against her instantly.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can disable her barriers and deny her charge, Sombra’s Hack, EMP, and ability to track her movements make her one of the best counters in Overwatch 2.

#2: Pharah

Pharah is a strong counter to Zarya because her aerial mobility allows her to attack from angles where Zarya struggles to fight back. Since Zarya relies on close-range combat to maximize her beam damage, Pharah’s ability to stay airborne makes it nearly impossible for Zarya to engage effectively.

Her Rocket Launcher deals high burst damage, allowing her to chip away at Zarya’s health without feeding her charge too easily. Even if Zarya tries to use her barriers to block damage, Pharah can wait them out and continue firing from a safe distance.

Additionally, Concussive Blast can be used to knock Zarya out of position, forcing her away from her team or making it harder for her to land shots. If Zarya uses Graviton Surge, Pharah can stay above the fight and continue applying pressure without being caught in the ultimate.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can attack from long range and deny her the ability to build charge, Pharah’s aerial control, burst damage, and ability to stay out of her reach make her one of the best counters in Overwatch 2.

#1: Reaper

Reaper is the best counter to Zarya because his high burst damage and lifesteal allow him to outtrade her in close-range fights, where she is most dangerous. Since Zarya relies on building charge and sustaining through fights with her barriers, Reaper’s ability to quickly burn through her health pool negates her survivability.

His Hellfire Shotguns deal massive damage up close, meaning that even if Zarya has high charge, Reaper can still outdamage her before she can eliminate him. His lifesteal gives him strong sustain, allowing him to absorb some of Zarya’s incoming damage while continuously healing himself.

Additionally, Wraith Form gives Reaper an easy escape, preventing Zarya from securing kills on him even when she has high energy. If Zarya uses Graviton Surge, Reaper can survive by activating Wraith Form and repositioning.

Since Zarya struggles against heroes who can outdamage her sustain and pressure her in close-range fights, Reaper’s burst firepower, lifesteal, and ability to escape make him the strongest counter in Overwatch 2.

Conclusion

Zarya’s barriers, high charge potential, and powerful Graviton Surge make her a formidable tank, but the right heroes can shut her down by denying her energy, pressuring her from range, and outdamaging her sustain. Reaper and Sombra are the best at punishing her close-range fights and disabling her barriers, while Pharah and Widowmaker can pressure her from a distance where she struggles to fight back. Junkrat and Bastion can overwhelm her with high burst damage, while Ana and Zenyatta can deny her healing and make her an easier target to eliminate. If Zarya is dominating your games, these 10 heroes will help you counter her charge, break through her defenses, and shut her down before she becomes a threat in Overwatch 2.