Marvel Rivals: A Comprehensive Guide to Character Counters Explained

Marvel Rivals, much like other hero-based shooters, demands players engage in thorough strategy and teamwork. Each character embodies a unique set of strengths and weaknesses, akin to a dynamic game of rock, paper, scissors. Your choice of Hero can dramatically influence the outcome of a match.

In this competitive landscape, understanding character dynamics is crucial. Often, players will be pitted against opponents possessing an upper hand, prompting a strategic switch to a Hero better equipped to counteract their adversary, thus turning the tide in favor of their team.

Given that Marvel Rivals permits players to switch Heroes at any moment during gameplay, it’s advantageous to grasp the relationships between characters—notably, which Heroes counter others effectively, allowing you to dismantle troublesome foes.

An essential rule of thumb is to recognize that characters situated at opposite ends of the ranged spectrum tend to counter each other. Additionally, Heroes whose Ultimates can neutralize others’ abilities also qualify as effective counters.

This resource compiles insights based on extensive online research and firsthand gameplay experiences. As Marvel Rivals continues to develop and its roster expands, this guide will adapt to reflect the changes.

Vanguard Heroes

Vanguard Heroes serve a pivotal role by absorbing damage and acting as buffers for their teammates. Their primary responsibility is to act as distractions and withstand enemy attacks, making their survival critical for team success.

Typically, Vanguards possess limited ranged capabilities, which means ranged Heroes with superior mobility are often effective counters.

Vanguard Counters

Duelist Counters

Strategist Counters

Description

Hulk

Doctor Strange, Penny Parker

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Punisher, Hela

Jeff, Loki, Luna Snow

While Hulk is a powerful adversary with surprising mobility, he relies heavily on close combat. Ranged Heroes like the Punisher excel at targeting him from a distance, especially when supported by Rocket’s Ammo Invention Team-Up ability.

Captain America

Doctor Strange, Penny Parker

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Punisher, Hela

Jeff, Loki, Luna Snow

Captain America can be overpowered if engaged at range, where he struggles without his shield. Attacks that disable him, including Doctor Strange’s Ultimate, can significantly diminish his impact.

Doctor Strange

Hulk, Venom, Groot

Black Panther, Magik, Star Lord

Luna Snow, Loki

Doctor Strange thrives on burst damage and his shield, but he becomes vulnerable when isolated. Tanky Vanguards like Venom can diminish the effectiveness of his Dark Magic.

Big

Peni Parker, Doctor Strange, Magneto, Venom

Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier, Hela, Star Lord, Storm

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Although Groot is resilient, he struggles to deal substantial damage. Countering him effectively requires Tanks who can manage to outpace his damage output.

Magneto

Venom, Hulk, Groot, Captain America

Black Panther, Magik, Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Due to his lower durability, Magneto is easily countered by heroes with superior mobility, such as Spider-Man.

Penny Parker

Hulk, Venom, Groot, Doctor Strange

Punisher, Hela, Moon Knight, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch

Rocket Raccoon, Loki, Luna Snow

Peni excels at fortifying her position with Spider Nest and traps, but ranged Heroes or flying characters can dismantle her setups.

Thor

Peni Parker, Magneto, Doctor Strange

Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier, Hela, Star Lord, Spider-Man

Jeff, Loki, Mantis

Thor can be easily incapacitated due to his reliance on bonus health; immobilizing or ranged attacks are ideal against him.

Venom

Peni Parker, Magneto, Doctor Strange

Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier, Hela, Star-Lord

Jeff, Loki, Mantis

Being one of the strongest Tanks in the game, Venom is hard to counter effectively; however, nimble ranged fighters can exploit his weaknesses.

Duelist Heroes

Duelists excel as damage dealers, each bringing unique capabilities to the battlefield. Typically, those designed for close-combat engagements will have the upper hand against ranged rivals, while the latter will dominate slower melee characters.

Vanguard Counters

Duelist Counters

Strategist Counters

Description

Black Panther

Big, Venom, Hulk

Punisher, Winter Soldier

Jeff, Loki, Mantis

Currently, Black Panther is perceived as less potent. Players can easily engage him with tanky characters or snipers in ranged combat.

Black Widow

Hulk, Venom, Penny Parker

Spider-Man, Magik, Black Panther, Star-Lord, Iron Fist

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Black Widow’s effectiveness is highly skill-dependent. She thrives as a sniper, so close-quarters heroes like Spider-Man can neutralize her advantage.

Hawkeye

Magneto, Doctor Strange, Venom, Hulk

Spider-Man, Black Panther, Star-Lord, Magik

Loki, Luna Snow

Hawkeye possesses versatility in both melee and ranged combat. To counter him, it’s essential to avoid being pinned down, perhaps by utilizing Loki’s Illusions or deploying high-health Vanguards.

Whole

Magneto, Doctor Strange, Venom, Hulk

Spider-Man, Black Panther, Star-Lord, Magik

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

When faced with another ranged Duelist, success hinges on accuracy. Skilled marksmen can counter Hela, while close-quarters combatants can also challenge her effectively.

Iron Fist

Magneto, Venom, Penny Parker

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Known for high damage potential, Iron Fist can still be countered by champions with crowd-control skills who can limit his combat effectiveness.

Iron Man

Doctor Strange, Peni Parker, Captain America

Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Iron Man’s flight grants him substantial advantages against melee characters. Ranged fighters like Doctor Strange can negate his Ultimate, making it easier to take him down.

