Dexerto/NetEase GamesMarvel Rivals boasts loads of different characters with a diverse set of abilities. Whether you want a melee assassin, long-range sniper, unkillable tank, or a reliable support who focuses on healing and supporting allies, there’s a hero for you.
Heroes are divided into three classes: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategists. These are akin to Overwatch‘s Tank, Damage, and Support, respectively, and it’s more likely you’ll hear them referred to as such.
However, not all heroes are created equal. And while some are much more effective than others based on just having better numbers or a flexible kit, others are only good in very specific scenarios, and some directly counter other characters on the roster.
Below, you’ll find a tier list current with the Marvel Rivals Season 3 changes that reflect our experiences both in early access with the season and playing it on live servers.
Best characters in Marvel Rivals ranked
Our tiers explained
Here is a short-hand for how each tier breakdown:
- S: The best characters in Marvel Rivals that are easy to use and most effective in any scenario.
- A: Strong in most scenarios with good team-ups, or very good at countering one specific thing.
- B: Decent, but often not the best choice in any given situation.
- C: Niche picks. They’re either team-up reliant, specific counterpicks, or map-dependent.
S-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Cloak and Dagger
NetEase GamesAs a Strategist with two different kits at once, Cloak and Dagger excels both in pumping out heals and pressuring enemies with their primary fire. They can also nullify a lot of ultimates simply just by using one ability that belongs to Cloak, although this does require good timing to pull off.
Regardless, they’re an excellent support to pick if you find yourself constantly getting flanked in the backline with no one to help. To top it off, their ultimate has just got buffed in the current season, giving them one extra dash so you can easily cover more area with it.
The only thing that makes them tricky to play is that players have to be aware of when they should switch to who to make them really shine during team fights.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strong survivability and AoE healing with Dagger, High DPS with Cloak | High skill floor, with knowledge of their stance swaps required to play the hero |
| Can blind enemies to push through chokes better than most heroes | No mobility and lacks self peel. Does alright in 1v1s against divers, but is easily overwhelmed by heavy dive |
| Brief immunity frames for allies that can be used to negate ults and change the game, but you have a very narrow window | Her only team-up is niche and has limited usefulness |
To get the most from the deadly duo, check out our top tips to dominate as Cloak and Dagger.
Emma Frost
NetEase GamesEver since Emma was first released, the Vanguard has been swinging among the top picks and for a good reason. Between her strong ranged damage and shielding to completely CC immunity when stance swapping, she’s got everything you need from a Tank.
While it’s debatable that other heroes in the role may be better than her at protecting the backline or diving the enemy team’s supports, the fact that Emma’s so good at both makes her an invaluable addition to any team composition. And that’s without mentioning her fantastic ult and full CC immunity on melee stance that makes her a hard counter to several meta mainstays.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| A genuine one-shot combo that works against squishy targets, generally high single-target damage | Requires a strong understanding of when and how to use each stance |
| Great at protecting backline and keeping allies alive | Generally bad AoE damage outside of her ult, requires good target prioritization |
| Complete CC immunity that makes her hard counter several heroes | Low mobility |
If you want to learn how to play Emma Frost, check out our guide.
Groot
NetEase GamesGroot may not have the mobility of some other heroes in the tank role, but he’s got some great tools at his disposal. His ability to place walls and manipulate sightlines makes him great at stopping the enemy in their tracks and holding down a point.
While his primary fire has a bit of a strange delay on it and takes some getting used to for hitting targets, it does a ton of damage. Groot also lacks self peel, but this can be helped by having select support heroes literally ride on his back. That said, if you get caught out, your support is also up a creek without a paddle.
As long as you’re able to keep yourself from overextending, Groot is S-tier. There’s a reason he’s so popular in high MMR.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strong ultimate when paired with other ults/AoE burst | Awkward primary fire and limited range, has a bit of a learning curve |
| Can hold chokes very well and take advantage of people overextending | His walls can unintentionally mess with his teammates |
| Good poke and generally high damage | Easily overwhelmed in comparison to tanks with more self peel and mobility |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Groot, check out our guide.
Hela
NetEase GamesHela has genuine lobby admin status if she gets through hero bans. She just does so much damage at such a consistent rate that she’s a constant threat and very difficult to deal with. It’s often the case that the team with a better Hela has a huge advantage.
She does have weaknesses. Like, she can get locked down just like any other fairly squishy DPS hero, but she has so many tools to deal with getting dived and can create distance pretty much whenever she needs to. Additionally, with the recent buff to her Nightsword Thorn, the Duelist is even more impactful in poke comps.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Can stun and CC multiple targets, doing damage to all of them in the process | Very snowball-y and requires pinpoint accuracy |
| Strong primary fire, especially with a damage boost. It’s just shy of a 3-shot kill, any damage boost sends her there | Her ult is kind of awkward and leaves her stuck in a static position |
| Genuine lobby admin hero, hard carry you’d want to build a team around | Her mobility is a bit unwieldy and predictable |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Hela, check out our guide.
