Choosing the best characters in games like Marvel Rivals can be a perplexing task. This challenge arises not only from the continuous updates and changes to hero capabilities but also because a character often labeled as ‘lower-tier’ may surprisingly yield superior performance for some players. Ultimately, while certain heroes possess abilities that can significantly influence team dynamics, others might find themselves underperforming based on the specific maps or team compositions they are placed in.
Another factor to consider is the learning curve associated with each character. Some heroes demand extensive practice to unlock their full potential, and even then, they may not achieve the expected results in matches. With various elements to weigh when selecting characters in Marvel Rivals, this guide aims to highlight those heroes currently excelling or faltering within the evolving meta.
Updated on January 23, 2025, by Emily Stander: The launch of Season 1 required a revision of this tier list to accommodate the introduction of two new members from the Fantastic Four. Moreover, multiple characters previously deemed less effective have received notable enhancements through recent patch notes, bolstering their viability in the current season—and the reverse is also true for some champions.
Comprehensive Ranking of Marvel Rivals Heroes
Ultimately, character selection hinges on a player’s style and strategy preferences. However, some heroes consistently provide a higher chance of winning compared to others that may prove detrimental.
Ranking of Marvel Rivals Heroes:
|
Tiers |
Marvel Rivals Heroes |
|---|---|
|
S Tier |
Cloak & Dagger, Invisible Woman, Mantis, Moon Knight, Hela, Winter Soldier, Storm, Doctor Strange |
|
A Tier |
Adam Warlock, Luna Snow, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Thor, Hulk, Magneto, Star-Lord, The Punisher, Psylocke, Wolverine, Magik |
|
B Tier |
Loki, Captain America, Peni Parker, Venom, Squirrel Girl, Iron Man, Iron Fist |
|
C Tier |
Jeff the Land Shark, Black Panther, Namor, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye |
|
D Tier |
Mr Fantastic, Scarlet Witch |
Top-Tier Marvel Rivals Heroes
Heroes in the S Tier of Marvel Rivals represent the pinnacle of strength in the current gaming landscape. Expect to encounter these champions frequently in battle, as they possess powerful abilities capable of reversing the flow of engagements while presenting minimal downsides for players.
Cloak & Dagger
Cloak & Dagger feature remarkable healing abilities that sustain their team during intense encounters, bolstered by a significant buff in Season 1. However, their S Tier designation is mainly attributed to their overall utility.
Dagger, the healing component, utilizes homing daggers that require minimal precision to strike effectively. Her Veil of Lightforce delivers a substantial healing burst, while Dagger Storm creates an invulnerable sphere where allies can recuperate over time. This positions her as a crucial support for team survival. Cloak complements this dynamic with abilities that blind foes and increase their damage susceptibility, while also dealing reasonable damage himself. His Dark Teleportation renders allies invisible, allowing for stealthy ambushes or escapes.
Moreover, their Ultimate ability has been enhanced this season, granting an additional dash to better navigate the battlefield. Consequently, they have solidified their place as a steadfast S Tier selection.
Invisible Woman
As a recent addition in Season 1, Invisible Woman has quickly ascended to S Tier due to her remarkable utility. Her primary attack can penetrate both enemies and allies, granting double damage and healing, which proves devastating against tightly packed foes.
Her survivability is bolstered by her invisibility and damaging abilities. Psionic Vortex deals consistent damage over time, while Force Physics can repulse aggressive enemies. Additionally, her Guardian Shield enables her to support teammates from a distance, effectively compensating for her limited range. A defining aspect of her strength lies in her Ultimate, which shields allies from harm and disrupts enemy healing within its radius, significantly aiding in combat.
Mantis
Regarded as one of the more straightforward strategists to master, Mantis has gained popularity among players of Marvel Rivals. However, her accessibility is just one aspect of her wide appeal; she boasts several impressive abilities extending beyond mere healing.
