July 20, 2023
Zenyatta is a unique support healer due to his strong DPS potential. His projectile orbs deal a significant amount of damage, especially when charged, and can reduce enemy defenses. Zenyatta is a good choice for players who want to keep away from the front lines.
Even though Zenyatta is a great Hero at a distance, if cornered, it can be hard for him to maneuver out of danger easily.
He does have a pretty hefty melee kick that can push enemies back, but it is not foolproof. With his slow movement speed, it can be hard to survive dangerous encounters, so let’s take a closer look at his abilities to better understand the character, so you can stay vigilant.
Orb of Discord
Launch this orb at an enemy to increase the damage they take.
This ability sets Zenyatta apart from other Heroes since it causes enemies to become more vulnerable. In a game like Overwatch, being able to survive small amounts of damage here and there so a healer can rush to you and keep you up is how you win the game. However, Zenyatta’s orb of discord makes it that much harder to survive. When hit with the Orb of Discord, enemies will take increased damage making them more likely to have their health depleted faster.
When using the Orb of Discord, it is best to be vocal to your team about where it is being placed so that the opponent can be focused and taken down more quickly. This is especially useful when going up against meaty tanks, so you can drop their health bar quickly and send them back to spawn.
Orb of Harmony
Launch this orb at an ally to heal them.
This ability makes Zenyatta a healer – it is his most important move. This ability will slowly heal allies that receive it. This effect will last indefinitely as long as the target stays within Zenyatta’s line of sight or until Zenyatta chooses a new recipient by casting a new Orb of Harmony.
If the target moves out of Zenyatta’s line of sight, as long as they hop back within a few seconds, it will keep Zenyatta from having to recast. It is a good idea to have an Orb of Harmony in use at all times, especially since they provide comparatively low healing.
Orb of Destruction
Primary Fire: Energy projectile weapon; Alt-Fire: Charge to release more projectiles
Even though Zenyatta is a healer, his Orb of Destruction ability will have some people classifying him as a DPS Hero. Zenyatta’s orbs do not have a drop-off in damage, and they are capable of some pretty strong headshots, so sticking to the back of the pack and picking at enemies far away is a great way to help lead your team to victory.
The alternate fire allows Zenyatta to fire multiple orbs at once, and they are strong enough to potentially take out a hero who is at full health.
It takes some time to charge the alt dire ability, and the charge does not hold infinitely, so it may take some time to get the timing right.
This ability also takes down shields pretty well, so it may help if Zenyatta focuses on shielded characters before turning his attention elsewhere.
Transcendence (Ultimate Ability)
Become invulnerable, move faster, and heal nearby allies.
This is one of the best ultimates in the game. This ability can save the party not just from regular gunfire but also from opposing team ultimates. The amount of healing and the speed with which Zenyatta generates it can counter some of the tougher ultimates that do damage over time.
While using Transcend, Zen is immune to damage, although he can still get snatched by Roadhog’s hook. Keep moving to keep the enemy on their toes.
Snap Kick
Quick melee damage increased by 50%, and its knockback significantly increased.
This is Zenyatta’s melee attack that allows him to kick a single target and knock them backward. This is especially useful on maps with open edges like Ilios. If you can sneak up on an enemy, it can be especially effective.
Tips and Tricks
- When using the Orb of Discord, be sure to call out who you’re discording to give your team a heads up. This will help focus your team’s attention more to melt the opponent’s health bar quickly. This is especially good for difficult enemies or enemies that are focusing Zenyatta.
- Be sure to have an Orb of Harmony out at all times. It does not provide a lot of heals, but making sure it is always active will provide heals over time to compensate for the limited healing.
- Be sure to keep at a distance to launch Orb of Destruction to keep Zenyatta out of danger. With these orbs not having a damage drop-off, Zenyatta can safely stay back and pick away at an enemy’s health bar. If you use Alt-Fire to charge the attack, you can do away with lower defense characters like Genji or Tracer instantly.
- Transcendence is best used when timed to counter an opposing team’s ultimate ability. When timed correctly, you can spare your team from what would be a team kill and continue pushing forward.
- Snap Kick is especially useful on maps that have drop offs to sneak up on an enemy and knock them back right off the edge and back into spawn.
Zenyatta is great for users who like to play the back line. Just be sure to stay mobile, so you don’t get caught off guard by an opponent, and be sure to keep your team within your line of sight, so you can make sure your abilities are most effective.