Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of meta-defining characters in various games. But none have left me as utterly impressed and captivated as Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death in Marvel Rivals.


As a dedicated gamer diving into the exciting world of Marvel Rivals, I can’t help but be in awe of its extensive lineup of legendary characters. To optimize your gameplay experience and secure a top position during the Closed Beta, refer to our meticulously crafted ranked tier list for smart choices on which heroes to wield and conquer the arena!

In simpler terms, the roles of heroes and villains in Overwatch can be identified as Tank, Damage Per Second (DPS), or Support based on their distinct influences. However, with the beta concluding on August 5 and an abundance of special abilities to master, choosing the most effective character remains challenging.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled a Marvel Rivals chart, arranging the characters according to their present strength within the game’s metagame.

Marvel Rivals characters ranked tier list

TierCharacter
SHela, Loki, Rocket Racoon, Scarlet Witch, Venom, Adam Warlock
AIron Man, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Doctor Strange, Namor
B Peni Parker, Groot, Punisher, Magneto, Mantis, Luna Snow
CStorm, Magik, Black Panther, Hulk

Tiers explained

  • S-tier: The meta characters that stand above the rest.
  • A-tier: Powerful characters that are a strong alternative to the S-tier picks.
  • B-tier: Viable options that only work in certain situations.
  • C-tier: Avoid unless they’re your favorite characters.

Best characters explained

Doctor Strange

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

  • Daggers of Denak: Cast Daggers of Denak forward.
  • Cloak of Levitation: Ascend and then enter a brief state of sustained flight.
  • Maelstrom of Madness: Release Dark Magic to deal damage to nearby enemies.
  • Pentagram of Farallah: Open portals between two locations, enabling all units to travel through them.
  • Shield of the Seraphim: Create a protective barrier against damage.
  • Price of Magic (Passive): Dark Magic accumulates with every hit on an enemy. If Dark Magic is not released, Doctor Strange will enter a state of Anti-Heal.
  • Gamma Maelstrom (Team-Up Ability): Hulk charges Doctor Strange and Iron Man with gamma radiation. When Doctor Strange uses Maelstrom of Madness, he unleashes excess gamma energy. When Iron Man uses Armor Overdrive, he will initiate a gamma upgrade.
  • Eye of Agamotto (Ultimate): Separate nearby enemies’ Souls from their bodies. Damage dealt to these Souls is transferred to their physical bodies.

Many characters on our roster boast intriguing mobility features, yet Doctor Strange distinguishes himself by sharing these advantages with his teammates. By employing the Pentagram of Farallah, he creates a connection between two locations on the map, enabling swift entry for respawning allies or surprise attacks from unexpected angles.

The Shield of the Seraphim not only defends against attacks and absorbs damage for him, but also the Eye of Agamotto’s Ultimate capability provides an opportunity for his team to inflict significant damage in a short time frame, making the Sorcerer Supreme a versatile character.

Despite the gradual health drain from the Dark Magic, which holds him back from being an S-tier character, he remains a strong and effective choice.

Iron Man – Best starter character

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

  • Repulsor Blast: Fire nano pulse cannons forward.
  • Unibeam: Fire a unibeam forward.
  • Hyper-Velocity: Activate Hyper-Velocity state for swift forward flight.
  • Armor Overdrive: Activate Armor Overdrive state, enhancing damage of Repulsor Blast and Unibeam.
  • Micro-Missile Barrage: When Hyper-Velocity or Armor Overdrive is used, Iron Man can launch a missile bombardment.
  • Gamma Overdrive (Team-Up Ability): Hulk charges Doctor Strange and Iron Man with gamma radiation. When Doctor Strange uses Maelstrom of Madness, he unleashes excess gamma energy. When Iron Man uses Armor Overdrive, he will initiate a gamma upgrade.
  • Invincible Pulse Cannon (Ultimate): Fire a devastating pulse cannon in the targeted direction, delivering catastrophic damage to the targeted area upon impact.

