With very little time left until its December 6 release date,Marvel Rivalsis just about ready to send 2024 off with a bang. Developers recently revealed the last of its playable characters within the officialMarvel Rivalslaunch trailer, which has brought the official roster count all the way up to 33. Considering that the originalOverwatchlaunched with 21 playable characters,Marvel Rivalscould catch up to its biggest competitor in no time.
Marvel Rivalsis a 6v6 hero shooter, with its roster being divided among three roles. These roles are known in-game as Duelist, Vanguard, and Strategist. These three roles are analagous to the classic split of DPS, Tank, and Support respectively. Many characters that share a role will still play differently, especially thanks to the uniqueTeam-Up mechanic introduced byMarvel Rivals.
Marvel Rivals Launch Roster Explained
Every Duelist in Marvel Rivals Launch Roster
As the DPS role, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the vast majority ofcharacters in theMarvel Rivalsrosterare Duelists. The main job of a Duelist is self-explanatory: to rack up as much damage on the enemy team as possible, and finish off any opponents that have been chipped down to low health. Duelists may be the most straightforward, but the number of heroes included in this role also make it the most diverse. The roster of Duelists inMarvel Rivalsis listed as follows:
Black Pantheruses agile movement to shred his opponents, with nearly every one of his abilities involving a dash forward. The King of Wakanda doesn’t appear to bring many unique abilities to the table, but this may be a blessing in disguise. Even if Black Panther lacks the ability to make complex team plays, his more simple playstyle should allow newer players to hop on and have fun with ease.
Hawkeye is the resident archer ofMarvel Rivals, and immediately drewcomparisons toOverwatch’s Hanzoupon his reveal. If this comparison holds up, Hawkeye will be a true menace to anyone that steps within his range. Hakweye supplements his sniper-like prowess with melee blade attacks, and a double jump that should help players reach their preferred perch more easily.
Hela exists purely to bring death to her enemies, which seems more than appropriate for the Goddess of Death herself. Hela’s kit is complemented by her passive, the Nastrond Crowstorm. Hela’s crows essentially reward her for scoring a kill, and become a damaging attack themselves. This snowball effect could make Hela especially dangerous in a team fight.
Iron Man can’t be better summarized than he is in theofficialMarvel Rivalshero index, which states that he “turns any battlefield into his personal playground”. Iron Man’s normal attack has several variations, including those buffed by a Team-Up with Hulk. Iron Man is undoubtedly the most airborne hero inMarvel Rivals, and can enter an overdrive state that empowers the rest of his abilities.
Magik sets herself apartfrom other Duelists thanks to her signature Stepping Discs, which allow Magik to teleport a short distance. Magik can also use some of her abilities immediately after exiting one of the Stepping Discs, signaling her connection to the realm of Limbo. Magik’s Ultimate initiates her transformation into Darkchild, which significantly improves all of her abilities.
Moon Knight follows suit with some other Duelists, in that the majority of his kit is focused on improving his movement. While his grappling hook is a big piece of this puzzle,Moon Knight’s ankh abilityis no doubt the main event of his kit. Ancient Ankh creates a spell field in its radius, and significantly helps Moon Knight to run crowd control for his team.
Namor could seem strange compared to other Duelists, but his playstyle should still feel familiar tofans of Torbjorn inOverwatch. Namor is essentially the resident “turret builder” ofMarvel Rivals, using his command over sea creatures to automatically attack enemies. Namor can even command his Monstro Spawn to focus on a single target by hurling his trident their way.
Psylockeblends stealth and steel to craft a kit wholly inspired by her background as a ninja. Psylocke’s Wing Shurikens have the added benefit of granting herself bonus health whenever they successfully stick to an enemy. Finally, Psylocke’s defining ability allows her to become invisible, with very few members of the roster being able to counter this.
Scarlet Witchwields her signature Chaos Magic to deal powerful bursts of energy to her enemies. While Duelists typically have to worry about being particularly squishy, Scarlet Witch has her own ways to quickly retreat. Scarlet Witch serves as one of the more airborne heroes inMarvel Rivals, and is sure to be a menace to all enemies on the field.
