Ever wondered which heroes and villains truly dominate the battlegrounds of Marvel Rivals? This star-studded shooter from Marvel and NetEase features a vast roster of fan-favorite characters, each bringing their own unique style. However, some definitely stand out as more powerful than others.
Our ultimate Marvel Rivals tier list for Season 4 breaks down the game’s impressive 42-character roster into distinct viability ranks. We’ve meticulously evaluated their inherent strengths and current standing in the meta. After discovering your new favorite top-tier hero, be sure to explore more about them to dominate the ranked ladder!
Marvel Rivals Tier List: Season 4 Rankings
Here are the absolute best Marvel Rivals characters for Season 4:
| Rank | Character |
| S | Emma Frost, Cloak & Dagger, Luna Snow, Rocket Raccoon, The Punisher, Magneto, Hela, Loki, Magik |
| A | Angela, Phoenix, Wolverine, Invisible Woman, Ultron, Storm, Iron Man, Psylocke, Hawkeye, Hulk, Winter Soldier, Star-Lord, Adam Warlock, Mantis, Peni Parker |
| B | Human Torch, Iron Fist, Spider-Man, Mister Fantastic, Namor, Doctor Strange, Captain America, Thor, Jeff the Land Shark, Groot, Squirrel Girl, The Thing |
| C | Blade, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Venom |
| D | Black Widow, Moon Knight |
Explore detailed breakdowns of each tier:
- S Tier
- A Tier
- B Tier
- C Tier
- D Tier
S-Tier
Emma Frost
Emma Frost, a Season 2 newcomer, has quickly proven herself to be a formidable force thanks to her incredibly versatile abilities. With impressive damage reduction in her diamond form, potent crowd control, and frankly, outrageous damage output, Emma is a true all-rounder. Master her core combos, and you’ll find yourself obliterating even the toughest tanks with ease.
Naturally, Emma isn’t without her weaknesses. Her diamond form has a lengthy cooldown, leaving her vulnerable. In her regular state, she acts more like a short-range brawler than a true tank, making her susceptible to focused attacks. We advise against playing her as a solo Vanguard. Furthermore, her Telepathic Pulse needs to be charged for maximum effectiveness, meaning Emma must stay in the thick of the fight to maintain her damage per second. Uncharged, it’s significantly weaker.
Despite these considerations, Emma effortlessly earns her top spot on our Marvel Rivals tier list. Capitalizing on her drawbacks is challenging if an experienced player is at the helm and her team composition provides adequate support.
In Season 2.5, Emma’s Telepathic Pulse range was enhanced, though this came with a slight reduction in her defensive power and diamond form damage output.
Cloak & Dagger
Boasting powerful utility unique to each character, Cloak & Dagger can genuinely turn the tide of battle. Dagger excels at keeping allies’ health topped up, while switching to Cloak grants access to vision-manipulating tools that can confuse opponents.
While we believe Cloak & Dagger might not dominate as standalone healers or damage dealers, this Strategist pairing’s unmatched versatility makes them more than worthy of a top spot on our Marvel Rivals tier list.
In Season 1, Cloak & Dagger received buffs to their Dagger Storm cooldown, ultimate healing, and the number of dashes available during their ultimate. Season 1.5 saw a slight bolster to ultimate healing, but significant nerfs overall – it no longer stacked, and its energy cost increased, for instance. Tyrone’s Terror Cape Vulnerability, however, was buffed.
In Season 2, Cloak & Dagger’s ultimate ability logic was refined, ensuring all four healing zones conclude simultaneously, which is a net buff.
Rocket Raccoon
Rocket is a remarkably handy and versatile support character. Similar to Adam Warlock, Rocket Raccoon can resurrect an ally using his Battle Rebirth Beacon, which also consistently provides armor packs. Beyond that, Rocket relies on his repair mode’s secondary fire to heal teammates, though it’s not as potent as Luna Snow or Adam Warlock for saving allies on the brink of death.
In Season 1, Rocket’s Repair Mode received a buff which, despite seeming minor on paper, had a significant in-game impact. Season 2 saw Rocket rebalanced to prioritize team survivability, leading to a nerf in his ultimate’s damage amplification and an increased cooldown for Jetpack Dash. Jetpack Dash’s distance was also shortened. In Season 2.5, Repair Mode’s direct hit healing amount was slightly reduced from 55 to 50.
