The Marvel Rivals roster boasts a diverse lineup of heroes and anti-heroes from across the expansive Marvel Universe. Each character is thoughtfully balanced and categorized into three distinct groups based on their lore. However, not every hero in each category performs equally well, and to help you make the best picks, we’ve curated a comprehensive Marvel Rivals tier list. We have ranked all the heroes based on their roles, performance, and how easy they are to play.
Related: Marvel Rivals: Best Duelists and How To Play Them
All Marvel Rivals Characters Ranked by Tiers
| Tier | Characters |
|---|---|
| S-Tier | Punisher, Venom, Adam Warlock, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Cloak & Dagger |
| A-Tier | Moon Knight, Hela, Jeff The Land Shark, Thor, Groot, Luna Snow, Mantis, Magik, Psylocke, Rocket Racoon |
| B-Tier | Captain America, Magneto, Star-Lord, Winter Soldier, Loki, Squirrel Girl, Iron Man, Storm |
| C-Tier | Black Widow, Spider-Man, Namor, Black Panther, Peni Parker |
| D-Tier | Wolverine, Hulk/Bruce Banner |
All S-Tier Characters in Marvel Rivals
Punisher
The Punisher is undoubtedly the best Duelist in Marvel Rivals, boasting top-tier offensive abilities along with a few escape options for when things go south or you’re caught in an ambush. His status as an S-tier character stems from his ability to single-handedly turn the tide of a match, even without relying on his ultimate ability.
The Punisher is a nightmare for flying characters like Storm and Iron Man, while also being capable of shredding tanky heroes such as Venom, Magneto, and Peni Parker with ease at close to mid-range. His aggressive playstyle, combined with the unpredictability of his zipline ability, makes him a significant threat to enemy teams and solidifies his position at the top of the Marvel Rivals tier list.
Venom
When it comes to holding an objective or pushing toward one with a reliable Vanguard hero, Venom stands out as the ultimate choice. This symbiote isn’t just tough—he’s nearly unkillable thanks to his abilities that give him bonus health. But Venom’s real power lies in his mobility; he can lead the charge at the frontlines one moment and then quickly target the enemy team’s healers in the back row the next.
This unpredictability makes Venom a formidable threat, especially in one-on-one encounters against Duelist or Strategist heroes. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, his ultimate ability lets him unleash a powerful area-of-effect attack, draining health from multiple foes while restoring his own. This allows him to stay in the fight and keep the pressure on his enemies.
Without a doubt, Venom is the best Vanguard hero in Marvel Rivals, earning him a well-deserved spot in the S-tier of our tier list.
Adam Warlock
In Marvel Rivals, there are a few Strategists who excel not only at providing massive heals to their teammates but also at taking the fight to the enemy. Among them, Adam Warlock reigns supreme. His abilities are exceptionally well-balanced, allowing him to restore large amounts of health to up to three heroes at once with the press of a button.
When the tide of battle turns against your team and a comeback seems impossible, Adam Warlock’s ultimate ability shines. He can instantly revive fallen allies right where they were defeated, providing the ultimate reset and leaving no room for the enemy to catch their breath. This game-changing ability can completely shift the momentum of a match.
If you spot a skilled player using Adam Warlock, forget about focusing on Duelists or Vanguards—he should be your top priority. If left unchecked, he can turn even the toughest battles into a nightmare for your team.
Scarlet Witch
In Marvel Rivals, Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic and hex-casting abilities make her a powerful health sapper. She can drain enemy health pools so quickly that opponents might not even realize what took them down. Her standard abilities combined with her ultimate—which, despite its longer animation, has the potential to wipe out an entire team—make her a significant S-tier threat on the battlefield.
A skilled player knows that Scarlet Witch is not meant to fight from the ground. Instead, her Mystic Projection ability lets her take to the skies, where she can hover and continuously sap enemy health. This aerial playstyle allows her to strategically target high-priority enemies, such as eliminating healers or taking out a Vanguard hero blocking your team’s progress.
Scarlet Witch isn’t just dangerous—she’s a game-changing Duelist, and underestimating her could cost your team the match.
