Marvel Rivals, the latest release from NetEase Games, is a free-to-play squad-based shooter where you control superheroes and supervillains alike. Given the breadth of the roster and the immense powers at your disposal, you might be wondering which Marvel Rivals character is the best—but it's not that simple! Some characters are amazing for more aggressive players, while others take on a more defensive role.

Our Marvel Rivals guide examines the Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist roles in detail, as well as all 33 characters, to help you decide which character is the perfect match for your playstyle. Read on for more details!

 

Vanguard characters

The Vanguard characters in Marvel Rivals are akin to tanks in other team-based shooters. They're most at home on the frontlines, defending allies and pushing back enemies.
 

Bruce Banner/Hulk

As Hero Hulk by default, you have strong melee attacks and high HP—but if you take fatal damage, you turn into good ol’ Dr. Bruce Banner and need to amass enough gamma radiation to revert back to your Hulk form. It’s a bit like having an extra life, of sorts.

On the other hand, if you can stay in your Hero Hulk form long enough then you'll eventually transform into Monster Hulk, and can make use of attacks with knockback effects and the enemy-smashing World Breaker ultimate.
 

Captain America

Steve Rogers has amazing defensive capabilities thanks to his Vibranium shield, which allows him to rush opponents and deflect projectiles. Furthermore, his Freedom Charge ultimate provides extra health and movement speed for himself and nearby allies.
 

Doctor Strange

The Sorcerer Supreme has a few tricks up his sleeves to help with traversal, like the Cloak of Levitation (which allows him to fly) and Pentagram of Farallah (team teleportation). He also deals higher sustained damage due to his Price of Magic passive—but it can prevent you from being healed.
 

Groot

Groot specializes in area control and denial through the use of Thornlash Wall and Ironwood Wall. The former targets enemies that Groot and his allies are attacking, while the latter provides bonus HP based on damage dealt in its vicinity.

Magneto

The Master of Magnetism has powerful shielding capabilities, thanks to Metallic Curtain (frontal shielding), Metal Bulwark (ally-targeted shielding), and Iron Bulwark (self-shielding). This makes him the ideal Vanguard character in Marvel Rivals for those who want to continuously advance across maps. For best results, pair him with another Vanguard like Thor or Hulk.
 

Peni Parker

Peni Parker is a bit harder to use compared to other Vanguard-type heroes due to her reliance on traps, like the immobilizing Cyber-Web Snare and the damaging Arachno Mine. Still, if you can waylay an unwary foe, then you might have the upper hand.
 

Thor

Thor is a Marvel Rivals hero that’s ideal for aggressive players, thanks to his Thorforce passive, which can be consumed to grant bonus health or enter an Awakened state for extra-vicious attacks. The idea is to bash foes with Mjolnir before casting Lightning Realm to strike opponents.

Venom

Venom is another ideal pick for those that want to be in the thick of the fighting for prolonged periods. He has high mobility due to Venom Swing and Alien Biology, while Symbiotic Resistance ensures that you can restore a large amount of health.
 

Duelist characters

Marvel Rivals' Duelist characters are what you’d typically consider DPS classes. They can dish out an immense amount of damage, but they shouldn’t be left out in the open for very long.
 

Black Panther

King T’Challa can dash toward his foes to swipe them with his claws. His Vibranium Mark can boost Sprint Rend to restore HP, while his Panther’s Cunning passive helps him deal higher damage at low health.
 

Black Widow

Natasha Romanova’s kit is a bit of a mixed bag. She’s a hybrid character that can use her baton in melee and her rifle at range. You'll need to adjust, depending on the situation.
 

Hawkeye

Ranged specialist Clint Barton is a great choice for those who want to engage hostiles from a distance. His arrow projectiles can hit multiple enemies and apply debuffs. He can even deflect projectiles with his wakizashi.

Hela

Hela’s spells make her a formidable combatant in the right hands. Ideally, you’ll want to cast Piercing Night followed by Soul Drainer. The latter should stun enemies and cause them to bunch up together just in time for the former’s detonation.
 

Iron Fist

Iron Fist’s playstyle is all about utilizing Chi and rushing a target. If you can use his Living Chi ultimate, you’ll notice a huge boost to your speed, attack range, damage, and survivability.
 

Iron Man

Tony Stark has high mobility—especially since he can swiftly fly around and take advantage of verticality. To get the most out of his abilities, make sure you cast Armor Overdrive when multiple hostiles are in front of you. This greatly buffs the effects of Repulsor Blast and Unibeam so you can make quick work of your opponents.
 

Magik

Illyana Rasputin excels at getting close to her adversaries, using portals to teleport into the enemy backlines and wreak havoc. Perform combos with your Soulsword at close range, but beware of the risks that you take.

Moon Knight

Moon Knight’s kit allows him to knock enemies into the air, pushing or clustering them to prep his offense. A well-timed Moon Blade or Hand of Khonshu will likely hit several hostiles at once.
 