Invisible Woman
netease gamesInvisible Woman’s versatile kit makes her a decent pick in many situations as of Season 3. Not only can she pump out a lot of heals, but she also does a really good job at protecting her teammates using her shield and ultimate.
However, one thing that makes her really great compared to other Strategists is how she can easily escape dives and sticky situations with her invisibility. Her CC, zoning, and damage is super strong, with her having really great damage without sacrificing much healing.
The biggest obstacle for her is that she requires some pretty solid aim considering her main source of healing is a projectile, one that moves slower than, say, Luna Snow’s.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| She has a decent amount of CC to deal with flankers | Requires decent aim to heal, isn’t useful if you miss your teammates |
| Ult gives her team invisibility and health regen while slowing enemies inside it | Her shield is static and teammate-dependent |
| Great at pocketing stationary characters | Lacks self-healing sustain outside of invisibility and shield |
Check out our guide if you’d like to see the best ways to play Invisible Woman.
Loki
NetEase GamesLoki is the absolute highest-skill cap character in Marvel Rivals, bar none. He’s got a steep learning curve but can solo carry in the right scenarios. The most burst healing in the game if he stacks clones, a ton of DPS, the ability to stealth and teleport around, and the ability to transform into other heroes: In the right hands, Loki dominates.
However, he’s very hard to use. He only lives and does damage if he’s got his clones placed properly. Pretty much everything Loki does that’s good is based on his clones, so knowing how and when to use them is the key to success with him.
Not for the faint of heart, but very strong if you know how to aim and be strategic with your clones. Or you can just copy Luna ult, that too.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strong healing and damage, genuine solo carry potential | Requires mastery and has a high skill floor, if you aren’t good with Loki he feels terrible |
| Can immediately change a teamfight by stealing an enemy hero’s ult, he earns S tier by copying Luna | Reliant on clones, with enemies often being able to stack passives and damage buffs like they would from hitting normal heroes by killing clones |
| Hardest support hero to lock down | Can struggle to get into fights, requires good frontline |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Loki, check out our guide.
Luna Snow
NetEase GamesIf you can aim, Luna Snow is incredibly effective. A ton of healing, strong damage, a passive that lets her move around faster than most other supports out of combat, and some essential CC make her a strong pick with every team composition.
It’s a bonus if you can get someone to pick Jeff or Namor with you, but team-ups aren’t required for Luna to be good whatsoever. In a game where DPS players are constantly looking to dive and kill supports, you’re going to want her stun to keep people off of you and burst down key targets before they can react.
Pair all of that with an ultimate that makes Luna essentially unkillable as she heals/amps her allies, and you’ve got a winning formula. One thing that makes her really viable, however, is how she’s able to heal allies without being in their LOS.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good healing and consistent damage all at once | Not much self peel once her stun is down |
| One of the game’s best and most reliable hard CC abilities | Requires good accuracy, if you miss shots your allies aren’t getting healed |
| A game-changing ultimate that’s easy to use | Less self healing than most other supports |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Luna Snow, check out our guide.
Magneto
NetEase GamesIf you’re looking for a tank who doesn’t die but want someone a bit less about diving and a bit more about protecting allies, Magneto’s your man. Though he’s on the low end of tank HP at 650, he has so many tools to stay alive that it doesn’t really matter.
Between a front-facing shield that can block entire ultimates to a bubble shield that can be used on himself or allies, he’s really great for keeping your team alive and breathing.
His ultimate is also a fantastic zoning tool that should be saved for when you really need to cap a point. Fighting into his ult is almost always a losing battle due to the fact that it soaks all projectiles unless you’re dumping a full Punisher ult into it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Really, really hard to kill | Unbearably slow |
| Can shield allies and peel for his backline better than any other hero | Like, really really slow. So unbelievably slow. You can literally fly please move faster dude come on |
| Strong damage output and burst despite being a tank | Can be easily overwhelmed by melee heroes, his frontal shield only blocks projectiles |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Magneto, check out our guide.
Phoenix
NetEasePhoenix is the newest addition in Season 3. One way to describe her is that she’s very similar to Hela, thanks to her long-range primary fire and poke potential, except she’s even better. Hela can only focus on one target, but Phoenix decimates multiple people as long as they are grouped together.
Not only that, but the Duelist can also stun enemies and has a really useful ult, which can be used to shut down summons and shields.
The only drawback is that it’s tricky to aim with her as you need to be precise with your shots due to how small the projectiles are. However, if you can master her, she’s an absolute monster.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has CC and spreading mechanic which are good against deathball comps | Aiming with her projectiles can be hard to get used to |
| Ultimate has good combo potential | Long cooldown on some abilities |
| Has decent mobility | Phoenix’s ult can be denied by shooting at it |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Phoenix, check out our guide.
Psylocke
NetEase GamesHigh mobility, consistently strong DPS, stealth, and an ult that makes Psylocke almost impossible to 1v1 and gives her an extended duration of full damage and CC immunity. Her kit basically makes her the ultimate assassin… in a game where you’ll almost never get true 1v1s.
