Here are the strongest Marvel Rivals characters

Marvel Rivals ^[1] is easily one of the most surprising hits of 2024. With amazing games like Black Myth: Wukong and the early access of Path of Exile 2 also coming out this year, it’s only natural that gamers will remember 2024 as the year of the surprise bangers. Marvel Rivals owes much of its success to the unique takes on familiar heroes and villains from the Marvel universe.

Today, we want to take a look at the best characters in Marvel Rivals. This includes heavy-hitters like Hela to those who can support their teams with an iron shield like Luna Snow. Naturally, we’ll also expand on what makes every character worthy of being on this list and the play style players can expect from these characters.

So, without any more delay, here are the best characters in Marvel Rivals that you have to try out.

Doctor Strange (Vanguard)

Doctor Strange’s utility makes him the best vanguard hero in the game. He offers fantastic team protection with his shield of Seraphim, which absorbs large chunks of damage. His ability to create portals helps him reposition fast, and his damage output is reasonable. His main strength is keeping the team alive during big moments and providing unreal control during the fight.

Most players will likely remember the many clips that were circulating the internet of Doctor Strange sending the entire enemy team to their dooms using his portal ability. Well, those clips weren’t exactly exaggerated, as Marvel Rivals actually lets players do that and more. 

Hela (Duelist)

Hela remains the top duelist with her excellent kit. Her Nightsword Thorns provide deadly offense with a generous hitscan, while her Soul Drainer is great for crowd control. Her goddess of Death ultimate boosts her survivability and damage output. She’s hard to take down, and with her damage output, Hela dominates in 1v1 duels and teamfights.

It’s worth mentioning that those who want to play a character who’s the literal definition of a glass canon should definitely go for Hela. One hit of her sharp attack can deal devastating damage, especially when it comes to headshots. Pair her up with her brothers, Thor and Loki, and she can heal or revive her brothers every time she gets a kill to keep the onslaught of attacks going.

Luna Snow (Strategist)

Luna Snow is a premier healer in the game. She provides crucial healing with her Ice Arts and Fate of Both Worlds ultimate, which boosts either damage or healing as needed. Her smaller model and ability to freeze enemies add to her survivability and control. She’s best paired with Mantis for better healing synergy.

Yes, she dances when you use her ultimate. However, like Zenyatta from Overwatch 2, everyone in her ultimate is granted invulnerability for a couple of seconds, ensuring they can attack without fear of going down in the process.

Mantis (Strategist)

Mantis is a top-tier strategist who can buff herself and her team. Her healing works through critical hits that restore Life Orbs and provide reliable support. Her Spore Slumber stun ability can take out those pesky enemies. When paired with healers like Luna Snow, she creates a solid base for the team to survive in prolonged fights.

Her only issue is that she’s fairly squishy. That’s where her team up ability with Star Lord and Adam Warlock comes into play. When it’s in effect, all three characters can revive themselves when they die, ensuring they can catch anyone who took them down in a surprise attack.

Hawkeye (Duelist)

Hawkeye shines with his iconic bow and arrow and offers unreal potential. With his range and one-shot potential, he’s one of the deadliest duelists in the game when in the right hands. He can clear out enemies from a distance and doesn't have to be in the middle to create an impact. Though he requires good aim, mastering him means you can secure some of the easiest kills in the game.

Those who want to take things a step further can also pair this Avengers member with Black Widow. This ensures that Hawkeye gives Black Widow the ability to see and attack the afterimages of enemies, dealing devastating damage with her sniper rifle.

Groot (Vanguard)

Groot specializes in defense thanks to his abilities. He can summon barriers that shape the battlefield and block enemy flanks and stalling threats. While he doesn't exactly shine in offense, his strength lies in controlling the flow of the fight with strong defense and crowd control. When used correctly, he makes it impossible for enemies to break through.

Magneto (Vanguard)

Magneto has a fine balance of defensive and offensive abilities and excels against grouped enemies. His Metallic Curtain shield is perfect against poke-heavy compositions, while Bulwark Bubbles provide him and his team with defense. Though slower than most characters, he’s a solid pick for holding the front line. He can wipe out sniper-heavy teams easily when paired with the Scarlet Witch.

The one major issue with Magneto is that it isn’t easy for him to deal with high damage, making it tough for him to finish off enemies. Players can bypass this by pairing Magneto with Scarlet Witch to imbue his greatsword with chaos magic, bumping up his overall damage output.

Winter Soldier (Duelist)

Winter Soldier is one of the strongest duelists with his overpowered kit. His ultimate Kraken Impact deals great impact damage and takes out targets with low HP. His Bionic Hook is a game changer and can displace nearby enemies. Winter Soldier specializes in isolating key targets and taking them out, making him invaluable in team fights and skirmishes.

Iron Fist (Duelist)

Iron Fist is a backline menace that combines high mobility, devastating damage, and survivability. He can dive deep into fights, take out key targets, and quickly retreat without a scratch, making him a nightmare for strategists. His abilities like Jeet Kune Do provide consistent melee strikes, while Harmony Recovery and Crane Leap enhance his survivability. Iron Fist dominates with precision and agility.

Iron Fist is regarded by many as the most overpowered character in the game. Not only is he extremely agile and mobile, but he also deals very high damage, allowing him to take out squishy enemies fast. The best play with this character is to use his agility to reach the backlines to take out the healers, leaving the rest of the team open to attack.

Cloak and Dagger (Strategist)

Cloak and Dagger seamlessly balance offense and defense. Their adaptability allows for both aggressive and supportive playstyles. Dagger’s healing kit is exceptional, while Cloak’s Dark teleportation rivals even Mantis’s ultimate as a top-tier defense tool. The duo’s strength is in their ability to switch roles whenever they want. With their dynamic playstyle and utility, Cloak and Dagger are perfect for turning the tide in any battle.

Psylocke (Duelist)

Psylocke excels as a lethal flanker. Her stealth and mobility make her hard to pin down, letting her sneak into enemy backlines and dish out deadly blows. Her Wing Shurikens provide consistent damage, while her ultimate, Dance of the Butterfly, delivers massive area damage with slow debuff. Psylocke is a nightmare for enemy backlines and can pick off squishy targets and escape situations easily.

Adam Warlock (Strategist)

Adam Warlock can keep his team alive through prolonged engagements. With Soul Bond, he can heal multiple teammates at once. His Karmic Revivial and Regenerative Cocoon abilities allow him to resurrect himself. He has solid burst damage with Cosmic Cluster, and he can reverse lost fights and sustain his team in clutch scenarios.

FAQs

How many characters are in Marvel Rivals?

At the time of writing, Marvel Rivals has 33 playable characters. However, naturally, this number will get bumped up as new characters come out. Some characters have already been leaked thanks to data miners. These characters include Blade, Invisible Woman, Thing, Mr. Fantastic, and more.

As for the roles, Marvel Rivals primarily has three roles that every character fits into. 

• The first is Duelist which includes characters who can deal high damage, though this also means these characters aren’t too tough to take down.
• Next, there are Strategists. These are support characters who primarily heal enemies to keep them fighting.
• Finally, Vanguard characters are tanks with beefy health.

References

1. [1] "Official Marvel Rivals website". www.marvelrivals.com. Retrieved December 22, 2024