Namor

Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fun pick in Marvel Rivals because of his Aquatic Dominion skill. It summons a Monstro Spawn—basically an octopus-shaped turret—that can be buffed via Wrath of the Seven Seas. For the most part, you’ll assault the opposing team directly with support fire from your turret.
 

Psylocke

Psylocke should ideally strike adversaries from the shadows with her Psychic Stealth ability. This is complemented by her Psionic Crossbow’s cooldown reduction and bonus health from Wing Shurikens.

Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is nothing short of “Wanda-ful,” and we feel that she’s one of the best heroes in Marvel Rivals. You can simply hold the Left Mouse Button for her Chaos Control attack, which deals sustained damage. Then press the Right Mouse Button at regular intervals to fire off her Chthonian Burst spell. Better yet, her Reality Erasure ultimate is arguably one of the deadliest in the game since it can annihilate the entire opposing team.
 

Spider-Man

Peter Parker’s main draw is a hybrid kit that has gap-closers and launchers, making him one of the most complex characters to use. However, you can’t go it alone very effectively, since being in the middle of the fighting poses a grave risk for this relatively fragile hero.
 

Squirrel Girl

For those who are relatively new to squad-based shooters, Squirrel Girl is a great Duelist pick in Marvel Rivals. All you need to do is shoot Burst Acorns—grenades that bounce around—and you’re guaranteed to hit someone due to the area-of-effect (AoE) blast. Oh, and her ultimate summons a horde of squirrels, so what’s not to like?
 

Star-Lord

Peter Quill’s single-target damage with his basic Element Guns might not seem very effective. However, if you find yourself surrounded by multiple combatants, his Blaster Barrage should help whittle down the crowd.

Storm

What makes Storm one of the best heroes in Marvel Rivals is her weather controlling abilities, which empower her teammates as well. Tornado increases the movement speed of her allies, while Thunder increases damage dealt. She can hang back and cast projectiles while letting her buffed allies do most of the work.
 

The Punisher

Frank Castle has a shotgun and rifle for close- and medium-range engagements, respectively. Even better, his Culling Turret skill can easily rip through a crowd. Just watch your flanks while you’re stationary.
 

Winter Soldier

The Winter Soldier is a viable character for team players, thanks mostly to his Bionic Hook ability. Once you pull in a target (and anyone behind them), your allies can pummel them with impunity.

Wolverine

Despite being considered a Duelist hero in Marvel Rivals, Wolverine actually excels in both offense and survivability. His Berserker Rage passive increases damage both whenever he attacks or takes hits. He also has the Undying Animal skill to mitigate damage, and his Regenerative Healing Factor allows him to self-heal at critical points.
 

Strategist characters

Strategists are your support heroes in Marvel Rivals. They have the means to buff, heal, and even revive allies.
 

Adam Warlock

Adam Warlock’s Soul Bond is an amazing spell that heals both himself and an ally over time. He can also revive himself via his Regenerative Cocoon passive—or revive his teammates via his Karmic Revival ultimate.

Cloak and Dagger

Cloak and Dagger have a fairly unique playstyle that involves swapping between two characters depending on the situation. As Cloak, your abilities primarily heal teammates, including Veil of Lightforce, which generates a medium-sized field that regenerates HP over time. If you need to go on the offense, then you have to switch to Dagger, whose abilities amplify the damage that enemies receive. He can also enshroud squadmates to make them briefly invisible and impossible for hostiles to target.
 

Jeff the Land Shark

Jeff is the definition of “fun but annoying.” His ultimate, It’s Jeff, allows him to swallow enemies—but you might also swallow your allies accidentally. While your pals won’t take damage, it can ruin their plans when they're dealing with their own rivals.
 

Loki

Loki’s Mystical Missile and Regeneration Domain can heal buddies. What sets him apart from other Strategist picks, though, are his illusion-based spells. These might confuse enemies—or they might see right through your wicked schemes.

Luna Snow

Luna is among the best Strategist heroes in Marvel Rivals since almost her entire kit is geared toward healing. Whether it’s her projectiles (Light & Dark Ice), aura buff (Share the Stage), or passive (Cryo Heart), you’ve got everything you need to keep your team in tip-top condition.
 

Mantis

Mantis can consume Life Orbs to provide HP regeneration and damage boosts to allies. There's a bit of resource management involved though, as you'll need to land critical hits with your normal attack (Life Energy Blast) in order to regain your Life Orbs.
 

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket’s support abilities include a healing orb and a beacon that can revive teammates while spawning armor packs. Try to stay at a safe distance so you can aid your friends as they advance.

That does it for our Marvel Rivals heroes guide. We hope these tips help you choose the right character for your playstyle and team composition!

Marvel Rivals is free-to-play and is available now on the Epic Games Store.