A good Psylocke has no problem going in and finishing off enemies before anyone bats an eye — but she does require a lot of skill and good decision making to play effectively. Though despite her low duration stealth and short range, she’ll have some insanely good one-trick players who can take advantage of her kit to its fullest.
It’s worth mentioning that her team-up with Emma Frost is also insanely good and makes her much stronger than before.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Rewards accuracy and good ability rotations with her primary fire’s ability CD reduction | Heavily telegraphed ultimate that does almost nothing if used on a grouped up team |
| Strong burst damage, with her combo being able to almost 1 shot tanks if she does it properly | Suffers at long ranges and can struggle to get through chokes |
| Ult gives her complete damage and CC immunity | Her mobility is a key part of her burst, making her a very all-in hero |
Check out our Psylocke guide to get the most from her.
The Thing
The Thing is arguably the best tank in the game if you’re looking to carry. While he lacks a frontal shield to soak damage, he makes up for that by being a walking brick wall who dishes just as much damage as he can take. If you know how to properly use his charged punch, he can take out most backliners in just a few seconds.
However, his skill floor and ceiling are both very high. Controlling his dash is difficult. If you overextend without your team around, he has very few easy escape tools. His lack of a get out of jail free button like many other tank heroes makes him prone to dying if he’s caught. But his damage output is so high and he’s so hard to kill that these downsides don’t matter.
The Thing isn’t just good; he’s fantastic.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great anti-dive hero that can deal and take a ton of damage | High skill floor, requiring animation cancels to get the most out of him |
| CC-immunity and mitigation that makes him, at times, literally unstoppable | Awkward mobility with a hard to control charge and a dash that relies on teammates |
| Game-changing ultimate | Massive hitbox to the point it’s a genuine detriment, The Thing is too thicc sometimes |
For the best ways to play him, check out our dedicated The Thing guide.
Wolverine
NetEase GamesWolverine lacks a lot of utility in comparison to other melee characters in Marvel Rivals, with him not even having any kind of ranged poke or harass. However, because he attacks so quickly and becomes tankier the more he hits, he’s really hard to kill if he does get going.
Additionally, he’s got some high mobility that’ll let him get where he needs to go and hit who he needs to hit without too much issue. However, he’s very reliant on landing his initial slew of abilities. He’s very all-or-nothing.
That said, Wolverine’s an absolute tank shredder and wins every 1v1 against heroes who can’t zone him out. He’s got a ton of percent max HP damage that the game doesn’t even tell you about, making him the ideal tank shredder. He’s an absolute S-tier against bulky team comps and bad otherwise.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Damage. Just a whole lot of damage, all of which has % max HP scaling. He shreds tanks with ease | Hit-or-miss, either ramps up his passive or dies trying |
| Hard to kill when he’s got his passive up | His passive has a long cooldown and he’s surprisingly flimsy while it’s down |
| High mobility that’s got CC attached to it, Wolverine flying at you is scary | Very easy to peel when compared to other melee heroes, has a hard time getting in |
Check out our Wolverine guide to take full advantage of the X-Men.
A-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Black Panther
NetEase GamesBlack Panther is the most execution-reliant hero in Marvel Rivals. Either you hit your full ability rotation on a target and run through the enemy backline, or you miss and die. That really is the long and short of this hero.
And, while he can do well in the hands of a master, other melee heroes are just more effective and consistent in pretty much every scenario. However, this may not be a bad thing. There’s a place for a hero like Black Panther in Marvel Rivals, someone who demands a high level of execution.
If you’re up for the challenge, Black Panther is there for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Gets bonus health from landing his abilities and hitting his full combo on an opponent | If you miss, you die. It’s that simple. Don’t miss. |
| Very rewarding to play and capable of bursting down most squishy heroes | Not particularly great at shredding tanks |
| Extremely mobile | More difficult than other melee options without a huge upside |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Black Panther, check out our guide.
Captain America
NetEase GamesCaptain America is one of the best skill-expressive and mobile heroes not just in the tank role, but in all of Marvel Rivals. With ranged shield throws being mixed into his melee combos and him being so reliant on movement and a small yet potent shield to survive, Cap is your guy if you’re looking for high-octane tank gameplay.
However, he’s hard to pull off. Cap is the most difficult melee hero in the game from the perspective of having to aim, with you really needing to be on point with his shield throws if you want to kill anything.
But, despite getting a new Bucky team-up, he’s just a lot worse now than before. That Thor team up was essential for pushing his damage over the edge, and Cap got nerfed in the previous season despite being generally considered as low tier. There are better Tank options.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very mobile and good at diving/sticking to targets | Doesn’t have much in the way of teamplay, can’t defend his teammates well or peel multiple targets |
| Can deflect any projectile with his shield, even ultimates. Surprisingly good at countering top-tier heroes like Hela with this | Criminally low damage |
| Great for countering melee heroes with one of the only shields that blocks melee attacks | Shield bounces are somewhat inconsistent, giving him bad poke |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Captain America, check out our guide.
Doctor Strange
NetEase GamesIf you’re good at Dr Strange, he can be a solo carry. He’s one of the better solo tanks you can run, and he doesn’t want for damage despite having a pretty chunky health bar. Additionally, he can use his shield to negate most projectiles, much like Magneto but a lot weaker.
