Marvel Rivals splits its heroes into three roles: Duelists deal the damage, Vanguards soak it up and hold space, and Strategists heal and support. This guide goes through the roster by role and says what each hero is good at and what to watch out for. The roster has grown since launch, so newer heroes may not appear here yet.
Duelists, the damage dealers
Mobile divers
- Black Panther: built around movement, with lunges, wall jumps and spins. He is hard to pin down, strong in one-on-one fights and good at reaching the enemy backline.
- Spider-Man: swings in, disrupts and leaves. Rewards players who like constant motion.
- Wolverine: a close-range brawler with strong healing from fighting. Expect to be in the thick of things.
- Magik: a short-range specialist with teleport tools for ambushes.
- Psylocke: quick and precise, suited to picking off stragglers.
- Iron Fist: a pure brawler. His ultimate boosts damage, but he has almost nothing at range, so you play him for the fight.
Snipers and ranged damage
- Hawkeye: the benchmark sniper. He is mobile for a long-range hero, and his ultimate helps confirm kills. He pairs well with Black Widow.
- Black Widow: a precise marksman who belongs near the supports. Use her to remove single targets who threaten a push.
- The Punisher: a steady ranged damage dealer with a heavy weapon.
- Star-Lord: dual blasters with mobility, a good fit for flexible damage.
- Winter Soldier: mixes ranged fire with disruptive tools.
Casters and control
- Hela: summons crows and conjurations to control space. Her team-up with Thor and Loki gives Asgardian teams a strong core.
- Scarlet Witch: area damage and crowd control. Stay behind your Vanguards.
- Storm: weather powers that work well with mobility and area control.
- Iron Man: a flying gunner who picks fights from the air.
- Moon Knight: a thrower with unusual angles who rewards practice.
- Namor: a ranged brawler with his own turret-style summons.
- Mister Fantastic: a stretchy, flexible fighter with a steep learning curve.
- Squirrel Girl: a trickier pick that rewards unusual play.
Vanguards, the front line
- Captain America: a shield-carrying leader who protects teammates and pushes in with them.
- Doctor Strange: a tank with magic shields and portals.
- Groot: walls and bulk, good for blocking sightlines.
- Hulk: a big, mobile bruiser who needs to keep moving.
- Magneto: shields and controls space with magnetic powers.
- Peni Parker: a tank who lays webs and mines to protect an area.
- Thor: hard to kill and strong in an Asgardian composition.
- Venom: aggressive and mobile, he dives into the enemy line.
Vanguards decide whether your team can push. If you're deciding between them, start with the one you can keep alive longest.
Strategists, the support heroes
- Adam Warlock: healing with a revive tool.
- Cloak and Dagger: two heroes in one, mixing heals and damage.
- Invisible Woman: protective, with shields and sneaky positioning.
- Jeff the Land Shark: a mobile healer who can rescue teammates.
- Loki: deception and healing, and a link in Asgardian teams.
- Luna Snow: sturdy healing with strong ultimate support.
- Mantis: reliable healing and damage buffs.
- Rocket Raccoon: a flexible, quick support.
Picking your hero
Pick a role your team lacks, then a hero you can play comfortably. A balanced team usually runs two Vanguards, two Duelists and two Strategists. Heroes with team-ups give extra value, so look at who your team already has. If you want to see which heroes are struggling, read our worst Marvel Rivals characters post, and for climbing, the ranking system guide.
Marvel Rivals bans can be permanent, and no cheat is risk free. Our Marvel Rivals cheat page describes the product, and the status page should be checked before every session.