For those who excel in playing Pharah in Overwatch, transitioning to Iron Man in Marvel Rivals will feel comfortable. Utilize Stark’s jetpack for soaring flights, raining destruction from on high.

His individual abilities are quite formidable, but it’s his ability to hover and consistently attack from a safe distance that makes him truly strong. If the opposing team aims to eliminate him, they must divert their attention from the ground to the sky, which in turn exposes them to potential danger.

His gadgets, including the powerful Invincible Pulse Cannon, shouldn’t be underestimated. This canning gun is capable of destroying numerous enemies in an instant. For beginners in this shooter game genre, Iron Man is a enjoyable and challenging character to select as they familiarize themselves with the mechanics.

Venom – Best Vanguard

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and StrategistsNetEase GamesVenom will feel instantly familiar to Tank players from OW.
  • Dark Predation: Unleash tentacles forward to attack enemies.
  • Venom Swing: Launch webbing forward, allowing for a singular swing in the desired direction.
  • Symbiotic Resilience: Generate Bonus Health against damage. The lower Venom’s health, the greater the Bonus Health generated.
  • Frenzied Arrival: Dash to the target location from a certain height. Upon landing, damage nearby enemies, knocking them back toward the landing point.
  • Cellular Corrosion: Unleash tentacles to Slow enemies within reach. Enemies unable to break free in time will suffer damage.
  • Alien Biology (Passive): Press Space/A/X to wall crawl, and while crawling, press LMB/R2/RT to sprint.
  • Touch of Klyntar (Passive, Team-Up Ability): Venom shares a part of his symbiotes with Spider-Man and Peni Parker, activating their symbiote abilities. Spider-Man and Peni Parker can convert the symbiotes into explosive spikes that inflict harm on nearby enemies and relentlessly drive them back.
  • Feast of the Abyss (Ultimate): Burrow underground for free movement. After a duration or by pressing LMB/R2/RT to devour enemies above and generate Bonus Health.

In Overwatch, Venom stands out as one of the characters most reminiscent of the Tank role, with the Vanguards serving as inspiration. I’ve found myself frequently opting for Venom in close combat situations due to his ability to absorb damage effectively during the beta testing phase.

By synchronizing Venom Swing and Frenzied Arrival, you can surprise your opponents and start the fight off on the right foot. Additionally, with Symbiotic Resilience, you’ll gain additional health, allowing you to continue applying pressure without interruption. To maximize effectiveness, make it a routine to land, inflict damage, heal up, then rejoin the fray.

With his overpowering strength, he can easily defeat less experienced opponents by constantly launching assaults and absorbing damage. However, if you put in the effort to understand his intricacies, you’ll discover that he is among the finest characters in Marvel Rivals.

Rocket Racoon

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

NetEase Games
  • Bombard Mode: Fire energy projectiles that deal damage.
  • Repair Mode: Shoot bouncing spheres to heal allies.
  • Jetpack Dash: Dash forward.
  • B.R.B. – Battle Rebirth Beacon: Deploy a Rebirth Beacon that revives a fallen ally and periodically produces armor packs and rocket jet packs.
  • Wild Crawl (Passive): Hold Space/X/A to run on a wall.
  • Flying Ace (Passive): Hold Space/X/A to fall slowly.
  • Old Friends (Team-Up Ability): Rocket Racoon can ride on Groot’s shoulders, receiving Damage Reduction.
  • Ammo Invention (Team-Up Ability): Rocket Raccoon throws an Ammo Overload Device in the target direction. Upon entering the device’s range, The Punisher receives the buffs of Infinite Ammo and Faster Firing.
  • C.Y.A. – Cosmic Yarn Amplifier (Ultimate): Deploy a Cosmic Yarn Amplifier that grants allies a Damage Boost.