Luna Snow
Luna Snow stands as the quintessential support hero, expertly balancing damage output with rapid ally healing. Her primary attack provides on-demand healing when targeting allies and impressive damage against foes if you land precise hits. This ability is amplified during the Ice Arts stage, replacing her basic attack with a boosted icicle and healing herself while the buff is active.
Share the Stage allows Luna Snow to heal two allies simultaneously, making it easier to sustain your team. It’s often best placed on a tank or an aerial DPS to ensure their health remains topped up without constant chasing. Absolute Zero briefly freezes and heals her, proving excellent against both advancing enemies and flankers. Her ultimate, Fate of Both Worlds, is arguably one of the best in the game. With both a healing and a damage boost mode, Luna Snow can adapt her support to any situation.
In Season 1, Luna’s ultimate saw an increased interval for switching between healing and damage. Season 1.5 brought an increased ultimate cost. In Season 2.5, Luna’s damage, healing, and survivability were all boosted, though this came at the expense of an increased energy cost for Fate of Both Worlds.
The Punisher
Serving as the Soldier 76/Call of Duty character stand-in, The Punisher is straightforward yet incredibly effective. Armed with an assault rifle for mid-range engagements and a shotgun for close-quarters combat, The Punisher can put nearly anyone in their place. Is Iron Man picking you off from above? No problem. Spider-Man flanking you? A shotgun blast will teach him a lesson.
His deployable turret and mech ultimate are fantastic tools for quickly ramping up your damage output, whether you’re pushing an objective or the enemy is preparing their own advance.
In Season 1, the spread of Deliverance and Adjudication was reduced. Season 2.5 saw Final Judgment’s movement speed slow lessened, while Adjudication received buffs to its magazine size, single hit damage, and firing spread.
Magneto
Magneto might be slow and challenging to master, but he possesses everything a tank could desire: robust defensive capabilities, powerful crowd control, and significant damage. His primary attack launches slow-moving, limited-range projectiles that hit incredibly hard, swiftly eliminating DPS and support characters.
His Bulwark abilities provide a shield to either himself or an ally, which not only absorbs damage but also generates rings that Magneto can use to boost his Mag-Cannon’s damage. This further enhances his already strong burst-damage potential. However, Magneto does feel like he’s missing something without access to Metallic Fusion, the powerful team-up ability he shares with Scarlet Witch. This ability functions almost like an ultimate, dealing heavy damage across a wider area than his primary attack.
In Season 1.5, Magneto’s survivability was nerfed, compensated by an increase in damage for his Iron Volley. In Season 2, his ultimate ability’s energy cost was increased by 300. In Season 2.5, Magneto’s ring charging speed was improved from four seconds per stack to three seconds per stack.
Hela
True to her title as the Goddess of Death, Hela is a terrifying damage dealer, though her precision-focused playstyle makes her challenging to use in close-range combat.
Her primary attack, especially when combined with Piercing Night, can decimate enemy health bars, and landing headshots is heavily incentivized for massive damage. This reliance on precision explains her struggles in close quarters against characters like Spider-Man and Iron Fist, unless Astral Flock is available for quick repositioning. Similarly, her ultimate can be disorienting at first, but it’s an excellent tool for clearing objectives and saving yourself from sticky situations.
In Season 1, Hela’s base health was reduced by 25, and her season buff was also toned down, bringing her slightly back into line. Season 1.5 saw further nerfs as the damage falloff on Nightsword Thorn at 30 meters was increased from 70% to 80%.
In Season 2, Hela experienced a minor drop in mobility but was compensated with increased offensive power. Astral Flock’s cooldown was extended, but the spell field damage of Piercing Night was boosted, and Soul Drainer’s cooldown time was decreased. In Season 2.5, the charge capacity of Nightsword Thorn was increased from eight to ten.
Loki
Living up to his reputation as the god of trickery, Loki is an elusive support who excels when moving and healing allies. While his decoys may not fool experienced players, they serve as excellent temporary distractions. This inherent evasiveness makes him a perfect support in dive-heavy metas where self-peel is crucial for a Strategist.
Since he isn’t a dedicated burst healer, Loki is best paired with a hero like Adam Warlock or Luna Snow, who can help keep allies alive while he messes with the enemy team.
In Season 1.5, Loki’s ultimate energy cost was increased, and his Mystical Missile charges were also boosted. In Season 2, Loki’s Regeneration Domain cooldown was extended from 25 to 30 seconds.
