Marvel Rivals boasts a wide roster of 33 characters on launch, an impressively large cast 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.
It’s been an exciting launch so far, with the Season 0 battle pass bringing in some great skins and a monetization model that’s worth praising. However, it can be an intimidating game to get into if you’re just getting started.
In Marvel Rivals, 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, other heroes are only good in very specific scenarios. Some directly counter others, so you can check out the best counters for every character.
Don’t be fooled by some heroes having a low-tier rating. Even someone like Peni Parker, who we’ve got pretty low, is effective when used properly. This tier list was formed based on playing in the closed beta, as well as experience in high-level matches on a curated, pre-release press version of the game. It has since been updated after the game’s opening days to get a more accurate meta read.
We’ve crafted a tier list based on those early impressions to give you an idea of who the best heroes are in Marvel Rivals. Here’s every hero in Marvel Rivals ranked and explained:
Marvel Rivals character tier list: Best heroes ranked
| Tier | Characters |
|---|---|
| S | Venom, Moon Knight, Hawkeye, Magneto, Loki, Mantis, Hela, Cloak and Dagger, Winter Soldier |
| A | Star-Lord, Adam Warlock, Spider-Man, Jeff the Land Shark, Iron Fist, The Punisher, Doctor Strange, Psylocke, Luna Snow, Thor |
| B | Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, Squirrel Girl, Magik, Peni Parker, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Wolverine |
| C | Storm, Black Panther, Namor |
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, map-dependent, or just not very good
S-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Venom
Venom 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 only 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. Outside of that, though, Venom is pretty much never a bad pick, especially considering how much Spider-Man gets out of his team-up.
| 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.
Moon Knight
In 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 an unreal amount of consistent burst that’s almost guaranteed to land.
On top of this, Moon Knight has a ton of tools to get and keep a height advantage like his grappling hook and built-in glide with his cape. And, not only do his Ankh’s bounce his projectiles around, they also pull enemies into their center. This, combined with a massive AoE ult that almost instantly kills makes Moon Knight very strong.
Just be aware that smart opponents will kill your Ankhs fast and deny your burst combos, so you’ll have to have your full combo ready after you throw it.
| 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.
Hawkeye
If you’re looking for a hero who can dismantle the entire backline from a distance, Hawkeye’s your guy. Sure, he sort of lacks mobility. Sure, he may not have a whole lot of utility. But, if you’re a crack shot, he does so much damage.
His entire character is based around keeping your crosshair trained on targets and taking your shot at just the right time. Headshots are lethal. He’s also got a knockback, a double jump, and an ult that gives him guaranteed hits.
It’d be no surprise to see this hero dominate high-level play. He should be dived ASAP if you’re playing against him.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Marvel Rivals’ most consistent 1 shot kill | Requires accuracy and good tracking to take advantage of his passive |
| One of the best ultimates in the game, you literally cannot dodge his damage | Somewhat limited mobility and decent peel, still susceptible to dives |
| Shreds any target at any range with very high damage output | 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.
Magneto
If 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. If you’re ever in a situation where you have to be the sole tank on a team, Magneto’s your man.
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. He’s a great, reliable all-rounder that’s able to act as a walking shield. Just be aware that he’s very, very slow.
| 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.
Loki
Loki 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.
Pros:
- Strong healing and damage, genuine solo carry potential
- Can immediately change a teamfight by stealing an enemy hero’s ult
- Hardest support hero to lock down
Cons:
- Requires mastery and has a high skill floor, if you aren’t good with Loki he feels terrible
| 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 | 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 a frontline |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Loki, check out our guide.
Mantis
Mantis is A-tier for one reason: Her Inspire. 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. 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.
| 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.
Hela
Hela was arguably the game’s strongest DPS in the beta, but a mix of balance changes and new heroes that have come along to dethrone her have pushed her a bit lower down the list. She’s still strong, but usually just worse than other options.
Looking for damage at range? Hawkeye and Widow have you covered. A DPS with immunity frames and the ability to quickly escape a fight? Scarlet Witch is much easier to use and has more effective mobility. Even Hela’s ult is, in a lot of ways, outclassed by other DPS heroes seeing as she has to stand still and be exposed in the middle of the sky to do anything significant.
