Zarya Build Guide “Are you in need of personal training?”

Last updated on Oct 09, 2023 at 13:29 by Elitesparkle 16 comments
General Information

Welcome to our guide for Zarya, a Support in Heroes of the Storm. Within these pages, you will find everything required to understand how best to play this hero, in both different map styles and team compositions.

1.

Zarya's Overview

Zarya is a Support who combines protective tools with strong offensive capabilities. She has a unique Basic Attack that allows her to hit multiple enemy targets at the same time. She can cast a Shield on herself or provide a Shield to allied Heroes, get Energy Icon Energy based on the damage absorbed by any of her Shields, and deal additional damage based on how much Energy has been stored, however, her Energy will slowly decay over time. As a consequence, in order to play Zarya effectively, it is important to predict incoming damage to cast Shields at the right moment, a move that will allow you to maximize both damage mitigation and Energy generation.

2.

Zarya's Strengths and Weaknesses

V Strengths
  • +High survivability
  • +Good damage output at high Energy Icon Energy
  • +Shields for allied Heroes
  • +Abilities are free
X Weaknesses
3.

Zarya's Talent Build Cheatsheet

Basic Attacks Build

Recommended
Level 1 Feel the Heat Icon
Level 4 I Am the Strongest Icon
Level 7 Pinpoint Accuracy Icon
Level 10 Expulsion Zone Icon
Level 13 Unstoppable Competitor Icon Spell Barrier Icon ?
Level 16 Born in Battle Icon
Level 20 Unyielding Defender Icon

Zarya's Basic Attacks Build boosts her damage from melee distance by empowering her Basic Attacks, which will deal even more damage at high Energy Icon Energy. Use this Build to melt the enemy frontline.

The signature Talent of this Build is Feel the Heat Icon Feel the Heat at Level 1. To get more value from it, you need the extra survivability and the additional Energy generation from I Am the Strongest Icon I Am the Strongest at Level 4.

Unstoppable Competitor Icon Unstoppable Competitor at Level 13 can be useful for removing Blind effects and other forms of crowd control, which will stop your Basic Attacks and/or prevent you to reposition.

Shield Ally Build

Advanced
Level 1 Together We Are Strong Icon
Level 4 Speed Barrier Icon Give Me Twenty Icon ? Defensive Shielding Icon ?
Level 7 Pinpoint Accuracy Icon
Level 10 Expulsion Zone Icon
Level 13 Pain is Temporary Icon Unstoppable Competitor Icon ? Spell Barrier Icon ?
Level 16 Cleansing Shield Icon Gain Train Icon ?
Level 20 Unyielding Defender Icon

Zarya's Shield Ally Build offers damage and utility for your team. Being playable from ranged distance, this Build can be used in a multitude of situations without fear of being punished.

When used correctly, Together We Are Strong Icon Together We Are Strong at Level 1 is extremely good for keeping your Energy Icon Energy high, allowing you to deal more damage with Basic Attacks and Abilities.

Speed Barrier Icon Speed Barrier at Level 4 is great for both defensive and offensive usage. When someone is in danger, use it in conjunction with Cleansing Shield Icon Cleansing Shield at Level 16 or simply to help them retreat. When everyone is safe, use it as a mobility tool for melee Heroes.

ARAM Build

ARAM
Level 1 Demolitions Expert Icon
Level 4 Give Me Twenty Icon
Level 7 Pinpoint Accuracy Icon
Level 10 Graviton Surge Icon
Level 13 Spell Barrier Icon
Level 16 Gain Train Icon
Level 20 Grenadier Icon

Zarya's ARAM Build offers damage and utility for your team. Being playable from ranged distance, this Build can be used in a multitude of situations without fear of being punished.

Once completed, Demolitions Expert Icon Demolitions Expert at Level 1 empowers your poke damage, especially after getting Pinpoint Accuracy Icon Pinpoint Accuracy at Level 7 and if you decide to pick Grenadier Icon Grenadier at Level 20.

4.

Zarya's Synergies and Counters

V Zarya synergizes with

As she can provide powerful Shields to allied Heroes, Zarya is good when paired with Heroes who suffer against burst damage: most Marskmen (notably Valla) and sustain Healers (such as Malfurion).

Heroes who lack mobility like to have Zarya on their side because she can give them Movement Speed thanks to Speed Barrier Icon Speed Barrier at Level 4.

A team featuring Zarya should prefer an Offlaner who has enough self-sustain to not need any help from their team and survive to enemy ganks (for example Yrel) when playing on any Map and that can also double soak (such as Leoric) when playing on 3-lane Maps.

X Zarya is countered by

Since she does not have mobility tools, Zarya is an easy target for enemy Heroes who do not have a reliable gap closer and can crowd control her, especially if they have access to displacement effects (such as Wrecking Ball Icon Wrecking Ball by Garrosh) to abuse her lack of mobility even more or Sleep effects that can be used to stall the team fight for a few seconds while her Shields wear off.

Considering that her Shields expire after few seconds, Zarya struggles against Heroes who can deal a constant amount of damage, either because they do not rely on their offensive Basic Abilities that much (such as Raynor) or because their Basic Abilities to deal damage have low cooldown (like Chromie).

When facing Zarya, your Offlaner needs to be able to mitigate a push made by 3-4 enemy Heroes while the reinforcements are coming. The best tools for doing so are waveclear and/or crowd control (for example Yrel).

5.

Zarya's Maps

Zarya's stronger maps
Battlefield of Eternity Braxis Holdout Hanamura Temple
Zarya's average maps
Alterac Pass Blackheart's Bay Dragon Shire Infernal Shrines Sky Temple Tomb of the Spider Queen Towers of Doom Volskaya Foundry
Zarya's weaker maps
Cursed Hollow Garden of Terror Warhead Junction

The fact that Zarya does not use Mana is great during the early game, therefore she is a fantastic pick on Maps where a good start can make the difference between a win and a loss (notably Braxis Holdout).

