All Marvel Rivals Characters: Complete Roster, Abilities, and Team Compositions
Marvel Rivals has quickly established itself as one of the most popular hero shooters since its December 2024 launch, bringing together heroes and villains from across the Marvel multiverse. With Season 2 now underway as of April 11, 2025, the game features a robust roster of 38 playable characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles. This comprehensive guide breaks down every character currently available in Marvel Rivals, organized by their roles and abilities.
Understanding Marvel Rivals Character Classes
Before diving into the complete character list, it’s important to understand how Marvel Rivals categorizes its heroes and villains. The game splits characters into three distinct roles:
Vanguards – These tank characters have high health pools (typically 500-800 HP) and excel at absorbing damage and protecting teammates with barriers or defensive abilities.
Duelists – Making up the majority of the roster, these damage-focused characters have high offensive output but generally lower health (250-300 HP). They’re designed to eliminate threats quickly.
Strategists – Support characters that provide healing, buffs, and utility to enhance team performance, often with abilities that buff movement speed or provide bonus health.
All Marvel Rivals Characters (April 2025)
As of Season 2, Marvel Rivals features 38 playable characters across all three roles. Let’s break down the complete roster:
Vanguards (Tanks) – 10 Characters
Captain America
The First Avenger brings his iconic shield to Marvel Rivals as a hybrid tank who can both defend allies and deal significant damage. His shield abilities allow him to block incoming attacks while also serving as a powerful offensive tool. Cap can go toe-to-toe with many Duelists while still fulfilling his protective role.
Doctor Strange
The Sorcerer Supreme uses his mastery of the mystic arts to create protective barriers and manipulate the battlefield. His Eldritch Whip offers ranged crowd control, making him excellent at creating space for teammates. His ultimate ability can completely turn the tide of battle by manipulating time itself.
Emma Frost (Season 2 Addition)
The newest Vanguard added in Season 2, Emma combines telepathic abilities with her diamond form. In her human form, she uses psychic abilities for crowd control, while her diamond form gives her increased durability and melee prowess, making her one of the more versatile tanks.
Groot
The lovable Flora Colossus serves as a pure protection tank, using his ability to grow and reshape his body to shield allies. His ultimate allows him to encase teammates in protective bark, granting them temporary invulnerability. Groot excels when paired with characters needing protection while dealing damage.
Hulk
The Green Goliath is all about rage and transformation. Bruce Banner begins matches in human form but transforms into Hulk as he takes damage. As Hulk, he gains massive health increases and devastating melee attacks. His unique mechanic gives him multiple “lives” in a sense, making him incredibly difficult to eliminate completely.
Magneto
The Master of Magnetism controls metal across the battlefield, creating shields and launching projectiles. His defensive capabilities come from manipulating metal barriers, while his offensive strength lies in controlling positioning through magnetic pulls and pushes. He can completely shut down certain areas of the map.
Peni Parker
This alternate universe hero pilots the SP//dr mech suit, giving her exceptional durability. Her mech provides high health and barrier abilities, while her ultimate allows her to self-destruct the suit for massive damage before calling in a replacement. This creates interesting timing decisions for players.
The Thing
Added during Season 1, Ben Grimm is a pure tank with some of the highest base health in the game. His rock-like skin makes him naturally resistant to damage, and his abilities focus on creating barriers and disrupting enemy positions. “It’s clobberin’ time!” isn’t just a catchphrase – his ultimate enhances his already formidable melee attacks.
Thor
The God of Thunder brings lightning and Mjolnir to create space and absorb damage. His lightning strikes can stun opponents while his hammer throws offer both damage and mobility. Thor’s ultimate calls down a massive lightning storm that can control large areas of the battlefield.
Venom
The symbiote-powered anti-hero has regenerative abilities that make him exceptionally durable. Venom can consume enemies to restore health and extend tendrils to control space. His playstyle revolves around sustaining through damage rather than blocking it outright, making him particularly effective in prolonged engagements.
Duelists (Damage) – 20 Characters
Black Panther
The King of Wakanda utilizes vibranium technology and enhanced physical abilities. With the fastest base movement speed in the game (7m/s versus the standard 6m/s), T’Challa excels at flanking and quick strikes. His kinetic energy absorption mechanic allows him to store damage taken and release it in powerful bursts.
Black Widow
The super-spy excels at stealth and precision elimination. Natasha Romanoff uses grappling hooks for mobility and can temporarily cloak herself to flank enemies. Her Widow’s Bite stuns opponents, setting them up for quick eliminations. She’s particularly effective against isolated targets.
Hawkeye
Clint Barton brings a versatile arsenal of specialized arrows to the battlefield. From explosive tipped to grappling arrows, his kit allows him to adapt to different situations. His ultimate arrows can track multiple targets simultaneously, making him dangerous in team fights.
Hela
The Goddess of Death commands an army of the dead and wields necromantic abilities. She can summon undead minions to harass enemies and throw spectral weapons. Her ultimate, Death’s Embrace, creates an area where enemies slowly lose health while she gains strength, making her more dangerous the longer a fight continues.