Hawkeye
If you prefer to keep your distance in combat, Hawkeye offers a mid to long-range playstyle that’s perfect for you. His abilities are tailored for taking down one target at a time from range, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he’s helpless against groups. Far from it—Hawkeye comes equipped with enough tools to knock enemies back, strike effectively, or double jump to evade danger when outnumbered.
What truly makes Hawkeye an S-tier threat is the combination of his primary and ultimate abilities. In the hands of a skilled player with sharp aim, Hawkeye rarely misses his mark, even against Vanguard heroes with larger health pools.
If your strategy relies on quickly eliminating enemy tanks or healers, Hawkeye is your go-to pick. Position yourself at a good vantage point, and you’ll efficiently achieve your objective.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist is the god of melee units in Marvel Rivals. He can self-heal, tank almost any ultimate attack of enemy team heroes, and his own ultimate buffs his melee punches. All of these reasons make him a true menace for tanks, attackers, and healers; though he can focus on one enemy at a time.
The best part of using Iron Fist is that he can counter even the flying heroes or the ones that have toolkits to evade quickly from combat. His attacks give him reach to approach distant enemies and the flurry of punches he can throw makes it easy to kill targets. When you put these all together, it makes Iron Fist a true menace, especially in the hands of a skilled player.
Doctor Strange
While Venom dominates as an S-tier mobile tank, Doctor Strange offers a different but equally powerful S-tier tanking playstyle. With his ability to block almost anything within a large radius, he’s perfect for helping his team push toward objectives safely from behind his protective barrier.
Doctor Strange also brings ranged attacks to the table, which are great for poking at enemies and drawing their attention. Once distracted, he can use his Mystic Arts shield to block incoming damage, effectively wasting the time and efforts of enemy heroes. This gives his teammates the opportunity to focus on eliminating opponents while Strange keeps the pressure on.
What truly sets Doctor Strange apart is his portal ability, which is unmatched in its versatility. He can instantly open a pathway for his entire team to return to the objective from the spawn point, or create a flank route for Duelists to unleash devastating assaults on the enemy team from an unexpected angle. The strategic possibilities with this ability are virtually limitless.
Cloak & Dagger
Adam Warlock stands out as a Strategist focused on team revival and healing with a strong offensive edge. However, Cloak & Dagger brings a unique twist to the Strategist category by combining two characters into one hero. The best part? You get two distinct characters, each with their own abilities and separate cooldowns, giving you double the strategic options.
Cloak excels at blinding enemies, attacking, and evading, while Dagger specializes in healing. This blend of offensive and defensive playstyles makes Cloak & Dagger the best strategist in Marvel Rivals. You can seamlessly switch between them to provide either support or damage whenever the situation demands. This adaptability is why Cloak & Dagger secured a well-deserved S-tier spot on our Marvel Rivals Tier List.
All A-Tier Characters in Marvel Rivals
Moon Knight
Moon Knight excels as a master of area denial in Marvel Rivals, making him a top-tier Duelist capable of quickly eliminating his targets. His most dangerous asset is his glide ability, which allows him to reposition effortlessly to higher ground. From there, he can unleash ranged attacks to pin down opposing Duelists or drain the health of even the toughest tanks.
This mobility and offensive power make Moon Knight a constant threat on the battlefield. Adding to his menace are his Ankhs—deadly tools designed to finish off enemies with precision. If you face Moon Knight, don’t engage him first; instead, focus on destroying his Ankhs. Ignoring them can quickly lead to the downfall of your entire team.
Hela
Hela’s attacks pack the punch of a high-powered sniper, but she functions more as a mid-range Duelist than a long-range specialist like Black Widow. This makes her a high-risk, high-reward hero, as her attack animations are slow yet deliver massive damage. Players with precise aim and a knack for landing headshots will find great success with Hela on their team.
That said, Hela is still an effective and enjoyable damage dealer when played strategically. By staying behind a strong vanguard like Groot or Doctor Strange, she can focus on shredding enemy tank units. Thanks to her high-damage abilities and an effective evasion skill, Hela can easily jump in and out of combat, making her a versatile and deadly choice.