If your team has an Offlaner who can double soak (such as Xul), you can basically play Zarya on 3-lane Maps like when you are playing on 2-lane Maps, so just focus on a side lane and pressure the enemy team as much as you can.

6.

Zarya's Tips and Tricks

  • Particle Grenade Icon Particle Grenade should be fired when at high Energy to deal more damage or to interrupt enemies who are channeling an Objective.
  • Personal Barrier Icon Personal Barrier can be used to absorb damage from Structures in order to quickly fill your Energy Icon Energy.
  • Try to anticipate incoming damage when using Shield Ally Icon Shield Ally and Personal Barrier Icon Personal Barrier to maximize your Energy gain.
  • You can use Expulsion Zone Icon Expulsion Zone to block an enemy Hero in a corner.
  • Graviton Surge Icon Graviton Surge requires you to predict how enemy Heroes move, else it will miss them.
  • Zarya lacks mobility, therefore it is important to have a good position when enemy Heroes are nearby or missing.
  • Zarya's Basic Attacks hit all enemies in a straight line and therefore should be used to hit multiple Minions or Mercenaries when possible.
7.

Zarya's Role in the Current Meta

Zarya is a hybrid Hero with the survivability of a Bruiser, the potential to deal as much damage as a Ranged Assassin when high on Energy Icon Energy, and the utility of a Support.

When drafting her, make sure that your team composition will not lack a main Tank, a solid Offlaner, and a Healer because a Support like her cannot cover any of these key Roles.

It is better to pair her with a Marksman rather than a Mage, else your team will lack ranged sustain damage. Zarya should always be with a Marksman and help them with Shield Ally Icon Shield Ally when needed.

Since she can provide Shields, Zarya shines against burst compositions that feature a Mage who can deal burst damage (Jaina comes to mind) and sometimes even an aggressive Melee Assassin (such as Kerrigan).

8.

Changelog

  • 09 Oct. 2023 (talents page): Guide reviewed.
  • 09 Oct. 2023 (abilities page): Guide reviewed.
  • 09 Oct. 2023 (this page): Guide reviewed.
  • 21 Sep. 2023 (talents page): ARAM Build added.
  • 21 Sep. 2023 (this page): ARAM Build added.
  • 07 Jul. 2022 (talents page): Builds updated.
  • 07 Jul. 2022 (this page): Builds updated.
  • 28 Jan. 2022 (talents page): Builds updated.
  • 28 Jan. 2022 (this page): Builds updated.
  • 07 Dec. 2021 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Major Patch.
  • 07 Dec. 2021 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Major Patch.
  • 07 Dec. 2021 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Major Patch.
  • 28 Sep. 2021 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 28 Sep. 2021 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 28 Sep. 2021 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 06 Jul. 2021 (talents page): Builds updated.
  • 06 Jul. 2021 (this page): Builds updated.
  • 25 Feb. 2021 (talents page): New layout.
  • 23 Feb. 2021 (talents page): Builds and Talent Descriptions updated.
  • 23 Feb. 2021 (this page): Builds and Talent Descriptions updated.
  • 16 Feb. 2021 (talents page): Builds updated.
  • 16 Feb. 2021 (this page): Builds updated.
  • 12 Jul. 2020 (talents page): Talent Descriptions modified to better describe when to pick them.
  • 12 Jul. 2020 (abilities page): Ability and Strategy fully revised to match new standards.
    • Tips and Tricks modified to add important tips that were missing and to remove obvious ones that were not worth mentioning.
    • Ability Descriptions modified to better explain how to use Abilities effectively.
  • 12 Jul. 2020 (this page): Introduction fully revised to match new standards.
    • Overview rewritten to better describe the Hero.
    • Strengths and Weaknesses modified to give a better idea about the Hero when being played right.
    • Synergies and Counters modified to mention notable Heroes that were missing and to remove misleading Heroes that were listed.
    • Maps modified to focus on the main aspects of the Hero when evaluating a Map.
    • Tips and Tricks modified to list important tips that were missing before and to delete more obvious ones.
  • 16 Apr. 2020 (talents page): Talent Build partially revised to match new standards.
    • Talent Build and Talent Build Cheatsheet modified to reflect the current metagame.
    • Talent Descriptions modified to better describe when to pick them.
  • 16 Apr. 2020 (this page): Introduction partially revised to match new standards.
    • Talent Build Cheatsheet updated to reflect the current metagame.
    • Role in the Current Meta modified to remove the unnecessary part about the now fixed Experience Globes.
  • 14 Feb. 2020 (talents page): Updated Zarya's talents and revised the guide in accordance with the latest Balance Update.
  • 16 Dec. 2019 (this page): Added the current Anomaly (Experience Globes) to the guide.
  • 20 Nov. 2019 (talents page): Applied minor changes to Zarya's talents and maps sections to keep it up to date.
  • 23 May 2019 (talents page): Updated Zarya's talents and builds in accordance with the latest Balance Update.
  • 24 Oct. 2017 (this page): Updated Warhead Junction ranking and removed Energy build.
  • 16 Apr. 2017 (talents page): Added a new Anti Melee build, and updated some talent discussions to account for this build.
  • 31 Jan. 2017 (talents page): Changed some talent recommendations for Level 4 and 7.
  • 24 Nov. 2016 (talents page): Swapped Pain is Temporary and Unstoppable Competitor in talent recommendations.
  • 11 Nov. 2016 (this page): Zarya rework with the new guide format.
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