Magik
Magik is a melee DPS character who is difficult to master but can be incredibly powerful when played skillfully, especially with allies like Venom or Magneto to absorb incoming damage. Capable of teleporting into battle and unleashing various melee attacks, all of which grant her bonus health, Magik possesses a level of survivability that other melee DPS heroes like Black Panther often lack without sacrificing damage.
In Season 1, Magik’s Umbral Incursion damage in Darkchild form received a decent buff, though it didn’t significantly alter her overall standing. Season 1.5 saw Magik’s Demon’s Rage damage nerfed, but the energy cost of Darkchild was reduced.
A-Tier
Angela
Season 4’s new addition, Angela, appeared incredibly overpowered on paper. A flying Vanguard capable of dishing out damage, locking down teams with her ultimate, and completely displacing enemies with her spear charge, she seemed destined for immediate S-tier status. Fortunately, Angela launched in a well-balanced state, though her current meta prominence ensures she remains as close to the apex tier as possible.
Phoenix
Season 3 inductee Phoenix had an explosive start, quickly establishing herself as one of the game’s top Duelists. Her kit offers everything a DPS character could want: self-sustain, powerful splash damage, and a couple of ‘get out of jail free’ cards. Her ultimate is an incredible teamfight tool that can initiate engagements, counter summon-reliant teams, or provide shields and bonus health to allies.
Wolverine
Wolverine is an absolute beast in one-on-one combat and will rarely lose against anyone he gets his claws into – assuming he isn’t constantly kited. There’s nothing subtle about Logan in Rivals; his core gameplay loop effectively boils down to ‘get in, stay in, and don’t stop until the target is dead.’
Wolverine accumulates stacks of rage with every hit taken or dealt, making him progressively stronger and granting him more bonus health from his Regenerative Healing Factor – the key to his effectiveness as a bruiser and tankbuster.
In Season 1, Wolverine received an adjustment: his base health increased from 300 to 350, but his Undying Animal damage reduction dropped by 10%. Logan’s health buff, combined with his team-up ability with The Thing, helps him survive longer, making him even more consistent at eliminating enemy tanks. Consider him a permaban if you want to protect your ranked points.
In Season 2, Wolverine’s rage acquisition tools were rebalanced, alongside a reduction in the knockdown time of his ultimate ability.
Invisible Woman
Sue has certainly caused quite a buzz within the community since her initial reveal, and her in-game performance has lived up to the hype. While she won’t be out-healing Luna Snow anytime soon, her piercing main attack still plays a significant role in keeping your teammates alive while dishing out a respectable amount of damage.
Arguably, Invisible Woman’s greatest strength is her survivability. Sue has shielding, invisibility, and the ability to push enemies away at her disposal, making her incredibly difficult to pin down.
In Season 1.5, Invisible Woman’s ultimate cost was increased. In Season 2, Sue’s Guardian Shield durability was decreased from 300 to 250.
Ultron
The final Infinity Stone needed to usher in a full-blown flier meta, Ultron made a grand entrance to our tier list in Season 2.5. Capable of safely dishing out damage and healing allies simultaneously, Ultron is a nightmare to contend with.
Though we don’t feel he offers sufficient healing to push him into S-tier, he is a quintessential ‘harmacist’ who consistently churns out damage he has absolutely no business dealing.
Storm
Storm is a support-damage hybrid, giving her a unique, albeit limited, role. Firstly, her basic attacks, Bolt Rush, and Goddess Boost inflict good damage and allow Storm to go on the offensive strategically, especially since she can fly. However, her main feature is her ability to switch between two different buffs using Weather Control. From boosting movement speed to increasing damage, Storm works wonders in coordinated teams that capitalize on these powerful effects.
In Season 1, Storm received a suite of buffs, with the Wind Blade projectile speed increase proving game-changing. Season 1.5 saw Wind Blade’s damage falloff increased. Her self-buffs were nerfed, though her ally buffs were improved in return. It’s a net nerf, but the introduction of Human Torch helps maintain her damage output. In Season 2.5, Storm’s Omega Hurricane damage was increased from 150 per second to 160 per second.
Iron Man
Iron Man might not be as agile as you’d expect, but he’s a superb ranged, aerial, AoE DPS character. Being able to hover above the battlefield places him out of reach for most of the roster, though The Punisher easily counters him, especially due to Iron Man’s lack of a dodge ability.
