Overwatch 2: Pharah Guide

If you’ve ever wanted to dominate the skies and take control of the battlefield in Overwatch 2, Pharah is the hero for you. As one of the original heroes of Overwatch, Pharah has a proven track record of success. Her highly mobile rocket launcher allows her to zip around the map raining justice from above. Mastering Pharah’s movement and projectile aim are key to unleashing her full potential. With the recent changes in Overwatch 2, Pharah has become an even bigger threat. This comprehensive guide will provide you with in-depth strategies and tips to master Pharah’s abilities, maximize her damage output, and carry your team to victory. By the end of this guide, you’ll be flying circles around your opponents and securing highlight reel plays in no time. The skies are yours for the taking – now suit up and prepare for lift off!

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Introduction to Pharah in Overwatch 2

In Overwatch 2, Pharah is still a damage hero who excels at aerial combat and mobility. Pharah’s primary weapon is a rocket launcher that fires high-damage rockets at a fast rate. Her Concussive Blast ability knocks back enemies and herself and can be used for mobility or environmental kills.

Pharah’s ultimate ability, Barrage, allows her to hover in the air and rapidly fire a large number of rockets over a few seconds. Barrage deals massive damage but leaves Pharah vulnerable, so timing and positioning it well are key. Pharah’s passive ability, Hover Jets, allows her to fly freely, giving her a major advantage on maps with open airspace or high ground.

To play Pharah effectively:

• Focus on aerial combat and flanking from unexpected angles. Use your mobility to surprise enemies and attack from above.
• Lead your rocket shots and aim where the enemy is going, not where they currently are. Practice will improve your prediction skills.
• Use Concussive Blast to knock enemies into environmental hazards for quick kills. It can also provide mobility to escape or reposition.
• Choose the right moments to use Barrage for maximum impact. Look for grouped-up enemies, distracted healers, or low-mobility heroes.
• Stay near cover or behind shields when your abilities are on cooldown. Pharah is vulnerable without her mobility and Hover Jets.

With practice, you’ll be raining justice from above and dominating the skies. Master these tips to become a formidable force as the rocket queen, Pharah.

Pharah’s Abilities and How to Use Them

Pharah’s primary weapon is her Rocket Launcher, which fires high-explosive rockets that deal significant splash damage. To maximize its effectiveness:

• Aim at your target’s feet to utilize the splash damage. Direct hits are complex and not required to get eliminations.
• Lead your targets and aim slightly in front of them to account for travel time. The rockets move at a fixed speed, so targets moving perpendicular to you require more lead.
• Fire from medium to long range. While tempting, avoid close-quarters combat where the Rocket Launcher’s splash damage can hurt you as well.

Pharah’s Concussive Blast knocks back enemies and can be used for mobility. To use it effectively:

• Aim it at walls, floors or the payload to propel yourself in the opposite direction. This allows you to quickly change position or escape from enemies.
• Knock enemies off the map or into your team. Well-placed Concussive Blasts can get environmental kills or make enemies easy targets.
• Disrupt enemy movement and positioning. Even if it does not kill, the knockback can scatter enemies and ruin their plans.

Pharah’s Barrage ultimate unleashes a hail of mini-rockets, dealing massive damage. To get the most from Barrage:

• Flank the enemy team or come from behind to catch them by surprise. The short duration means you must start firing on targets immediately.
• Try to position yourself above the enemy, using Concussive Blast to get extra airtime first if needed. Firing down from above makes it much harder for enemies to retaliate.
• Have allies use crowd control to group enemies together, allowing you to maximize damage. Barrage against a clustered, immobile enemy team can be a team kill.
• Be very careful, as Barrage leaves you vulnerable. Only use it when your team can support you, and avoid enclosed areas where you cannot escape quickly if needed.

Pharah Combos

To maximize Pharah’s damage output, utilizing her combos is key. Pharah’s primary fire, the Rocket Launcher, combines well with her other abilities.

Concussive Blast + Rocket Barrage

The Concussive Blast can be used to knock enemies into the air, making them easy targets for the Rocket Barrage ultimate. Fire the Concussive Blast at the enemies, then immediately activate Rocket Barrage to rain down rockets on the airborne targets. This combo deals massive damage that is difficult for enemies to avoid.

