Overwatch 2 follows up Blizzard Entertainment's popular Hero First-Person Shooter with a sequel that features many returning characters, such as the honor-bound aerial soldier Pharah. She may not be one of the best starting characters for beginners in Overwatch 2, but players that are drawn into the thrill of her flight mechanics will be more than satisfied with how this hero has been redesigned slightly going into this title. There are plenty of tricks involved when learning to master Pharah's momentum and damage while bombarding enemy team with rockets from high altitude.

Pharah hails from Giza, Egypt, as part of a private security firm named Helix Security International before joining the titular hero group Overwatch later on. Her iconic Raptor Mark VI armor comes equipped with Hover Jets that see her ascend high into the air with masterful control. Players looking to give Pharah a try in Overwatch 2 should be aware that there are many challenges to mastering this unique method of mobility. Hit-scan heroes such as Soldier 76 or the newly added Sojourn in Overwatch 2 oftentimes counter Pharah as she flies exposed in the air, players must exercise some degree of patience when approaching enemy teams.

Related: Overwatch 2's New Heroes Will Be Locked Behind The Battle Pass

Once again in the role of a Damage hero, Pharah has been given some buffs along with the role going into Overwatch 2. All Damage characters in the game now gain a 25% movement and reload speed bonus after an elimination, allowing Pharah to dart around maps even more than usual. Pharah herself has been given more kickback to her abilities, increasing the reload speed of her primary fire when she runs out of ammo. Despite the many existing fixes applicable to Overwatch 2's Damage class, Pharah still provides unique gameplay options in comparison to other heroes, now even more focused with the overall changes to the game from the previous title.

Strategies for Playing Pharah in Overwatch 2

The primary ideas players should take note of when playing Pharah in Overwatch 2 relate to her projectile damage, incredible knockback ability, and utilizing her flight to reposition around enemy teams. Every shot of Pharah's Rocket Launcher does exactly what players would expect - fire a long range projectile that deals massive damage in an explosive burst near opponents. Traveling at a decent speed, Pharah's shots have a space between them, not firing rapidly like the Pulse Pistols of Overwatch 2's other Damage hero Tracer, but rather in controlled succession. Rockets shots spread out evenly but calculated players devastate team formations that spread thin, allowing Pharah to pick off enemies that have strayed far from their group.

Get Into the Sky with Jump Jet

Adding to the upward trajectory of Pharah's flight, Jump Jet is an ability that launches the hero straight up in a boost that recharges after a small cooldown. Players are able to immediately hold their jump input to trigger the Hover Jets mentioned earlier to stay at the height they reached using Jump Jet. With enough care in the angles taken and proper timing, Jump Jet can be used to take new paths in the map, reaching sections or getting to an objective faster than other members of Pharah's team. Similar to the Wall Climb ability of fellow Damage hero Genji in Overwatch 2, the increased choices that come from Pharah's mobility give players a level of freedom when navigating each map to reposition.

Knock Opponents Off the Map with Concussive Blast

The biggest threat to Pharah in Overwatch 2 remains a team that groups up well, hiding behind the defenses of their Tanks to easily eliminate Pharah while she is exposed in the air. However, with Concussive Blast, players deliver a projectile that repels foes away from each other on impact. Mostly used to score sneaky eliminations by knocking enemy heroes off of the map entirely, Concussive Blast can also be used strategically to separate allies from Support healers. Heroes such as Brigitte in Overwatch 2 rely on aura effects on teammates close to them, so Concussive Blast's disrupts that synergy when used effectively.

Rain Justice from Above with Barrage

The ultimate ability in Pharah's toolkit is Barrage, an onslaught of miniature rockets that spread across a large area for massive damage to anyone near the explosions. An infamous move that has been used to wipe out entire teams in the past, Barrage retains its potency in Overwatch 2, still dealing great damage and breaking barriers through sheer destructive potential. Unfortunately, Pharah remains vulnerable during Barrage, meaning players have to find the right opportunity to use it without being easily countered. The change to 5v5 modes in Overwatch 2 does make it easier for players to surprise enemy teams with Barrage, but a well-placed shield could cause overzealous players to accidentally eliminate themselves if Barrage is used too close to a wall. Those looking to use the best strategies with the heroic defender of justice in Overwatch 2 should anticipate an enemy team's wariness against her impressive mobile flight and damaging rockets before taking one too many risks.

Next: Overwatch 2 Final Preview: Kiriko's Support & Battle Pass Explained

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  Overwatch 2

  Developer:

  Blizzard Entertainment

  Franchise:

  Overwatch

  Genre:

  First-Person Shooter

  Platform:

  Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

  Publisher:

  Blizzard Entertainment

  ESRB:

  T

  Released:

  2022-10-04

  Multiplayer:

  Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op

  Summary:

  Overwatch 2 is the sequel to the Blizzard team-based PVP shooter released in 2016. Overwatch 2 will completely supplant the original entry, shuttering the prior title in favor of 2. This sequel reduces team sizes to five instead of six. Players will choose from one of thirty playable heroes and pick from one of three classes: damage, support, and tanks. PVP remains the core focus; however, Overwatch 2 now has a stronger emphasis on cooperative play with the addition of PvE modes - four-player cooperative excursions where players will take on different tasks against AI opponents. Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play game and will offer a battle pass option like others of its genre instead of its prior loot box system, allowing players to earn cosmetics and more each season.

  How Long To Beat:

  80-100 hours

  Prequel:

  Overwatch