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Winter Soldier character guide in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

Marvel Rivals: Winter Soldier (Bucky) Character Guide

Master these tips and become the ultimate Winter Soldier Hydra trained you for the job!

Activating an offensive hero’s ultimate ability in Marvel Rivals often comes with an electrifying one-liner shout that intimidates enemies and forces them into a defensive stance. But Winter Soldier (Bucky) is an exception. If you hear “Armed and Dangerous” once, chances are that you will likely hear him shout “AGAIN!” a few more times before he rests.

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While Bucky may seem like a straightforward Duelist on paper, his toolkit offers far more playstyle than most players realize. In this guide, we will cover some useful tips, powerful combos, and the best team compositions to help you master Winter Soldier (Bucky) in Marvel Rivals.

Related: Marvel Rivals: Heroes Tier List

Best Tips For Winter Soldier (Bucky) in Marvel Rivals

Bucky and Thor in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

To get the max out of Winter Soldier in a team, you should learn the following five best tips. These will help you play Bucky as a more offensive character than his abilities make of him.

1. Stay Behind Friendly Tanks

While Winter Soldier excels in one-on-one scenarios, positioning is critical to maximizing his survivability. Always stay behind your team’s tanks to take full advantage of their ability to absorb damage. This positioning allows you to unleash your ranged firepower safely while staying out of direct danger.

That said, you can occasionally step away from your tanks to attack key targets—but avoid engaging enemy vanguard heroes. These heroes typically have significantly higher health pools and can overpower you in a one-on-one fight.

Instead, focus on the enemy team’s healers / Strategists. These characters are much easier to eliminate because their kits prioritize healing and utility rather than direct offense. Taking them out quickly can leave the opposing team vulnerable.

2. Poke Enemies Consistently with Ranged Firepower Until They Aggro

Winter Soldier thrives in ranged combat, thanks to two of his three abilities being designed for long-distance engagement. His primary weapon, Roterstern, fires a three-shot explosive burst that damages the target and deals minor splash damage to nearby enemies.

Another key ability, Tainted Voltage, delivers an electrified punch that sends out a red volley, slowing enemies on impact and even knocking airborne targets out of the sky.

Until you find an ideal target for Winter Soldier’s one-shot combo—which we will discuss later in this guide—focus on poking enemies with these abilities. Maintain your position and chip away at their health to provoke aggression.

When an enemy commits to engaging you, quickly switch gears from playing defensive to offensive. Focus all your abilities on that target and eliminate them as fast as possible. Removing an overextended enemy can give your team a crucial advantage in the fight.

3. Hook, Pull, and Push Enemy Vanguard Unit into Your Team

Winter Soldier poses a significant threat in close-quarters combat. At range, however, his impact diminishes unless you actively create opportunities to close the gap. You can either wait for the right opening or take the initiative by using his Bionic Hook.

Bucky using hook to reel in a healer in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

The most effective way to leverage the Bionic Hook is to reel in an enemy Vanguard and immediately follow up with Trooper’s Fist, directing them back toward your teammates. This maneuver isolates the target from their team and positions them within your allies’ reach, allowing everyone to focus fire and quickly eliminate the Vanguard.

4. Knock Off Flying Enemies

Tainted Voltage is another valuable tool, especially in one-on-one situations. However, its true potential shines against aerial threats. Heroes like Iron Man and Storm can be a constant nuisance from the air, but Tainted Voltage is perfect for countering them.

Bucky and Spiderman in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

With a cooldown of just six seconds, you can knock these flying heroes out of the sky, slow them down, and make them vulnerable for a follow-up attack. This brief window of vulnerability is often enough for you and your team to secure the kill.

5. Prioritize Using Kraken Impact on Squishy Targets

The most important ability in the Winter Soldier’s kit is his ultimate; Kraken Impact. When you trigger it once, Bucky will jump in the air with a large AoE in the front to attack and apply a mark of culling to any targets caught in it.