When not countered, Iron Man is a consistently strong damage dealer who can soften up groups of enemies. However, his lack of burst damage outside of his amazing ultimate prevents him from reaching the very top of the tier list.
In Season 1.5, Iron Man’s Unibeam damage was increased. In Season 2, Tony’s hitbox size was reduced. What’s more, he gained 100 temporary bonus health for a short period after activating Armor Overdrive or Gamma Overdrive. In Season 2.5, Tony’s damage and survivability both received nerfs.
Psylocke
Invisibility can be one of the most frustrating mechanics to counter in competitive games, and Psylocke’s ability to tap into it with Psychic Stealth makes this already mobile character even harder to pin down. This is further compounded by the invulnerability granted while using her ultimate, Dance of the Butterfly. Oh, and she also deals a ridiculous amount of damage.
As a five-star difficulty Duelist, getting the most out of Psylocke will be a significant challenge. But as players continue to develop proficiency with her, we can easily see her ascending to the apex tier of our list.
In Season 1, Dance of the Butterfly was adjusted to target barriers, meaning she’ll now hit them instead of seeking other targets. While still an A-tier pick, Psylocke now has clearer counterplay options from characters like Magneto and Hulk.
In Season 2.5, Psychic Stealth’s invisibility duration was shortened by a second, while the retrieval damage of Wing Shurikens was reduced from 14 to 12 per hit.
Hawkeye
Marvel Rivals’ premier ranger character, Hawkeye, boasts a ton of damage and utility in his kit, including slows, knockbacks, and launches. His ultimate ability, Hunter’s Sight, is one of the best in the game, as the afterimages it generates make his damage impossible to dodge (unless the player piloting him needs a crash course in Aimlabs).
Unlike Black Widow, Hawkeye can one-shot squishy targets, though the developers have cleverly prevented him from being completely broken by introducing a ‘focus’ mechanic. Hawkeye needs to charge his arrows by focusing on a target for a set amount of time, while letting them slip out of sight depletes his focus. Only the most skilled players will consistently hit 250 HP targets, but his damage is formidable regardless.
In Season 1, Hawkeye’s medium-to-long-range capabilities were nerfed, clipping his wings. Season 1.5 saw Hawkeye’s base health reduced by 25, though his close-quarter tools and ultimate potency were buffed. In Season 2, the slow effect while charging Hawkeye’s bow was reduced, and Hypersonic Arrow’s two damage instances received slight buffs. Meanwhile, his ultimate energy cost was decreased, and its bow draw speed was increased. In Season 2.5, Clint received further minor buffs to his projectile charging speed and damage.
Bruce Banner/Hulk
While Hulk possesses three forms, each with distinct abilities, he isn’t nearly as complex as it might initially sound. Most of your time will unfortunately be spent as Hero Hulk, who simply isn’t that powerful. From heavy punches and gamma-ray blasts to an immobilizing effect, Hulk has a varied kit focused on damage, though these abilities often lack significant impact. Plus, as a raging green beast, Hulk is an incredibly easy target to hit and largely lacks defensive options.
Hulk is best played like Winston from Overwatch, diving in and out of the action while attempting to cause as much chaos as possible. Killing enemies is secondary, so it’s best to only pick Hulk if you have another strong tank or damage dealers on your team.
In Season 1, Hulk was actually nerfed, with his Indestructible Guard shield being reduced by 20%. In Season 2, Hulk’s base movement speed was increased, while the cooldown for Indestructible Guard and the minimum charge time for Incredible Leap were both reduced.
Winter Soldier
The Winter Soldier is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of all. He boasts impressive damage, excellent crowd control, and potent single-target lockdown. While Winter Soldier’s Roterstern only holds a three-round magazine, it reloads automatically while his bionic arm is in use – creating solid combo potential.
Due to his versatility, Winter Soldier can fit into almost any team composition, though his Ammo Overload team-up ability with Rocket makes the wise-cracking raccoon his ideal companion.
In Season 1, Bucky’s long-range combat strength was nerfed, though this was compensated by an increase in his medium-to-close-range survivability. In Season 2, Bionic Hook’s cooldown was increased by 50%, while his ultimate damage was nerfed.
Star-Lord
Although Star-Lord feels like he’s missing an ability or two, his agile nature and high damage make him a strong DPS character in the right hands. Star-Lord is at his most powerful when played aggressively. Dash in and out to dodge damage while bursting down weaker enemies, especially healers. His Blaster Barrage is excellent for softening up groups of enemies, but make sure you have teammates with you, as you can be an easy target.
