The best Marvel Rivals characters (ranked)

Marvel Rivals ^[1] is out and is overtaking all the leaderboards by storm. Perfect encapsulating what makes a hero shooter game fun, Marvel Rivals has various characters players can use. The best thing is that every character is a unique take on familiar characters from the Marvel universe, from Iron Man to Captain America.

However, which playable characters are the best in Marvel Rivals? Today, we want to go through our picks for the best Marvel Rivals characters from the ever-expanding list of 30+ heroes and villains. We’ll cover every character we believe deserves a place in the S or A tier while expanding on why they’re where they are.

So, without any more delay, here are the best Marvel Rivals characters ranked from worst to best.

S-tier Marvel Rivals characters

These S-tier powerhouses are the cream of the crop in Marvel Rivals; they can change the game in almost any team setup.

1. Luna Snow

Luna Snow shines as a flexible support hero, offering powerful healing, crowd control, and mobility. Her ultimate skill provides crucial AoE healing and shields, ensuring team survival against aggressive DPS enemies. 

If you enjoy balancing offense and defense while keeping your team alive, Luna is your perfect pick. She's especially good at disrupting enemy tactics, but be careful against tanky opponents like Venom, who can take her pressure and test her team. 

2. Venom

Venom excels as a durable tank with great crowd control and mobility, making him a force to be reckoned with on the frontlines. His melee attacks, with the shield that gives him temporary health, make him a disruptor and a survivor. Using his ultimate, Feast Of The Abyss, allows him to devour enemies to deal damage based on the enemy's current health and generate equivalent bonus health for himself. 

If you like slipping damage while being aggressive up close, Venom is your guy. Be sure to watch out for ranged enemies who keep their distance and can gradually drain your health. Not to mention, he has some of the coolest skins in the game.

3. Hawkeye

He can control whole matches with his precise attacks. He can take out the weaker heroes in one shot, which keeps the enemies on their toes. His focus mechanic adds a twist, though you will have to keep your aim steady to charge those devastating shots.

Fully charged headshots land about 190 damage and can be very effective against tanks and airborne targets. The Blast Arrow is very useful during close combat situations.

4. Jeff the Land Shark

Jeff the Land Shark is a versatile support hero who specializes in his mighty healing and crowd control. His ultimate, It’s Jeff! wreaks havoc on the battlefield, and can change the course of the battle entirely. Jeff is well-suited to players who enjoy causing chaos while backing up teammates as he truly shines in disruption support roles. 

However, his weaknesses come against fast and aggressive melee characters, capable of rapidly closing the gap and endangering Jeff. He is perfect for players who are great in a supportive role but like to add a little bit of chaos and fun. Plus, what’s more embarrassing than being eaten by a happy baby shark? 

5. Cloak and Dagger

Cloak and Dagger are a high-energy duo built for mobility and devastating ranged damage. Cloak teleports, creating opportunities to reposition or ambush, while Dagger deals with precision ranged attacks. 

Their ultimate delivers massive AoE damage, making them deadly against clustered enemies. If you enjoy weaving in and out of fights and delivering quick bursts of damage, they're perfect for you. Watch out for durable tanks like Venom who can endure their onslaught.

6. Magneto

Magneto is a defense and team support tank with very strong shields and zoning capabilities to manipulate the movements of the enemy. His ultimate, Meteor M, forges an iron meteor that acts as an absorption projectile and deals massive damage upon impact. This makes him especially powerful against ranged attackers. 

Magneto is ideal for strategic players who prefer a defensive role, as Magneto can very well control space on the battlefield and neutralize long-range damage dealers. However, he has a hard time against fast, agile melee fighters such as Wolverine who can easily close the gap.

7. Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is a tough tank who has great self-sustain and defense capabilities. He can absorb projectiles when he has his shields on and also disrupt enemies with his portal abilities. His ultimate, Eye Of Agamotto, can separate nearby enemies' Souls from their bodies, with the damage dealt to the souls being transferred to the physical bodies. This allows for some easier kills during tough competition. 

However, he faces challenges against quick, burst-damage characters like Wolverine, who can easily bypass his defenses and overpower him swiftly. He is perfect for those who like to control the battlefield and support their teammates. 

