Marvel Rivals launched in December of 2024, and since then, has generated significant hype and maintained a solid player base of roughly 250,000 players. Similar to hero shooters like Overwatch, this third-person team action game pits two teams of six players against each other in a variety of objective-based battles on various maps. As of the midway patch during Season 1, there are 37 characters available to choose from, each with their own unique kit of skills and abilities. With 3 main character types to consider (Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist), it can be hard to find a hero to choose, especially when you’re first starting out. After playing Season 0 and Season 1 extensively, we’ve compiled the data and experimented with every hero to uncover the very best of the bunch. Thankfully, it’s hard to go wrong with any choice, but if you want the best chance of dominating lobbies and climbing the ranks fast, then these are the best Marvel Rivals characters to choose!
Best Marvel Rivals Vanguards
Vanguards are one of the most important parts of any Marvel Rivals team composition, with their large health pool and ability to initiate fights and sustain throughout. Vanguards will most often lead the pack, holding the front line and commanding the pace of the battle. As a Vanguard, it’s not only important to defend your team, but also to know when to initiate a fight and what opponents to target first. As the “tanks” of Marvel Rivals, Vanguards can make or break a match, so it’s best to even the odds by picking one of these outstanding heroes.
1. Doctor Strange
Ever since the early days of the game, Doctor Strange has been one of the best Vanguards in Marvel Rivals, no doubt about it. In fact, he might just be the best pick overall, thanks to his versatility in combat and strategic utility. As a ranged hero, Doctor Strange can sit back a bit, picking off flying heroes with his Daggers of Denak primary attack, or get up in everyone’s business, blocking incoming attacks with the Shield of Seraphim ability. Thanks to the Cloak of Levitation, Doctor Strange can also briefly fly around the arena, positioning himself to better aid his team. When a big fight breaks out, Doctor Strange’s ultimate attack, Eye of Agamotto, is a perfect way to stun the enemy team and deal significant damage, occasionally wiping out multiple opponents at a time. Finally, the invaluable Pentagram of Farallah allows you to open two connected portals, making it easy to ambush the enemy team or quickly recontest lost ground.
2. Groot
Like Doctor Strange, Groot has a large health pool and can withstand constant attack, but this member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is also incredibly useful for positioning and dealing damage. With his attacks mostly consisting of mid-ranged melee, Groot functions best when he’s hanging out on the front line, separating strategists and duelists from the rest of the pack. The main gimmick of Groot’s kit is his ability to spawn wooden walls, which provide cover, deal damage, and can even buff your team’s defense. Particularly clever Groot players can also use these walls to block off opponents’ pathways, delaying the battle and causing them precious time. With one of the most powerful ultimate attacks in the game, Strangling Prison, Groot can instantly turn the tide of a fight, making him a vital Vanguard in the Marvel Rivals roster.
3. Magneto
Slightly more attack-orientated than Doctor Strange or Groot, Magneto is a good default Vanguard pick for any map in Marvel Rivals. His basic attack, Iron Volley, combined with the charged ability, Mag-Cannon, make him a formidable force from range, able to deal out just as much damage as he can take. However, Magneto is also exceptionally good on defense, thanks to his Metallic Curtain shield ability, which blocks all incoming projectiles, including some enemy ultimate attacks. If that’s not enough, he can also shield himself or any ally for a short time with his Metal Bulwark and Iron Bulwark abilities, which can be essential for keeping strategists alive or sustaining during aggressive pushes. Though his ultimate attack might not be as powerful as Groot or Doctor Strange’s, Magneto’s Meteor M ability deals a massive amount of damage, and can even one-shot squishy, low-health opponents.
Best Marvel Rivals Duelists
Duelists are the primary attackers in Marvel Rivals, with the ability to dish out high amounts of damage either up close or from afar. Depending on their kit, duelists perform the best when they are constantly engaging in battle, often while sticking close to vanguards and strategists. However, most duelists are often “squishy” and easy to kill due to their low health pools, making positioning and smart movement equally important. Like vanguards, duelists are essential for taking over space and moving with intent as a team, so do yourself a favor and pick one of these must-play heroes.
1. Namor
Namor is a character that requires quite a bit of skill and strategy to play well, but in the right hands, he’s an absolute menace on the battlefield. His primary attack, the Trident of Neptune, has pretty good range, letting you sit back and engage from medium distance without the threat of immediate death. One of Namor’s best abilities, Aquatic Dominion, allows him to summon two “Monstro Spawn” squids, which act as mini-turrets, shooting at any enemy who gets too close. These squids can be further enhanced if you use your Wrath of the Seven Seas ability, shredding enemy health in the process. His ultimate attack, the Horn of Proteus, is a massive area-of-effect spell that interrupts enemies and deals a ton of damage, and if combined with other ultimate attacks (like Groot, for example), can be a game-changer. Best of all, Namor also has significant survivability, thanks to the Blessing of the Deep ability, which lets you float away in a bubble, protecting him from any attacks for a short period.