In Season 1.5, Star-Lord’s Rocket Propulsion energy cap was raised from 1,200 to 1,800, significantly boosting his mobility. In Season 2, Peter’s Blaster Barrage damage was nerfed. Furthermore, a damage falloff mechanic was introduced for this ability. In Season 2.5, Galactic Legend’s cost was increased, but so was its maximum target range. Additionally, its damage drop-off was reduced.
Adam Warlock
Similar to Luna Snow, Adam Warlock is a highly versatile support hero. Soul Bond and Avatar Life Stream effectively keep allies fully sustained, while his basic attack and Cosmic Cluster deliver surprisingly strong damage.
However, Adam Warlock’s greatest strengths lie in his ultimate and passive abilities. His ultimate, Karmic Revival, can resurrect your entire team, truly turning the tide of a fight with a single button press. Likewise, his passive grants him a second life. Though not strictly necessary, his team-up ability with Mantis and Star-Lord also bestows them with a second life. What’s not to love about that?
In Season 1.5, Adam Warlock’s damage and Soul Bond healing both received buffs. In Season 2, Soul Bond’s cooldown was nerfed from 30 to 40 seconds. Conversely, his ultimate is now considerably more effective for high health allies, as it was changed to heal 30% of maximum health, up from a flat 100 HP.
Mantis
Mantis is the support character with the most significant focus on healing, though this is primarily healing over time rather than burst heals. This means you’ll ideally want a strong burst healer like Adam Warlock or Luna Snow alongside her, who can quickly restore an ally’s health. Nevertheless, this constant healing makes Mantis a persistent nuisance for the enemy team, and luckily, Mantis also has self-healing capabilities.
Due to her emphasis on healing over time and lower damage output, Mantis is less versatile than her competitors but serves as the perfect secondary support. Additionally, a stun ability and a damage boost effect help compensate for her shortcomings.
In Season 1, Mantis’s passive movement speed boost was significantly reduced from 2.5m/s to 1.5m/s, making her much easier to pin down. In Season 2, Mantis’ base health was lowered from 275 to 250, while the ability to stack the effects of Healing Flower and Allied Inspiration was added.
Peni Parker
The cheerful super-scientist spider-woman, Peni Parker, is a dream pick for mech enthusiasts and players who enjoy trapping and tormenting their enemies. While she has a reputation as a low-ELO stomper, Peni is effectively played at even the highest tiers with great proficiency. As one of the best anti-dive Vanguards in the game, Peni provides traps and other utility that protect her backline while baiting Duelists into overextending with her web nest. Best played alongside a dedicated tank, we recommend switching off Peni if you’re the sole tank on your team.
Although Peni is a challenging character to rank precisely, her consistently high pick and win rates, even in Grandmaster and above, make it impossible to ignore her strong position in the current meta.
In Season 2, Cyber-Web Cluster gained crit chance, while the movement speed penalty incurred while firing it was reduced from 40% to 20%. Concurrently, her base health was increased by 100.
B-Tier
Human Torch
Human Torch is a versatile Duelist who provides fiery mid-range firepower and some genuinely potent utility. His permanent flight makes him somewhat tricky to pin down, though his lack of a dedicated mobility tool means he’s easier to deal with than characters like Star-Lord.
Instead, Johnny’s power comes from his Pyro-Prison, which damages enemies who walk through it, setting them up to be blasted with his Flaming Meteor dive and the flaming tornadoes from his ultimate, Supernova.
In Season 2, Johnny received a quality-of-life tweak to Fire Cluster’s attack interval, as well as a survivability buff to Flaming Meteor. While the cooldown for the ability was slightly increased, it now grants 75 bonus health that begins decaying three seconds after casting. With this much-needed durability, Johnny’s stock rose dramatically, briefly pushing him to S-tier. However, in Season 2.5, Johnny was over-nerfed, sending him spiraling down to the depths of D-tier.
Iron Fist
Combining sky-high mobility with devastating combat proficiency, Iron Fist is the ideal component for any dive composition. If his fast and furious combos weren’t enough, he also possesses self-healing, which further enhances his versatility in teams lacking robust healers.
To top it all off, Iron Fist’s team-up ability, Dragon’s Chill, pairs him with Luna Snow to add crowd control and even more healing to the mix.
