Marvel Rivals update just created the most annoying meta so far

Marvel Rivals released a host of hero changes looking to make matches more balanced, but it may have accidentally given way to the most annoying meta to date.

In the months since Marvel Rivals launched, we’ve already seen plenty of different heroes and strategies dominate the hero shooter. Iron Fist and Hela were the go-to characters at launch, before Season 1 brought about the infamous triple support meta that was almost impossible to beat.

The mid-season overhaul went through great lengths to make matches more even, and while Winter Soldier and Storm have still been strong, the balancing has been in a good spot.

That’s all about to change though after the March 13 update, as the devs rolled a couple of character buffs that are set to create a meta that’s sure to get the blood boiling.

Flying heroes are OP after major buffs

This patch made a number of tweaks across the board, but two of the biggest changes were the buffs to both Human Torch and Iron Man — two of three heroes who constantly fly above the map without needing to touch the ground.

Johnny Storm saw his primary attack speed increased, as well as an improvement to the number of projectiles he can hurl once, granting him extra AoE damage. Plus, his ultimate was also made much stronger, despite the fact that he was already an S-tier character.

Meanwhile, Iron Man, who has been woefully underpowered since launch, was also given a big power increase. His Replulsor Blast was buffed to deal additional AoE damage in both his regular and Armor Overdrive states: 40 to 60 and 55 to 65 respectively.

On paper, this looks like nothing more than addressing minor issues with both characters to make them more satisfying to use. In practice, it makes both extremely powerful and capable of dealing huge damage with ease.

However, since these are both flying heroes, it could pave the way for a meta that tests players’ patience.

Characters that can fly are often called out by the community, as they can be tough to hit when they float above the map. Also, when most of the action is at ground level, it’s easy to be caught out by a sudden attack from above, leading to frustrating deaths.

In a season where Storm is already one of the best Duelists out there and Human Torch has been a consistent thorn in the side of teams’ backlines, throwing Iron Man into the mix could cause chaos. This role is already the most popular, so having three flying heroes at the top of the meta might even lead to a situation where teams don’t use any grounded characters.

Only time will tell exactly how these buffs will play out, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself looking up more than ahead as we approach Season 2.