Marvel Rivals Hero Guide
Vanguard (Tanks)
Frontline heroes who absorb damage and create space for their team. Vanguards are essential for holding objectives and protecting squishier teammates.
Hulk
Vanguard
Bruce Banner's gamma-powered alter ego. Hulk excels at disrupting enemy formations and can throw allies (and enemies) across the map. His rage mechanic increases damage as he takes hits.
Thor
Vanguard
The God of Thunder wields Mjolnir with devastating effect. Thor can chain lightning between enemies and summon thunderstorms that zone control areas.
Doctor Strange
Vanguard
Master of the Mystic Arts. Strange creates portals for team repositioning and shields allies with the Shield of the Seraphim. His ultimate, Crimson Bands, can lock down key targets.
Groot
Vanguard
The living tree can extend his arms to grab distant enemies and create walls of vines to block chokepoints. Groot's Team-Up with Rocket Raccoon is one of the strongest in the game.
Emma Frost
Vanguard
Season 2 addition. Emma can shift between diamond form (high defense) and telepath form (crowd control). Her diamond form makes her nearly unkillable for short durations.
Duelist (Damage)
High-damage heroes who eliminate key targets. Duelists require good positioning and mechanical skill to maximize their impact.
Iron Man
Duelist
Tony Stark's armored suit provides flight and ranged devastation. Iron Man can hover above the battlefield, raining down missiles and uni-beam attacks. Weak to focused fire when grounded.
Black Panther
Duelist
King of Wakanda with unmatched mobility. Black Panther can wall-run, double-jump, and pounce on isolated targets. His vibranium suit absorbs damage and redirects it as kinetic bursts.
Scarlet Witch
Duelist
Wanda Maximoff manipulates chaos magic to deal area damage and control crowds. Her ultimate can wipe entire teams if they cluster together. Requires good timing and positioning.
Spider-Man
Duelist
Peter Parker's spider-sense gives him unmatched evasion. Spider-Man swings through the map, picking off supports and escaping before enemies can react. High skill ceiling, devastating in the right hands.
Punisher
Duelist
Frank Castle brings traditional firepower to the superhuman battlefield. Punisher is the most beginner-friendly Duelist, playing like a standard FPS character with grenades and turrets.
Strategist (Support)
Healers and utility heroes who keep the team alive. A good Strategist can turn the tide of a losing fight.
Mantis
Strategist
The empath can heal allies by linking to them and put enemies to sleep with her spores. Mantis is the most beginner-friendly support with straightforward healing mechanics.
Luna Snow
Strategist
K-pop idol with ice powers. Luna Snow heals through her music aura and can freeze enemies in place. Her ultimate creates a massive healing zone that also damages enemies.
Rocket Raccoon
Strategist
The galaxy's finest engineer. Rocket deploys healing beacons and trap mines. His Team-Up with Groot allows him to ride on Groot's shoulders, becoming a mobile turret platform.
Jeff the Land Shark
Strategist
The adorable land shark can burrow underground to reposition and swallow allies to save them from danger. Jeff's healing bubble provides sustained recovery for the whole team.
Team-Up Abilities
Team-Up Abilities are special synergies that activate when specific hero pairs are on the same team. These can dramatically shift the meta.
- Rocket & Groot: Rocket rides on Groot's shoulders, gaining mobility and a damage boost
- Hulk & Wolverine: Hulk can throw Wolverine like a projectile for massive damage
- Iron Man & War Machine: Shared ammo pool and dual uni-beam potential
- Thor & Storm: Combined weather effects create massive lightning storms
- Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver: Time distortion field slows enemies while speeding allies
Counter Guide
Knowing who counters whom is essential for competitive play:
- Iron Man → Countered by Black Panther (close-range pressure) and Doctor Strange (portals negate flight advantage)
- Spider-Man → Countered by Thor (area lightning catches swings) and Emma Frost (diamond form ignores burst)
- Scarlet Witch → Countered by Punisher (long-range poke before she can engage) and Hulk (survives her burst)
- Mantis → Countered by Spider-Man (dive past frontline) and Black Panther (mobility avoids sleep)