In Season 1.5, Iron Fist received a host of changes, including buffs to his base health (+50), Yat Jee Chung Kuen, and Dragon’s Defense bonus health conversion.
In Season 2, the trend toward tank-busting continued, buffing the max health damage on Yat Jee Chung Kuen strikes (added in 1.5) from 1.7% to 2.1%. K’un-Lun Kick’s cooldown was reduced, while Harmony Recovery’s bonus max health was decreased. Though the latter is a noticeable nerf to survivability, the rate at which the health decays was, at least, reduced. In Season 2.5, Iron Fist’s damage and survivability both received nerfs.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man isn’t just an amazing hero to play because he’s everyone’s favorite. No, this friendly neighborhood hero also delivers serious pain with incredible mobility. Naturally, being a combo-driven character who relies on web-slinging to stay alive, Spider-Man is difficult to master. However, once you do, he can effortlessly take out healers and other DPS characters in a quick assault.
Web enemies to mark them with a Spider-Tracer, then use Get Over Here! to close the gap before hitting them with the Amazing Combo uppercut. This is typically enough for standard health enemies, giving you ample time to retreat before swinging back into the enemy’s backline once again.
In Season 1.5, Spider-Man’s Web-Cluster cooldown was reduced.
Mister Fantastic
Reed Richards made an awkward landing on the Marvel Rivals tier list, with Season 1’s rather underwhelming addition failing to make a significant impact. Serving more as an off-tank than a pure Duelist, Mister Fantastic’s relatively low damage numbers are balanced by his fantastic utility.
In Season 1.5, Mister Fantastic received changes to both Flexible Elongation and Brainiac Bounce – a net buff. In Season 2, Reed gained a slew of buffs to his base health, Stretch Punch damage, and more. We believe this has had enough impact to elevate him out of the C-tier.
Namor
Once relegated to D-tier, Namor’s standing has risen substantially. This half-human, half-Atlantean not only deals respectable damage with his trident, but his deployable turrets can melt anything they target.
In Season 1, the throwing mechanics of Monstro and Frozen Spawn were optimized, making them easier to launch with accuracy. In Season 2.5, Namor’s turret damage falloff was reduced, though this came at the cost of an increased cooldown for Blessing of the Deep.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is an aggressive tank thanks to his team-wide teleport, making him perfect for coordinated teams. His substantial shield will also help you push objectives or hold your ground effectively.
Although it feels like you’re constantly reloading, his basic attack is deadly in the right hands. Furthermore, dealing damage charges Dark Magic, which is both a blessing and a curse. If you don’t unleash it before it fills up using Maelstrom of Madness for massive AoE damage, you’ll enter an anti-heal state. As a tank, this can quickly lead to your demise.
In Season 1, damage drop-off was introduced to Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom. Meanwhile, his defensive window was extended. In Season 1.5, Strange’s base health was reduced by 50. In Season 2, Strange’s damage output was nerfed, finally knocking him out of the S-tier. In Season 2.5, Strange’s damage ranges for Daggers of Denak and Maelstrom of Madness were adjusted, with the latter’s range being removed completely.
Captain America
Always leading by example, Captain America is an incredibly mobile off-tank who excels at disrupting enemy lines while inspiring and protecting his teammates. While not the absolute best diver or the most robust at absorbing hits, Cap can capably do a bit of both, making him incredibly versatile and a slippery menace when piloted properly.
In Season 1, Cap received some much-needed buffs to his ability cooldowns and resource generation. Season 1.5 saw Cap gain extra survivability and a buff to his ultimate energy cost. In Season 2, however, Cap was actually nerfed, with reductions to his base health and Living Legend shield decreasing his survivability. Cap’s base health, shield recovery after unleashing Living Legend, and ultimate cost were all further nerfed in Season 2.5.
Thor
Thor is an interesting Vanguard in that he doesn’t truly provide much to the team beyond damage, damage, and more damage. His three-star difficulty rating is somewhat misleading because to maximize Thor’s effectiveness, you need to meticulously manage your stacks of Thorforce. Another limiting factor you’ll need to master is the two-second global cooldown applied to his other abilities each time he uses one.
However, if you manage to master the art of playing Thor, you will utterly dominate the battlefield, heartily chuckling as you slam opponents with a thunderous crack.