However, he also requires a ton of resource management, and doing this improperly can result in either accidentally anti-healing yourself. Also, his two-way portal is a two-way street. Placing this portal can win the game for your team, but also accidentally throw it in the trash.
After a series of nerfs and his team-up being removed with Hulk, Doctor Strange has been knocked off his high tier pedestal for the first time since Marvel Rivals came out.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has solo carry potential with a ton of survivability and damage | Can accidentally debuff himself and has to use his ability rotation properly |
| Great utility and ways to sort of break the rules of the game with portals | His portal tanks everyone’s framerate in most matches, get 2 Doctor Strange players in a game to make someone’s computer crash |
| Strong self peel and the ability to deal with melee divers well | Can also throw matches for his team if played incorrectly |
If you’d like to see the best way to play Doctor Strange, check out our guide.
Hawkeye
NetEase GamesHawkeye was originally released as a hero that people used to snipe backliners and one-shot healers to completely dismantle a team’s offense. While he can still do that, there’s a use for Hawkeye that’s much easier and more effective: Hitting Tanks.
Though he has received some nerfs on his damage and stun duration in Season 3, he can still be a good pick that will leave you reeling, especially if you’re against a good one who knows how to land headshots.
Due to players getting a better understanding of his strengths, Hawkeye deserves a spot in the A-tier.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Does extremely well at long-range with very little damage falloff | Requires accuracy to do well, bad Hawkeye players are next to useless |
| Completely destroys Tanks and one-shots backliners | Generally low impact ult compared to a lot of other DPS heroes |
| Decent self peel | Struggles at close range unless you’re really, really good |
For top tips and his best team comp, make sure you check out our Hawkeye guide.
Hulk
NetEase GamesHulk has his upsides, and you can feel that he’s been buffed between the beta and release. Decent shielding for himself and allies, one of the best CC abilities in the game, decent ranged poke, some of the best mobility in Marvel Rivals, and an ult that makes him nigh unkillable. He does have some problems, though.
If you revert into Bruce, you’re going to die almost instantly. There are almost no situations where getting taken out of Hulk form doesn’t result in a swift death. Once you die in Hulk mode, consider yourself dead. D.Va he is not. It’s also wise not to use his ult’s grab, you’ll get left out in the open with very few options.
All that said, if you’re good with Hulk, he’s an absolute menace. He makes it almost impossible to dive backline if played effectively, and he’s had a massive glow-up since his low tier placement on release.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One of the most mobile heroes in the game | Bruce is all but useless, falling out of Hulk form means death |
| Very good with and against dive comps due to his AoE shield and CC | Using his ult’s grab leaves you very vulnerable |
| Decent ranged poke if you can aim it | High skill cap, requires finesse to use to his highest potential |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Hulk, check out our guide.
Human Torch
The Human Torch is, on paper, a great hero.
Not only does he have speedy projectiles that give him strong air-to-air capabilities, he also has a ton of area denial on the ground that keeps people from walking into objectives and taking points without taking damage for it. And that’s without factoring in his Storm team-up. It’ll burst straight through support ults if used properly.
Here’s the thing, though: Storm usually gets banned in high MMR. He’s significantly weaker without that team-up. The Human Torch also lacks hard CC and burst damage, making him pretty easy to heal through for coordinated team comps. He’s good but flawed.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very mobile and difficult to track, even for good hitscan players | Lacks hard CC, can be overwhelmed if he’s out of position |
| Strong area denial and AoE damage | Stim ult that ends up being useless if you use it as a panic button |
| Quick projectiles, borderline hitscan | Needs Storm team-up to reach his full potential |
Our dedicated Human Torch guide can show you the best ways to play him.
Namor
NetEase GamesNamor, like many other Marvel Rivals heroes, has had a huge resurgence as players have learned just how useful he is.
If he has a wall of turrets, he can do a great job of holding down a point. And, considering just how much space his ultimate creates, he can clear out a team’s defense and create great opportunities for allies to get into the fight. But those offensive abilities aren’t the only thing that makes Namor strong.
No, Namor’s best ability is arguably his bubble. Diving this guy is unbelievably difficult, and he’s one of the best counters you can get against melee heroes and divers. If you’re a DPS player, knowing how to play Namor is almost a must, especially with how good the Hulk team-up is.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High DPS when he’s got all his turrets down | Bulky and slow, decent vertical mobility but generally slow at pushing forward |
| Can shield himself and is very resistant to dives | His turrets are incredibly flimsy and easy to kill |
| His ult shuts down mobility entirely, leaving a lot of meta heroes vulnerable | His ult is very telegraphed and slow to launch |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Namor, check out our guide.
Star-Lord
NetEase GamesStar-Lord is a great DPS character to start on if you’re still coming to grips with the mechanics of Marvel Rivals. Fairly easy to play, mobile, and forgiving, yet doesn’t lose much strength for having an easy kit.
