Master Yadia: A Complete Guide to Abilities and Gameplay
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Primary Fire: The Railgun
- Secondary Fire: Healing Beam
- Healing Pylon: The Most Important Part of Yadia's Kit
- Dash: Confusing But Versatile
- Ultimate Ability: Flying Explosions
- Gameplay Strategies
- Matchup Tips: Dealing with Specific Heroes
- Flanking or Off-Angling?
- Conclusion
Introduction
The newest addition to the Overwatch roster is Yadia, a support hero with unique abilities and playstyle. As an experienced Contender support player, I've had the opportunity to gain early access to Yadia, and in this article, I will provide you with all the information you need to know about this hero. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, this guide will help you understand Yadia's abilities and how to effectively use them in battle.
Primary Fire: The Railgun
Yadia's primary fire is a railgun that behaves similarly to Sojourn's weapon. It automatically charges and deals a base damage of 25. However, if you let it charge fully, it can deal up to 75 damage. With a headshot multiplier of 1.5x, a headshot can inflict 112 damage, allowing you to eliminate squishy targets with just two shots. It is crucial to charge your shots to maximize your damage output, except when finishing off low HP enemies. Keep in mind that Yadia's railgun has damage fall-off at maximum range, but even then, it remains powerful enough to take down 200 HP targets with three headshots.
Pros:
- High damage potential, especially with headshots
- Can quickly eliminate squishy targets
- Versatile weapon for different engagement ranges
Cons:
- Damage fall-off at maximum range
Secondary Fire: Healing Beam
Yadia's secondary fire is a healing beam with a range of 15 meters, similar to Zarya's beam. It provides a whopping 120 heals per second, making it incredibly potent. However, it has a short duration and a slow recharge rate. Just like Yadia's primary fire, the healing beam also features an overheat mechanic. Leaving a small amount of the beam's bar unutilized allows it to recharge faster than completely draining it. This resource management is crucial for maximizing healing output.
Pros:
- High healing rate
- Can sustain teammates effectively
Cons:
- Limited duration
- Slow recharge rate
Healing Pylon: The Most Important Part of Yadia's Kit
In Yadia's kit, the healing pylon takes center stage. Think of it as a sphere with a pylon in the middle that provides healing to the lowest ally within its 15-meter radius. This ability is undoubtedly the most vital part of Yadia's kit, as it offers significant healing of 40 every 0.8 seconds. The pylon has an 8-second cooldown and must maintain line of sight with the targeted teammate. Placing the pylon correctly is crucial for Yadia's survival, as without it, she becomes extremely vulnerable. It is recommended to position the pylon somewhere high up, preferably behind a wall or a choke point, to ensure its longevity and maximize its effectiveness.
Pros:
- Provides substantial healing to teammates
- Can be used as an additional shield
- Significant impact on team survivability
Cons:
- Requires careful placement to avoid destruction
- Requires constant line of sight with targeted teammate
Dash: Confusing But Versatile
Yadia's dash ability adds an element of mobility and versatility to her kit, but it can also be quite confusing to understand. When used, dash knocks back enemies and deals 10 damage. Holding down the ability button or the jump button provides extra height, allowing Yadia to perform various directional inputs for movement. However, understanding the mechanics of the extra height generation can be a bit tricky. Essentially, if either the jump or ability button is held down, Yadia gains extra height. Not holding down either button will result in a regular dash without additional height. To achieve maximum height, it is advised to jump, release the movement keys, and then hold down the ability button.
Pros:
- Provides mobility and escape options
- Can displace enemies and disrupt their positioning
Cons:
- Mechanics can be confusing at first
Ultimate Ability: Flying Explosions
Yadia's ultimate ability is a game-changer. With the press of a button, she gains the ability to fly around for 4 seconds. During this time, her left-click shoots out explosive projectiles. These projectiles are slow-moving and can be devoured by abilities like D.Va's Defense Matrix. However, they pass through enemies and shields, exploding upon contact with objects. The initial explosion deals 5 damage to enemies it passes through. Additionally, it sticks a sun-like effect on affected enemies, causing a strong slowing effect. Dealing 100 damage to a target with the sun effect causes it to explode, dealing an additional 120 damage. The damage from these explosions cannot be healed or cleansed, making Yadia a formidable force in team fights.
Pros:
- Excellent crowd control with slowing effect
- High damage potential with chain reactions
- Can be used for self-preservation
Cons:
- Projectiles can be intercepted or devoured
- Requires careful positioning and timing
Gameplay Strategies
To maximize your impact as Yadia, it is crucial to understand effective gameplay strategies. The most optimal playstyle revolves around placing the healing pylon in a spot that is concealed from the enemy team but accessible to your allies. This often means positioning it on the ceiling, behind corners, or around walls. By ensuring maximum uptime on the pylon, you can minimize the need for secondary fire healing and focus on dealing damage. Yadia's railgun is a powerful weapon, capable of quickly eliminating squishy targets. It is a hitscan weapon with a range of 30 meters, allowing you to effortlessly dispatch enemies within that range. Take advantage of the railgun's versatility and prioritize targets based on their threat level.
Pros:
- High impact on both healing and damage
- Versatile playstyle with the healing pylon
- Strong presence in team fights
Cons:
- Requires good positioning and awareness
Matchup Tips: Dealing with Specific Heroes
While it is impossible to cover every hero matchup in detail, there are some important interactions that you should be aware of when playing as Yadia. For example, if a Pharah is using Barrage in close proximity to you, save your dash to dodge the damage. Against Winston, use your dash to knock him back and keep him at bay, avoiding the damage from his leap. For heroes like Ashe, Ana, and Widow, take advantage of their scoped-in visuals to land precise headshots. Widow, in particular, is vulnerable to Yadia's railgun, as a well-placed shot can force her to take cover or face elimination.
Pros:
- Effective counterplay against specific heroes
- Ability to apply pressure and disrupt enemy strategies
Cons:
- Requires knowledge of hero abilities and behaviors
Flanking or Off-Angling?
...