Although Rocket Raccoon is among the simplest to master in Marvel Rivals’ beta testing phase, he stands out as an exceptional character. He was the one that drew me in during my initial playtime, reminding me of my experience with Overwatch as a long-term player.

His primary objective is ensuring the survival of his team members. He accomplishes this effortlessly through the use of “Repair Mode,” an additional fire function on his weapon, and “B.R.B” to supply armor and resurrect fallen allies. However, it’s important to note that he is capable of inflicting significant damage himself with his main weapon.

If you prefer characters like Baptiste or Kiriko in Overwatch, then you’ll likely enjoy the Guardian of the Galaxy in this context.

Scarlet Witch

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

  • Chaos Control: Use Chaos Magic to attack enemies and restore Chaos Energy.
  • Mystic Projection: Enter the Projection state for free-flight. Press again to exit early.
  • Dark Seal: Land a hit on a target or the scene, or press again to generate a Force Field that periodically Stuns enemies within range.
  • Telekinesis: Hold Space/X/A to fall slowly.
  • Chthonian Burst: Consume Chaos Energy to fire explosive magic missiles, damaging enemies.
  • Chaotic Bond (Team-Up Ability, Passive): Scarlet Witch can infuse Chaos Energy into Magneto to enchant his greatsword. Upon receiving the Chaos Energy, Magneto can unleash its full force, striking down enemies with his enchanted greatsword.
  • Reality Erasure (Ultimate): Engage in free-flight while charging energy, then unleash it to deal massive damage.

Several characters in our top tier list exhibit good offensive and defensive capabilities. However, Scarlet Witch stands out as a high-risk, high-reward character. Although she has difficulty blocking Mystic Projections, her unique ability to bypass incoming attacks is her sole defense advantage. Yet, this drawback is offset by the most impressive damage output in the game.

Using Chaos Control as a regular move is already quite effective. However, once you master the technique of utilizing it to build up energy for the stronger Chthonian Burst, you’ll find yourself depleting health bars at an astonishing pace.

Her true prowess lies in knowing when to engage and when to retreat. In capable hands, her impact can be just as powerful as depicted in comics.

Adam Warlock – Best healer

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and StrategistsNetEase GamesWhen it comes to healing, no one can top Adam Warlock.
  • Quantum Magic: Launch quantum energy to deal damage.
  • Soul Bond: Unite the souls of allies in a bond, granting them healing over time and distributing damage taken across the bond.
  • Avatar Life Stream: Target an ally for a bouncing stream of healing energy, which also heals himself upon casting; self-targets if no ally is selected
  • Cosmic Cluster: Gather quantum energy into a cluster then swiftly launch it at the enemy.
  • Regenerative Cocoon (Passive): Once his body perishes, Adam can freely move as a soul and reforge his body at a chosen spot.
  • Soul Perseverance (Team-Up Ability, Passive): Adam Warlock enhances the rebirth power of Star-Lord and Mantis, granting them the power of cocooned revival.
  • Karmic Revival (Ultimate): Awaken the karma of allies to revive them. Allies revived have lower health but enjoy a brief period of invincibility.

In simple terms, every team requires a healer, and Adam Warlock has emerged as an excellent choice for this role. His abilities are specifically designed to keep his teammates in the game and revive those on the verge of losing.

Soul Link creates a connection among several teammates, restoring their health concurrently and distributing incoming damage amongst them. It works best during objective attacks, particularly when multiple Tanks are teamed up, enhancing their survivability significantly.

Despite not being able to keep all players on the field, the Ultimate ability known as Karmic Revival (Ultimate) can restore fallen teammates and place them back into the game at a location of your preference. This feature has proven vital in numerous matches that seemed certain to result in defeat.

Adam Warlock’s unique skill to dramatically shift the course of a match sets him apart from other characters in his league, placing him among the elite S-tier ranks.

