In a hero shooter, the characters you choose decide your fate in victory. The same goes for Marvel Rivals even more, as your favorite Marvel characters are also part of it. So, which characters are in meta, and which ones should you absolutely play? Find them out in our Marvel Rivals characters tier list and learn which ones are the best right now.
Note: The Marvel Rivals tier list is based on Season 2.1 statistics and information.
Marvel Rivals Characters Tier List
The meta in Marvel Rivals changes with every hero balance adjustment or patch. This hinders the list significantly, making way for a new hero to pop up out of nowhere. So, to keep you up to date with the latest Marvel Rivals characters‘ meta, we update the list regularly.
In our list, you will see tiers ranging from S to D, S being the best characters and D being the worst. Before we jump into a deep dive, here is the full Marvel Rivals characters tier list:
- S-tier: Rocket Raccoon, Human Torch, Groot, Magneto, Luna Snow, Invisible Woman, Emma Frost, The Thing
- A-tier: Loki, Namor, Mantis, Star Lord, Venom, Hela, Psylocke, Iron Fist, Hawkeye
- B-tier: Winter Soldier, Storm, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Adam Warlock, Hulk, Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Magik
- C-tier: Captain America, Cloak and Dagger, Moon Knight, Jeff, Black Widow, Peni Parker, Squirrel Girl, Iron Man
- D-tier: The Punisher, Black Panther, Mister Fantastic, Thor
S-Tier Marvel Rivals Characters
The S-tier is for the characters who feel overpowered to play as or against. Moreover, they have either a massive damage output for little to no effort gameplay, or they can get in and out of fights due to their broken mechanics. Here are all the Marvel Rivals characters who deserve to be in the S tier.
Rocket Raccoon
As per the latest patch, Rocket Raccoon as a Strategist in Marvel Rivals is a no-brainer, offering exceptional support capabilities. His primary fire, Bouncing Spheres, not only damages enemies but also heals allies for 60 HP per second, making him invaluable in sustaining team fights.
Additionally, his deployable Healing Turret provides a consistent area buff, while his Sticky Mine offers area denial, controlling enemy movement. In the current Marvel Rivals tier list, Rocket’s versatility and healing prowess solidify his position as a top-tier Strategist hero.
Human Torch
Thanks to the broken mid-range fire-infused abilities, Human Torch is an overpowered Duelist. His Fire Cluster launches a scattershot of fireballs, dealing significant damage to enemies. The Blazing Blast creates a persistent flame field, serving as an effective area denial tool.
With his Plasma Body, he gains aerial mobility, allowing him to attack from advantageous positions. Human Torch’s high damage output and mobility make him one of the best picks for players seeking aggressive playstyles.
Groot
Want to stand as a resilient Vanguard? Pick Groot and use his botanical abilities to protect and support your team. His Vine Strike extends his arms to deal damage from a distance, while Spore Bomb creates explosive spores that control enemy movement.
Groot’s Ironwood Wall and Thornlash Wall abilities allow him to shape the battlefield, providing cover and obstructing enemy paths. His passive, Flora Colossus, enhances nearby wooden structures, offering additional buffs. Groot’s balance of offense and defense secures his spot in the Marvel Rivals tier list as a reliable frontline hero.
Magneto
Magneto is a versatile Vanguard; unlike Groot, he manipulates magnetic fields to control the battlefield. His Iron Volley and Mag-Canon allow him to deal decent damage, while the bulwark abilities let him create armor around him or his allies.
With the Metallic Curtain, he provides further protection that blocks projectiles, absorbing incoming damage. Magneto’s defensive adaptability makes him a standout choice for players aiming to dominate the field.
Luna Snow
Luna Snow offers a unique dual-role capability as a Strategist, seamlessly switching between damage and healing modes. Her primary fire, Light & Dark Ice, shoots frost shards that damage enemies and heal allies, providing flexibility in combat. Her Absolute Zero ability launches a large block of ice that freezes enemies, offering crowd control.
Additionally, her passive, Smooth Skate, grants increased movement speed and a high jump, enhancing her mobility. This role-switch capability positions her among the best Marvel Rivals characters for players who value versatility, while being a healer.
Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman redefines the support role with her multifaceted abilities. Her primary fire, Orb Projection, damages enemies and heals allies, while her Guardian Shield provides a wide front-facing shield to protect teammates.
She can manipulate enemy positioning with Psionic Vortex, and her Veiled Step grants brief invisibility, allowing for strategic repositioning. Her ultimate deploys a wide ring that heals teammates within its area. In the Marvel Rivals tier list, her utility makes her an invaluable asset to any team composition.