Her Spore Slumber ability can incapacitate a target, providing an invaluable defensive resource against aggressive flankers. Mantis thrives on damage output and healing synergy, with critical hits helping her to rapidly regenerate life orbs for team healing. Additionally, she can sacrifice her Life Orbs to enhance her own damage, rendering her a fierce threat on the battlefield. Despite a slight nerf in Season 1, her overall prowess keeps her among the top picks in this evolving meta.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight excels at dealing damage to multiple enemies through projectiles, which makes him a formidable adversary. His unique ability to control battlefield space with Ancient Ankhs enhances his crowd control options.
Thanks to his layered skillset, Moon Knight can swiftly eliminate foes who cluster together. His Ultimate skill, significantly boosted in Season 1, can effectively decimate enemy teams caught within its grasp, making him a standout S Tier character this season.
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Though Hela may not possess the flanking capabilities typical of high-tier Duelists, her headshot damage is incredibly impactful. A slight nerf in Season 1 has not diminished her potential as a threatening presence on the battlefield.
Her abilities, such as Soul Drainer and Astral Flock, bolster her survivability and allow her to reconnect with support heroes when injured, effectively countering her mobility limitations. Hela’s Nightsword Thorn delivers substantial damage while supporting teammates with her Team-Up abilities. Her Ultimate is renowned for its effectiveness, allowing her to hover above opponents while showering them with damaging crows. As such, her versatility and damage output secure her position among the elite in this season’s meta.
Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier stands as an ideal character for players with a background in traditional shooter games, thriving in both mid-range and close-quarter engagements. Equipped with crowd control abilities like Tainted Voltage and Bionic Hook, he excels at picking off enemies while maintaining a safe distance.
His Ultimate ability remains among the best in the Duelist category, delivering extensive damage and marking enemies for instant elimination upon reaching specific health thresholds. This capability not only replenishes his Ultimate but also enhances his team’s advantage in skirmishes.
Storm
Storm’s recent buffs catapulted her from a previously acceptable C Tier to a remarkably powerful Duelist. The enhancements to her projectile speed and overall damage output have reshaped her playstyle, particularly with Weather Control, which amplifies her team’s abilities.
Her Ultimate, Omega Hurricane, received a notable upgrade in how health restoration decays post-use, leading to better survivability when deployed amidst opponents. Increased from 350 to 450 health significantly improves her resilience during conflicts, demanding her inclusion in diverse team compositions this season.
Doctor Strange
Despite minor nerfs in Season 1, Doctor Strange remains a first-rate choice for any team. His protective abilities for allies and capacity to execute swift tactical maneuvers emphasizes his strategic value.
Pentagram of Farallah grants him portal abilities, enabling teammates to shoot or heal through it or reposition effectively within enemy territory. His Ultimate further enhances his character; it completely immobilizes enemies, rendering them vulnerable to follow-up attacks when trapped, making him an ideal Vanguard fitting into various team compositions.
A Tier Marvel Rivals Heroes
Characters categorized as A Tier maintain exceptional effectiveness in Marvel Rivals, albeit with a couple of drawbacks keeping them from S Tier placement. Nonetheless, they emerge as pivotal selections with the potential to change game dynamics.
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock’s primary limiting factor is his somewhat mediocre survivability, particularly when his Regenerative Cocoon is on cooldown, which can result in swift overwhelm by mobile opponents. Yet, he possesses immense damage potential with his Cosmic Cluster capable of decimating less durable heroes.
Despite cooldown constraints, his healing capabilities and Soul Bond ability effectively counter various damaging Ultimates. The Karmic Revival Ultimate can alter battle outcomes, establishing him as an impactful pick alongside characters like Mantis and Star-Lord.
Luna Snow
Luna Snow may remain a lesser-known character even among devoted Marvel enthusiasts, yet she has become central to various team compositions since the game’s inception. Her Ultimate ability underwent slight nerfs in Season 1 that limited her ability to toggle between damage and healing rapidly, causing her to drop from S Tier to A Tier. Nonetheless, she still wields a formidable impact in matches.