Human Torch
Added in Season 1, Johnny Storm harnesses the power of fire for both offense and mobility. His “Flame On!” ability gives him flight and enhanced attack power. The Human Torch excels at area denial with persistent flame effects that continue damaging enemies over time.
Iron Fist
Danny Rand channels his chi into devastating martial arts techniques. His charged fist attacks deal massive damage to single targets, while his mobility allows him to quickly engage and disengage from fights. Iron Fist excels at securing eliminations on key targets like enemy Strategists.
Iron Man
Tony Stark brings his signature repulsor technology and flight capabilities. His suit allows him to hover while attacking and switch between different weapon configurations. Iron Man’s ultimate calls in the Hulkbuster armor, dramatically increasing his durability and firepower temporarily.
Magik
Illyana Rasputina wields the Soulsword and mystical stepping discs. Her ability to create portals gives her exceptional mobility, while her Soulsword deals heavy damage up close. Magik can temporarily transport enemies to Limbo with her ultimate, removing them from the battlefield briefly.
Mister Fantastic
Added during Season 1, Reed Richards uses his elastic body for both mobility and attack. His stretching abilities allow him to attack from surprising angles and ranges. Mister Fantastic can also contort his body to avoid damage, making him difficult to hit despite his normal health pool.
Moon Knight
Marc Spector’s multiple personalities grant him varied combat styles. He can switch between ranged crescent darts and melee combat with his staff. Moon Knight’s ultimate calls upon Khonshu’s power, enhancing all his abilities and allowing him to see enemies through walls.
Namor
The Sub-Mariner combines super strength with aquatic abilities. In water-based maps, he gains additional mobility and power. His trident allows for both melee combat and ranged attacks, while his ultimate can flood portions of the battlefield, creating advantageous conditions for his team.
Psylocke
Betsy Braddock wields telekinetic weapons and telepathic abilities. Her psi-blade deals heavy melee damage, while her telekinetic powers provide ranged options. Psylocke’s ultimate creates a telekinetic storm that damages and disrupts enemy positioning over a large area.
Punisher
Frank Castle brings an arsenal of conventional weapons with unconventional modifications. His kit focuses on sustained damage output rather than burst potential. The Punisher can deploy automated turrets and has access to various ammunition types, making him excellent at area control.
Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff manipulates chaos magic to warp reality itself. Her hex bolts deal damage and apply status effects, while her reality manipulation provides utility. Scarlet Witch’s ultimate can completely alter a section of the battlefield, creating chaos for the enemy team.
Spider-Man
Peter Parker combines web-slinging mobility with spider-sense enhanced reflexes. His web shooters can immobilize enemies or pull them out of position. Spider-Man excels at quickly traversing the map and picking off isolated targets before swinging away to safety.
Squirrel Girl
Doreen Green commands an army of squirrels and possesses enhanced physical abilities. Her rodent companions can harass enemies and gather items, while her own attacks focus on quick combos. Squirrel Girl’s ultimate summons Tippy-Toe and other special squirrels for a coordinated assault.
Star-Lord
Peter Quill relies on his element guns and jet boots for combat. His weapons can switch between different elemental effects, adapting to different situations. Star-Lord’s ultimate calls in the Milano for an orbital bombardment, covering a wide area with explosive damage.
Storm
Ororo Munroe controls weather patterns for both offensive and utility purposes. She can call down lightning strikes, create whirlwinds, or summon fog to obscure vision. Storm’s ultimate unleashes a massive tempest that damages enemies while boosting allies who remain within it.
Winter Soldier
Bucky Barnes combines enhanced physical abilities with advanced weaponry. His cybernetic arm provides melee strength, while his marksmanship makes him deadly at range. The Winter Soldier’s ultimate activates his HYDRA conditioning temporarily, enhancing his accuracy and damage output significantly.
Wolverine
Logan brings his healing factor and adamantium claws to the fight. His regenerative abilities allow him to sustain through damage that would eliminate other Duelists. Wolverine excels at close-range combat, with his berserker rage ultimate increasing both his damage output and movement speed.
Strategists (Support) – 8 Characters
Adam Warlock
The cosmic being uses Soul Gem powers to support allies. He can create regenerative cocoons around teammates and manipulate cosmic energy for barriers. Adam Warlock’s ultimate can temporarily resurrect fallen allies, providing a second chance in critical moments.
Cloak & Dagger
This duo (counted as one character) combines darkness and light powers. Cloak provides transportation through his darkness dimension, while Dagger offers healing light daggers. Their ultimate synchronizes their powers, allowing rapid team transportation while healing allies in the process.
Invisible Woman
Added during Season 1, Sue Storm creates protective force fields and can turn teammates invisible. Her defensive capabilities make her particularly valuable for protecting objectives or vulnerable teammates. The Invisible Woman’s ultimate creates a massive dome that blocks all incoming damage for a limited time.