Spider-Man carries every single one of his most iconic abilities, and shows some of the best thatMarvel Rivalshas to offer. Spider-Man’s web-slinging and wall-crawling give him the most dynamic movement in the game, even beyond his flying counterparts.Spider-Man can use the Spider-Senseto detect enemies, and use his webs to pull his enemies towards him, or pull himself towards them.
Star Lord seems to be a typical all-rounder with a simple dash of flair in his abilities. In this regard, he should prove fairly easy to pick up and play. Star Lord features solid flying ability, but it doesn’t match other airborne heroes. Likewise, Star Lord’s ability to lay on burst damage is solid, but is easily beaten out by a few other heroes. However, perhaps this jack of all trades approach is for the best.
Storm goes a step beyond most other Duelists, with plenty of ways to grant buffs to herself and her allies. Weather Control allows Storm to toggle between two states of weather, with Tornado granting her allies a movement buff, and Thunder buffing damage. Goddess Boost features two variations that both empower Storm while targeting her opponents with a debuff or direct damage.
The Punisher is another more conventional character in the Duelist role, which may turn him into a go-to pick for FPS fans. He does wield an impressive arsenal, with smoke grenades to obscure enemy vision, and a grappling hook to boost his movement. The Punisher can switch between two guns for his normal attacks, with a passive that lets him track enemies after they leave his sight.
Winter Soldier expertly avoids being pigeonholed as another straightforward gunslinger. This is thanks to his tricked out metal arm, which allows him some exceptional crowd control. Bucky can pull his way towards a target, and even maneuver his way into throwing opponents off of a ledge. His Ultimate is excellent at recharging itself, which lets the Winter Solider create a real cycle of violence.
Every Vanguard in Marvel Rivals Launch Roster
With Vanguards filling the tank role, it wouldn’t be wrong to call them the backbone of any team.Tanks have been infamous inOverwatch 2and other hero shooters, and the same may ring true forMarvel Rivals. Tanks can deal plenty of damage, but they should always focus on protecting their squishier teammates. Thanks to the luxury of comic accuracy, Vanguards boast some of the most unique abilities in the game. The roster of Vanguards inMarvel Rivalsis listed as follows:
Captain Americais seemingly the milquetoast pick for a prospective Vanguard player, but this is almost certainly by design. Captain America’s abilities allow him to charge headlong into danger, and hurl his shield into any enemies that try to retreat. Captain America can also reflect projectiles with his shield, which even includes ranged Ultimates such as Iron Man’s Invincible Pulse Cannon.
Doctor Strangeis a bit of an unconventional tank character, but this is more to his benefit than anything. Doctor Strange can create a shield just like one might expect from tanks, but his portals are by far the highlight of his kit, as they allow him to set up unexpected strategies. Doctor Strange does have to be careful about the Dark Magic he accumulates, or suffer an anti-heal debuff as a result.
Groot is a sturdy ally in every sense of the word. Groot’s main boon is the various ways he has to build walls, which will already go a long way in defending his team. Furthermore, Groot can “Awaken” his walls while near them, with each type of wall having its own additional effect. These awakened walls can grant Groot additional health, or even strike back at enemies that damage them.
Hulk features three different transformations in his kit, with each scaling up the level of destruction he can dish out. Hulk’s lowest form is Bruce Banner, who should feel familiar to anyD.va players coming fromOverwatch. Hero Hulk is a dive tank that can grant his allies decent shields, while his Ultimate allows him to transform into Monster Hulk and deal some truly world-breaking damage.
Magnetois a little more damage-oriented than some of his fellow Vanguards, but is still more than capable of protecting his team. Magneto can cast a shield on himself or his allies, and damage dealt to either will be transferred into rings on his back. The Master of Magnetism can then transform these rings into weapons of his own, and even deal knock back damage at full stacks.
Peni Parker is a unique pick for theMarvel Rivalsroster, and resembles her comic book counterpart much more closely than the iteration of her character seen in theSpider-Versefilms. As such, Peni shields herself in the formidable mech known as SP//dr. Despite the considerable size of SP//dr, it grants Peni Parker complex movement options that could easily take enemies by surprise.
Thor is another Vanguard that leans into the dive tank archetype. The God of Thunder also wields a Passive ability called Thorforce, which he can consume in order to gain bonus health. Thor also boasts two different Team-Up abilities, one which allows Hela to resurrect him, and the other which allows him to infuse Thorforce into Storm or Captain America for sizable buffs to each.