Concussive Blast + Primary Fire

The Concussive Blast can also be used to knock enemies into the air or push them out of position, allowing Pharah’s primary fire rockets to hit the targets directly. Knock an enemy into a wall or up high with the Concussive Blast, then fire rockets at the immobilized target. The direct hits enabled by this combo significantly increase the damage.

Barrage + Mercy Damage Boost

When Pharah has her Rocket Barrage ultimate ready to deploy, teaming up with a Mercy using her damage boost ability can create a devastating combo. Have Mercy activate her damage boost beam on Pharah right before she uses Rocket Barrage. The damage boost will increase the damage of each rocket, allowing the ultimate to wipe out enemies much more quickly. This combo, when executed properly, can win team fights outright.

By utilizing these combos, a skilled Pharah player can maximize the impact of her abilities and become an aerial force to be reckoned with. Master these techniques to take your Pharah play to the next level.

Tips for Playing as Pharah

To master Pharah in Overwatch 2, keep these tips in mind:

Map Knowledge. Knowledge of the maps and terrain is key to success with Pharah. Look for open areas that provide mobility and long sightlines for your rockets, as well as environmental hazards like cliffs and pits to knock enemies into. Areas with vertical space, pillars, and other structures also provide cover and opportunities to flank the enemy.

Positioning. Pharah excels at controlling high ground due to her aerial mobility. Try to maintain an elevated position above the enemy team whenever possible. This makes you harder to hit while giving you better angles to fire rockets and spot targets. Only drop to lower elevations when necessary to secure kills or control map objectives.

Target Priority. Focus your attacks on heroes that have a hard time dealing with aerial threats or lack hitscan weapons. Supports like Mercy, Zenyatta and Ana should be high-priority targets. Tanks like Reinhardt, Winston and Sigma also struggle against Pharah. Be cautious of hitscan DPS heroes like Widowmaker, Soldier: 76, Ashe and McCree as they can quickly take you out of the sky.

Barrage Usage. Pharah’s ultimate, Barrage, can be difficult to use effectively due to its stationary nature and cast time. Look for opportunities to flank the enemy or attack from an unexpected angle before activating. Try to target multiple enemies at once, especially if they are grouped up. For the best results, activate Barrage while aerial or from high ground. Barrage can also be used to quickly destroy map objectives like the payload or capture point.

Rocket Accuracy. While Pharah does high splash damage, direct hits with rockets are still important. Lead your targets and aim rockets at their feet or in front of their path of movement. Direct hits do significantly more damage and knockback, so practice to improve your accuracy. Barrages that land more direct hits will also be much more deadly. Accuracy is key to mastering Pharah.

Pharah Synergies

Pharah works well with several heroes that can benefit from her aerial mobility and long-range damage.

Mercy is one of the best synergies for Pharah. Mercy can fly up to Pharah’s position and damage boost her rockets for increased damage and ultimate charge. Mercy’s healing also helps offset any damage Pharah takes while airborne. The mobility of this duo makes them difficult for enemies to pin down.

Ana‘s long-range healing darts can keep Pharah topped up from a distance. Nano Boost also combines extremely well with Barrage, as the damage reduction helps Pharah survive being exposed while ulting. Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade provide ground support against Pharah’s counters like Soldier: 76, McCree and Widowmaker.

Zenyatta‘s Harmony Orb provides healing for Pharah on the move. Discord Orb also helps Pharah quickly eliminate troublesome enemies like Widowmaker or McCree. The aerial mobility of this duo makes Zenyatta difficult to dive, and Transcendence can be used to sustain Pharah during Barrage.

Zarya‘s Projected Barrier shields Pharah from hitscan damage for a brief period, allowing her to manoeuvre into optimal position. Graviton Surge also combines very powerfully with Barrage, grouping enemies together for maximum rocket damage. Pharah can also knock around and distract enemies to help Zarya gain charge. This tank-dps duo requires coordination but can be very effective.

Pharah’s Counter Strategies

To effectively counter Pharah as an opponent, you must exploit her weaknesses and limitations.

Limited Mobility. While Pharah’s jetpack provides vertical mobility, her horizontal movement is quite slow. Heroes with high mobility or crowd control abilities can limit her movements or knock her out of the sky. Heros such as Widowmaker, Hanzo, and Ana are excellent counters, as they can often defeat Pharah before she has a chance to escape.