8. Adam Warlock

Adam Warlock is a tank support hero who can absorb damage and heal himself. He is ideal for team-focused gameplay.

He can revive fallen teammates using his ultimate, Karmic Revival. Revived teammates have low health but enjoy a brief period of invincibility. While Adam Warlock excels in protracted team fights, his slow movement speed and dependence on cooldowns for healing make him vulnerable to fast, high-damage attackers like Spider-Man. He is ideal for defensive players who enjoy helping out their teammates. 

A-tier Marvel Rivals characters

Let's check out our A-tier lineup, where we have some really powerful characters who are only second to the S-tier. These heroes might not be as broken as Jeff the Land Shark, but they can turn the tide of battle when you know what you're doing.

1. Moon Knight

Moon Knight performs the best in burst damage situations, using precise strikes to deflect projectiles with his Ankhs while controlling vertical space with his cape. His ultimate can cause chaos among groups of enemies. 

If you are someone who likes tactical, high-skill gameplay that focuses on accuracy and positioning, then Moon Knight is your hero. Keep in mind, however, that you have to be careful about agile and dodgy heroes like Spider-Man, who can dodge his attacks very easily. If you can master creative strategies and timing, you will unleash Moon Knight's potential in battle to the fullest!

2. Hela

Hela is a special hero, tank, and DPS. She’s great at AoE damage and calls out spectral warriors, which swarm and overwhelm enemies, making her good in crowd control situations. She is perfect for players who thrive in aggressive and strategic playstyles. 

However, she can sometimes have trouble with fast melee characters that can dodge attacks and close the gap rapidly. Hela is the best for those who have a taste for dominating the battlefield through smart positioning and offensive tactics.

Her Ultimate, Goddess of Death, really makes her formidable. She gets a giant HP buff and rains terror down upon the battlefield till it is over. With one shot, she could clear points by herself without anyone interfering.

3. Psylocke

Psylocke is a fast DPS hero with psychic projectiles along with fast strikes to gain burst damage. Her ultimate ability increases her attack power and she is majorly effective in rapid battles. 

She’s more suitable for players who have a hit-and-run tactic, but she will not be very effective against the tanks that have high durability and can absorb her attacks. If you want to breach the enemy team's backline and quickly assassinate low-health foes, this is the character for you

4. Star Lord

Star-Lord is a versatile DPS hero, great for aerial battles and swift, agile movement. His ultimate, Galactic Legend, allows him to engage in free-flight and lock onto enemies in sight. He is easily taken down, however, by long-range snipers when he's in the air. 

He is a great character for players who enjoy fast-paced gameplay and positioning since Star-Lord requires very good timing to avoid being picked off by distant attackers. If you like flanking and hit-and-run attacks with a highly mobile hero, this is your guy.

5. Spider-Man

You can probably already tell how effective Spider-Man is by all the previous powerful characters whose weaknesses are fast, offensive enemies. He’s a speedy DPS hero and great for those who enjoy highly mobile and high-skill Duelists who excel at picking off lone targets. 

Using his webs, he can dart in and out of combat to deliver burst damage and easily escape threats. He is perfect for the intense, high-speed battles. Despite being hard to master, there are some cool perks to this character that you won’t get anywhere else- like using webs to pull enemies into the void. Honestly, how can you beat that?

However, you'd have to be careful of long-range attackers when you choose this character. If you like mobility and elusiveness, Spider-Man is your man, especially if you are one who thrives on rapid repositioning during intense battles!

6. Mantis

Mantis is a very diverse support hero with healing and crowd-control abilities, which are essential for any team. Her ultimate gives out AoE healing, keeping teammates alive in fierce battles. If you enjoy a mobile support role with disruptive skills merged with healing capabilities, then Mantis is definitely your hero. 

However, she is susceptible to burst-damage foes who can quickly end her in fast skirmishes. She's perfect for players who do well with tactical team setups and defensive maneuvers. Watch out for super-damage enemies that might silence her support skills.

7. Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is an awesome control and DPS heroine who wields her powers to distort reality to have fun destroying everything in sight on the battlefield. The ultimate power she possesses offers huge AoE damage so it works great with groups of enemies. 

