Overwatch 2 best builds for tank heroes in the Stadium mode

Stadium mode has been released for a few days. The players and the Overwatch 2 content creators have already begun to compile some of the best builds for each character. In this article, we will explore the top builds for tank heroes in the Stadium mode. Let's dive into it.

D.Va thrives on movement, pressure, and constant harassment. She plays aggressively in the mid-range to close-range, diving into fights, disrupting the enemy backline, and peeling for her team when needed. She’s especially good at chasing down vulnerable supports and DPS, absorbing critical damage with her Matrix, and then quickly retreating if things go wrong.

Jeff "emongg" Anderson has been experimenting with many builds that can suit D.Va, from damage to a more tanky approach. According to the ex-pro player and content creator, damage is not the best choice for D.Va in the Stadium. This happens due to her inability to tank as much as the other available tank heroes.

In a build he called "Baby D.Va", emongg showcased a late-game strategy focused on survivability and consistent pressure. As the match reached the final round and the available cash allowed for epic item purchases, he prioritized a balanced mix of health, ability power, weapon power, and critical damage to keep D.Va both durable and dangerous.

For her powers, emongg selected the Countermeasures. This power allows D.Va to automatically fire two Micro Missiles after mitigating 150 damage with Defense Matrix, giving her additional burst damage without committing extra actions. He also picked Party Protector, which grants 250 overhealth to teammates within the radius of her Self-Destruct. These powers will significantly boost team survivability during key fights.

To further increase her impact, he chose Express Detonation, reducing the Self-Destruct's detonation time by 15% and making it harder for enemies to escape the blast. Finally, with Ignition Burst, D.Va leaves behind a damaging trail of lava after using her Boosters. This "Baby D.Va" setup transformed her into a durable, high-pressure tank capable of not just surviving late-game chaos, but actively turning fights in her team's favor.

In the early game, Emogg went for a mix of various attributes. Ability power, ability lifesteal, and weapon power were his choices. Remember that you can adapt all the builds according to the enemy team.

The Junker Queen is a tank character who excels in close-quarters combat. Her primary strength lies in her ability to heal herself by inflicting wounds on her enemies. She is most effective when she is directly engaging opponents. Junker applies constant pressure while sustaining herself with the damage she deals. This approach gives her team an advantage during skirmishes.

When building Junker Queen for the Stadium, it’s important to focus on maximizing her ability power. This way, you'll be able to extend her damage output for as long as possible. For her powers, start with Chop Chop to gain an extra charge on her Carnage ability, giving her more opportunities to apply wounds and sustain herself. Let’s Go Win is a strong next choice, as it resets her Commanding Shout whenever she eliminates an enemy. Like that, Junker can give more frequent team buffs and survivability.

Reckoner’s Roar further amplifies her impact by increasing the damage she deals to enemies within 10 meters whenever she uses Commanding Shout or wounds enemies. Finally, if you reach the late-game stage, pick Thrill of Battle. This power will heal nearby allies within 12 meters for 50% of the amount Junker Queen heals herself, making her an even greater force in team fights.

In the mid-game, you should select options from the "Ability" category. As mentioned earlier, Junker Queen is a tank who relies on ability power to enhance her strength. The chosen abilities provide her with increased ability power, ability lifesteal, and reduced cooldowns.

Orisa is a powerhouse of stability and control on the battlefield and one of the hardest tanks to kill in Overwatch 2. Her abilities allow her to hold positions that most tanks can't, especially when combined with her high base armor. Her kit gives her strong defensive and offensive tools to interrupt key abilities or punish aggressive enemies.

In this build, the focus is on Fortify, allowing Orisa to be more resilient and sustain herself better in team fights. The first power choice can be quite flexible. Orisa's ultimate is highly impactful and can significantly alter the course of a team fight. Therefore, selecting Centripetal Charge first can be advantageous, as it provides a 25% reduction in ultimate cost and resets cooldowns for all of your abilities after use.  

Alternatively, if you prefer a more aggressive approach with Orisa, choosing Lassoed as your first power can be very powerful. Upon impact, your Energy Javelin will pull enemies within four meters toward you. Keep in mind that for this power to be effective, you need to accurately hit your enemies, which can be challenging if you're still mastering Orisa.

