Marvel Rivals Characters Guide: Best Picks for Every Role
Marvel Rivals Characters Guide | SteelSeries
Discover all Marvel Rivals characters, roles, and team comps. Find the best Duelists, Vanguards, and Strategists to dominate every match.
When Marvel Rivals drops you into the fight, there’s no time to second-guess your pick because choosing the right hero can mean the difference between cosmic glory and respawning in shame.
With over 40 playable characters, each with their own role, synergy, and team-up ability, finding your main can feel like assembling the Avengers from scratch. Don’t worry though, we’ve done the scouting for you.
From high-damage Duelists to frontline Vanguards and supportive Strategists, here’s your complete guide to every hero in Marvel Rivals, plus the best picks for every role.
All Marvel Rivals Characters
Marvel Rivals currently features 43 playable heroes pulled straight from the Marvel multiverse, with more joining every season. Each hero falls under one of the game’s distinct roles: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist.
Each role defines your hero’s purpose in a match and how you’ll contribute to your team’s success. While Strategists often fill support-style functions (healing, shielding, or buffing), they’re still officially part of this trio.
Hero | Role |
Adam Warlock | Strategist |
Angela | Vanguard |
Black Panther | Duelist |
Black Widow | Duelist |
Blade | Duelist |
Captain America | Vanguard |
Cloak & Dagger | Strategist |
Daredevil | Duelist |
Doctor Strange | Vanguard |
Emma Frost | Vanguard |
Groot | Vanguard |
Hawkeye | Duelist |
Hela | Duelist |
Hulk | Vanguard |
Human Torch | Duelist |
Invisible Woman | Strategist |
Iron Fist | Duelist |
Iron Man | Duelist |
Jeff the Land Shark | Strategist |
Loki | Strategist |
Luna Snow | Strategist |
Magik | Duelist |
Magneto | Vanguard |
Mantis | Strategist |
Mister Fantastic | Duelist |
Moon Knight | Duelist |
Namor | Duelist |
Peni Parker | Vanguard |
Phoenix | Duelist |
Psylocke | Duelist |
The Punisher | Duelist |
The Thing | Vanguard |
Rocket Raccoon | Strategist |
Scarlet Witch | Duelist |
Squirrel Girl | Duelist |
Spider-Man | Duelist |
Star-Lord | Duelist |
Storm | Duelist |
Thor | Vanguard |
Ultron | Strategist |
Venom | Vanguard |
Winter Soldier | Duelist |
Wolverine | Duelist |
Hero Roles Explained
Role | Core Function | Typical Traits |
Vanguard | Frontline “tank” / space-controller | High health pools, damage mitigation abilities, anchors pushes and defends zones. |
Duelist | Primary damage / take-out specialist | High burst or sustained damage, relatively lower survivability, frequent flanks. |
Strategist | Support/utility/ map-control role | Heals, buffs, debuffs, team-synergy effects, more focused on enabling than raw damage. |
Vanguard (Frontline / Tank)
Playstyle: Built to take a beating and protect their squad. Vanguards lead the charge, control space, and soak up incoming damage while their teammates clean up.
Example Heroes: Black Panther, Hulk, Groot, Magneto, Venom, Namor, The Thing
Pro Tip: Your job is more than just survival; you’re a creator of chaos. Use area-denial and crowd-control abilities to keep Duelists safe and enemies off objectives.
Duelist (Damage / DPS)
Playstyle: Fast, flashy, and lethal. Duelists excel at burst damage and one-on-one fights, darting between cover and finishing off weakened foes.
Example Heroes: Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Scarlet Witch, Wolverine, Moon Knight, Loki, Black Widow, Punisher, Ms. Marvel
Pro Tip: Pair with a Vanguard to set up kills. Time your ultimates after their crowd-control for devastating combos.
Strategist (Support / Utility / Control)
Playstyle: Masters of positioning, healing, and crowd manipulation. Strategists focus on map control and team buffs rather than raw damage.
Example Heroes: Doctor Strange, Luna Snow, Invisible Woman, Cloak & Dagger, Storm, Mantis, Emma Frost, Rocket Raccoon, Adam Warlock
Pro Tip: Great Strategists turn the tide of battle without topping the kill chart—think healing circles, shields, or ultimates that control the pace of a fight.
Best Duelist Heroes in Marvel Rivals
Duelists are your team’s damage dealers and playmakers; they’re the ones darting across the map, catching stragglers, and unleashing flashy ultimates that can turn the tide of battle. Whether you prefer up-close chaos or ranged precision, these are the Duelists dominating the current meta.