In Season 1, Thor’s base health was increased, and immunity to crowd control was added to his ultimate – a major buff that has eased him into the A-tier. Season 1.5 saw the shared cooldown time after Awakening Rune’s conclusion removed. In Season 2, Thor’s base health was increased to 600 from 525, while his base movement speed also ticked up from 600 to 650. In Season 2.5, Hammer Throw lost its Thorforce cost, at the expense of a small hit to his survivability.
Jeff the Land Shark
While Jeff may be one of Rivals’ most straightforward Strategists, the happy little sharky possesses some significant tools in his kit that make him an awesome teammate. Offering solid healing to both his team and himself, bonus mobility with Hide and Seek, and one of the most impactful site-clearing ultimates in the game – It’s Jeff! – you can get a lot out of very little time invested in getting to know Jeff better.
As an added bonus, Jeff has not one, but two team-up abilities: Frozen Spitball and New Friends. As such, you can extract even more value from Jeff in multiple team compositions. The problem is, he just isn’t very strong right now.
In Season 1, Jeff’s ultimate shape was adjusted to better fit its warning marker. Additionally, his Joyful Splash healing was increased. In Season 2.5, Jeff was reworked to provide more support and combat capability, at the cost of some survivability.
Groot
A tree of very few words, Groot is a stalwart tank who excels in certain team compositions and game modes. With his playstyle centered around blockading enemies and standing near these barriers to buff himself, Groot needs to be in close proximity to succeed. This, coupled with his large stature, makes Groot an easy target. However, if you can assemble an equally aggressive, in-your-face team, like Venom, Star-Lord, and Magik, then Groot is essential for overwhelming your enemy.
In Season 1.5, Groot’s Thornlash Wall placement range was slightly buffed, increasing it to 18 meters from 15. In Season 2.5, Groot’s basic attack damage and Ironwood Wall cooldown were both nerfed.
Squirrel Girl
Squirrel Girl is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having defeated Thanos (off-panel) and Galactus (with the power of friendship). She’s also one of the better Marvel Rivals characters, combining significant damage from her slingshot with a fantastic site-clearing ultimate in Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami.
Though she struggles against aerial threats, you’ll typically be running Squirrel Girl alongside someone who can deal with them. Squirrel Girl also has a surprising amount of crowd control in her kit, between the imprisonment effect on Squirrel Blockade and the powerful immobilization from Webbed Acorn – her team-up ability with Spider-Man.
In Season 1, Squirrel Girl’s Squirrel Tsunami was altered so her squirrels would now stampede towards the nearest enemy after bouncing off the terrain. However, the tsunami’s health has been cut in half. Nuts. In Season 2.5, Burst Acorn’s capacity was increased from ten to 12, while Mammal Bond’s cooldown was dropped from 12 seconds to ten.
The Thing
Rock-solid Vanguard, The Thing, quickly established himself as a top-tier pick in the early 1.5 meta, providing reliable damage, substantial tankiness, and the ability to completely nullify mobility abilities thanks to his Yancy Street Charge.
Ben also benefits greatly from his team-up with Invisible Woman, which grants bonus health for a short period. As we all know, bonus survivability means more clobberin’ time.
In Season 2, Ben’s Embattled Leap damage reduction was decreased from 30% to 25%. Slightly less clobberin’ time.
C-Tier
Blade
Despite being added only in August 2025, Blade sadly hasn’t quite lived up to expectations and struggles to compete with some of the stronger heroes. Even after a patch that buffed his Daywalker Dash, he remains in the C-tier.
That said, Cloak and Dagger are among the best, and the good news is that Blade makes an excellent partner for the dynamic duo thanks to their Team Up ability. Using Blade carefully with Cloak and Dagger renders him invisible for a brief period, healing him and allowing him to attack stealthily, so you may still see Blade appear in some of the strongest team compositions.
Scarlet Witch
While Scarlet Witch can make impressive plays, her kit is somewhat limited, and we’ve observed her effectiveness wane as players have improved. Scarlet Witch’s basic attack is certainly annoying, but its low, consistent damage can be easily negated by healing from characters like Mantis, Adam Warlock, or Luna Snow. However, it serves primarily as a means to an end, generating Chaos Energy for Chthonian Blast, a much more lethal attack.
Scarlet Witch’s greatest strength lies in her crowd control abilities. Dark Seal can repeatedly stun enemies caught in its blast. When deployed in choke points or against tank characters, Scarlet Witch can very effectively shut down enemy teams.
