With 10 million players having duked it out in Marvel Rivals, its roster of characters has already gotten slotted into tier lists after just three days of public play.
Announced in March to massive skepticism from gamers, Marvel Rivals is a third-person hero shooter developed by Chinese-based developer NetEase Games. Initially assumed to be a cheap Overwatch knock-off, Marvel Rivals has quickly proven itself a true competitor to the Blizzard hero shooter.
With a staggering 33 playable characters and more than 12 characters coming in the future, Marvel Rivals lets players control a wide range of superheroes and villains, all falling under three categories: Duelists, as damage dealers, Strategists, as healers, and Vanguards, as tanks.
Aggregated Marvel Rivals Tier List & Character Rankings
To put together the ultimate Marvel Rivals tier list, we aggregated the internet's most popular tier lists into one ultimate combined list.
S Tier: Venom, Luna Snow, Adam Warlock, Doctor Strange, Moon Knight
A Tier: Magneto, Squirrel Girl, Hawkeye, Hela, Iron Fist, Captain America, Spider-Man
B Tier: Jeff, Loki, Iron Man, Groot, Wolverine, Mantis, Storm, Psylocke, Star-Lord, Winter Soldier, Punisher
C Tier: Scarlet Witch, Magik, Rocket Raccoon, Cloak and Dagger, Black Widow
D Tier: Peni Parker, Hulk, Thor, Black Panther, Namor
The bar graph below represents the scores each individual character was assigned based on their placement from each tier list (5 points for S-tier, 1 point for D-tier).
Venom comes out on top, appearing in the S-tier in more Marvel Rivals tier lists than any other character! Similarly, Namor ended up on the bottom with the most D-tier placements.
This ranking of Marvel Rivals characters was aggregated from Sports Illustrated, PC Gamer, PCGamesN, Destructoid, DotGG, Dot Esports, and Dexerto.
For a full breakdown of why each character ended up in each tier, as well as each Marvel Rivals character's strengths and weaknesses, keep reading below!
S Tier
Venom
Imagine a tank that moves as fast as it hits. That's Venom. Able to swing across the map like Spider-Man and land like a bomb, Venom can be a game changer with his ability to leech health from enemies with his ultimate Feast of the Abyss, but if that doesn't quite kill them, Venom's allies certainly will.
If well-timed with heavier DPS characters, Venom can help wipe out entire teams as a lone Vanguard, absorbing damage with the help of Symbiotic Resilience. Not to mention launching enemies with Frenzied Arrival and Cellular Corrosion to slow down enemy heroes.
Luna Snow
Pop star superhero Strategist Luna Snow is unquestionably the best healer in Marvel Rivals, able to restore allies to full health and bludging enemies by hurling ice at them. However, her being the best healer depends entirely on the player's consistent aim, but if they're a sharpshooter, god help the enemy heroes.
Players can intensify Luna's damage output and healing with Ice Arts, which also heals her. Then there's Share the Stage, which allows Luna to heal two teammates simultaneously.
Her ultimate has Luna give a huge burst of healing, 250 hitpoints per second, while also boosting ally damage by 40%, making it the best push ability in the game. She is almost a more aggressive Zenyatta ultimate from Overwatch.
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock is an amazing healer with Soul Bond, providing teammates with a continuous source of healing while also distributing damage from enemies across the bond. Using his ultimate Karmic Revival, Adam can even revive all his fallen teammates with lower health and a spurt of invincibility.
He certainly doesn't have the damage output like some other characters, but his potential of softening or even entirely negative damage as a Strategist is a match changer. It also helps that his learning curve isn't nearly as harsh as other healers like Luna Snow.
Doctor Strange
Communication is the key to Doctor Strange's success and taking full advantage of his Pentagram of Farallah ability, enabling travel between two points on the map, and his crowd control ultimate, Eye of Agamotto.
Strange can also help push objectives using Shield of the Seraphim, duel out grave damage by building up his Dark Magic from his primary fire and releasing it using Maelstrom of Madness, which can be magnified with Hulk's team-up ability, Gamma Maelstrom.
Doctor Strange being a shockingly effective Vanguard and damage dealer depends entirely on whether the team communicates properly to set up ambushes and take advantage of Strange's portals and shields.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight is a surprisingly straightforward character without much depth with combos like other Duelists. He can still do incredible damage with just his Crescent Dart primary fire, especially when paired with a well-placed Ancient Ankh and hurled Moon Blade.
While it isn't as widespread or devastating as other ultimate, his Hand of Khonshu still rains down on enemies with his talons. But if used with Ancient Ankh to trap enemy heroes in the air before employing it, it can be an effective combo.
