In the dynamic landscape of Marvel Rivals, the role of Vanguards is indispensable for team success. Choosing the right Vanguard can fundamentally influence the outcome of battles, making it essential to select a character that aligns well with your team’s overall strategy and composition.
Vanguards are built to confront opposition directly, absorbing critical damage that could otherwise devastate your team within moments. Therefore, having at least one Vanguard in your lineup is crucial for maintaining control during engagements.
Typical team setups often aim for a balanced mix, usually two Vanguards alongside other class types. However, in the absence of role queues and restrictive pick limits in Marvel Rivals, you may find yourself compelled to assume the Vanguard position based on your team’s needs.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each Vanguard hero is vital, as they excel in specific scenarios that can tip the scales toward victory. Let’s dive into our curated ranking of Vanguards in Marvel Rivals, aiming to spotlight those who can navigate unique battlefield challenges effectively.
8 Hulk
Here He Comes
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Hulk Smash |
Transform from Hero Hulk into Monster Hulk for a limited duration. |
|
Indestructible Guard |
Generate gamma shields for Hero Hulk and nearby allies, absorbing damage and converting it into energy for Hulk Smash. |
|
Radioactive Lockdown |
Emit gamma energy to immobilize enemies, rendering them immune to ability effects until disrupted by heavy attacks. |
|
Incredible Leap |
Hold SPACE to perform a charged leap that knocks down airborne foes. |
|
Gamma Burst |
Unleash gamma-ray bursts to inflict damage on enemies. |
Engaging aggressively with Hulk is essential to maximizing his potential. Many of Hulk’s abilities encourage an offensive play style that disrupts enemy lines and targets their Strategists. However, caution is advised; without a supportive healer, you’ll find it harder to sustain your pokes.
The short duration of many of Hulk’s skills necessitates effective timing. Should you revert to Bruce Banner, you’re likely facing a quick trip back to spawn. His Incredible Leap offers a way to evade traps, but the timing of cast actions must be considered critically.
Though Hulk can provide shielding, his effectiveness wanes if you’re not engaging opponents. To improve his standing as a Vanguard, adjustments to his damage output or a rework of his abilities might be needed; otherwise, he comes across as underwhelming in team fights.
7 Thor
The God of Thunder
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
God of Thunder |
Ascend and strike the ground, dealing damage to nearby foes within range. |
|
Storm Surge |
Hold Mjolnir to spin and dash forward, knocking back enemies. |
|
Lightning Realm |
Summon lightning to restore Thorforce proportional to the enemies hit. |
|
Awakening Rune |
Activate Awakened state for bonus health and enhanced Mjolnir bash. |
|
Hammer Throw |
Launch Mjolnir forward; it returns after striking. |
Thor shares a common frontline mentality with Hulk, relying heavily on managing Thorforce to maximize his offensive capabilities. This mechanic can be daunting for new players, necessitating precise timing and positioning to unlock Thor’s full potential.
While he can deal significant damage and utilize crowd-control effects, the success of this hero hinges on the player’s ability to efficiently navigate Thorforce limits. When not in his Awakened state, he often feels like a mere target in skirmishes.
If properly supported, Thor proves to be an asset in tanking. Nonetheless, the mechanics behind him may deter players who are not comfortable with the advanced gameplay necessary to play him effectively.
6 Magneto
Mutant Power
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Meteor M |
Collect surrounding materials to forge an impact-causing iron meteor. Absorbing enemy projectiles enhances its damage. |
|
Metallic Curtain |
Set a magnetic field as a curtain, blocking incoming projectiles. |
|
Metal Bulwark |
Conjure a protective metal shield for an ally. |
|
Iron Bulwark |
Surround yourself with an iron shield. |
|
Mag-Cannon |
Transform iron rings into a cannon to launch destructive metallic projectiles. |
Interestingly, Magneto has become somewhat scarce in recent ranked play. His defensive skill set positions him as a damage sponge, which may not resonate with teams seeking more offensive strategies.
While he provides solid shielding for both himself and allies, his lack of mobility and offensive maneuvers can feel limiting. Players could pocket him to bolster flankers against opposing tanks, benefitting from his shielding in critical moments.
Overall, while Magneto suffices for protective roles, his gameplay often lacks the appeal of more dynamic characters, leading to missed opportunities for offense.
5 Captain America
Avengers Assemble
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Freedom Charge |
Lead forward with shield raised, providing Bonus Health and Movement Boosts to teammates while launching enemies when used with Living Legend or Leading Dash. |
|
Leading Dash |
Boost your speed and enable a leap into the air. |
|
Vibranium Energy Saw |
Use your energy-charged shield to strike enemies along a path. |
|
Liberty Rush |
Charge forward while raising your shield. |
|
Super-Soldier Slam |
Leap from above to target an area, launching enemies upwards. |
|
Living Legend |
Deflect incoming projectiles with your shield, sending them ricocheting. |
While Captain America‘s mobility makes him a fun character to play, his role as a self-serving tank can create challenges for teamwork. Although capable of intercepting incoming attacks, he struggles to provide holistic protection compared to other team-centric options like Groot.