Hero | Playstyle Summary | Why They’re Top-Tier |
Spider-Man | Agile skirmisher with high mobility and combo potential. | Excellent vertical control and crowd control; perfect for ambushes or chasing squishier targets. |
Iron Fist | Close-range brawler who stacks combo hits for burst damage. | His Chi Burst can delete opponents once charged, especially after CC setups. |
Scarlet Witch | Ranged caster who manipulates chaos energy for AoE damage. | One of the strongest zone controllers: her Chaos Control ultimate can wipe out grouped enemies. |
Moon Knight | Hybrid Duelist with sustain and stealth-based attacks. | Switches combat stances mid-fight, making him unpredictable and perfect for duels. |
Wolverine | Pure melee aggression with self-healing. | Excellent survivability and chase potential, great for players who love nonstop brawling. |
Loki | Trickster who relies on illusions and deception. | Disorients enemies and sets up devastating ambushes, a nightmare in tight maps. |
Black Widow | Precision assassin with ranged and melee versatility. | Great for flanking and punishing isolated targets. High skill ceiling, high reward. |
Ms. Marvel | Flexible mid-range fighter who uses stretch abilities to control space. | Her adaptability makes her a strong pick for both solo queues and coordinated teams. |
Pro Tip: Pair Duelists with Vanguards like Hulk or Venom for the perfect one-two punch. Tanks soak damage while you clean up the fight.
Best Vanguards in Marvel Rivals
If Duelists are the stars of the highlight reel, Vanguards are the reason those highlights can happen. These heroes are your frontline anchors—absorbing damage, locking down choke points, and setting up the plays that win matches.
Hero | Playstyle Summary | Why They’re Top-Tier |
Hulk | Classic tank with massive crowd control and disruption. | His Gamma Smash clears objectives and peels enemies off your backline. Nearly unkillable with proper team support. |
Black Panther | Agile brawler who uses kinetic energy to dive into fights. | Excellent mix of survivability and burst. His Vibranium Shielding makes him surprisingly self-sufficient. |
Venom | Aggressive frontliner who can heal through damage. | Devours squishies, thrives in chaotic brawls, and punishes anyone caught too close. |
Groot | Defensive tank with great sustain and ally protection. | His I Am Groot! ultimate roots enemies and heals allies, perfect for point control. |
Magneto | A hybrid Vanguard that controls the battlefield with metal constructs. | Incredible zoning power and crowd control can turn entire fights with his Magnetic Dome. |
Namor | Brawler Vanguard with splash damage and mobility. | Dominates water-heavy maps and can push enemies off objectives with his Tidal Crash. |
The Thing | Heavy brawler with straightforward defense and high HP. | Ideal for beginners; reliable, tough, and built to take punishment. |
Pro Tip: Every Vanguard shines brighter with a Strategist nearby. Pair Groot with Doctor Strange for endless sustain or Venom with Luna Snow for icy chaos that keeps enemies frozen in fear.
Best Strategists in Marvel Rivals
Strategists might not top the kill chart, but they control the pace of every match. Whether it’s healing allies, buffing damage, or turning choke points into death traps, these heroes are the masterminds behind most victories.
Hero | Playstyle Summary | Why They’re Top-Tier |
Doctor Strange | Mystic powerhouse focused on shields, heals, and AoE control. | His Cloak of Levitation and Pentagram of Farallah keep allies alive while disrupting enemy formations. |
Luna Snow | Pop star hero who balances healing and offense with ice-based abilities. | Can heal teammates while freezing enemies, fantastic for crowd control and sustain-heavy comps. |
Invisible Woman | Defensive Strategist with shielding and stealth support. | Perfect for objective plays: her Force Fields protect allies while her invisibility can reposition teams undetected. |
Rocket Raccoon | Zone-control Strategist with traps and gadgets. | Dominates chokepoints with turrets and mines. Great synergy with stationary heroes like Groot or Magneto. |
Adam Warlock | Cosmic healer who can revive fallen teammates. | His Karmic Revival Shift turns lost fights around, one of the most clutch abilities in the game. |
Cloak & Dagger | Duo character combining stealth, teleportation, and healing. | Flexible support who can dive in, heal, and escape. High-skill but unmatched mobility. |
Emma Frost | Psychic Strategist who excels at disruption and debuffs. | Her Diamond Form makes her deceptively tanky while she manipulates enemies from range. |
Storm | Long-range elemental Strategist with great AoE control. | Lightning Tempest punishes grouped enemies and pairs perfectly with aggressive Vanguards. |
Pro Tip: Strategists thrive in communication-heavy teams. Coordinate your ultimates, like Doctor Strange’s shields followed by Scarlet Witch’s AoE burst, to delete entire squads before they can react.