In Season 1, Wanda’s damage ratios were adjusted to make her more effective against Duelists and Strategists, at the expense of her Vanguard damage. Season 1.5 saw Wanda gain bonus survivability when activating Reality Erasure, making it safer to unleash her ultimate.
In Season 2, Wanda’s survivability took a hit, though she became even more dangerous against squishy targets thanks to a flat damage buff to Chaos Control. However, the ability’s percentage health damage was removed. She also received optimizations to her ultimate ability’s release experience.
Black Panther
Boasting a similar close-range, combo-based kit to Magik and Spider-Man, Black Panther needs to land his attacks in a specific sequence to deal optimal damage. Missing any of these attacks leaves him in a very vulnerable position. However, as player proficiency has rapidly increased, so too has the Wakandan king’s potency.
In Season 1, T’Challa’s survivability was substantially nerfed, knocking him down a peg in our ranking.
Venom
Standing tall with 800 base health, Venom is already incredibly sturdy, and Symbiotic Resilience enhances this further when used in a tight spot, effectively giving him a second wind. His ultimate, Feast of the Abyss, may be easy to avoid, but it also generates bonus health. Paired with Venom Swing to quickly enter and exit fights, he’s remarkably difficult to eliminate.
Venom also deals heavy damage with his tentacles, making him lethal up close. When combined with Cellular Corrosion to slow down enemies and Frenzied Arrival to close the gap on damaged targets, he’s an absolute menace. Pair him with a strong close-range DPS hero like Magik, and you’ll dominate the match.
In Season 1, Venom’s Symbiotic Resilience ratio was increased, as was the base damage of his ultimate. Season 1.5 saw Venom’s Frenzied Arrival tweaked from a vertical knockback to an inward one, improving its crowd control. Additionally, his ultimate energy cost was reduced, doing enough overall to boost him into B-tier.
D-Tier
Black Widow
While inevitable Overwatch Widowmaker comparisons will be made, Black Widow has far more in her kit than just a powerful rifle and access to high ground. Though limited mostly to single-target combat, Black Widow’s Electro-Plasma Explosion provides a monstrous AoE slow that can set her team up for success.
As for her rifle, when she’s not dispatching would-be assailants with her baton, Black Widow is picking players off for fun with her gun. While you won’t be one-tapping players with the Red Room rifle – it leaves squishies with a sliver of health even with a scoped headshot – it’s still incredibly potent. Paired with the self-peel from Edge Dancer, locking down Black Widow is much easier said than done.
In Season 1, Black Widow’s Edge Dancer range was increased, while the time required for Fleet Foot to recover from zero stamina and her ultimate to reach full power was substantially reduced. Season 1.5 saw her Red Room Rifle magazine capacity effectively doubled. What’s more, the slow on her ultimate was increased, and it now applies a Vulnerability effect for several seconds.
In Season 2, a new effect was added, allowing Black Widow to shoot directly after releasing the second kick of Edge Dancer, as well as after using her ultimate.
Unfortunately, these changes have done little to elevate her from D-tier for now.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight may lack the complex combos of other characters on this tier list, but he’s still easily one of the most satisfying to play. He can deal significant damage to multiple targets very quickly with his Crescent Dart and Moon Blade, which becomes even more effective when you introduce an Ancient Ankh into the mix – a guaranteed, stationary target for you to bounce your basic attacks off of.
The Hand of Khonshu isn’t a massive site-wide nuking ultimate, but all it takes is one well-placed Ankh pull, and you can suddenly wipe out the entire enemy team with your combo. Moon Knight is also sufficiently mobile thanks to his Night Glider and Moonlight Hook.
In Season 1, Moon Knight’s ultimate, Hand of Khonshu, received a substantial buff as the number of talons generated, as well as their explosion radius, were both increased. Season 1.5 saw talon falling speed reduced, while talon hit damage was increased.
In Season 2, Moon Knight received a slew of changes, resulting in net buffs to his basic attack, survivability, mobility, and ultimate ability. We haven’t adjusted his ranking just yet, but Marc is a character we’re likely to move up as the season progresses, should the buffs prove substantial enough.
And that’s our complete Marvel Rivals tier list as it stands right now. Now that you’re prepared to dominate the opposition, ensure your game settings are optimized so your PC performance matches your in-game prowess. We also regularly update a list of codes for free in-game rewards.