Requires Line of Sight. Pharah’s primary fire rockets and ultimate ability require line of sight to be effective. Staying out of her direct line of sight will make you a much harder target to hit. Use natural cover and high ground to limit her visibility. Heroes with abilities that can obstruct vision like Mei and Reinhardt are useful for temporarily blinding Pharah.

Vulnerable While Barraging. Pharah’s ultimate ability, Barrage, leaves her hovering in place as she rapidly fires rockets. She is extremely vulnerable during this time. Save crowd control abilities and focus fire to quickly eliminate her before she can cause too much damage. Alternatively, simply hiding behind the cover will protect you and your team until the ultimate has ended.

By limiting Pharah’s mobility, obstructing her line of sight, and focusing her down during her ultimate, you can effectively counter her aerial assaults and gain the advantage. Stay mobile, use cover, and work with your team to maximize her weaknesses.

How to Get Better at Playing as Pharah

To improve your Pharah gameplay, focus on the following techniques:

Practice Aim and Prediction: As Pharah, improving your aim and learning to predict enemy movement is key. Practice leading targets and anticipating where enemies will move to land direct hits. Focus on hitting critical shots by aiming at enemy heads and exposed areas. Play custom games with lowered cooldowns and infinite ammo to practice aiming and predicting shots.

Manage Fuel and Cooldowns: Learn to manage Pharah’s jetpack fuel efficiently. Only use fuel when needed to gain height or reposition. Touch the ground whenever possible to regenerate fuel. Manage concussion blast and barrage cooldowns and use them strategically. Conserve concussion blast for escapes or environmental kills. Barrage should only be used when you have a clear shot and a damage boost or nano boost.

Positioning: Positioning as Pharah is essential. Stay high up and behind the cover when your abilities are on cooldown. Flank enemies from multiple angles, and attack from unexpected directions. Focus on taking out enemy hitscans and healers first. Work with your team’s tanks and supports, and combo ultimates when possible for maximum effectiveness.

Adapt to Enemy Compositions: Pharah struggles against hitscan enemies and snipers. If countered, switch to a hero like Echo or Ashe. When the enemy switches off hitscans, you can change back to Pharah. Adapt your playstyle based on the enemy team composition for the best results.

Following these tips and practising consistently will significantly improve your skills as the rocket queen. With time and patience, you’ll be dominating matches and reigning justice from above!

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Playing as Pharah

As an advanced Pharah player, there are some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid to maximize your effectiveness.

Overextending: It can be tempting to aggressively dive into enemy backlines for picks, but this often leads to being cut off from your team and focused down. Only flank when you have a clear advantage and escape route.

Flying Too Much: While Pharah’s jetpack gives her a unique aerial advantage, spending too much time in the air makes you an easy target. Use natural cover and high ground when possible, and only take to the air for repositioning, escaping danger, or landing aerial attacks.

Poor Target Prioritization: Focusing on the wrong enemies can waste your abilities and leave their biggest threats unchecked. Prioritize healers and squishy damage dealers over tanks. Look for enemies out of position or on high ground as easy targets.

Forgetting Your Concussive Blast: Pharah’s concussive blast is useful for more than just environmental kills. Use it to knock enemies into poor positions, separate tanks from their healers, or blast yourself to safety. Get in the habit of using it whenever it’s available.

Bad Barrage Usage: Pharah’s ultimate can be a game changer but is often misused, leaving you vulnerable. Only use Barrage when you have an escape plan, the enemy has used crowd control abilities, and you can target multiple enemies. Barraging into an enemy Zarya’s Graviton Surge is ideal.

Avoiding these common mistakes and using Pharah’s abilities to their full potential will make you a formidable threat in any match. With practice and the right tactics, you’ll be racking up kills and dominating the skies.

Conclusion

To conclude, Pharah is a versatile hero in Overwatch 2 with a high skill ceiling. Mastering her mobility, projectiles, and ultimate takes dedication and practice. But for players willing to invest the time, Pharah can be an incredibly rewarding hero to play. With her recent buffs and the new push game mode, Pharah is poised to make a big impact in Overwatch 2. If you follow the tips and techniques outlined here, practice consistently, and develop strong game sense and positioning, you’ll be raining justice from above in no time. The skies are yours – now get out there and unleash your full potential as one of the deadliest damage heroes in Overwatch 2.