Best Team Compositions
No matter how strong your favorite hero is, Marvel Rivals is a team game. Coordination beats chaos every time. The best squads balance damage, durability, and utility, creating synergy through Team-Up Abilities that chain together in pure Marvel mayhem.
Here are a few tested combos worth running:
Balanced Beginner Squad
Team:
Captain America (Vanguard)
Spider-Man (Duelist)
Rocket Raccoon (Strategist)
Luna Snow (Strategist)
Why It Works: A classic all-rounder comp that covers every base. Captain America anchors fights, Spiderman dives or peels, Rocket controls space, and Luna keeps everyone topped up. Perfect for new players learning positioning and timing.
Team-Up Highlight: Captain America’s Vibranium Shield combos with Rocket’s mines for reliable AoE control around objectives.
High-Mobility Hit Squad
Team:
Black Panther (Vanguard)
Iron Fist (Duelist)
Moon Knight (Duelist)
Doctor Strange (Strategist)
Why It Works: Built for speed, dives, and confusion. Panther and Iron Fist crash the frontline, Moon Knight cleans up stragglers, and Dr. Strange’s shields keep the chaos alive. Excellent for players who like aggressive rotations.
Team-Up Highlight: Moon Knight’s Crescent Barrage plus Iron Fist’s Chi Burst can instantly delete squishier targets.
Control & Sustain Comp
Team:
Groot (Vanguard)
Scarlet Witch (Duelist)
Storm (Strategist)
Adam Warlock (Strategist)
Why It Works: This lineup is built around denial and endurance. Groot and Warlock sustain the team while Storm and Witch dominate choke points. Great for objective-heavy maps and prolonged fights.
Team-Up Highlight: Groot’s Root Zone + Storm’s Lightning Tempest keeps enemies frozen and fried in one combo.
Pro-Level Burst Comp
Team:
Venom (Vanguard)
Scarlet Witch (Duelist)
Loki (Strategist)
Cloak & Dagger (Strategist)
Why It Works: High risk, high reward: Venom dives deep while Scarlet Witch and Loki nuke enemies from safety. Cloak & Dagger’s mobility ties it all together with timely heals and surprise repositions.
Team-Up Highlight: Loki’s Illusion Field hides Cloak & Dagger’s engage, letting your squad ambush entire teams unseen.
Bonus Tip: If your team’s struggling, swap one Duelist for an extra Strategist. Having two supports, like Luna Snow + Strange, often wins longer matches by pure sustain.
Build Your Dream Team
With over 40 playable heroes and counting, Marvel Rivals is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic hero shooters available. Whether you’re diving in as a chaotic Duelist, a stoic Vanguard, or the brainy Strategist holding it all together, every match comes down to synergy: both in your lineup and your communication.
The best players don’t just pick strong heroes; they pick strong teams. Learn your role, experiment with Team-Up Abilities, and sync with your squad to unlock those cinematic, game-winning moments that make Marvel Rivals so addictive.
Pro Move: Squad synergy starts with crystal-clear comms.
Gear up with the Arctis Nova 7 — perfect for catching every shout, spell, and surprise ambush in full surround sound.
Marvel Rivals Characters: FAQs
Who could be in Marvel Rivals next?
Upcoming and data-mined characters rumored to join the roster include Ultron, Magik, and Phoenix, all teased through concept art and community leaks. Expect each new season to expand the hero pool with fresh abilities, team-up combos, and story tie-ins.
Which character should I use in Marvel Rivals?
That depends on your playstyle:
Vanguards for players who love tanking hits and protecting teammates.
Duelists for aggressive, solo-carry energy.
Strategists if you prefer healing, zoning, or buffing your squad.
If you’re new, start with Captain America (Vanguard) or Luna Snow (Strategist): both are forgiving and fit into almost any team comp.
Who is the #1 Marvel Rivals player?
Rankings shift fast, but top leaderboard names right now include pro players and streamers, often dominating with heroes like Scarlet Witch and Moon Knight. Keep an eye on official tournaments and the Marvel Rivals Discord for up-to-date rankings once the competitive ladder resets.
How many roles are in Marvel Rivals?
There are three official roles, Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist, each defining a hero’s playstyle and team function. Strategists often serve as the game’s version of “support,” managing heals, shields, or area control.
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