If you enjoy high-skill impactful gameplay, you'll appreciate her ability to take charge. She may have a tough time against heroes that deal strong burst damage. She's perfect for players looking to control the course of battle, but they must be cautious not to get overwhelmed by fast, high-damage opponents.

8. Iron Fist

Again, after seeing how many top-tier heroes are weak to quick melee characters, you can already tell this one’s effectiveness. Iron Fist is a fast melee DPS hero with agility who uses chi for his attacks, thus being a monster in close combat. His ultimate makes him stronger and faster overall, thus turning the battle in his favor. He’s great for players who enjoy getting up in the faces of enemy duelists and strategists, tanking their attacks, and bursting them down fast before retreating. 

However, since he is mainly a close-range fighter, he’s vulnerable to ranged players who can maintain their safe distance and evade his moves. If you enjoy an aggressive, rapid fighting system, then you'll adore Iron Fist; just watch for those who counter from safety!

9. The Punisher

This one is for our shooting game fanatics. Another DPS hero, The Punisher doesn't use anything but his firearms and explosives to hurt the enemy and deal damage from afar. His ultimate, Final Judgement, unleashes two Gatling guns and missiles to attack enemies. Such devastating power makes him a formidable opponent against anyone in his way. 

Perfect for players who appreciate consistent ranged damage, The Punisher excels at keeping enemies at a distance. However, he is susceptible to agile, mobile heroes who can quickly pop up and disrupt his attacks. If you prefer the straightforward way of ranged combat or you feel more comfortable with guns and explosives, The Punisher will be your choice of play style, but beware of these fast-moving threats!

B-tier and onwards Marvel Rivals characters

Although they are charming, Groot, Thor, and many others fall into the "good but not great" category, with abilities that tend to be overshadowed by more powerful heroes.

Black Panther Storm and Wolverine are among the same players who have their moments but struggle to measure up to top-tier characters like Hawkeye and Venom. Despite their usefulness in using Team-Up Ability, these characters are unlikely to attract much attention. Treat them as trustworthy subcontractors and not just stars of the program.

In the current meta, are Vanguards like Bruce Banner (Hulk) and Duelists such as Namor and Winter Soldier becoming less relevant in the gameplay? Despite their complete lack of merit, they are not considered standout performers and are often overlooked by more effective heroes. While they do have their moments of excellence, such as in Namor's Monstrous Spawn when harassing dive heroes, they are often seen as backups. 

Currently, they could have more spare time than spotlight action. It goes without saying that none of these C tier+ characters are inherently bad, but there's truth in the fact that there are characters that need to be reworked to be "better" or have the potential but consistently fall short. Perhaps they end up majorly overshadowed by their top-tier allies.

FAQs

How many characters does Marvel Rivals have?

Marvel Rivals has a total of 33 characters at the time of writing, though that number is slated to increase with new updates. Below is every character in the game:

• Adam Warlock
• Black Panther
• Black Widow
• Captain America
• Cloak and Dagger
• Doctor Strange
• Groot
• Hawkeye
• Hela
• Hulk
• Iron Fist
• Iron Man
• Jeff the Land Shark
• Loki
• Luna Snow
• Magik
• Magneto
• Mantis
• Moon Knight
• Namor
• Peni Parker
• Psylocke
• The Punisher
• Rocket Raccoon
• Scarlet Witch
• Squirrel Girl
• Spider-Man
• Star Lord
• Storm
• Thor
• Venom
• Winter Soldier
• Wolverine

Who are the most played characters in Marvel Rivals?

The most played character in regular game modes in Marvel Rivals is Jeff the Land Shark. This is likely thanks to how easy he is to play and how his ultimate can essentially wipe out an entire team at once when used properly.

On the other hand, when it comes to the ranked game mode, Luna Snow is the most played character. Luna’s healing is excellent and she can use her ultimate to ensure her teammates stay alive for longer. In a ranked game where everyone’s playing to win, having someone like Luna can help tip the odds in the player’s favor.

It’s important to note that these two are only the most played characters at the time of writing. As new characters join the roster, the most played character can become someone else, from Ultron to Human Town or even Deadpool.

References

1. [1] "Official Marvel Rivals website". www.marvelrivals.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024