Additionally, the fact that he flies around and shoots in every direction allows him to counter fast-moving melee heroes very well. However, he does have a hard time against long-range damage dealers who can shoot him out of the sky.
Star-Lord can dominate if he gets the opportunity to rule the skies and get into the backline, just beware of heroes like Hawkeye or Black Widow.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use with high impact on matches | Only does well at short/mid-range |
| Can keep melee heroes out of range while pelting them with bullets | Can be easily shot out of the sky by long-range heroes, generally slow flight speed |
| Ultimate makes it literally impossible for him to miss, making him great against mobile heroes | Several ultimates and defensive abilities nullify his ult entirely |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Star-Lord, check out our guide.
The Punisher
NetEase GamesThe Punisher is the Call of Duty/Soldier 76 type character people who don’t typically play hero shooters will love. A good rifle, a shotgun, a turret that’s got a bulky health bar, and an ultimate that kills pretty much anything in front of it, The Punisher’s game plan is straightforward and effective.
Considering how mobile and difficult to hit many of the heroes in Marvel Rivals are, having a simple and easy-to-use hitscan weapon is effective beyond just learning the game. There are DPS picks out there that are much more effective than The Punisher when it comes to doing one specific thing very well, but he’s a decent jack of all trades if that’s what you’re looking for.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| If you’re looking for consistent DPS, this is your hero | Gets outtraded at range by heroes like Hawkeye |
| An ult that does enough damage to shred through pretty much anything in front of it | Very immobile and stationary during his most powerful abilities |
| Good against divers due to having a shotgun to swap to | Lack of burst makes him vulnerable to heal-heavy team comps |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Punisher, check out our guide.
Ultron
NetEase GamesUltron isn’t exactly like your typical support when you compare him to the likes of Luna Snow, Cloak and Dagger, and others, who can provide burst healing. If there’s one way to put it, he’s like a DPS with healing as a bonus, and that’s not always a bad thing when you run him with the right composition.
As a flier with long-range primary fire, Ultron is able to heal while maintaining pressure on enemies at a safe distance. He’s also got a great disengage tool in addition to his drone that has no cooldown, allowing you to switch it up between allies if needed.
The only reason why he’s not S-tier is because, like any other fliers, he gets easily countered by hitscans. Plus, you’ll need to pair him with someone who can heal a lot. But he can stomp enemies when you play him with a triple support comp.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has a high damage output that can pressure enemies | Lack of healing makes him not an ideal pick as a solo support |
| Long-range attack allows him to poke and play at a safe distance | Easy to shoot while hovering in the air with a hitscan |
| Decent mobility, as he can fly all over the map | Team comp dependent |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Ultron, check out our guide.
B-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Adam Warlock
NetEase GamesAdam Warlock has a lot of weaknesses. He’s slow, lacks CC, has pretty limited healing capabilities considering he’s only got two charges on that heal that recharge pretty slow compared to other heroes, and his ult is only useful if he isn’t the first person killed in a fight.
However, when you see Adam Warlock, you have to kill him first. Not only does he dish out a ton of damage with his primary and secondary fire, he also has the ability to negate most ults in the game with his damage-sharing ability that evenly distributes damage between allies. He doesn’t even need his ult to counter an entire team’s offense on his own.
Adam Warlock is by no means weak, but he requires a very specific team composition and a skilled hand to be remotely useful.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Basic abilities are a game-changer if used properly, can negate ults if used properly | Lacks CC entirely and requires accuracy to be useable. Don’t play Adam Warlock if you’re looking to healbot |
| Massive burst healing, some of the highest in the game. Can also self heal | No CC or self peel, very vulnerable to dives |
| Full team revive on his ultimate and a self-revive | His ult is only useful if the enemy team doesn’t immediately target you |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Adam Warlock, check out our guide.
Iron Man
NetEase GamesA decent Iron Man is an absolute pain to deal with. Against a melee-heavy team composition, he really does shine as someone who hangs out in the sky and just pelts people team from above. He’s the sort of hero who can really force people to swap and mess with their game plan.
However, the rate at which he flies is pretty slow in comparison to a lot of other heroes. He’s a bit of a sitting duck unless he plays around tall buildings and cover, but his sheer damage output makes up for his shortcomings.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very oppressive from the air and good at controlling melee heroes | His ult moves very slow and is heavily telegraphed |
| Strong and easy-to-use primary fire | Moves fairly slow in the sky, he’s a sitting duck against hitscan |
| High AoE damage that can hit multiple targets | Has to drastically reduce his movement speed to maximize damage |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Iron Man, check out our guide, as well as how to get the free Armor Model 42 skin.
Magik
NetEase GamesMagik is one of the most fun characters in Marvel Rivals. Hopping through dimensions, summoning demons, and swinging a big sword around is a great time. And, though she’s a bit clunky and hard to get the hang of, she’s an absolute menace in the right hands.
From players having discovered she has 1-shot combos to her being able to stall a point better than most heroes in the game, Magik is a fantastic anchor who can deal a ton of damage while being able to tank some serious damage herself.
