Energy-based tank who gains damage output from absorbing hits with bubbles on herself and allies. Core of Zarya-enabled dive and brawl comps; Graviton Surge is a team-wipe ultimate.
Abilities
Particle Cannon Energy beam (primary) or arcing grenade (secondary) with damage scaling on energy.
Particle Barrier Projects a shield on herself, absorbing damage to gain energy.
Projected Barrier Projects a shield on an ally, absorbing damage to gain energy.
Graviton Surge Launches a gravity bomb that pulls all nearby enemies together.
Meta Analysis
Consistent across ranks (Master vs Silver: -1.0%), with a neutral skill curve. Relatively even across game modes (Control 50.6% to Push 48.8%). Best on Oasis, Samoa, Antarctic Peninsula — maps characterized by high-ground and open terrain, where their vertical mobility finds more angles in elevated terrain and open airspace. Struggles most on Numbani and Watchpoint Gibraltar (open, aerial, multi-flank, high-ground, chokepoint maps). Banned far more on Hybrid maps (55.8% avg) than on Flashpoint (48.7%).
Win Rate by Rank
Ban Rate by Rank
(as of 2026-07-26)
Win Rate by Map (All tiers) (per-map data as of 2026-07-26)
Playing Zarya? Strongest maps: Oasis, Samoa, Antarctic Peninsula.
Kit fit (✓✓ … ✗✗) rates how well Zarya's abilities suit each map's mode and geometry — independent of the observed win rates.
Map Mode Win rate ↓ ± avg Kit fit Bans
Oasis Control 52.5% +2.5% ✓✓ 51.5% Oasis's enclosed interiors bring every fight into Particle Cannon range
Samoa Control 52.1% +2.1% ✓ 51.7% Control's single compact point on Samoa forces the close-range scraps Particle Cannon wins
Antarctic Peninsula's enclosed interiors bring every fight into Particle Cannon range
Havana Escort 51.3% +1.3% ✗ 55.5% Nepal Control 51.0% +1.0% ✓✓ 51.2% Busan Control 50.9% +0.9% ✓✓ 53.9% Midtown Hybrid 50.3% +0.3% – 56.9%↑ Aatlis Flashpoint 50.1% +0.1% ✓✓ 48.6%↓ Paraiso Hybrid 50.1% +0.1% ✗ 58.2%↑ Rialto Escort 50.1% +0.1% – 53.9% Dorado Escort 49.0% -1.0% – 56.5%↑ Suravasa Flashpoint 48.9% -1.1% ✓✓ 47.4%↓ Zarya has to cross Numbani's choke-gated attack corridors under fire before Particle Cannon can work
Ilios Control 46.8% -3.2% ✓ 48.4%↓ On paper Control's single compact point on Ilios forces the close-range scraps Particle Cannon wins — but the numbers disagree (-3.2pp vs their average).
