The roster of Marvel Rivals has potential for significant enhancement, particularly in terms of villain representation. Currently, iconic characters like Magneto, Loki, and Hela provide a strong presence; however, the balance skews heavily towards heroes. This landscape could soon transform with rumors of Ultron’s forthcoming inclusion. That said, the absence of the Mad Titan, Thanos—arguably the most renowned Marvel villain of the contemporary era—creates a noticeable gap that needs attention.
While characters such as Dr. Doom and Dracula have served as formidable foes in Seasons 0 and 1 of Marvel Rivals, they are not yet playable. This leaves a void that a character like Thanos could effectively occupy. Although Thanos has not been officially confirmed or leaked for the game, his integration could introduce a compelling and dynamic character that combines elements from his comic book and cinematic portrayals with new gameplay mechanics tailored for Marvel Rivals.
Envisioning Thanos’ Character Kit for Marvel Rivals
Thanos as a Potential Vanguard in Marvel Rivals
Given Thanos’ formidable size and combat abilities, he is likely to be categorized as a Vanguard in Marvel Rivals. Vanguards typically possess high health and employ shields or barriers that absorb damage, thus creating space for teammates. Even though Thanos may not use a shield like Doctor Strange or Magneto, he could adopt a role akin to that of Thor or Venom, featuring a passive ability that increases his health when utilizing particular skills. This is in line with Thanos’ near invincibility, attributed to the powers intertwined with his character.
Incorporating the Infinity Stones into Thanos’ Kit
Thanos is widely recognized for his prowess in hand-to-hand combat, relying on his immense strength inherited from his Eternal lineage. Thus, his standard attack may resemble a powerful punch akin to that of the Hulk. However, a comprehensive design for Thanos in Marvel Rivals would ideally include the Infinity Gauntlet. This could enable a secondary attack, allowing him to unleash a charged dashing punch reminiscent of Doomfist from Overwatch 2. Thanos’ uniqueness could shine through with the inclusion of the Infinity Stones as functional elements of his kit.
While six Infinity Stones exist, Marvel Rivals might only integrate a select few to maintain balance and avoid excessive complexity. The Space Stone could provide a fascinating skill allowing Thanos to teleport short distances on the battlefield, much like Reaper’s Shadow Step. Another possibility is an ability derived from the Power Stone, which could grant a temporary damage buff to Thanos and nearby allies. Furthermore, the Time Stone might allow Thanos to revert his health and position to a prior state, echoing Tracer’s Recall ability.
Designing Thanos’ Ultimate Ability: A Balancing Act
One of the most challenging aspects of creating Thanos’ kit would involve balancing his ultimate ability to reflect his immense power without compromising game integrity. The Mad Titan’s infamous snap from Avengers: Infinity War, which resulted in the demise of half the universe’s population, stands as a hallmark of his character. Instead of implementing a direct replica of Scarlet Witch’s Reality Erasure, Thanos’ ultimate could reduce every enemy hero’s maximum health by half for a limited duration, yielding a thematic yet strategically relevant effect.
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