Her capacity to deliver significant healing and effectively dispatch flankers demonstrates her versatility and potential in high-stakes situations. Absolute Zero’s freezing effect can immobilize opponents momentarily, setting them up for team attacks.
Rocket Raccoon
Rocket Raccoon showcases extensive utility, featuring healing orbs, resurrection beacons, and offensive capabilities that keep adversaries off balance. His Ultimate skill synergizes well with many damage-dealing abilities, amplifying their effectiveness during skirmishes.
His mobility, enhanced by Jetpack Dash and Wild Crawl, enables him to traverse battlegrounds effectively. The substantial buffs to his healing orbs in Season 1 have bolstered his status to A Tier, making him one of the strongest support options available in Marvel Rivals.
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Groot’s gameplay revolves around unique abilities, particularly his walls and Ultimate attack, which can significantly hinder enemies. When placed strategically, his walls can limit opponents’ movement and disrupt their offensive strategies, especially against heroes like Cloak & Dagger during their Ultimate execution.
His Ultimate, akin to Doctor Strange’s, can effectively trap enemies, combining well with damage abilities for devastating outcomes. However, Groot’s wall mechanics may also inadvertently complicate his team’s strategies, placing him shy of S Tier yet still categorizing him as a solid Vanguard pick.
Thor
Among Thor’s prominent abilities, Storm Surge stands out, allowing him to propel in a chosen direction, damaging and disrupting foes. His Ultimate demonstrates considerable power, contingent upon proper placement.
Following substantial buffs in Season 1, Thor has transformed into a formidable A Tier option. Prior challenges with entering enemy ranges have been addressed through increased base health and improved durability during Ultimate activation, allowing him to dominate engagements effectively.
Bruce Banner/Hulk
Hulk’s journey in Marvel Rivals has been remarkable, transitioning into a dominant pick this season. His synergistic Team-Up with Doctor Strange allows for increased health and a powerful version of Maelstrom, establishing him as a formidable choice when paired with Iron Man.
Independently, Hulk presents formidable Vanguard capabilities through his Radioactive Guard and substantial damage output, enabling him to protect allies effectively. Although he may be overshadowed by other Vanguards, his solid A Tier placement affirms his value in team compositions.
Magneto
Although mastering Magneto requires considerable effort due to his relative slowness, his offensive capabilities are monumental once players familiarize themselves with his kit. His shields offer protection for teammates, while delivering significant damage and pinning back foes.
Crucially, Magneto’s Metallic Curtain can effectively intercept incoming projectiles, rendering him a direct counter to several enemy tactics and making it challenging for opponents to maneuver against his defense.
Star-Lord
Star-Lord’s agility in repositioning behind enemy lines allows him to easily target Strategists or heroes straying too far from their allies. His base damage is high, while Blaster Barrage permits engaging multiple foes at once.
His Ultimate, Galactic Legend, further enhances his combat capabilities, enabling him to lock onto enemies while maneuvering freely. While his skills can pose initial challenges, a proficient Star-Lord can become a devastating force on any battlefield.
The Punisher
The Punisher embodies versatility, capable of unleashing immense damage through both close-range shotgun fire and mid-range automatic rifle shots. His turret ability grants him added protection, complicating engagements for opponents.
Even with limited mobility, The Punisher utilizes his Smoke Grenade for quick escapes during intense confrontations. His Ultimate capitalizes on damage potential, effectively intimidating enemies and reducing their chances of survival. Always maintaining proximity to healers is vital to leverage his strengths.
Psylocke
The fear generated by the audio cue of Psylocke’s Ultimate ability reflects her formidable presence on the battlefield. This ability allows her to dash between foes, inflicting devastating damage and potentially swinging engagements in her favor.
While her Ultimate retains power, its slight nerf has nudged her to A Tier due to enhanced opportunities for counterplay. Additionally, with the rise of characters like Invisible Woman, she faces new challenges for value within team dynamics. Nevertheless, her Psionic Crossbow reduces cooldowns, allowing her to execute rapid attacks against isolated foes.