Jeff The Land Shark
Jeff the Land Shark is a phenomenal healer in Marvel Rivals, with an ultimate ability that can both obliterate the enemy team and fully restore his own teammates. His instant healing power is unmatched, capable of bringing even a tank’s health back to full almost instantly. This makes Jeff a standout A-tier Strategist and a game-changing presence on the team.
When paired with durable teammates like Groot or Doctor Strange, Jeff creates a devastating combo you can’t afford to ignore. If you spot this duo, focus on taking down Jeff first and leave the tanks for later. If you don’t, you’ll soon find the enemy team seizing objectives while their unkillable lineup dominates the match. Jeff’s healing abilities are that impactful—they can turn any teammate into a nearly unstoppable force.
Thor
Thor, the God of Thunder, is one of the strongest frontline heroes your team can have in Marvel Rivals. His ability to poke enemies, eliminate healers and Duelists with ease, and then retreat to his own healers for a quick recovery makes him an exceptional A-tier Vanguard hero.
What truly sets Thor apart is his versatility and synergy with other heroes. His abilities not only dominate the battlefield but also provide buffs to teammates like Captain America and Storm. If you’re playing as Thor, consider adding these two heroes to your team—they’ll benefit from an additional lightning-based ability that applies relentless pressure on the enemy and can quickly dismantle their frontline.
Groot
Groot is the ultimate area denial hero in Marvel Rivals, unmatched in his ability to control the battlefield. His abilities allow him to summon vines that block enemy access to specific areas, forcing opponents to either waste time breaking through or take alternate routes. These detours create excellent opportunities for ambushes, making Groot a strategic powerhouse.
This ability to disrupt and distract makes Groot an exceptional A-tier control choice, especially during defensive objective missions. Pair him with a support hero like Jeff or Rocket Raccoon, whose revival kit adds extra life for your teammates, and the enemy will struggle to break through your defenses—let alone capture the objective.
Luna Snow
Having a healer on your team can be a game-changer, and Luna Snow excels at keeping multiple teammates alive. Her ranged attacks heal allies while damaging enemies, making her equally effective at providing support and applying pressure when needed.
The real highlight of playing Luna Snow is her ultimate ability, which grants near-invincibility to teammates who stay close to her. This makes her especially valuable during crucial moments, like pushing an objective or securing the final points to win a round. Her ability to turn the tide of battle earns Luna Snow a well-deserved spot as an A-tier character in our Marvel Rivals rankings.
Mantis
Mantis is a well-balanced Strategist who seamlessly blends offensive capabilities with healing support. Not only can she boost her own attacks, but she can also use orbs to enhance her allies’ damage output while providing consistent healing.
While her healing speed isn’t as fast as heroes like Adam Warlock or Cloak & Dagger, Mantis makes up for it with her ultimate ability. This powerful skill grants near-invincibility to teammates who stay close to her during its duration, making her invaluable in critical moments. With such versatile strengths, Mantis is an obvious choice as a top-tier Strategist hero in Marvel Rivals.
Magik
Magik, the Dark Child, is one of the hardest-hitting melee units in Marvel Rivals. Her horizontal sword swings have impressive reach, and when paired with her ultimate ability, Dark Child, her damage skyrockets—capable of taking down a Duelist or Strategist in just two hits.
To play Magik effectively, focus on ambushing your enemies rather than charging in recklessly. Use her portals to surprise your targets, then follow up with a rush attack and a few powerful swings to take them out quickly. However, be cautious—Magik is vulnerable when ambushed by two enemy heroes. In one-on-one situations, though, she becomes an unstoppable melee powerhouse.
Psylocke
Psylocke is a powerful ranged unit best used to poke at enemy vanguards or harass flying units with her relentless primary attacks. Her ability to apply constant pressure from a distance can disrupt and slow the enemy team’s advance.
What truly sets Psylocke apart is her mastery of mobility through her Vanish and Double Dash abilities. These allow her to easily slip behind enemy lines and target their back-row healers from a safe distance. By pressuring the enemy’s support while her teammates engage up front, Psylocke forces the opposing team to split their focus.
This strategic disruption makes her a standout fighter, and her ultimate ability becomes a devastating team killer when enemies are clustered together.
Rocket Racoon
Healers are essential to any team—none of them are outright bad choices. However, to really excel, you need the right healer for the situation. Surprisingly, sometimes that healer is Rocket Raccoon.