With one of Marvel Rivals’ highest win rates and lowest play rates, Magik is a hero that shines in the hands of a skilled player and absolutely deserves top placement.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large, sweeping attacks that hit multiple enemies and a genuine one-shot combo | Slow, clunky, and generally awkward to play at first |
| Immunity frames on a very low cooldown | Struggles to get into fights and deal with mobile threats if you have poor cooldown management |
| Very difficult to lock down | Ult is very hit or miss, she can be easily bursted the moment she activates it |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Magik, check out our guide.
Mantis
NetEase GamesMantis is a bit of a mixed bag. She lacks CC other than her sleep, which is kind of inconsistent in solo queue matches. Her primary fire is pretty decent and her ultimate is a strong heal, but not nearly as strong as something like Luna’s ult.
However, Inspire’s damage boost to herself and teammates is Mantis’ greatest strength. You’re going to want to use this damage boost as often as you can, especially if you’re getting dived by flankers. Unless your teammate is on the brink of death, do not default to heal. If you are, you’re losing out on Mantis’ greatest strength.
You can now stack multiple heals and Inspire stacks on allies at once, too, though the Season 3 patch actually knocked her base healing down in addition to increasing her ultimate cost.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Above average DPS and can 1v1 most DPS heroes with relative ease | Lacks CC outside of her sleep, which is very inconsistent in solo queue |
| Her damage boost breaks a lot of damage thresholds, turns some 3 shot kills into 2 shots etc. | No AoE damage, relies entirely upon landing shots |
| Ult makes her essentially unkillable while healing her allies and giving her full freedom to dish damage | No mobility outside of some bonus movespeed on her passive, susceptible to dives |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Mantis, check out our guide.
Rocket Raccoon
NetEase GamesRocket Raccoon does have a lot going for him. Great and easy to use healing, an incredible movement passive that makes his already small character model even harder to hit, a revive that can keep allies in the fight, and a damage boost ult that’s deceptively hard to use.
Additionally, he’s got a decent mobility that allows him to escape sticky situations, making him a safe pick in solo queue.
That said, after getting hit with nerfs to his direct healing and ultimate cost, Rocket Raccoon is currently B-tier at the very best.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy-to-use heals with a wide AoE | No CC |
| Hard to hit with high mobility and a small character model | Revive mechanic is easily countered and has limited usefulness |
| Fantastic ultimate | Decent damage but with a relatively hard to use primary fire |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Rocket Raccoon, check out our guide.
Spider-Man
NetEase GamesSpider-Man’s got a lethal mix of CC and mobility that’s just really, really hard to deal with. That really is the long and short of why this hero is good. He’s got enough damage to duel with most DPS characters, but where he really shines is shutting down support heroes.
Playing support against Spider-Man is like a legit horror movie. It’s so difficult to hit him with how unpredictable his web-swinging can be, and him killing you is more a matter of when than if when you’re isolated in the backline and your teammates don’t turn around to give you a hand.
What’s more, his ultimate is an absolute game-changer and can even shut down other ults considering it’s got a stun attached to it. He’s even better if you’ve got a Venom on your team, allowing him to CC and disrupt the backline on his own. This hero is damn good if you know how to play him, and people who one-trick the character will leave your head spinning.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| More CC than most other heroes in Marvel Rivals | His mobility takes a bit of getting used to, high skill floor on using him without slamming your face into a wall |
| Unpredictable mobility that makes him really hard to hit | Lacks consistent DPS, has to get in to do damage and is reliant on cooldowns |
| Game-changing ultimate | Struggles against flying heroes |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Spider-Man, check out our guide.
Storm
NetEase GamesStorm was in a rough position in the previous season. However, thanks to recent buffs, she now has become a lot more devastating as the Duelist can constantly pressure enemies while flying in the air. Changes to her in the currrent season include increased projectile speed, Bolt Rush damage, as well as extra health during her ultimate, making her quite the strong pick in the current meta.
Of course, she can still be countered by the hitscan characters in the roster — but a well-timed Storm ultimate could quickly decimate the enemy team on point, giving her team the upper hand to secure it. Additionally, with good positioning and pocket from Strategists, she could absolutely be a menace to deal with in her current state.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Buffs herself and other allies with damage or movement speed | Disappointing damage outside of her ultimate |
| Has a game-changing ultimate that you won’t want to be anywhere near | Easy to shoot out of the sky, she’s extremely slow |
| Can fly indefinitely | Completely lacks self peel or ways to protect herself |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Storm, check out our guide.
Venom
NetEase GamesVenom is a true tank and one of the greatest Vanguard class characters in Marvel Rivals. This guy just does not die.
800 base health, high mobility between his swing and the ability to crash down from the air, CC, a primary fire that’s much more reliable than melee tanks, a shield that can give him up to 900 temporary HP to soak damage with, an ult that gives him even more shield: Anything you’d want from a tank, Venom has it. Well, almost anything.