Add to this Moon Knight's great mobility using his Moonlight Hook to make a clean getaway, along with the help of a Rising Leap, and the Fist of Khonshu can continue dishing out damage from a distance.
A Tier
Magneto
Magneto is the character with the most defensive support as a Vanguard, able to conjure a shield for himself or his teammates using his Bulwark ability. The more the shields are hit, the more rings are generated as projectiles for his Mag-Cannon, with fully stocked rings knocking back enemies.
The big drawback is that he's slow and gets some getting used to with his more unique mechanics. However, considering how much damage he can do and stop, it's a worthwhile exchange.
Squirrel Girl
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl bounces into the battlefield armed with a slingshot and explosive nuts, which can hit multiple enemy heroes like a grenade. If that isn't enough, she can launch a Squirrel Blockade, immobilizing whoever it hits.
But Squirrel Girl excels at crowd control as a Duelist, with an Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami as her ultimate, sending out a horde of furry critters at the enemy, dealing 150 damage. In addition, with the help of Spider-Man, she can deploy a Webbed Accorn, trapping the opposition in sticky nuts.
Hawkeye
As is traditional for Hawkeye, he has multiple trick arrows in his arsenal that can deal a lot of damage, but others that can apply slowdown, knockback, and launch enemies.
In contrast to his fellow Duelist, Black Widow, Hawkeye can actually one-shot weaker heroes with a single headshot. But unlike his competitor counterpart, Hanzo from Overwatch, Hawkeye can only accomplish this one-hit kill through focus, meaning enemies must stay in his crosshair to keep the arrow charged.
This change prevents cheap shots from unskilled players and keeps Hawkeye's power in check behind a skill ceiling.
Hela
Living up to the title of Goddess of Death, Hela can deal out hellish damage as a Duelist with her primary fire for a whomping 70 points, but combined with her Piercing Night, firing off even more Nightswords, she can take out most heroes easily.
Although that depends on whether the player is good enough to land their shots, if they can't and Hela finds herself in a bind, she can retreat using Astral Flock as a dash and become momentarily invincible.
Hela's team-up ability with Thor and Loki is quite ironic considering her relation to them in Thor: Ragnarok, but whoever is playing Hela lands a final hit on an opponent, she can passively and instantly resurrect the two or heal them if they're still alive.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist is either average in the hands of a novice or a flying god when controlled by a master as he Crane Leaps through the air, kicking Iron Man out of the sky with a K'un-Lun Kick. On top of his insane mobility, Iron Fist can block incoming damage with Dragon's Defense and heal with Harmony Recovery.
If his combo strikes are performed correctly, Iron Fist can become a nightmarish Duelist, especially if he empowers Luna Snow with his team-up ability, Dragon's Chill, giving her extra knockback on enemies and healing her allies.
Captain America
A brawler of a tank, Captain America is designed to disrupt the enemy and shield his allies from damage as a top-tier Vanguard. The Freedom Charge ability allows his team to push an objective with the help of a boost to movement and health, while Living Legend can deflect incoming projectiles.
Thor's team-up synergy is even more intense, with Captain America's vibranium shield getting a nast electrical charge, giving Rogers a movement boost and electrocuting nearby enemies.
Spider-Man
If fighting Spider-Man is anything like it is in Marvel Rivals, then it's no wonder his rogues gallery hates fighting him. With enough mastery, Spider-Man can be the most mobile Duelist in the game, ambushing more vulnerable characters without their team knowing what hit them.
Whether it's harassing the enemy, probing their defenses before fleeing to friendly territory, or plucking unsuspecting heroes with Spider-Man's Get Over Here! ability or, conversely, if attached with a spider-tracer from his Cyber-Web Cluster, Spider-Man can instantly get in close for serious damage.
B Tier
Jeff
Jeff's frankly match-changing ultimate ability, It's Jeff!, has quickly become the bane of players since launch, as it can potentially wipe an entire team by swallowing them up and hurling them off the edge of the map. It makes him one of the most intimidating Strategists in Marvel Rivals.
On top of that, Jeff is primarily a healer, spitting water on teammates to rejuvenate their health, leaving behind health using Healing Bubble, and hiding in the ground with Hide and Seek. Jeff is already an adorably small target, but combined with his ability to reliably self-heal, hide, and avoid conflicts, he's a menace.
Loki
Loki's Doppelganger ability isn't convincing enough to trick human players. However, they can still be used as a means of surprising mobility for a Strategist using his ability, Devious Exchange. Loki can also turn himself invisible for as long as he wants for an easy escape while giving him a healing buff.
If a player is good enough, they can even Backstab unaware enemies or even those distracted enough by his illusions. But what Loki excels at best is being constantly on the move as he heals his allies and sprinkles Regeneration Domains across the map.