Emma Frost
If you want the real crowd-controlling Vanguard, then Emma Frost stands out as one, blending offensive and defensive capabilities. Her Mind’s Aegis projects a psychic barrier, while her Diamond Form adds to her durability, making her immune to displacements such as stuns and knockback.
Her ultimate, Psionic Seduction, emits a cone of psionic waves that deal damage over time and can mind-control enemies who remain within its area. This unique playstyle and her ability to counter aggressive opponents place her firmly in the S-tier of the tier list.
The Thing
The Thing is a perfect powerhouse Vanguard, utilizing his immense strength to control the battlefield. His Rocky Jab delivers rapid punches, while Clobberin’ Time launches enemies into the air, disrupting their formations.
His Stone Haymaker delivers a devastating heavy blow, and Yancy Street Charge allows him to charge into enemies, knocking them back. With a high health pool of 700, The Thing excels in absorbing damage and anchoring team defenses, making him one of the best Marvel Rivals characters for frontline engagements.
A-Tier Marvel Rivals Characters
While many A-tier characters feel really strong, you will slowly realize they are not too overpowered compared to the S-tier. Despite that, you can easily get a chain of victory if you master these Marvel Rivals characters from the A tier.
Loki
Loki earns his A-tier spot with his tricky mobility, clone illusions, and burst potential, while having the ability to heal. His power to disorient teams with deception makes him deadly in chaotic battles. Especially if you can master the Doppelganger, he’s a strong pick for players who can make chaos work in their favor. Just know that his main role is that of a Strategist, so playing aggressively will get you some criticism.
Namor
Once forgotten, Namor now commands the battlefield with the powerful Trident of Neptune. He can also summon Monstro Spawns from Aquatic Dominion, providing constant pressure. His ability to briefly become invulnerable and reposition vertically with Blessing of the Deep adds survivability, while his Horn of Proteus ultimate devastates choke points.
His consistent damage and area control secure his A-tier position in the Marvel Rivals characters tier list. Especially, with the gamma combination team up with Hulk, the spawns are stronger than ever.
Mantis
Mantis will always be in the best Strategist’s conversation, even after nerfs. She provides crucial healing with Healing Flower and potent damage boosts for herself (Natural Anger) or allies (Allied Inspiration) via Life Orbs.
Her Spore Slumber offers valuable crowd control by sedating key targets, disrupting enemy plays significantly. This blend of support and control makes her one of the best Marvel Rivals characters for perfecting a solid victory.
Star Lord
If you love shooting, shoot more with one of the ideal duelists in the game, Star-Lord. His agility and consistent damage output from his dual Element Guns make him a formidable Duelist. Abilities like Rocket Propulsion for flight and the evasive Stellar Shift (which also reloads) grant exceptional mobility for flanking or escaping.
On top of that, his Galactic Legend ultimate provides free-flight and target locking (overpowered in other words). His in-and-out play style will always keep him relevant in the Marvel Rivals meta.
Venom
Venom’s aggressive Vanguard playstyle, focused on diving backlines using the Frenzied Arrival and Venom Swing combo, disrupts enemy formations effectively. His Symbiotic Resilience grants impressive durability by generating bonus health, allowing him to sustain pressure and absorb damage for his team. This potent mix of disruption and survivability cements his A-tier status in our Marvel Rivals characters tier list.
Hela
Hela brings immense ranged damage potential, capable of eliminating targets quickly with precise Nightsword Thorns and the multi-shot Piercing Night ability. She is basically a one-button wonder in the game.
But, that’s not all; Her Astral Flock provides escape options or repositioning, while the Soul Drainer stuns enemies, setting them up for elimination by her or her team. Her sheer damage output often sees her ranked highly among the best Marvel Rivals characters.
Psylocke
If you are good with close-range burst damage duelists, then Psylocke is a perfect pick for you. She weaves together Psionic Crossbow shots, Wing Shurikens, and the Psi-Blade Dash to quickly dispatch targets.
Her Psychic Stealth allows for flanking maneuvers or escapes. And her ultimate, Dance of the Butterfly, makes her invulnerable and attacks enemies within an area, creating chaos in team fights. This high-impact potential to be a killer who can escape makes her a solid choice for this tier.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist delivers relentless melee pressure with his Jeet Kune Do martial arts, enhanced by the Living Chi ultimate for increased speed and damage. His mobility via K’un-Lun Kick and Crane Leap gives him the ability to dive at targets or reposition.
Moreover, his Dragon’s Defense offers crucial damage mitigation via blocking. Iron Fist’s immense agility and quick attacks justify his A-tier spot on the Marvel Rivals tier list.