His main weakness in the role is that he doesn’t have much in the way of being able to peel for his allies. If your team is getting dived, you may want to swap off and try something else. Additionally, he doesn’t do as much damage as someone like Thor and lacks pure burst. Against a good team, that’ll make your life a lot harder.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Almost unkillable and very mobile | Decent players will stun you when you’re low and blow you up before you can shield |
| Very easy to play | Lacks peel and range, kind of has to dive to be useful |
| Great CC and decent damage | Heavily reliant on teammates following up, he can’t solo carry |
Check out our guide if you’d like to see the best ways to play Venom.
Winter Soldier
NetEase GamesWinter Soldier had an iron grip once people learned how to play him, making himself an absolute S-tier pick. He could burst down any target he wanted while they were completely CC-locked, all while shielding himself and charging up and ult that can let him tear through an entire team one by one.
While Bucky is still good, his damage has been nerfed pretty hard and he’s been removed from Rocket’s team-up. Sure, he’s got a new team-up with Captain America, but he’s not quite as good as he was before either way.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Some of the best counter-dive in the game | Awkward primary fire with small clip size and slow projectile speed |
| Strong single-target lockdown and burst damage | Very high skill floor, requires weaving abilities in with shots to do anything whatsoever |
| Can run through an entire team with his ult | Lacks consistent DPS, all about burst |
To master the super soldier, check out our Winter Soldier guide.
C-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Black Widow
NetEase GamesFortunately for those who despise playing against one-shot snipers (looking at you, Widowmaker), Black Widow doesn’t one-shot headshot. If she did, she’d definitely be higher on this list. But there are ways to make it happen.
If you’ve got a Mantis or Storm on your team, Black Widow instantly becomes a massive threat to almost every support and many of the DPS heroes in the game.
While she has the utility to deal with enemies within melee range, Black Widow is still a tricky pick because she heavily relies on one’s awareness and aim. She’s the definition of a C tier: Not worth picking every game.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great damage at range, not quite 1 shot but close | Doesn’t 1 shot without a damage boost |
| Her ult is one of the strongest slows in the game, and it’s got a huge AoE | Requires strong awareness and can be easily ambushed, doesn’t do well when fighting multiple people at once |
| Does very well in hyper competitive settings with specific team comps, can one-shot problematic heroes under the right circumstances. | Low DPS in general, not worth picking over other heroes unless paired with divers that can chunk HP |
Check out our Black Widow guide if you’re looking to take full advantage of Black Widow’s weapons and abilities.
Iron Fist
NetEase GamesOut of the entire cast of heroes in this game, Iron Fist is one of the only characters with a self-heal. He’s also got some CC on his roundhouse kick, a quadruple jump, the ability to parry and actively counter incoming hits, and the ability to throw hands like no other.
And, though he’s a bit of a solo queue pubstomper in previous seasons, after getting hit with consecutive nerfs on his kit, we wouldn’t recommend running him in Season 3.
He can still be a low elo killer, but right now, thre are more viable options when it comes to DPS.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One of the only heroes who has self-healing, very self-sustaining dive hero | Is all about sustained DPS and lacks burst, making him relatively easy to heal through |
| Too many dashes and jumps to count, allowing him to stick to flying heroes | Vulnerable to hard CC and peel |
| Tank shred | Lacks any ranged poke whatsoever, very all-in hero |
You can get the most from Iron Fist by checking out our guide.
Jeff the Land Shark
NetEase GamesJeff the Land Shark was insanely strong at first thanks to his ultimate. But now that the range has been tweaked, and most players have already figured out how to deal with him, unfortunately, the adorable creature has to drop to tier C.
Though despite that being the case, he’s still a simple, easy-to-play Strategist hero that can fit into almost any team composition. The fact that his bubbles amplify healing combined with him having some of the best AoE healing in the game make him invaluable.
Still, as a character with a big hitbox, he can be easy to kill during teamfights and while he’s ulting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Arguably the most impactful ultimate in the game | Arguably the most impactful ultimate in the game (can accidentally save the entire enemy team from a burst combo) and also can’t heal while in ult, only works with triple heal comps most of the time |
| A ton of healing, pairs well with other supports due to boosting all healing on allies, decent in triple support comps | Doesn’t do a ton of damage |
| One of the easiest heroes to play mechanically | Huge and very easy to hit headshot hitbox, even with his passive he just takes so much damage from people with high headshot multipliers |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Jeff the Land Shark, check out our guide.
Mister Fantastic
netease gamesMister Fantastic combines two different roles into one, which is great if the team lacks another tank or character to soak up damage. With his own stretchy body, he’s able to use his fists to deal with some ranged melee attacks and pressure enemies away.
Not to mention, being able to deflect projectiles back to enemies can be clutch. Unfortunately, his strength of being a hybrid character is also his weakness – making him quite tricky to play. He’s the type of character that requires really good decision making to be able to truly give value in team fights.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Hybrid role allows him to fit in pretty much any comp, especially if there’s only one tank | He requires really good decision making skills to give value to the fight |
| Ultimate is great to pressure enemies off the point | Lack of damage on his ult means it’s only meant for squishy characters |
| He can be straight up hard to kill with the right playstyle | Fairly easy to counter in higher ranks |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Mister Fantastic, check out our guide.