Loki – Best Strategist

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

NetEase Games
  • Mystical Missile: Fire Mystical Missiles to heal allies or deal damage to enemies.
  • Regeneration Domain:  Use Rune Stones to create a magical field that converts damage taken by allies within its radius into healing energy.
  • Doppelganger: Project an illusion that can cast some of Loki’s abilities.
  • Devious Exchange: Swap with the selected illusion.
  • Backstab: Pull out a dagger to stab enemies, dealing extra damage when attacking an enemy from behind.
  • Deception: Become invisible and conjure an illusion to deceive enemies.
  • Laufeyson Reborn (Team-Up Ability, Passive): When Hela lands a final hit in defeating an enemy, she can instantly resurrect Loki in the respawn phase. If Loki is alive, a Nastrond Crow will fly to him, granting blue armor.
  • God of Mischief (Ultimate): Shapeshift into a targeted ally or enemy hero and use all the hero’s abilities.

Loki, the God of Mischief, is renowned for his trickster ways, and this trait is amplified in Marvel Rivals. He employs sorcery to deceive enemies and maneuver stealthily across the battlefield. With his strategic mind, Loki can significantly impact a match more than many other characters.

The Regeneration Domain is an essential skill that transforms harm into recovery, enabling a team to secure a position despite enemy pressure. At the same time, utilizing Doppelganger, Deception, and Devious Exchange generates numerous Loki replicas, making it harder for opponents to detect your presence and maneuver around the battlefield.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that the most exciting part for me is when Laufeyson and Hela team up in the Laufeyson Reborn mode! This dynamic duo not only complements each other beautifully on the battlefield but also offers amazing perks. With Hela, Laufeyson can be revived after a kill or given an extra shield, making him even more formidable. These two powerful characters are a force to be reckoned with, and you’ll often see them working together in top-tier matches.

Best character in Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

NetEase Games
  • Nightsword Thorn: Throw Nightsword thorns.
  • Astral Flock: Transform into a flock of Hel crows to glide forth, press again to undo the transformation.
  • Soul Drainer: Project an explosive Hel sphere to Stun nearby enemies.
  • Piercing Night: Fire multiple Nightsword thorns that detonate after a delay.
  • Nastrond Crowstorm: Defeating an enemy will generate a Nastrond Crow, exploding after a duration.
  • Hel’s Descent (Passive): Hold Space/X/A to fall slowly.
  • Queen of Hel (Team-Up Ability, Passive): When Hela lands a final hit in defeating an enemy, she can instantly resurrect Loki in the respawn phase. If Loki is alive, a Nastrond Crow will fly to him, granting blue armor.
  • Goddess of Death (Ultimate): Soar into the sky and unleash Nastrond Crows from each hand at will.

Among all characters in Marvel Rivals, Hela consistently performs well when compared to her weight. In nearly every game I’ve engaged in, she has been present. Once I decided to use her, it became clear why she is so favored.

An Asgardian with impressive power excels in attacking from a distance. Her primary attack and ability named “Piercing Night” are particularly effective against Strategists who remain at the back of the group or airborne characters such as Iron Man, allowing her to easily eliminate them.

Astral Flock adds an additional advantage by boosting your mobility, enabling you to swiftly move away if confronted by the opposing team. Mastering the ideal positions on every map may require some practice, but with that skill, Hela becomes a formidable force in dishing out significant damage from secure spots.

In the beta version, the Goddess of Death Ultimate is among the strongest figures, making it an excellent choice for completing missions quickly or eliminating numerous adversaries in a short timeframe.

If you’re finding it hard to choose among many meta characters and prefer focusing on one, consider trying out Hela first.

As an excited fan, I can’t wait for the upcoming updates that will bring new heroes and villains into the Marvel Rivals game. Alongside these additions, we can expect adjustments like buffs and nerfs to the current roster. Rest assured, I’ll make sure our tier list stays fresh with the most powerful characters as the meta continues to shift.

During this time, be sure to familiarize yourself with each game mode’s rules and aim to collect any Twitch Drops available.

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2024-07-24 17:09