Effective play involves coordinating with healers who can help bolster his offensive dives into enemy territory. Despite his ability to evade damage with his shield, Captain America’s survival hinges on keeping a moving strategy while continuously assessing enemy positions.
While he’s powerful in skilled hands, he is ultimately vulnerable to stuns and crowd-control unless wisely backed up by teammates.
4 Penny Parker
It’s Spider Time!
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Spider-Sweeper |
Enhance your SP//drr suit to launch enemies and deploy various Arachno-Mines and Cyber-Webs. |
|
Bionic Spider-Nest |
Create a Bionic Spider-Nest that spawns Spider-Drones and Cyber-Webs while providing healing and buffs. |
|
Arachno-Mine |
Deploy mines that can be hidden within Cyber-Webs. |
|
Cyber-Bond |
Launch a web that links to a designated area or Cyber-Web, triggering pullback if stretched. |
|
Cyber-Web Snare |
Cast a web that immobilizes enemies or generates Cyber-Web for added healing and benefits. |
Penny Parker stands out as an underrated Vanguard, particularly effective in lower-ranked games, while High ELO players may find ways to counter her technology. Her snare skill can immobilize enemies, negating their ultimate abilities temporarily and granting a crucial advantage to her team.
This ability, recast every three seconds, allows for strategic plays that can disrupt frontlines, giving teammates an opening to capitalize on vulnerable enemies.
However, she lacks inherent defensive skills and needs careful positioning behind walls to mitigate incoming damage. Being targets for agile Duelists can quickly turn the tide against her if she’s out of position.
3 Venom
Chaos Incarnate
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Feast of the Abyss |
Burrow underground for stealthy movement to emerge and damage enemies above while gaining health. |
|
Venom Swing |
Launch webbing to swing in one direction, enhancing mobility. |
|
Symbiotic Resilience |
Gain bonus health as damage accumulates, amplifying survivability when health is low. |
|
Frenzied Arrival |
Leap to a location from a height to damage and launch nearby enemies upwards. |
|
Cellular Corrosion |
Unleash tentacles to slow enemies within range and damage those unable to escape. |
Venom excels as a dive tank, supporting flanking heroes to eliminate enemy Strategists. His aggressive style thrives in the chaos of battle, allowing him to sow discord and absorb substantial damage.
Part of mastering Venom lies in timing your skills and assessing engagements tactically. While his abilities provide advantages in mobility and evasive maneuvers, caution is needed when diving into enemy territory.
Moreover, be wary of enemies with crowd-control skills that can easily immobilize you during your flanks. Always ensure that healers are nearby to maintain your survivability.
2 Big
I Am Groot
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Strangling Prison |
Fire a massive vine to pull in nearby enemies and imprison them. |
|
Thornlash Wall |
Grow a Thornlash Wall that damages nearby enemies when Awakened. |
|
Ironwood Wall |
Create an Ironwood Wall that provides Groot bonus health when alive. |
|
Spore Bomb |
Launch an explosive Spore Bomb that releases smaller explosive spores. |
In solo tank scenarios, Groot emerges as a solid choice due to his unique ability to control areas and isolate enemies effectively. His walls serve crucial defensive and offensive purposes, offering critical support in both disrupting enemy advances and protecting teammates.
While his slow movement can hinder rapid response to objectives, his zoning capabilities allow teams to dictate flow during engagements. However, poor positioning can inadvertently obstruct teammates’ line of sight and disrupt teamwork.
With practice, Groot’s potential for area control shines through, making him a fearsome presence against enemy tanks and a firm protective force for squishier allies.
1 Doctor Strange
The Power of Magic
|
Abilities |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Eye of Agamotto |
Isolate enemies’ souls; damage to these souls transfers to their bodies. |
|
Cloak of Levitation |
Ascend briefly to enter a state of levitation. |
|
Maelstrom of Madness |
Unleash dark magic to damage nearby foes. |
|
Pentagram of Farallah |
Create portals between locations for swift traversal. |
|
Shield of the Seraphim |
Generate a protective barrier against damage. |
Doctor Strange’s ability to shift the battlefield with portals gives him a tactical edge, enabling entire teams to reposition strategically. His regenerative capabilities further empower him as a Vanguard, effectively absorbing damage while supporting allies.
The power of his ultimate can drastically alter battle dynamics, creating opportunities for critical engagements. Though not mobile in the same manner as some characters, the Cloak of Levitation offers a means of avoiding tricky situations.
However, balancing the management of Dark Magic stacks adds a layer of complexity to his gameplay. Mastery of these elements, alongside maintaining protective shields, is essential for maximizing his impact as a Vanguard.
Overall, Doctor Strange stands out as a robust Vanguard, capable of controlling both space and team dynamics with strategic teleportation and powerful shielding.
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