Iron Man
Outside of Iron Man's Invincible Pulse Cannon, Tony's suit isn't as impressive at inflicting damage as expected in Marvel Rivals. However, he makes up for it by essentially being able to rain death from above as a Duelist.
Unfortunately, being such an aerial-focused hero makes Iron Man an easy target, especially for heroes like the Punisher, who can pick him out of the sky with his assault rifle. It doesn't help that Iron Man's mobility is a tad limited in the air, unable to dodge oncoming fire.
Groot
Groot, the tankiest Vanguard in all of Marvel Rivals, can easily be compared to Mei in Overwatch, and her ability to area denial is remarkable. But instead of just one ice wall, Groot can summon two walls of tree that grant buffs and damage enemies.
They can also block escape for enemy heroes, incoming fire, or deny the opposing team access to an entire area.
Being the biggest tank naturally makes Groot the biggest target on the battlefield. However, this can be counteracted with a well-balanced and coordinated team, making him a less appealing target.
Wolverine
His melee range may be as short as his stature, but Wolverine is one of the most vicious Duelists in Marvel Rivals. Logan's healing factor from the comics extends to this hero shooter with abilities like Undying Animal, which gives him damage resistance, and two whole passives that provide him with bonus health.
But what makes Wolverine terrifying is his capability to isolate enemies from their teammates with his Feral Leap, which can even yoink heroes from the sky. However, one miscalculated leap or bout of overconfidence, and Wolverine can be easily stomped by the enemy if outnumbered.
Mantis
As long as Mantis is on a team that knows how to protect their healer, she's a top-tier character, but without that and left alone, Mantis is an easy target more than most Strategists. It's also a matter of rationing her Life Orbs for damage boosts or healing allies.
While Mantis does have minor crowd control with Spore Slumber, she's not cut out for damage output, relying heavily on other allies using damage and movement-boosting abilities like Allied Inspiration and Soul Resurgence.
Mantis also has a way of keeping herself alive if left on her passive Nature's Favor ability, which heals her over time while providing a movement boost.
Storm
The main draw of Storm is her ability to switch between offense and support using her Weather Control ability, which allows her to switch between a speed-boosting tornado or a damage-boosting thunderstorm. This ability can easily turn the tide of team scuffles.
Despite being a Duelist with such great support abilities, it doesn't mean that Storm can't be on the offensive with her basic attack and Bolt Rush being great damage dealers on their own.
Psylocke
Psylocke's stealth-based gameplay and close-quarters sword combat make her a deadly Duelist and a difficult target for opposing heroes. She can also be a mosquito and siphon health from enemies using her Wing Shurikens, which can be instantly recalled using her Psi-Blade Dash.
Of course, outside of her minor healing ability, Psylocke is still incredibly vulnerable and can be easily killed if the player doesn't use her abilities correctly and escape when cornered or outmatched.
Star-Lord
Like his MCU counterpart, Peter Quill's Star-Lord in Marvel Rivals is perfect at deeply annoying his enemies. While their damage is subpar compared to other heroes, that all depends on one's accuracy with them. Something that becomes irrelevant with the Galactic Legend ability that gives the Duelist hero auto-aim.
Quill can widdle down enemies with the help of Blaster Barrage and good aim, but there are better choices in the realm of damage-dealing heroes in Marvel Rivals. However, his excellent mobility and environment traversal can make the enemy constantly vigilant for Star-Lord and not his allies.
Winter Soldier
One of the more versatile Duelists in the roster, the Winter Soldier can be slotted into many roles in any team, whether a long-ranged sniper with his Roterstern primary or a brawler using his abilities focused on single-target kills like Kraken Impact.
He can even slow enemies using Tainted Voltage, which can even knock flying characters out of the sky. Barring any changes in a future patch, Winter Soldier is one of the most balanced characters in Marvel Rivals.
Punisher
Punisher's gameplay is as straightforward as can be for a man of vengeance who can alternate between a traditional assault rifle and a shotgun, the latter of which can make easy work with other tricky Duelists like Spider-Man and even beefy tanks.
Unfortunately, his Culling Turrent is, more often than not, a paper tiger that can easily make the player an open target, with tanks absorbing its damage or being sniped from a distance.
C Tier
Scarlet Witch
Despite being able to kill any character within a 15m radius instantly, Scarlet Witch can often become a sitting duck, especially when using that Reality Erasure ability. Instead of being an outright damage-dealing Duelist, the Scarlet Witch is more of a hindrance to the enemy than anything.