Hela is still a great mid-long-range DPS choice, but there are better options out there.
| 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.
Cloak and Dagger
Cloak and Dagger suffer from a similar issue to Squirrel Girl in that their numbers are just a bit below where they need to be to truly shine. The vision obstruction wall is probably the best part of their kit, really helping you to break through heroes like Hawkeye and Black Widow and take them by surprise.
Their healing isn’t too bad either, but the actual damage on this hero is pretty underwhelming and can be easily healed through. There’s something to be said about Cloak and Dagger having better evasion than most support heroes, but they don’t have enough impact to carry them out of B-tier.
| 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.
Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier may not feel very strong at first. He’s got a fairly low ammo capacity in his gun, and he doesn’t exactly have the highest damage in the game.
However, Winter Soldier covers two bases at once with his kit: He can dive and use his abilities to play aggressively, but he’s also got incredible single-target lockdown that can be invaluable when trying to keep your supports alive. He’s got a dash with an uppercut at the end that knocks up an enemy, but this ability is just as effective for getting in as it is for yoinking someone out of your backline and locking them down for a one-shot combo.
Winter Soldier is an invaluable part of almost any team composition, and knowing how to use him well can prevent a lot of frustration against dive comps. In the time since Marvel Rivals’ release, he’s become a clear S-tier pick.
| 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.
A-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Star-Lord
Star-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.
Adam Warlock
Adam 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.
What’s more, he has a revive on his passive to give him a second chance if he gets picked. He’s a very easily exploited character if he’s out of position, but this hero’s peaks make it impossible to place him any lower than A tier.
| 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.
Spider-Man
Spider-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.
| 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.
Jeff the Land Shark
Jeff the Land Shark isn’t quite S-tier, but he’s close. He’s 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, especially considering he’s been buffed up in the final version of the game in comparison to the beta.
And, though he’s still vulnerable to damage while in Hide and Seek, Jeff is so hard to hit that it doesn’t matter much outside of trying to get away from melee characters. Not to mention that Jeff’s ultimate, when combo-ed properly, is one of the best in the game. And also one of the most troll ones if you’re into sending the entire enemy team (and your team) into the abyss.
Yes, Jeff may look like kind of a meme character, but he’s genuinely really strong and pairs well with Luna Snow as one of the best support duos in the game.
| 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) |
| A ton of healing, pairs well with other supports due to boosting all healing on allies | 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.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist is one of the newer additions to Marvel Rivals, someone who wasn’t playable in previous versions of the game. And, though he lacks any sort of range, he’s meant for the kind of player who likes dancing on a knife’s edge. Or I guess fist in this case.
Out 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.
He’s one of the highest skill cap characters in the game considering his reliance on strong movement and countering hits from his opponent, but he’s also incredibly rewarding and great in a solo queue environment.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One of the only heroes who has self-healing, very self-sustaining dive hero | Reliant on parry timings to survive, can be easily bursted if he uses his abilities incorrectly |
| Too many dashes and jumps to count | Vulnerable to hard CC and peel |
| Survivability and parry mechanics that reward reading the opponent | Lacks any ranged poke whatsoever, very all-in hero |
You can get the most from Iron Fist by checking out our guide.
The Punisher
The 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 so strong in most situations that he justifies an A-tier placement.
| 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.
Doctor Strange
If 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. He also has more in the way of self-peel than other tanks, making him strong against heroes like Wolverine.
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.
A good Dr Strange is a massive threat. I won’t soon forget bogur absolutely washing me with this hero in the early access press version of this game. However, Dr Strange’s success is so directly tied to the player’s skill level and game knowledge that it’s hard to put him in S-tier just yet.
| 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.
Psylocke
Psylocke is so, so close to S-tier, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see her hit S on most early tier lists for the game. High mobility, consistently strong DPS, stealth, and an ult that makes her almost impossible to 1v1 and gives her an extended duration of full damage and CC immunity. On paper, she’s kind of ridiculous. In practice, she has issues.
