The cast of Blizzard's MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, continues to grow and characters from every Blizzard game are starting to add up. An upcoming patch will bring yet another Overwatch fan-favorite to the HotS lineup with the addition of D.Va. The character is available on the public test realm through the first half of May, which means we now know a lot more about how she will play and what players new skills players will have to master.

Like the rest of the Overwatch characters who have made their way into Heroes of the Storm, D.Va plays very similarly in the MOBA as she does in the competitive shooter. Many of her skills are built around her mech, but she also has the ability to bail on the gear and run around on foot after she has taken too much damage to go on.

This breakdown of D.Va's skills and abilities can help players get started whenever they have a  chance to take the new brawler for a spin...

heroes-of-the-storm-dva-stomp

Trait

  • Mech Mode
    • When D.Va’s Mech is destroyed, she is ejected after 0.75 seconds and can continue to fight in Pilot Mode. Destroying D.Va’s Mech only awards 50% of a normal Hero’s XP.
  • Pilot Mode
    • Each Basic Attack reduces the cooldown of Call Mech by 0.5 seconds. As a Pilot, D.Va only awards 50% of a normal Hero’s XP upon death.

Mount

  • While in Mech Mode, D.Va can shoot while moving, but her Movement Speed is reduced by 15%.
  • D.Va can only use Mounts while in Pilot Mode.

Basic Abilities

  • Boosters (Q)
    • Increases D.Va’s Movement Speed by 125% for 2 seconds. Enemies that are hit take damage and are knocked away.
    • D.Va cannot be Slowed while Boosters are active.
  • Defense Matrix (W)
    • Channel a defensive field in the target direction for 3 seconds, reducing damage dealt by enemy Heroes inside it by 75%. The Mech can move while channeling, but cannot turn.
    • Damage dealt to the Mech by enemies within Defense Matrix still grants the same amount of Self-Destruct Charge.
  • Self-Destruct (E)
    • Requires Mech Mode.
    • Eject from the Mech, setting it to self-destruct after 4 seconds. Deals medium to massive damage in a large area, depending on distance from the center of the blast. Deals 50% damage against Structures.
    • Gain 1% Charge for every 2 seconds spent using Basic Attacks, and 30% Charge per 100% of Mech Health lost.
  • Call Mech (E)
    • Requires Pilot Mode.
    • Call a new Mech and enter Mech Mode. 45 second cooldown. While in Pilot Mode, each Basic Attack lowers this cooldown by 0.5 seconds.

Heroic Abilities

  • Bunny Hop (R)
    • Requires Mech Mode.
    • D.Va’s Mech becomes Unstoppable and stomps every 0.5 seconds, dealing damage and Slowing enemies by 40%. Lasts 4 seconds.
  • Big Shot (R)
  • Requires Pilot Mode.
  • Deal damage to all enemies in a line. Call Mech’s cooldown is reduced by 8 seconds for each enemy Hero hit.

When playing as (or against) D.Va, it's important to keep in mind that players will only get 50% of a kill for taking her out in her mech or out of her mech. In order to get full credit, the enemy will need to take down D.Va in both her play modes. Another exciting change that makes D.Va stand out from most other HotS characters is that she can move while firing in Mech mode. The player will move 15% slower when using this perk, but it is still a very exciting bonus over other players who must remain stationary when attacking.

What do you think of D. Va's skillset? Do you think you'll be adding her to your Heroes of the Storm play rotation? Let us know in the comments.

Heroes of the Storm is available now for PC.