Magic

Doctor Strange, Penny Parker

Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier, Black Widow

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

As a melee-oriented character, Magik is best countered by ranged Heroes who can engage her safely and securely from afar.

Moon Knight

Captain America, Magneto, Doctor Strange

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier, Spider-Man

Rocket Raccoon, Loki, Luna Snow, Jeff

Moon Knight is not frequently selected, often struggling in ranged matches; thus, utilizing ranged duelists for counters may prove advantageous.

Namor

Doctor Strange

Punisher, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Hela, Black Widow

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow, Rocket Raccoon

Namor is formidable when utilizing his octopus turrets. Targeting and neutralizing these turrets will diminish his effectiveness considerably.

Psylocke

Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker, Venom

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Iron Fist

Rocket Raccoon, Loki, Luna Snow

Psylocke excels when initiating surprise attacks, making ranged duelists key counters to her abilities.

The Punisher

Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker, Venom

Punisher, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Iron Fist, Spider-Man, Psylocke

Jeff, Loki, Luna Snow

The Punisher’s dominance as the leading ranged option is evident. To withstand his attacks, you’ll need either a robust tank like Venom or agile fighters capable of evading his firepower.

Scarlet Witch

Big, Venom, Hulk

Punisher, Hela, Moon Knight, Winter Soldier

Jeff, Loki, Mantis

Scarlet Witch lacks substantial ranged capability and makes use of chip damage for offense. Employing a tank like Venom can effectively minimize her impact.

Spider-Man

Peni Parker, Groot, Doctor Strange

Scarlet Witch, Namor, Punisher, Star-Lord, Hawkeye

Jeff, Loki, Mantis

Spider-Man’s skill ceiling is notable; countering him often requires control techniques from Vanguards or crowd-managing tanks.

Squirrel Girl

Peni Parker, Groot, Doctor Strange, Captain America

Punisher, Hela, Black Widow, Hawkeye

Loki, Luna Snow, Jeff the Land Shark

Squirrel Girl can dominate matches early due to her overwhelming damage output. She may falter in direct engagements if outgunned by ranged fighters.

Star-Lord

Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker

Hawkeye, Winter Soldier, Hela, Spider-Man

Jeff, Loki, Luna Snow

Star-Lord serves as an excellent entry-level DPS champion, but he struggles against defensive characters who can negate or outlast his damage output.

Storm

Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker

Hawkeye, Winter Soldier, Hela, Spider-Man

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Despite some arguing Storm’s potential, her effectiveness can be mitigated by avoiding her area damage abilities and engaging from a distance.

Winter Soldier

Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Punisher

Adam Warlock, Jeff, Luna Snow

Winter Soldier deals significant damage; employing ranged fighters like Punisher is essential for countering him effectively.

Wolverine

Doctor Strange, Penny Parker

Hawkeye, Punisher, Winter Soldier, Black Widow

Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow

Wolverine currently stands at a disadvantage, heavily reliant on close-range combat. Players should focus on ranged strategies to keep him at bay.

Strategist Heroes

Strategists fill a crucial supporting role as healers and allies that maintain team health—often becoming prime targets in team skirmishes.

To maximize survival when playing as a Strategist, it is advisable to stay close to your allies. Engaging in 1v1s against a well-equipped Vanguard or Duelist can easily turn fatal.

Vanguard Counters

Duelist Counters

Strategist Counters

Description

Adam Warlock

Doctor Strange, Magneto, Captain America

Black Panther, Magik, Punisher, Star-Lord

Jeff, Loki

To combat Adam Warlock effectively, disrupt his momentum by taking him out of the fight early, potentially utilizing Squirrel Girl.

Cloak and Dagger

Venom, Hulk, Peni Parker, Captain America

Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Magik, Punisher

N/A

Cloak and Dagger benefit from keeping their distance to perform better, making close-quarters fighters like Iron Fist and Spider-Man effective counters.

Jeff the Land Shark

Venom, Hulk, Penny Parker

Black Panther, Magik, Punisher, Spider-Man, Iron Man

Cloak and Dagger, Loki

Jeff presents a significant threat not only due to his healing but also his disruptive Ultimate. He can be countered by characters who deal more damage.

Loki

Venom, Peni Parker, Hulk, Doctor Strange

Black Panther, Magik, Namor, Spider-Man, Iron Fist

N/A

A skilled Loki player is difficult to defeat; pairing up with suppressive characters like Venom and Hulk raises your chances of a successful takedown.

Luna Snow

Venom, Hulk, Penny Parker

Punisher, Star-Lord, Hela, Magik

Jeff

Due to her substantial healing capabilities, Luna Snow should be targeted quickly using agile or ranged Heroes to diminish her threat level.

Mantis

Venom, Hulk, Penny Parker

Black Panther, Magik, Punisher, Spider-Man, Iron Fist

N/A

Mantis’ healing is emanated over time through her Life Orbs, and a capable Tank or DPS champion can neutralize her effectiveness with timely engagement.

Rocket Raccoon

Venom, Hulk, Penny Parker

Black Panther, Magik, Punisher, Spider-Man, Iron Fist

Moon, Mantis

Given his small stature, Rocket can evade attacks easily; thus, melee champions with dash abilities, like Psylocke or Black Panther, are required to successfully counter him.

Source & Images

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