Now, Rocket might not offer the highest health restoration for your team, but that’s not why you pick him. His strength lies elsewhere.
If your team relies heavily on Duelists—characters who are constantly charging into the fray—you’ll need solid backup. That’s where Rocket shines. His device can instantly revive fallen teammates, getting them back into the fight when you need them most. On top of that, his Ultimate ability deploys a powerful gadget that boosts your team’s base damage output.
If you’ve got heavy hitters like Winter Soldier or Punisher in your lineup, Rocket’s Overload device makes them even more dangerous. It amps up their damage, letting them tear through enemies with ease.
All B-Tier Characters in Marvel Rivals
Captain America
Vanguard heroes are meant to hold the line and make it tough for enemies to advance. Don’t get us wrong—Captain America performs this role well. But when it comes to surviving heavy attacks or taking out enemies before they reach him, his toolkit just doesn’t measure up.
Sure, Cap has his iconic vibranium star shield, but it doesn’t absorb nearly as much damage as Doctor Strange’s shield. On top of that, its small radius only protects him from frontal attacks, leaving him vulnerable to flanking fire or area-of-effect damage.
Because of these limitations, Captain America falls into the B-tier category as a Vanguard. He’s a fine tank—he’ll get the job done in certain situations—but he’s far from the best choice when it comes to pushing objectives or anchoring a strong defense.
Magneto
Magneto is an impressive Vanguard hero who performs well in the field, thanks to his balanced mix of offensive and defensive abilities. While he can hold his ground without the support of a healer, this is only sustainable for a short time. However, his lack of mobility and absence of reliable escape options place Magneto in the B-tier on our list.
Rather than being a pure damage sponge, Magneto functions as a hybrid between a mid-line Duelist and a Support character. His shield ability allows you to protect your frontline DPS or tank ally while you maintain a steady barrage of projectiles from the middle line.
For maximum effectiveness, pairing Magneto with Scarlet Witch is highly recommended. Together, they offer a significant damage boost to the Longsword, making them a deadly combination for taking down close- to mid-range targets.
Star-Lord
Star-Lord’s blasters are a powerful tool for dominating one-on-one battles. Beyond his blasters, his overall kit is designed for hit-and-run tactics—engaging in combat, eliminating targets, and escaping before the enemy team has a chance to retaliate.
To play Star-Lord effectively, focus on targeting weaker enemy characters, especially Strategists. His fast movement and ability to scale heights using boosters make him perfect for hunting down healers or slower-moving heroes like Magneto or Doctor Strange. These characters are easy targets and can be taken down quickly with his high burst damage.
That said, Star-Lord isn’t without limitations. His attack options are somewhat restricted, which prevents him from excelling outside of his specific role.
Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier is undoubtedly one of the best DPS heroes in Marvel Rivals, but we’ve placed him in the B-tier due to his slow movement speed, limited mobility options, and the steep learning curve required to master his mechanics. Don’t get us wrong—Winter Soldier can still dominate matches and earn MVP titles repeatedly. However, this level of performance is far more likely once you’ve fully grasped the game’s mechanics and the specific weaknesses of your opponents.
This steep learning curve makes Winter Soldier a less appealing choice, especially for beginners. Even his ultimate ability, which can be reused repeatedly, hinges on precise execution. To maximize its effectiveness, you need to quickly eliminate targets and chain the ability to sustain its momentum.
Despite these challenges, Winter Soldier remains an excellent hero for players willing to invest the time to learn his toolkit and develop strategies tailored to counter enemy heroes. With proper mastery, he can become a devastating force on the battlefield.
Loki
Similar to Winter Soldier, Loki is one of the most versatile Strategists in Marvel Rivals, but he’s held back by the advanced playstyle and steep learning curve that comes with mastering him. Unlike simpler characters like Jeff, who can be easily directed to deal damage or heal allies, Loki’s complexity makes him both a potent damage dealer and a valuable support for healing teammates. However, unlocking his full potential requires a deep understanding of his abilities and mechanics.