Jeff the Land Shark
This unusual hero provides comic relief and surprising utility. Jeff can bite enemies and dig tunnels for team mobility. His shark sense allows him to detect nearby enemies, making him valuable for reconnaissance. Jeff’s ultimate sends him into a feeding frenzy that heals nearby allies while damaging enemies.
Loki
The God of Mischief uses illusions and trickery to confuse enemies and support allies. He can create decoys that draw enemy fire and teleport short distances. Loki’s ultimate temporarily disguises all teammates as random heroes, creating confusion in the enemy ranks.
Luna Snow
The K-pop star and superhero uses ice powers combined with musical performances. Her songs provide buffs to team movement speed and damage, while her ice abilities can slow enemies. Luna Snow’s ultimate performance heals all teammates while boosting their attack power.
Mantis
The empath uses her abilities to heal allies and control enemy emotions. Her touch can heal teammates or put enemies to sleep temporarily. Mantis’s ultimate creates a field of calming energy that gradually heals allies while slowing enemy movement and attack speed.
Rocket Raccoon
The tech genius deploys various gadgets to support the team. His traps and turrets control space, while his crafting ability provides utility items to allies. Rocket’s ultimate calls in a massive custom weapon that can either deal heavy damage or provide significant team buffs, depending on how players modify it.
Marvel Rivals Maps and Character Synergies
Character selection in Marvel Rivals isn’t just about individual power – team composition and map knowledge are equally important. The game features several maps across the multiverse, including:
- Tokyo 2099: A futuristic cyberpunk cityscape with vertical elements
- Asgard: The realm eternal with both indoor palace areas and outdoor battlefields
- Wakanda: T’Challa’s technologically advanced kingdom
- Yggdrasil: The cosmic world tree connecting the Nine Realms
- Negative Zone: A bizarre alternate dimension with unique physics
Maps feature destructible environments that can dramatically alter gameplay. Characters like Hulk and Magneto excel at environmental manipulation, creating new paths or denying access to certain areas.
Team Compositions and Synergies
Marvel Rivals rewards strategic team building. Some particularly effective combinations include:
- Cosmic Control: Adam Warlock, Doctor Strange, and Loki create a team focused on battlefield control and manipulation
- Fantastic Four: The complete team of Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing offers balanced capabilities with built-in synergies
- X-Force: Wolverine, Psylocke, and Magik form a devastating close-range assault team
- Guardians Mix: Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Mantis provide a balanced team with strong synergies
- Avengers Classic: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk combine power and protection effectively
Recent Additions and Upcoming Characters
Marvel Rivals has steadily expanded its roster since launch:
- Season 1 added the Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing)
- Season 2 (current) has added Emma Frost with Ultron confirmed to join mid-season
Datamining and leaks suggest several potential future additions, including Blade, Captain Marvel, Deadpool, and Jean Grey, though none have been officially confirmed yet.
Marvel Rivals Characters FAQ
How often are new characters added to Marvel Rivals?
Currently, NetEase is adding approximately one character per half-season. Season 1 added four characters (the Fantastic Four), while Season 2 launched with Emma Frost and will add Ultron mid-season.
Which character is best for beginners?
Captain America, Spider-Man, and Luna Snow are considered more approachable for new players due to their straightforward kits and forgiving playstyles.
Are all characters available immediately or do they need to be unlocked?
The base roster is available to all players, but some Season 1 and newer characters require either Battle Pass progression or can be purchased directly with in-game currency.
Which characters work best together?
Characters with canonical team affiliations often have built-in synergies. The Fantastic Four members, Guardians of the Galaxy, and X-Men characters typically have complementary abilities that work well together.
What’s the most popular team composition in competitive play?
The current meta favors compositions with one Vanguard, two Duelists, and one Strategist. Popular combinations include Thor/Iron Man/Spider-Man/Invisible Woman or Captain America/Black Panther/Psylocke/Luna Snow.
How balanced is the current character roster?
While tier lists exist, NetEase has been relatively successful in maintaining balance through regular updates. No character is considered completely non-viable in the current meta, though some niche picks work better on specific maps or with certain team compositions.
Can characters switch roles during gameplay?
Characters remain in their assigned roles, but some have mechanics that allow flexibility. For example, Emma Frost can focus more on damage in her diamond form or Hulk can become more tank-oriented when transformed.
How do I counter specific characters?
Each character has natural counters. For example, characters with high mobility counter Rocket Raccoon’s traps, while ranged characters can effectively deal with Wolverine before he gets into melee range.
Will characters from Marvel TV shows appear in Marvel Rivals?
While the current roster focuses on comic and movie characters, datamining has suggested potential additions from Marvel TV properties, though nothing has been officially confirmed.
How often are characters balanced or updated?
Marvel Rivals typically releases balance updates every 3-4 weeks, with major changes coming at season transitions. Emergency hotfixes are deployed for any severely unbalanced abilities.
Marvel Rivals Wiki provides detailed breakdowns of each character’s abilities and stats, while Polygon offers updated guides and strategies. esports.gg regularly analyzes character effectiveness in the competitive meta. For the most up-to-date information on all Marvel Rivals characters and their abilities, rivals.fan is a comprehensive resource.