For one, her stealth has a generally short duration and gets eaten when she grabs a health pack. Her range is also pretty short considering her shotgun-like primary fire, and her best team-up ability in Recall requires running Magik, a character who’s generally low-tier. Psylocke is going to have some insanely good one-trick players who can take advantage of her kit to its fullest, but she’s not quite S-tier.
| 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.
Luna Snow
If 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 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.
| 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 |
| Very strong team-ups | Less self healing than most other supports |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Luna Snow, check out our guide.
Thor
Thor 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.
And, while there will likely be some Thor specialists who know the character inside and out, making Thor work is hard. Know that the A-tier ranking is for those who really understand how to use him. He isn’t bad, he’s just clunky.
In the hands of a beginner, he really struggles. For those who learn how to play him, though, he’s one of the best solo carries in the game.
| 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.
B-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Groot
Groot has his uses, but he’s not nearly as strong or flexible as other tank heroes. Because of how mobile other heroes are and how open and destructible maps are, his walls have some limited usefulness. And higher DPS heroes like Punisher will shear right through them without too much worry.
Additionally, his primary fire has a bit of a strange delay on it and takes some getting used to for hitting targets. Groot also lacks self peel, an issue made even worse by his team-up linking him directly with certain support heroes. If you get caught out, your support is also up a creek without a paddle.
Groot could be really good with Rush comps (not dive comps, there is a difference) and has the potential to do well with the right team around him or against certain heroes. However, he’s got a lot of weaknesses.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strong ultimate when paired with other ults/AoE burst | Awkward primary fire and limited range |
| Can hold chokes very well and take advantage of people overextending | His walls can unintentionally mess with his teammates |
| Gives teamed-up supports a ton of damage reduction and a way to get to the frontline safely | Easily overwhelmed, much harder to stay alive than other tanks |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Groot, check out our guide.
Rocket Raccoon
Rocket 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, a damage boost ult that’s really hard to use. In a typical hero shooter, he’d be great.
However, Rocket Raccoon severely lacks damage. His primary fire’s low DPS and slow projectile speed makes him a significantly weaker damage dealer than pretty much any other character in the game. If it wasn’t for his fantastic team-ups and strong support abilities, he’d be lower. Characters who don’t do damage in Marvel Rivals are easy pickings for backline divers, and Racc’s evasion only does so much.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy-to-use heals with a wide AoE | Terrible damage and no CC |
| Hard to hit with high mobility and a small character model | Revive mechanic is easily countered and has limited usefulness |
| Some of the best team-ups in the game | A walking team-up buff with a heal essentially |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Rocket Raccoon, check out our guide.
Bruce Banner/Hulk
Hulk 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. But he’s also got a lot of problems.
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.
Additionally, using Hulk’s ult to lock someone down still leaves him vulnerable to damage. In most cases, it’s best not to use the ability tied to his ult in order to keep yourself alive. On top of all this, his damage is pretty limited on his melee attacks, and he’s not as good at sticking to targets as other melee tanks like Thor and Captain America.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One of the most mobile heroes in the game | Bruce is legit useless, falling out of Hulk form means death |
| Very good with 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 | General low damage, even for the tank role |
If you’d like to see the best ways to play Hulk, check out our guide.
Iron Man
A 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 your 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. Additionally, Iron Man’s ult has been significantly nerfed in comparison to the beta, robbing him of one of the key reasons you’d pick him. Decent, but just be aware that he’s better as a counterpick.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very oppressive from the air and good at controlling melee heroes | Ult has been drastically nerfed since beta, it’s just ok now |
| 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 | Isn’t great against other flying heroes due to slow projectiles |
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.
Captain America
Captain America is one of the most skill-expressive and mobile heroes not just in the tank role, but in the entire game. 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, dive tanks are generally underpowered in Marvel Rivals due to how strong dive characters are in the DPS role. In the way the game exists currently with role queue, there isn’t much reason to pick Captain America over either a better frontliner or a better diver. Running him with a good Thor player is a ton of fun, but it’s not the most viable setup.