Loki’s standout feature is his shapeshifting ability, which allows him to transform into any character—whether from his own team or the enemy’s. This introduces an unparalleled level of unpredictability, keeping opponents guessing and disrupting their strategies. His ultimate is especially effective when used strategically to eliminate squads, making heroes like Iron Man, Storm, Punisher, and Scarlet Witch excellent choices for shapeshifting and executing quick team wipes.
Overall, Loki is the best Strategist in Marvel Rivals. However, his advanced learning curve prevents us from ranking him higher on the tier list, making him a top pick for experienced players willing to invest the time to master his abilities.
Squirrel Girl
When it comes to dealing mid- to long-range splash damage, no character does it better than Squirrel Girl. If she’s on your team, the enemy will struggle to push through objectives, especially in tight spaces like narrow corridors. In these situations, Squirrel Girl’s ability to unleash a barrage of attacks with splash damage can quickly disrupt the opposition.
However, Squirrel Girl isn’t suited for front-line combat as a Duelist. She’s best played as a ranged controller, ideally from an elevated position. This playstyle makes her an excellent supplemental DPS, but she falls short when you need a primary damage dealer on the ground. Squirrel Girl is more of a supporting asset than a dependable one-on-one fighter, and she’s not ideal for directly punishing enemy heroes in isolated encounters.
Because of these limitations, we’ve placed Squirrel Girl in the B-tier. While she’s effective in specific roles, her situational usefulness prevents her from being a top-tier pick.
Iron Man
Iron Man’s biggest strength in Marvel Rivals lies in his ultimate ability, which can catch the enemy team off guard and deliver devastating team wipes with little opportunity for a counter. Timing is critical—when you notice the enemy team clustered together while capturing an objective, especially within the zone, that’s your moment to unleash Iron Man’s ultimate for maximum impact.
Beyond his ultimate, however, Iron Man isn’t the most reliable DPS. As a Duelist, he functions more as a ranged poking hero than a consistent damage dealer. Positioning is key—find elevated spots where you can fire his cannons at enemy healers from a distance. While his attacks may not secure quick eliminations, they’re excellent for distracting the enemy team, forcing them to shift their focus away from objectives or your teammates.
In one-on-one scenarios, Iron Man’s slower-firing cannons struggle to hold up, limiting his ability to dominate direct confrontations. For these reasons, we’ve ranked him in the B-tier. While his ultimate has game-changing potential, his overall utility is situational at best.
Storm
Storm is one of the few flying Duelists in Marvel Rivals, but her playstyle leans more toward hybrid support than front-line attacker. She is best positioned just ahead of the healers, where her abilities to boost damage and movement speed can benefit the entire team. However, her limited attack kit makes her less effective as a primary damage dealer.
With only 250 health, Storm is not built for sustained combat. She can be taken down quickly in one-on-one fights, especially against ranged attackers or melee-focused heroes like Iron Fist. Her lack of reliable escape options further compounds her vulnerability, making her a risky choice for direct confrontations.
That said, Storm’s strengths should not be overlooked. Her team-wide damage buff is a valuable asset, and her ultimate has the potential to eliminate Duelists and Strategists with ease. While these abilities make her a solid support pick, they aren’t enough to elevate her above the B-tier.
All C-Tier Characters in Marvel Rivals
Black Widow
Black Widow is the only dedicated sniper in Marvel Rivals, but unfortunately, she lacks a one-shot kill capability—a feature you’d expect from a sniper. This omission significantly weakens her effectiveness, especially since she also struggles to handle close-range encounters with enemy heroes.
That said, Black Widow can still shine when positioned strategically. By taking the high ground and targeting the enemy team’s Vanguard from a distance, she can slow their advance and soften them up for your DPS heroes to secure kills. While her contributions might not always be flashy, her damage from range can be crucial in turning the tide of a battle.
However, her playstyle isn’t suited for everyone, particularly players who struggle to hit fast-moving targets. This steep skill requirement, combined with her shortcomings in close combat, places Black Widow firmly in the C-tier category.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man stands out in Marvel Rivals as the only hero with exceptional aerial mobility, allowing him to dart in and out of skirmishes in the blink of an eye. As a Duelist, his primary role is clear: swing behind enemy lines and take out their healers. This task is crucial, as eliminating healers weakens the enemy team’s ability to sustain themselves in prolonged fights.