Moon Knight
NetEase GamesIn a game so reliant on pinpoint accuracy, a hero like Moon Knight excels. His ability to toss out Ankhs and bounce projectiles off of them gives this hero a ton of consistent damage that’s almost guaranteed to land.
And, not only do his Ankh’s bounce his projectiles around, they also pull enemies into their center. Though he lacks one-shot potential, running Moon Knight in tight maps and against deathball comps is really viable due to his kit.
That said, considering that people have learned the ropes of the game and has more awareness now, it’s just so easy to have your Ankhs destroyed and have your combos denied.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High burst and very consistent 1 shot combo on squishy targets | No real panic button, requires effort to stay alive and position properly |
| Can easily zone people away from objectives and hold chokes | Weak to healing centric team compositions that just heal through his projectile bouncing |
| Easy to play for the most part | Slow projectile speed makes him weak against flying enemies |
If you’re looking to get the most from Moon Knight, you can check out our guide.
Peni Parker
NetEase GamesPeni Parker is about the closest thing Marvel Rivals’ Vanguard class has to an outright DPS character. She’s just not meant to be a solo frontliner, and is only good if she’s able to place her spider nest around a wall and get those mines out onto the battlefield.
If she isn’t already on top of an objective, then she has a very hard time getting in without ult. She has some of the highest damage potential in the game, but only on her turf and her terms.
She’s worth playing with the right team composition on the right map, but in those situations only. And, considering she’s a specialist character on top of that who only excels in the hands of someone who understands how to best play her.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great at holding chokes and objectives | Terrible at attacking or getting through chokes unless she has ult, and even then her ult isn’t very good |
| Can now crit with headshots and has really high DPS for a Tank hero | Limited and awkward mobility |
| Often forces the enemy team to swap heroes if they’re running a hard dive comp that can’t deal with mines | Reliant on her spider nest and is much worse if it gets focused down early in a fight |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Peni Parker, check out our guide.
Scarlet Witch
NetEase GamesScarlet Witch’s got a ton of tools you’d really want in a DPS if you’re playing into a dive comp. Between not having to aim to deal damage, brief immunity that allows her to escape tough situations, and a stun to keep people from diving her, she’s got more utility than most DPS heroes.
However, she also lacks burst. With how strong healing is in this game, not having burst is a huge weakness. Her ult is also very telegraphed, leaves her vulnerable for an extended period of time and is easily countered by some heroes. The higher the level of play you get to, the worse Scarlet Witch is.
The only thing that makes her a great value as of now is her ultimate, and even then, it’s easy to anticipate.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Consistent damage that doesn’t require good aim | Lacks burst damage and has a hard time out-DPSing meta heroes |
| A ton of survivability and self-peel | Her stun is kind of inconsistent and awkward to use in comparison to other CC abilities |
| An ult that can kill the entire enemy team | Her ult is very easily countered and telegraphed |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Scarlet Witch, check out our guide.
Squirrel Girl
NetEase GamesSquirrel Girl is the closest thing this game has to a grenade launcher hero, with her having some powerful yet slow-moving projectiles that deal a ton of damage. And, with her ult getting buffed to track enemies around the map, she’s one of the highest damage heroes in the game, provided you hit your shots.
Does she struggle a bit against flying heroes? Sure, and, in cases where the enemy hard counterpicks you, she’s worth swapping off of. But, if you know when to pick her and how to use her, Squirrel Girl is an actual Exodia pick that can often force people to swap.
Doreen currently sits in C-tier, as there are better options out there.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strong AoE damage that works well in choke points | Has no way to reliably shoot down flying enemies |
| Hard to kill and dangerous to dive, she wants you to try and kill her | Her root is a bit clunky and unwieldy |
| One of the best ults in the game that doesn’t require much to charge | Her root is slow moving and has an inconsistent hitbox |
Check out our top tips on how to play as Squirrel Girl to get the most from her.
Thor
NetEase GamesThor is one of the most complex characters in Marvel Rivals. Don’t let that 2-star difficulty rating fool you; learning how to play Thor is no small task. He doesn’t shield teammates or tank a bunch of damage like other tanks, he’s all about dishing out damage and dashing around the battlefield.
In the hands of a beginner, he really struggles. Yes, he can deal damage and pressure enemies if you play him right, but that’s useless if your teammates are dropping like flies.
You’ll also need to pair him with another tank if you want him to truly shine. Right now, Thor is just in a tricky spot.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Mobile, flexible, great at being a nuisance in the backline | Every ability gives him a three-second global cooldown, keeping him from combo-ing in rapid succession with his abilities |
| Strong burst if you can land his combos | Some abilities of his just aren’t very good while others are broken, very uneven hero |
| Has a ton of self-shielding and is impossible to kill in a drawn-out fight, he has to be focused and bursted down | Difficult to use and requires good decision-making under pressure |
Check out our Thor guide for some top tips and the best team comp.
That’s our Marvel Rivals tier list with the best characters you can use in Season 3. Be sure to check out the game’s Twitch Drops, the best controller settings, all free skins & how to get them, all currencies, and the Iron Man code.