Wanda can provide minor crowd control using Dark Seal, but it's fairly limited compared to other heroes, not to mention her lack of true damage output. However, with proper teamwork, her Reality Erasure can still be dangerous to uncoordinated enemies.
Magik
What has quickly been revealed as one of the deceptively hardest Duelists to play, Magik is a melee fighter using her giant-ass sword to cut down enemies and open portals. Inexperienced players will die easily with her if they don't take advantage of her Stepping Discs or Umbral Incursion abilities correctly to get in close to the enemy.
Magik is a character that needs the support of healers and tanks to be more viable and not immediately be gunned or cut down by enemy heroes. All that is helped by her passive, Limbo's Might, which can help her longevity on the battlefield.
Rocket Raccoon
A Strategist focusing more on damaging the enemy than healing teammates, Rocket Raccoon is a tiny menace on the battlefield who can help provide additional armor to his allies using the Battle Rebirth Beacon ability, which can also revive teammates.
Unfortunately, because Rocket is more focused on damage output, he's a far less effective healer than Mantis, Luna Snow, or even Adam Warlock. Such a downside would be better if it weren't for the pitiful damage Rocket dishes out compared to other heroes.
However, Rocket's small hitbox and erratic movement still make him a viable nuisance for the enemy, but it depends on whether whoever plays as Rocket has the support of their team.
Cloak and Dagger
Cloak and Dagger are perfectly two characters in one, with gameplay revolving around debuffing enemies and healing allies as the player alternates between the two teen heroes. However, their unique Strategist playstyle heavily depends on correct timing and situational awareness.
They can become a blight for enemies and a blessing for teammates if played correctly. Cloak can blind enemy heroes with Terror Cape, making them more vulnerable to damage, while Dagger can buff teammates' health and healing rate using Veil of Lightforce.
It's an excellent means of pushing the enemy team back, but it all depends on Cloak and Dagger being in the hands of a capable enough player.
Black Widow
The sniper of Marvel Rivals, Black Widow's biggest disadvantage is that she's unable to one-shot any hero, even other Duelists as weak as her, meaning players will have to land a minimum of two consecutive shots on an enemy to kill them, unlike Hawkeye.
However, if coordinated with teammates correctly, she can make enemies easy pickings for allies, especially if she uses her Electro-Plasma Explosion and its slowdown effect. Black Widow still has her Widow's Bite Baton if she's cornered, but she won't last long if cornered or targeted down.
D Tier
Peni Parker
As an incredibly situational Vanguard DPS character, Peni Parker's viability is entirely dependent on the team composition, map, and skill of the player using her. However, if the stars align, she's excellent at area denial with her trap abilities and acting as a great counter to most close-quarter heroes.
Just make sure she's not cornered or singled out by the enemy team, or else she'll go down quickly, especially when she doesn't have an immediate or quick means of escape like other Vanguard heroes.
Hulk
Loud and lumbering, Hulk will be the center of attention in any firefight and immediately targeted by the enemy team. A character like Hulk should be used as a distraction rather than a frontal fighter since he lacks any means of defending himself, even as a Vanguard.
While Hulk's attacks look devastating, especially his grapple, they don't do enough damage to justify continued exposure to the enemy. The best strategy for any Hulk player is to work closely with Strategists to keep him alive while tapping in and out with the enemy.
Thor
A slightly smaller tank compared to other Vanguards like Hulk or Venom, Thor's gameplay revolves around attacking rather than defending or supporting his teammates. Thor gains more Thorforce with every successful attack, allowing him to buff his health and damage.
However, that's if he's alive long enough to inflict continuous damage to fuel it, and since Thor is still a tank, he's an easy target for the enemy team. It doesn't help that he's especially vulnerable with 150 less base health than most Vanguard characters.
Black Panther
Unfortunately, despite being a close-quarters Duelist like Wolverine and Iron Fist with his vibranium claws, Black Panther's damage output is easily outdone by them. For T'Challa to even be effective, players must perform precise combos for the most damage output, which is often not worth the effort.
It does not help that while Black Panther has mobility with his lunge and wall running, it does not match Logan, Spider-Man, Iron Fist, and other more spry characters in the roster.
Namor
Surprisingly, Namor, of all characters, is a turret-based hero, summoning Monstro Spawn from the deep to attack or stun enemy players as a Duelist. Unfortunately, these sea creatures may as well be sea sponges, given how little they endure on the battlefield.
They can be buffed slightly by Luna Snow's team-up ability, but it doesn't stave off their lackluster situational potential as area deniers and crowd control. Anyone playing Namor has to be incredibly precise with his trident and be a real team player to synchronize plays and team-up attacks to take advantage of his abilities.
Marvel Rivals is now playable on PS5, PC, and Xbox.
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