Hawkeye
Hawkeye provides potent long-range damage with his accurately aimed, chargeable Piercing Arrows, capable of significant damage, especially with headshots. His kit includes utilities like the Hypersonic Arrow for revealing and slowing enemies and Crescent Slash for close-range defense, alongside Skyward Leap for repositioning. He is a perfect range duelist for his low-effort, high-return damage potential.
B-Tier Marvel Rivals Characters
All B-tier characters are good in low Elo lobbies and ideal heroes for new players. However, after a certain point in the game, these characters start to feel weak on their promise; the reason they are in the B Tier in our Marvel Rivals tier list.
Winter Soldier
If you love to keep a relentless pressure, Winter Soldier is a must pick for your team. To keep on the pressure, he does that with his Roterstern explosive rounds, passively reloading via Ceaseless Charge when using his bionic arm abilities like the disruptive Bionic Hook pull.
His close-range Trooper’s Fist dash adds knock-up potential, solidifying his role as a versatile threat. This kit makes him a strong contender for the best Marvel Rivals characters in the Duelist role.
Storm
Storm dominates the skies with Weather Control, raining down piercing Wind Blades and empowering herself or allies with Goddess Boost. Her Omega Hurricane ultimate creates a devastating vortex, pulling enemies in while dealing significant damage.
Her aerial control and damage potential secure her B-tier placement in many Marvel Rivals tier list discussions. She has the potential to be A-tier, but the skill level required to master her is unnecessarily difficult.
Scarlet Witch
Here comes my go-to duelist pick in Marvel Rivals. Scarlet Witch wields reality-bending power, channeling Chaos Control beams and launching Chthonian Bursts fueled by hitting enemies. She can phase out of danger using Mystic Projection or lock down areas with Dark Seal’s stunning field.
While she is squishy, her key potential is with how you utilize her, especially the ultimate. Her devastating Reality Erasure ultimate can wipe out an entire team (except some beefy ones), making her deserving of this tier on our list.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man’s unparalleled agility, using Web-Swing to traverse the map and Wall Crawl for unique positioning, makes him incredibly elusive. He is a master at isolating targets using Web Cluster to apply a tracer, enabling combos with Get Over Here! and Amazing Combo. His evasiveness and disruption easily justify his spot on our tier list.
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock offers crucial support with potent healing abilities like the bouncing Avatar Life Stream and the damage-sharing Soul Bond. His passive Regenerative Cocoon gives him self-revival, while his Karmic Revival ultimate can completely turn the tide by resurrecting fallen allies. This powerful utility kit earns him a high spot in any tier list.
Hulk
If you just want a walking tank in your team, Hulk is a good one. Using Incredible Leap to dive onto key targets and disrupt formations with Heavy Blows and Gamma Bursts is what he is good at. His Indestructible Guard provides substantial shielding for himself and nearby allies, allowing aggressive plays. Transforming with Hulk Smash! elevates his threat, making him one of the best Marvel Rivals characters for pure disruption.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange brings unique utility as a Vanguard, deploying large Shields of the Seraphim to block damage and control space. His Pentagram of Farallah portals enable unprecedented team rotations and surprise attacks, while his Eye of Agamotto ultimate displaces enemy souls, disrupting crucial plays. This strategic depth warrants his B-tier consideration. To be fair, there are better picks you can go for, but if you have a Scarlet Witch in your team, she can get a great buff from your addition.
Wolverine
Want to be a ferocious Duelist? Plunge through enemies as Wolverine with Savage Claws that grow stronger with Berserker Rage gained from dealing and taking damage. His Feral Leap allows him to pounce on targets, while Vicious Rampage offers another engage or escape tool, backed by his Regenerative Healing Factor for sustain. His relentless aggression is good, but only works against tank characters.
Magik
Magik slices through dimensions and enemies alike, using her Stepping Discs for unpredictable teleports, followed by potent Soulsword combos like Eldritch Whirl or summoning demons. Her Umbral Incursion dash provides engage, while her Limbo’s Might passive grants bonus health on dealing damage, making her surprisingly durable. This blend of mobility and melee power keeps her in the meta, not as high as her X-Men buddies like Psylocke, though.
C-Tier Marvel Rivals Characters
Our Marvel Rivals characters tier list did not have any specific D-tier. However, that changed as more nerfs were made to a lot of the heroes in the game. But first, let us have a look at these characters in our C-tier of the Marvel Rivals tier list.
Captain America
Lead the charge with high survivability of Captain America, thanks to his Living Legend shield block and the team-wide buffs from his Freedom Charge ultimate. His Sentinel Strike allows for both close-quarters combat and ranged harassment via ricocheting shield throws. His mobility options, like Leading Dash, enable him to effectively engage or disengage, keeping him a solid Vanguard option.