Wolverine
Wolverine’s adaptability in Season 1 significantly enhances his effectiveness as a counter-pick Vanguards. With improved combat strength, his Feral Leap can eliminate squishy targets quickly while inflicting considerable damage on tougher opponents.
A slight nerf to Undying Animal has resulted in a more balanced Wolverine, who retains his status as a strong A Tier character capable of significant impact in matches.
Magic
Magik demonstrates unique prowess through her teleportation ability to confound enemies, allowing for quick repositioning in combat. Utilizing her Stepping Disks, she can easily target backlines, constantly presenting a threat.
With substantial buffs to her Umbral Incursion damage while in Darkchild form, she has become a formidable choice for aggressive compositions, tormenting key enemy characters with her unpredictable movements.
B Tier Marvel Rivals Heroes
B Tier heroes do not rank among the finest picks in the game, yet they can create compelling plays when players have a solid understanding of their mechanics. Despite their shortcomings, these characters can still shine in specific contexts.
Loki
Loki, the God of Mischief, wields a range of intriguing abilities, with Regeneration Domain standing out as the most effective. This crystal grants health regeneration to allies, rendering them nearly impervious to incoming damage while they remain within its range.
His mobility options via Doppelgangers add flexibility to his tactical approach; however, other Strategists may offer more significant benefits. While his Ultimate can be powerful when executed flawlessly, it risks falling flat if the player is unfamiliar with the copied character’s mechanics.
Captain America
Captain America specializes in rapid engagement, leveraging high mobility to hunt down escaping foes effectively. Although his abilities provide limited protection for teammates, his Ultimate creates a crucial healing and speed trail, significantly benefiting nearby allies.
However, he faces challenges against high-mobility adversaries who can evade his advances and outmaneuver him. His Ultimate does not match other Vanguards’ capabilities, relegating him to a solid mid-tier choice.
Penny Parker
Peni Parker excels in defensive scenarios, deploying Bionic Spider Nests that augment her strength and fortify team defenses through drone attacks. While her setup is formidable for point defense, Peni struggles against more aggressive strategies when pressed.
Characterizing her as a niche pick, she can deliver results when conditions align, whereas inconsistent performance against mobile threats diminishes her overall effectiveness.
Venom
Functioning as a versatile mix of Duelist and Vanguard, Venom can rapidly infiltrate enemy formations to either aid flankers or execute surprise attacks himself. His Symbiotic Resilience enhances survivability while his abilities allow him to apply pressure on enemies effectively.
However, with the emergence of superior Vanguards like Thor and Hulk, Venom’s effectiveness has decreased significantly this season, as many of his mechanics now feel slightly underwhelming compared to alternate hero abilities.
Squirrel Girl
With the assistance of her squirrel allies, Squirrel Girl has the potential to create major disruptions during battles. Her solid damage output from regular attacks, coupled with the ability to incapacitate individuals via Squirrel Blockade, positions her as a tactical asset.
Nonetheless, her Ultimate both excels and falters—it can dominate opponents attempting to claim points but also suffers from a decreased health threshold that renders it easier to negate. This detracts from her overall potential as a Duelist.
Iron Man
Iron Man thrives at keeping adversaries at a distance while delivering powerful attacks. By maintaining aerial superiority, he proves challenging to engage directly, especially with his high-damage potential via Armor Overdrive.
Despite his ambivalence towards close-quarters conflict, successfully landing his Ultimate can prove extremely challenging due to the warning signals his distance provides—partnering him with allies like Groot or Doctor Strange enhances his effectiveness considerably.
Iron Fist
With a specialization in flanking, Iron Fist poses a serious threat to isolated Strategists thanks to his fast movement and attack rhythm. His abilities, Crane Leap and Wall Runner, grant him unmatched maneuverability, allowing him to seamlessly evade strong opponents.