Beyond this specialized role, however, Spider-Man struggles to contribute effectively. His DPS output is underwhelming, and he falters in one-on-one battles against stronger heroes like Iron Fist, Punisher, Hela, or Hawkeye. In these scenarios, he’s often outmatched and easily taken down.
Overall, playing Spider-Man can be a thrilling experience, but his effectiveness hinges on sticking to his assigned role. If you stray from this focused playstyle, you risk becoming a liability to your team.
Namor
Namor’s attack abilities are best suited for mid-range combat, but his slow attack speed holds him back. This makes him a below-average DPS option for front-line engagements. Instead, Namor is far more effective when played as a controller, using his aquatic creatures to disrupt enemies and support his team’s advance toward objectives, rather than engaging as a direct attacker.
Namor’s ultimate ability is his standout feature, capable of wiping out an entire enemy team—provided their health has already been chipped away a bit. If opponents are at full health, the ultimate will leave them with just a sliver of life, giving your teammates the perfect opportunity to finish them off.
That said, Namor’s attack patterns lack the efficiency needed for quickly clearing zones or dominating opponents in direct combat. For these reasons, he lands in the C-tier of our rankings.
Black Panther
Black Panther is a skilled Duelist in Marvel Rivals, boasting a versatile toolkit focused on directional attacks rather than sustained damage. Playing him effectively requires mastering a steep learning curve, as you’ll need to carefully time his attacks for maximum impact while using the environment strategically to manage cooldowns and ambush enemies.
However, Black Panther’s ultimate ability is a bit underwhelming compared to other Duelists, as it doesn’t deal as much damage as you might expect. While this could see improvements in future updates, for now, Black Panther isn’t the strongest choice as a primary attacker in the game.
Peni Parker
Peni Parker is a situational Vanguard hero who falls on the weaker side of the tier list. She heavily depends on a Strategist or healer to keep her alive, as her damage-soaking capabilities are limited without consistent support.
That said, Peni excels as an area denial specialist. With dedicated healers focusing on her, she can become one of the best Vanguard heroes in the game. Her ultimate ability is particularly impactful, allowing her to lay mine traps that help her team push objectives, secure zones, or contest critical areas.
While Peni Parker has her drawbacks, mastering her abilities and coordinating with a team of supportive healers can make her a formidable asset to your squad.
All D-Tier Characters in Marvel Rivals
Wolverine
Wolverine, the fiery berserker, feels like he should dominate the higher tiers in Marvel Rivals, but unfortunately, he falls short. His abilities are limited by a very short attack range, and as a Duelist, his lower health pool makes him an easy target before he can even close the gap to engage his enemies.
The key to mastering Wolverine lies in smart positioning and timing. You’ll need to be patient, using corridors and walls for cover until the perfect opportunity arises to pounce and slash your opponent to pieces.
Wolverine does have a self-healing ability, but using it effectively requires practice and precise timing. Because of this steep learning curve, we don’t recommend Wolverine for new players. He’s best suited for experienced players who can maximize his potential despite his limitations.
Hulk/Bruce Banner
Hulk, the green giant known for his immense resilience, is unfortunately underwhelming in Marvel Rivals. While he boasts one of the highest health pools in the game, especially when transforming into his Mega Hulk form, his damage output leaves much to be desired.
Like Wolverine, Hulk is limited to short-range melee attacks, making him a challenging hero to play. As a Vanguard, your primary role is to soak up damage, but having some ranged attacks or utility is usually key to effectiveness. With Hulk, you’ll often find yourself acting as little more than a bullet sponge, with limited offensive impact.
Additionally, Hulk’s lack of movement speed and ranged options further hampers his utility. However, he does provide value with his team-up synergy. Pairing Hulk with heroes like Doctor Strange or Iron Man significantly boosts their damage output, making this one of the few redeeming aspects of his kit.
And that is our full and most comprehensive Marvel Rivals tier list you’re likely to find on the internet. For more tips about the game, we recommend you check out How To Fix the Marvel Rivals DirectX 12 Error on PC, and Marvel Rivals PS5 and PS5 Pro Modes, Features, and Exclusive Skins guides.
Published: Dec 23, 2024 03:54 am