Cloak and Dagger
Cloak and Dagger is all about unparalleled versatility, switching between Dagger’s potent healing (Lightforce Dagger, Dagger Storm) and Cloak’s disruption tactics like Terror Cape’s blind or Dark Teleportation’s invisibility. Their shared ultimate, Eternal Bond, provides powerful area control with simultaneous healing and damage. This dynamic duo’s flexibility often places them in a solid place in any Marvel Rivals tier list.
Moon Knight
Although Moon Knight is in C-tier in our list, he is good in the right hands. Moon Knight is good against overwhelming grouped enemies, using Ancient Ankh to bounce Crescent Darts and Moon Blades for significant AoE damage. His Moonlight Hook and Night Glider passives provide excellent aerial mobility for positioning and surprise attacks. His powerful Hand of Khonshu ultimately cements him as one of the best Marvel Rivals duelist characters for breaking enemy formations.
Jeff
Gone are the days when Jeff was the most annoying character in Marvel Rivals. While he is nerfed heavily, he still brings some value to a team composition. Jeff brings adorable chaos, supporting allies with Joyful Splash healing streams and deployable Healing Bubbles that also grant buffs. His Hide and Seek allows unique repositioning and survivability while burrowed, setting up surprise Aqua Bursts or his ultimate, It’s Jeff!, which can swallow and displace multiple targets.
Black Widow
Black Widow offers high-skill expression with her Red Room Rifle’s potent Straight Shooter sniper mode for long-range eliminations. She possesses surprising close-range viability with her Widow’s Bite Batons and the Edge Dancer kick-and-grapple combo for stuns. While demanding precision, her potential impact keeps her relevant in Marvel Rivals tier list debates for skilled players.
Peni Parker
If your team lacks control and you are new to the game, Peni-Parker is a solid Vanguard. She is great at controlling space and defending objectives with her SP//dr suit, deploying a Bionic Spider-Nest that creates Cyber-Web fields and spawns drones. She can lay Arachno-Mines, root enemies with Cyber-Web Snare, and use Cyber-Bond for mobility. Her ultimate, Spider-Sweeper, unleashes a torrent of deployables, making her a formidable C-tier area denial specialist.
Squirrel Girl
If Scarlet Witch is my favorite duelist, then Squirrel Girl is the one I got most wins with. She is ideal for new players as she can hit multiple enemies at once with bouncing Burst Acorns and can lock down key targets with Squirrel Blockade. Unfortunately, her effectiveness works only when the enemy runs around like a headless chicken. That is why we are keeping her in this tier for now.
Iron Man
Iron Man dominates from the skies, using Hyper-Velocity flight for superior positioning while raining down Repulsor Blasts or focusing targets with his Unibeam. Entering Armor Overdrive significantly boosts his damage output, and his Invincible Pulse Cannon ultimate can obliterate grouped enemies. This consistent aerial damage makes him one of the best Marvel Rivals characters for applying pressure.
D-Tier Marvel Rivals Characters
D-tier in our Marvel Rivals tier list for all characters is, in simple words, for the trash. While some skilled players can manage to win games with the C-tier characters, these heroes (or villains) below are just not up to the mark with the minimum standards of the gameplay of Marvel Rivals.
The Punisher
The Punisher’s reliance on precise aim with either his Adjudication rifle or Deliverance shotgun makes his damage output inconsistent, contributing to his lower placement on the Marvel Rivals tier list. His Vantage Connection zipline offers predictable movement, while deploying his Culling Turret or using the Final Judgement ultimate leaves him completely stationary and vulnerable to focus fire.
Black Panther
Black Panther demands mastery of complex combos involving Spear Toss marks and Spirit Rend resets, a high skill floor that often leads to inconsistent performance. Lacking strong ranged options, he struggles against kiting and can be easily punished during his telegraphed dives with Spirit Rend or Bast’s Descent. These challenges often limit his effectiveness in chaotic team fights.
Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic’s core attack, Stretch Punch, is often too slow and predictable, making it difficult to reliably land hits against mobile opponents. While abilities like Reflexive Rubber offer defensive potential, they require precise timing, and his overall kit can feel clunky compared to more fluid heroes, impacting his standing on our Marvel Rivals characters tier list.
Thor
Thor’s combat flow feels cumbersome due to the Thorforce resource management and the vulnerability window while waiting for Mjolnir to return after a Hammer Throw. His Storm Surge dash is predictable, and the significant charge time for his God of Thunder ultimate makes it relatively easy to avoid. These limitations often make him less effective than other Vanguards.
What did you think about our Marvel Rivals characters tier list? Which Marvel Rivals character would you rank higher and why? Tell us in the comments below.