Still, he’s got his merits, and the fact that he can so effectively 1v1 certain projectile-reliant DPS heroes so effectively does give him a leg up.
| 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 | Generally low damage, doesn’t have enough to solo someone if they’re getting constantly healed |
| Doesn’t require a whole lot of aim and can hit multiple targets just by using his kit normally | Shield bounces are somewhat inconsistent, giving him bad poke |
Squirrel Girl
Squirrel 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, while she also has some nice CC and one of the better movement abilities in Marvel Rivals, she has some problems.
One, she struggles against flying heroes. Considering how strong melee characters like Iron Fist and Wolverine are, you’re better off playing them and shredding the backline. Additionally, Squirrel Girl has one of the most underwhelming ultimates in the game, with her squirrel stampede getting shrugged off by most heroes.
She could be really strong with some buffs, but for now, she’s B at best.
| 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 | One of the worst ults in the game |
| Decent CC made a whole lot better with Spider-Man’s team-up | 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.
Magik
Magik is one of the most fun heroes in Marvel Rivals, truly. Hopping through dimensions, summoning demons, and swinging a big sword around is a great time. Unfortunately, she doesn’t make the cut in terms of heroes that are actually good. Outside of a few uses, that is.
For a hero who’s so reliant on melee, she’s extremely slow and clunky while also being fairly weak. Her portals do give her I-frames, but they also don’t let her travel very far. Her dash with a knockup slash at the end has a paper-thin hitbox, leading to you often whiffing the move. Magik’s ult is cool in theory, but it’s pretty common to get blown up before you take full advantage of her enhanced abilities.
She is, however, very good at countering dive comps. If a bunch of melee heroes are trying to dive your supports, her long-range swings and high damage are a great deterrent. This is the only time you’d want to pick Magik over other heroes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large, sweeping attacks that hit multiple enemies | Slow, clunky, and generally awkward to play |
| Immunity frames on a very low cooldown | Struggles to get into fights and deal with mobile threats |
| 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.
Peni Parker
Peni 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.
Don’t let the C-tier placement fool you into thinking Peni’s bad. She’s actually really, really good, just situationally. 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, she’s not worth the effort unless you’re really dedicated to making her work.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great at holding chokes and objectives | Terrible at attacking or getting through chokes unless she has ult |
| Her ultimate makes her an immediate threat that has to be focused down | Limited and awkward mobility |
| Very solid ranged poke and DPS | 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
Scarlet Witch may not have a huge amount of burst damage, but she’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.
| 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.
Black Widow
Fortunately 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 an S-tier.
Does she do a ton of damage and a great job of pressuring out backliners? Yes. Does she have a super fast rechamber time on her rifle that allows her to kill fast if she lands an accurate follow-up. Also yes.
Additionally, she does decent in melee range and has tools to keep divers off her back. She doesn’t have an advantage up close, but she does have a chance. Black Widow isn’t nearly as good as Hawkeye, but she’s still a strong pick in the right hands.
| 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 |
| Decent self peel and mobility, a leg up on Hawkeye | 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.
Black Panther
Black 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.
Wolverine
Wolverine 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.
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-Man.
C-Tier characters in Marvel Rivals
Storm
Storm is really cool in theory, and, if there weren’t so many hitscan characters who can shoot you out of the sky, she’d be incredibly strong. The ability to buff herself and her teammates is a fun hero design, but one that isn’t overly useful considering how quickly she dies in fights.
Even Storm’s ultimate ability – where she turns into a hurricane – is only effective in a specific area. That limits her mobility and speed compared to other heroes who are much quicker and deal more damage overall.
She’s slow, easy to kill, doesn’t do a whole lot of damage, and lacks any real reason to pick her.
| 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.
Namor
Namor has his uses, but he’s basically a worse version of Loki with less damage and no healing. That’s a bit reductive considering he’s got shields and some other valuable utility, but this character still feels underpowered despite being buffed since the beta.
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 does have ways in. However, his usefulness is limited, and there tend to be better options than Namor in most circumstances. He’s not unplayable by any means, just not great.
| High DPS when he’s got all his turrets down | Terrible DPS without turrets |
| Can shield himself and is pretty 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.
That’s our Marvel Rivals tier list with the best characters you can use. Be sure to check out the Season 0 battle pass rewards, how to fix network errors, and the PC requirements.