Since this build centers around the Fortify ability, the second power to choose is Restorify, which heals Orisa for 10% of her maximum health every second. To increase her tankiness further, select Hooves of Steel as the third power. This ability provides a shield equal to 50% of the damage taken while under the effects of Fortify, and it resets when you use the ability again.

Finally, if you reach the late game, opt for the Ride With Me power. This ability grants allies in your line of sight a 30% increase in movement speed and overhealth equal to 10% of your maximum health. This last power is crucial for securing victory in the final team effort.

Tank Orisa is the best you can do. For the rare items, go for Charged Chassis and Solar Regenergy because they will give more health and armor. You can also go for the Meka Z-Series later in the game for 8% health, armor, and shield. When you get enough cash for the epic items, Efi's Theorem is your priority. It will give you 20% ability lifesteal and 50% Fortify duration.

If you feel in need of more damage, pick the El-Sa'Ka Suppressor for 10% weapon power and 30% healing reduction to the target for two seconds if you hit a critical hit. For a more tanky Orisa, you can also add to your tank build in the Stadium the Rüstung Von Wilhelm for 15% health, armor, and shield.

Reinhardt is the classic frontline tank, built around protecting his team and creating space with sheer presence. When he drops the shield and goes in, Reinhardt becomes a real threat thanks to his Rocket Hammer, dealing powerful melee damage in close quarters. He’s also extremely dangerous when it comes to initiating fights. Due to his kit, his build concentrates on damage and sustain.

Initially, pick Smashing! to give you a 5% move speed and 4% weapon lifesteal when you deal damage with your Rocket Hammer ability. You can combine this power with the damage common items in the early phases to help your Reinhardt deal more damage. For the next power, go for the Feeling the Burn that makes your Rocket burn and deal 30% more damage over two seconds.

In the fifth round, you will improve your barrier by using the Barrier Reconstruction power, which restores its health whenever you deal damage with your abilities. In the late game, you can choose the Wilhelmwagen power that heals you for 15% of the damage mitigated and grants you an additional 30% movement speed. It is time to finish the game with a sweet victory!

For the items, go for the damage ones: Eye of the Spider (25% weapon damage), Codebreaker (15% weapon damage), and Booster Jets (20% attack speed). To complement the build with the rare items, you can try the Talon Modification Module (15% weapon power), the Aftermarket Firerin Pin (10% attack speed and 5% move speed), and the Tecnollech (5% weapon power and 10% weapon lifesteal).

For an annoying Renhardt tank Stadium build, content creator Flats came to our help. The top 500 main tanks in Overwatch 2 brought an incredibly fun and strong build for you to test in the new game mode. Watch his video to know more about the flying Reinhardt.

Zarya is a tank with exceptional damage strength in Overwatch 2. She is capable of dominating most matchups. Her early power spike is massive, allowing her to counter almost everyone, except for Reinhardt. To handle Reinhardt effectively, Zarya must focus on protecting her backline as she dives in. Empowering her shields becomes crucial in this matchup. Against other tanks and enemies, however, she can quickly melt them down with her charged-up firepower. This build lets Zarya punish passive tanks, creating openings for your damage dealers to eliminate the enemy frontline.

Early in the game, you should prioritize items that enhance Zarya’s immediate power spike. Choose Ammo Reserves for 20% increased max ammunition. Then, pick Compensator for a 5% boost to weapon power, and Plasma Converter for 10% weapon lifesteal. These items enable Zarya to sustain her damage output and dominate early fights.

As the match transitions into the mid-game, continue investing in aggressive items. Increasing Zarya’s attack speed, ammunition, and weapon power turns her into a relentless damage machine. Not only that, but she will turn into your enemies' worst nightmare.

Later in the game, you should shift slightly towards survivability without losing your offensive edge. Pick up Superconductor to boost ability power, barrier duration, and health, allowing Zarya to endure longer fights. Lynx's Datadrive further strengthens her frontline presence, keeping your backline safe while maintaining pressure.

If the game extends to seven rounds, secure the Light Launcher item for an additional 15% weapon power. With it, Zarya can unleash devastating damage and help close out the match with overwhelming force.

The Zarya build was written in collaboration with author Jarrad Adams. Check out his other gaming pieces on Overwatch 2, Dota 2, Diablo IV, Path of Exile 2, and more!

So many tank items can make your Stadium experience more difficult. We hope this guide has brought you some light. Don't forget to check out the Overwatch 2 Stadium builds for the remaining roles coming out soon on esports.gg.

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