How to counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals ^[1] has a wide variety of playable characters from the Marvel Universe. From Spider-Man to Venom, a lot of characters are most identifiable by their roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Doctor Strange is no different in this regard, as he has two solo movies that were both extremely successful, not to mention his appearances in other movies and shows.

While a lot of players may love Doctor Strange’s character going into Marvel Rivals, he can be a little confusing to counter in the game. Not only is he an extremely tanky Vanguard character who has a good amount of health, but he can also use his shield to protect his teammates to ensure they can take the enemy down safely.

Fortunately, there are some ways players can counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals and we’re about to go through them right now. Of course, the best way to shut down any character in the game is ensuring you have a professional teammate with you. To do this, you can hire a professional booster from Eloking to give you a hand.

What are Doctor Strange’s strengths in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange is one of the most well-balanced vanguards in Marvel Rivals. His Shield of the Seraphim provides incredible defense, and Maelstrom of Magic can deal heavy damage. His ultimate ability can stun the enemy team if used correctly, and he creates portals that allow him to reposition anyone in the match, including his teammates and enemies. He’s very versatile and can shift between offensive and defensive playstyles. 

Breaking through Doctor Strange’s shield

Doctor Strange’s Shield of the Seraphim has 800 HP, making him an obstacle. The best approach against his shield is to commit to breaking down the shield with high-damage characters or flank around him to target his teammates. Both strategies require proper team coordination.

Heroes with output sustained damage, like Punisher or Adam Warlock, can quickly weaken the shield, while characters with shield-piercing abilities can counter it. A good coordinated push when Strange is under pressure can break through his defenses.

Melee characters are weak against Doctor Strange because of Maelstrom of Magic, an ability that deals up to 100 points of dark magic damage, so players recommend using long-range duelists to bypass his shield.

Exploiting his anti-heal effect

A purple anti-heal effect appears around Doctor Strange’s health bar if he holds onto his dark magic for too long, preventing his teammates from healing him. This debuff is an incredible opportunity to pressure him while he’s vulnerable. Teams should make coordinated attacks against him before he recovers.

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How to counter Doctor Strange as a Strategist?

Strategists don’t have to worry about Doctor Strange a lot because he won’t dive into them, but his ultimate ability can be an issue. Luna Snow is an incredible counter to Doctor Strange due to her Absolute Zero ability. If Luna Snow hits a perfect Absolute Zero to him when he’s activating his ultimate, she can cancel it altogether. 

Another great option is Adam Warlock. He can deal damage whenever his healing is on a cooldown, and his secondary fire, Cosmic Cluster, works well against Strange’s shield and prevents him from protecting his teammate.

How to counter Doctor Strange as a Vanguard?

Peni Parker’s Bionic Spider-Nest is a good counter to Maelstrom of Magic. The Arachno-Mines can slow him down to limit his melee potential. Also, her Cyber Web-Snare can cancel his ultimate, solidifying her as a counter to Doctor Strange.

Groot can create walls around Doctor Strange to limit his movement. It’s helpful if Strange’s Cloak of Levitation is on cooldown because he won’t be able to escape. It’s incredible for the entire team to work together and take him down when he’s stuck.

Magneto’s Mag-Cannon can push Strange away, so he won’t be able to hit teammates with his ultimate or Maelstrom of Magic.

How to counter Doctor Strange as a Duelist?

Duelists should focus on forcing Doctor Strange to retreat. Winter Soldier and Wolverine are great picks, with the former having an advantage because of his ranged abilities. Winter Soldier’s Bionic Hook can pull Strange away from his team, which is deadly when combined with Groot’s walls or other trapping skills.

Punisher is a nice choice because his turret form can break through Strange’s shield. Long-range duelists can damage the shield or flank around him to go for his teammates. Players should constantly pressure Strange so he plays defensively and can’t assist his allies during team fights.

Diving heroes like Iron First and Spider-Man aren’t the best for fighting Strange directly. They can prioritize Doctor Strange’s backline teammates to reduce the impact of his shield and ultimate ability to weaken his team’s strength. Duelists can make Strange’s defensive utilities useless by disrupting his team’s positions.

FAQs

Is Doctor Strange the best Vanguard in Marvel Rivals?

Answering this question is a little confusing since every hero and villain has different abilities that can be utilized in different ways. Thanks to this, technically any player can use any hero to consistently win games by faithfully following their role’s responsibilities.

With that being said, some other factors also determine which characters are good. Things like seasonal bonuses, team-ups, and overall buffs and nerfs can potentially make a character extremely good or extremely bad.

References

1. [1] "Official Marvel Rivals website". www.marvelrivals.com. Retrieved February 17, 2025