Bucky using Kraken Impact in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

A percentage of an enemy’s health hit by Bucky’s ultimate gets marked (turns red) and if you manage to reduce their health to that red spot, they die immediately. Now you just need to finish the marked target as quickly as possible.

This is much easier to achieve when you use Bucky’s ultimate against the enemy team’s Strategists heroes, which are mostly found at the backline.

You get the most value from Buck’s ultimate abilities when using them on squishes, which not only includes Strategists but Duelists; although the former are much easier to kill than the latter. But avoid tanks as you only get a few seconds to kill the marked target or else the ULT refreshes. Kill them back to back, and you can use it AGAIN, AGAIN, and AGAIN!

Related: Marvel Rivals: Best Duelists and How To Play Them

Best Combos for Winter Soldier (Bucky) in Marvel Rivals

Bucky eliminating Invisible Woman in a combo
Screenshot by Prima Games

While the tips above focus on team-based strategies, Winter Soldier also has a deadly solo combo that can secure kills—provided he is not overwhelmed by multiple enemies.

The Roterstern pistol fires three explosive shots, but even at close range, it will not fully eliminate a target. Instead of letting the reload animation slow you down after firing three shots, you can take advantage of Winter Soldier’s passive ability, Ceaseless Charge, which instantly reloads the Roterstern when you use an ability.

Here’s how to execute the best combo of Bucky:

  1. Fire three shots from the Roterstern to bring the target close to death.
  2. Immediately follow up with Trooper’s Fist or Tainted Voltage, depending on your positioning relative to the target.
  3. With the Roterstern reloaded thanks to Ceaseless Charge, fire three more shots to finish off the target.

This combo is highly effective against less evasive heroes like Luna Snow, Adam Warlock, Cloak and Dagger, Punisher, Black Widow, and even an enemy Winter Soldier. These heroes lack reliable escape abilities, making them prime targets for Winter Soldier’s relentless offense.

Best Team Composition for Winter Soldier (Bucky) in Marvel Rivals

Winter Soldier the best vanguard eliminator Duelist in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games
CharacterRole in the Team
Winter SoldierClose-range offensive, center-line attacker
The Punisher Ranged offensive
Rocket RaccoonBackline healer, reviver, and infinite ammo device provider for The Punisher and Winter Soldier
Luna SnowCenter-line healer, and defensive attacker
NamorController and mid-range poker
Doctor StrangeFront line shield tank
The best team composition for Winter Soldier (Bucky) in Marvel Rivals

Including Rocket Raccoon in your team composition when playing as Winter Soldier and The Punisher is a no-brainer. Rocket’s arsenal of gadgets, combined with his Ammo Overload passive skill, provides a significant advantage.

Ammo Overload deploys a device that creates an AoE (Area of Effect) field. When Winter Soldier and The Punisher stand inside this field, their firearms gain infinite ammo and an increased rate of fire. While the cooldown for this ability is long, proper placement is key to maximizing its impact.

Bucky and Punisher in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

For example, positioning the device inside a capture zone ensures that both Bucky and The Punisher can benefit from the buff as enemies approach.

Rocket’s ammo buff is only part of the equation. The Punisher brings tremendous value to the team with his long-range turret and devastating ultimate ability, making him and Winter Soldier the ultimate firearm specialists any team could ask for.

To complement this firepower, consider adding Namor to your lineup. As a Controller, Namor excels at dealing damage to multiple enemies with his sea monster spawns. Placing these spawns at elevated positions, out of enemy sightlines, allows them to consistently damage opponents entering contested areas. If Winter Soldier and The Punisher don’t finish off a target, Namor’s spawns will handle the rest.

Luna Snow skating for increased movement speed in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

Pairing Luna Snow with Namor adds even more synergy. Luna not only provides excellent healing support but also enables Namor to summon a third sea monster. This third spawn has increased health and fires ice projectiles, making it a formidable addition to the team. Together, Namor and Luna Snow create another powerful team synergy, complementing Rocket’s Ammo Overload.