2. Starlord
For those players who love getting in the middle of the fight, blasting down enemies with a flurry of gunfire while maintaining quick movement, Starlord is one of the best duelists in Marvel Rivals. Though his kit is relatively simple, Starlord has a high skill ceiling, and can deal insane amounts of damage in the blink of an eye. His primary attack, Element Guns, fires bursts of bullets at a rapid pace, while his Stellar Shift dodge ability allows him to close gaps and escape from battle with equal quickness. For even faster movement, Starlord also has the Rocket Propulsion ability, letting him take to the skies and soar around with significant speed. This, combined with his Blaster Barrage attack, makes him a perfect duelist for shredding enemy strategists, with enough evasion to 1v1 vanguards as well. The cherry on top of Starlord’s kit is his Galactic Legend ultimate attack, which basically turns him into an unstoppable killing machine, flying around the arena with incredible attack power.
3. Wolverine
Like Namor, Wolverine requires quite a bit of skill to play correctly, but if you figure out his flow, this melee duelist can single handedly dictate the pace of a match. Wolverine is best used as a counter-attacker, aiming at one specific character and isolating them from the pack with his various abilities. For example, you can pounce on an enemy with your Feral Leap ability, then eviscerate their health with his emboldened attack, Berserk Claw Strike. Wolverine is also super nimble in battle, with the ability to dash in and out of fights with his Vicious Rampage ability, or his team-up power, which allows Hulk or The Thing to literally throw him across the map. This immense damage-dealing potential, combined with his damage reduction abilities and health regeneration, makes Wolverine one of the deadliest duelists in the entire game.
Best Marvel Rivals Strategists
Strategists often get the short end of the stick in Marvel Rivals and can be the source of many complaints from the team, but that’s because they’re arguably the most important character type of them all. Strategists are all about healing and buffing their allies through various abilities, sitting back during battles instead of diving into the fray. If you’re playing as a strategist, it’s always best to chill on the back line, constantly keeping your vanguards and duelists healed up. To that point, strategists are always a primary target for the enemy team, so you’ll want to be prepared when playing this vital role.
1. Cloak and Dagger
Whether you’re a first-time strategist player or a high-ranked veteran, Cloak and Dagger is an excellent pick when you’re in a pickle. Essentially two characters in one, you can switch between Dagger and Cloak at any time with a single button press, swapping between healing and damage-dealing abilities. Dagger’s primary attack, Lightforce Dagger, deals damage and heals your allies, and thanks to the inherent auto-aim, you can easily spam this constantly and stay effective. Dagger can also deal out big heals with her Light Explosion and Dagger Storm abilities, providing regeneration from a distance. If you ever get pressed by an enemy or need to do some quick damage, switching to Cloak gives you the auto-aim Darkforce Cloak attack, along with the power to blind your foes via the Terror Cape ability. Though it’s been nerfed quite a bit, their ultimate ability, Eternal Bond, is also a perfect way to contest an objective, all while healing your team and damaging your opponents.
2. Luna Snow
Out of all the strategists, Luna Snow is probably the most powerful of the bunch, but she requires a decent amount of skill for full effect. Unlike Cloak and Dagger, Luna Snow’s primary healing attack, Light & Dark Ice, is not auto-aim. This means you’ll need the accuracy of a good duelist if you want to succeed. Luckily, there are a few abilities that make life easier, like Share the Stage, which lets you heal two allies with a connected aura. Since Luna’s health pool is pretty low, it’s a good thing that she’s one of the fastest characters in the game, especially with her Smooth Skate passive ability that allows her to dash around the stage with increased speed. Luna’s ultimate ability, Fate of Both Worlds, provides a huge area-of-effect heal, but can also toggle to a damage-buff, making your duelists even more deadly.
3. Loki
Loki is one of the more underrated strategists in Marvel Rivals, but if you’re a creative player, he is easily one of the most entertaining characters to play. Like other strategists, Loki’s primary attack can both heal allies and damage enemies, but his power comes from deception and utility, bolstered by his interesting kit. First and foremost, Loki can summon clones with his Doppleganger effect, which also perform extra abilities when activated. This includes the Regeneration Domain ability, which provides a healing bubble for your team. To confuse the enemy team and evade death, Loki can swap places with any of his clones, leading to some real mind games. His ultimate ability, God of Mischief, is also super unique, as it allows you to morph into any other character on the battlefield, granting access to all of their abilities for a short time.
Marvel Rivals is now available on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox
Short author bio:
Matt Owen
As a lifelong gamer and overall media fiend, Matt gets his hands on every new game and watches an unhealthy amount of movies and TV: action, horror, mystery, and sci-fi in particular. When not bingeing on entertainment, he enjoys reading and writing short stories, cooking, and producing video and podcast content.