Venom certainly earns the title of Lethal Protector, with much more of his kit dedicated to decimating his opponents than keeping his allies out of harm’s way. Venom can gain bonus health and perform strong crowd control, both of which still let him be a team player.Venom’s ability to swingin the air or burrow underground both allow him to keep other players on their toes.
Every Strategist in Marvel Rivals Launch Roster
Strategists make up the smallest section of the roster, which isn’t unheard of for a support role. Support players often perform a thankless job despite, or perhaps because of how important they are to any team. Regardless of where blame lands, Strategists can make or break any match. Strategists aren’t solely focused on healing, as some of them feature plenty of other unique abilities that can turn the tide of battle. The roster of Strategists inMarvel Rivalsis listed as follows:
Adam Warlock is a swiss army knife of powerful support abilities, many of which players should recognize from other hero shooters. For example, Adam Warlock has the ability to revive his fallen allies and grant them a brief period of invincibility. Combined with his ability to self-heal, share damage, and even resurrect himself, Adam Warlock will no doubt be a valuable sponge against any DPS.
Jeff the Land Shark may be the most bizarreinclusion on a definitively diverse roster. Ironically, he’s also one of the most promising by far. Jeff has access to two Team-Up abilities, one of which allows him to be buffed by Luna Snow, and the other which allows him to ride on Groot’s shoulders. Both allow Jeff to take advantage of his small size, which will help make the shark feel nearly unkillable.
Loki is somewhat unconventionalcompared to other Strategists. While Loki does still have healing abilities, his kit is much more focused on being a thorn in the side of the enemy team. Appropriate to his title as the God of Mischief, Loki’s ability to create illusions should disrupt the enemy team as much as other Strategists support their own.
Luna Snow is the most obscure character inMarvel Rivals, having only made her debut in Marvel Comics as recently as 2019. Luna Snow’s Light & Dark Ice can heal allies and damage enemies respectively. Luna Snow’s skating passive ensures that she can quickly glide around the map, while her Ultimate can toggle between healing allies and buffing their damage.
Mantis is a solid Strategist, with an “all-rounder” approach to support abilities. Mantis can lend significant buffs to herself and allies, which includes healing over time, along with boosts to DPS and movement speed. For the cherry on top, Mantis can briefly sedate an opponent, which easily sets her teammates up for a kill.
Rocket Raccoon may surprise some fans, considering he isn’t as involved in DPS as one might expect. However, his vast arsenal of gadgets should feel much more familiar. Rocket’s jetpack and wall run compliment his small build, and his Team-Up with Groot additionally protects him. Likewise, the Ammo Invention Team-Up allows him to dish out buffs to The Punisher and Winter Soldier.
The Final Five Characters Revealed for Marvel Rivals Launch Roster
Marvel Rivals' official launch trailer, titled “Rivals ‘Til the End”, revealed the last five heroes that will be playable at launch. Naturally, these characters have less information available about them compared to anyone that may have been playable in the beta. However,Marvel Rivals’ developers have already begun to drip feed more about these heroes' abilities. With the little that is known so far, they will undoubtedly make a name for themselves at launch. The final playable heroes inMarvel Rivalsare listed as follows:
Black Widow is a Duelist sniper, who has a decent ability to knock away approaching foes, and should pair very nicely with Hawkeye.Iron Fist and Squirrel Girlare both Duelists as well, although they have very different playstyles. While Iron Fist is focused on healing meditation and dragon-based martial arts, Squirrel Girl uses her slingshot and squirrel companions to keep opponents at bay.
Cloak and Dagger have finally received a full showcase, which reveals that Strategist players can freely switch between them to heal or dish out damage. Additionally, just like what was suggested byWolverine’s reveal in theMarvel Rivalslaunch trailer, he’ll bring his berserker rage to the Duelist category and will provide rapid chain attacks.
Marvel Rivals
WHERE TO PLAY
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!A Deep and Varied Marvel RosterChoose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game DynamicsWith intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.Dynamic Hero SynergyCoordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot’s back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man’s armor for massive damage, and so much more!Creative Environment DestructionTear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch UpdatesThe Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