Doctor Strange blocking incoming attack
Screenshot by Prima Games

Finally, every strong team needs a reliable tank to absorb damage and provide cover for its damage-dealing units. Doctor Strange pairs exceptionally well with Winter Soldier in this role. His shield can absorb incoming damage, allowing Bucky to safely stand behind it and focus entirely on offense. Whether firing explosive rounds or using the Bionic Hook to pull enemies into range, Winter Soldier becomes a relentless threat while Doctor Strange holds the line.

With this composition, you’ll have a well-balanced team capable of pushing objectives, controlling zones, and eliminating enemies efficiently.

Winter Soldier (Bucky) Counters in Marvel Rivals

Venom doing five kills in a row in Marvel Rivals
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Winter Soldier is by no means a “one-size-fits-all” character in Marvel Rivals. While he is powerful in the right hands, he is far from a perfect hero. His slow movement speed, lack of escape options, and vulnerability to being overwhelmed by multiple enemies make him easy to eliminate in certain situations.

Moreover, there are specific heroes who can overpower Bucky even in one-on-one fights.

When facing Vanguard heroes, Winter Soldier struggles significantly against Venom, Magneto, and Mister Fantastic:

  • Venom: His regenerative shield can be activated when his health is critically low, allowing him to survive even when Bucky seems on the verge of eliminating him. This extra durability often gives Venom the chance to turn the tables and secure the kill.
  • Magneto: Equipped with two shield abilities and two high-damage ranged attacks, Magneto can effectively counter Winter Soldier. The combination of his survivability and offensive power makes it nearly impossible for Bucky to win in a one-on-one scenario.
  • Mister Fantastic: His ability to absorb massive damage while stretching, activated by pressing the Shift key, makes him incredibly resilient. Once his elastic meter reaches 100, he becomes even bulkier. A few well-placed punches from Mister Fantastic are usually enough to take down Winter Soldier quickly.
Bucky fighting Scarlet Witch in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

Similarly, there are several Duelists who can take down Winter Soldier with ease, leaving him little chance to fight back. Scarlet Witch and Iron Fist are particularly dangerous in one-on-one matchups.

  • Scarlet Witch: She can hover out of Winter Soldier’s range while draining his health from a distance. Her Chaos Projectiles, thrown with pinpoint accuracy, can easily finish him off before he even realizes what’s happening.
  • Iron Fist: He’s a direct counter to Bucky’s slow-firing pistol. Each round that Iron Fist counters adds to his bonus health, and his flurry of punches can quickly eliminate Winter Soldier in close combat.

Fast-moving characters also pose a significant threat. Heroes like Star-Lord, Psylocke, and Black Panther boast incredible mobility, allowing them to dart in and out of range effortlessly. Their agility makes it difficult for Winter Soldier to land his shots, leaving him vulnerable in one-on-one encounters.

Bucky vs Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals
Screenshot by Prima Games

Lastly, a skilled Hawkeye player with excellent aim can eliminate Winter Soldier with just two well-placed shots, especially if Bucky is caught running to the zone alone.

While Winter Soldier excels in specific roles, knowing which matchups to avoid is crucial for success. Against these heroes, it is better to rely on teammates or play more defensively to avoid being taken out too easily.

That is everything you need to know about the Winter Soldier character in Marvel Rivals. For more tips about the game, we recommend you visit our How to Play Invisible Woman and Best Vanguard Heroes and How To Play Them in Marvel Rivals guides.


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Author
Image of Irfan Ansari
Irfan Ansari
Irfan Ansari is a Guides Writer at Prima Games, bringing seven years of experience in Video Game Journalism to the table. With over 20 years immersed in gaming, he's sharpened his craft at notable outlets like TheGamer, Gamepur, Videogamer, and eXputer. His favorite hobby is grinding for XP, leveling up and defeating bosses to pulp.