However, due to the improvements in healing capabilities across the roster, Iron Fist’s ability to secure kills and impact engagements has diminished, thereby lowering his efficacy in Season 1.
C Tier Marvel Rivals Heroes
While C Tier heroes can find utility within specific team compositions or battlefield conditions, they generally fail to provide sufficient advantages when selected. Their abilities tend to lack strength, making them less optimal choices for team play.
Jeff the Land Shark
Jeff the Land Shark’s recent changes have significantly impacted his viability in Season 1. Although his healing output remains impressive, his Ultimate lacks the game-changing capabilities observed in earlier versions, previously positioning him among more competitive choices.
His support role is hindered by a relative lack of utility, meaning he struggles to contribute to team success in meaningful ways. Unless he receives further enhancements, Jeff may remain in the lower tiers.
Black Panther
Despite mobility features like Subtle Step and Spirit Rend allowing Black Panther to dart in and out of enemy lines, he frequently lacks the durability required to secure engagements successfully against stronger heroes.
The nerf applied to his Spirit Rend in Season 1 has further weakened his abilities, resulting in moderate reductions to survivability. Coupled with high-pressure setups that expose his weaknesses, he has fallen well below other options.
Namor
Namor showcases unique mechanics through his Monstro Spawn ability, dealing incremental damage during conflicts. Though he can evade battles with Blessing of the Deep, he suffers from limited utility due to the fragility of Monstro Spawn.
Although positioning can yield impactful plays from his Ultimate, similar to Black Panther’s challenges, he risks squandering effectiveness if the enemy escapes or fails to capitalize swiftly.
Spider-Man
Known for his rapid swing attacks and crowd control potential, Spider-Man carries great potential for creating advantages in skirmishes. If played correctly, his Ultimate can turn tides, neutralizing multiple enemies at once.
However, he heavily relies on team dynamics, requiring robust follow-up actions from allies to capitalize effectively on his disruptions. Additionally, his complexity means that mastery takes considerable investment, which may yield unpredictable results in matches.
Black Widow
Having transitioned from D Tier to C Tier, Black Widow has benefited from optimization adjustments enhancing her mobility and Ultimate capabilities. Despite this progress, she continues grappling with opposition from agile Duelists and Vanguards.
Although her potential to sway battles has improved, her merging of sniper mechanics and team utility remains inconsistent, rendering her a challenging choice in competitive play.
Hawkeye
Hawkeye delivers substantial potential via his one-shot capabilities when fully charged. His versatile array of arrows allows him to adapt to various situations, combining Crescent Slash and Ronin Slash to escape from threats while dealing damage.
Yet, he dropped a tier following Season 1 due to nerfs affecting his medium- to long-range effectiveness. As a sniper, his damage reliability has dwindled, adversely impacting his performance against aggressive assaults from flankers.
D Tier Marvel Rivals Heroes
Characters in D Tier are generally considered ineffective within any composition. Unlike C Tier choices, which may still have situational value, D Tier heroes typically detract from team dynamics rather than contributing positively.
Mr Fantastic
Mr Fantastic, introduced in Season 1, presents an intriguing hybrid nature between Vanguards and Duelists. His Reflexive Rubber ability allows for damage absorption while Brainiac Bounce provides offensive options against opponents.
However, his lack of specialization leads to a diluted impact on the battlefield. Struggling to define a specific role within team compositions, he remains outclassed by specialized Duelists, diminishing his viability in competitive play.
Scarlet Witch
Despite receiving additional damage buffs, Scarlet Witch’s struggles persist in Season 1 of Marvel Rivals. Similar to Iron Fist, leveraging her kit for effective results proves challenging, particularly given the heightened healing capabilities of many Support heroes.
Securing functional use of her Ultimate necessitates collaboration with supportive characters like Doctor Strange; thus, her inherent vulnerability while executing this ability ultimately hinders her potential. Consequently, her effectiveness has waned relative to stronger Duelist options available.
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