Since its release, the game features a whopping 33 characters. With such a wide selection, it can be difficult to decide who to play as. Like in other similar projects, some heroes are stronger than others in most situations.

I’ve spent 40 hours in Marvel Rivals, tried every hero, and formed opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of each. In this tier list, I’ll discuss them all so you’ll know who currently dominates and who is better left alone until balancing patches arrive.

Who are the best champions in Marvel Rivals?

Who are the best champions in Marvel RivalsImage: youtube.com 

It’s worth noting that you can win with any character, especially if you play cohesively with your team.

When compiling this tier list, I focused on how easy it is to be effective with a given hero and climb the ranks. Accordingly, the best heroes are those who are strong in almost any situation, while those at the bottom are harder to succeed with.

TierCharacters
SHela, Mantis, Luna Snow, Dr. Strange, Psylocke
AWinter Soldier, Hawkeye, Cloak & Dagger, Magneto, Thor, The Punisher, Venom, Moon Knight, Spider-Man, Adam Warlock
BGroot, Jeff the Land Shark, Rocket Raccoon, Magik, Loki, Star-Lord, Black Panther, Iron Fist, Peni Parker
CScarlet Witch, Squirrel Girl, Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Namor
DBlack Widow, Wolverine, Storm

S-tier characters

Among long-range duelists, Hela has no equal. She deals massive damage and also has area-of-effect abilities. Two headshots are enough to eliminate most characters. By choosing the right position on the map and aiming accurately, you can easily secure victories.

HelaImage: ensigame.com

Psylocke is slightly more challenging but equally effective. When invisible, she can sneak behind enemy lines and attack from advantageous positions. During her Q, she becomes invulnerable and deals excellent area damage, which can be repositioned mid-use.

PsylockeImage: ensigame.com

Mantis and Luna Snow are the best supports in the game. They provide significant healing and can aid mobile damage dealers like Spider-Man and Black Panther. Their ultimates are so protective that dying while they are active becomes extremely difficult. Both also offer crowd control to counter enemy aggression.

MantisImage: ensigame.com

The most powerful defender is Dr. Strange. His shield protects even against some enemy ultimates, and his ability to create portals opens up countless tactical opportunities.

Dr StrangeImage: ensigame.com

A-tier characters

Winter Soldier’s ultimate is one of the strongest in the game. It deals area damage and can be reused if at least one damaged enemy dies soon after. This often leads to a chain reaction of destruction. However, while his ultimate recharges, he’s quite vulnerable.

Winter SoldiersImage: ensigame.com

The king of ranged combat is Hawkeye. He can one-shot fragile heroes but falls short of Hela because he’s more vulnerable to melee duelists. Additionally, his aiming requires precision, making him harder to master.

HawkeyeImage: ensigame.com

Cloak & Dagger is a unique duo that excels at both aiding allies and dealing damage.

Cloak and DaggerImage: ensigame.com

Adam Warlock can resurrect teammates and heal instantly instead of over time. However, using his abilities for team-wide healing forces him into long cooldowns.

Adam WarlockImage: ensigame.com

Characters like Magneto, Thor, and The Punisher are powerful but rely heavily on team coordination. Without proper communication, they can become easy targets and contribute little.

MagnetoImage: ensigame.com

Moon Knight deals bouncing damage with his attacks, hitting both enemies and his ankhs. While his abilities are strong, attentive enemies can disrupt his plans by destroying the ankhs.

Moon KnightImage: ensigame.com

The symbiote Venom is like King Kong, smashing everything around him and climbing buildings. He’s a fun, straightforward tank that wreaks havoc in enemy ranks. If timed correctly, his E grants enough armor to continue fighting or retreat safely.

VenomImage: ensigame.com

Spider-Man has excellent mobility thanks to his web-slinging and a skill combo that can almost eliminate any duelist or support. However, finishing off enemies often requires chasing them, and he’s fragile, making him unsuitable for S-tier.

Spider ManImage: ensigame.com

B-tier characters

If you enjoy Fortnite, Groot might be perfect for you. He creates two types of walls: some damage enemies he shoots, while others grant him extra health. His walls can block passages or serve as makeshift bridges.

GrootImage: ensigame.com

Supports Jeff the Land Shark and Rocket Raccoon can climb onto Groot to reduce incoming damage. Both are highly mobile but have less effective healing compared to higher-tier supports.

Rocket RaccoonImage: ensigame.com

Duelists like Magik and Black Panther are extremely strong but often die from a single mistake. Spider-Man could be included here as well, but his superior mobility allows him to escape critical situations.

Black PantherImage: ensigame.com

Loki can transform into any character with his ultimate. While this is powerful, it means the team loses the healing expected from a support. His decoys make him elusive and help him deal decent damage.

LokiImage: ensigame.com

For players with excellent aim, Star-Lord is a solid choice. He can briefly fly, reload during evasive moves, and shoot in all directions. However, he’s more fragile than other duelists, and his ultimate is often interrupted by death.

Star LordImage: ensigame.com

Iron Fist is akin to Master Yi from League of Legends but uses fists instead of swords. His flurry of attacks, healing meditation, and high speed make him both hated and vulnerable, as he lacks the durability to counter experienced players.

Iron FistImage: ensigame.com

Peni Parker is a mobile tank who sets traps on the map. She’s strong until enemies destroy her nest, which spawns mines.

Peni ParkerImage: ensigame.com

C-tier characters

Scarlet Witch may seem powerful in quick matches, but in reality, she struggles. Her attacks require minimal aiming but deal low damage. Her ultimate can kill any enemy regardless of health, but she’s often killed while preparing it.

Scarlet WitchImage: ensigame.com

Similarly, Iron Man is highly effective when ignored but vulnerable in ranked matches where he’s easily targeted. His ultimate is slow, and his missiles deal minimal damage.

Iron ManImage: ensigame.com

Squirrel Girl’s attacks can hit targets she doesn’t see, but their unpredictable trajectory often makes her reliant on luck.

Squirrel GirlImage: ensigame.com

Captain America and Hulk are the weakest tanks. Hulk is an easy target, and his transformation back to Bruce Banner is nearly useless as he’s instantly killed. Captain America’s shield is inferior to Dr. Strange’s in every way, and his damage output relies on pairing with Thor.

Captain AmericaImage: ensigame.com

Namor’s strength lies in his monsters, which are easily killed, leaving him ineffective apart from throwing his trident.

NamorImage: ensigame.com

D-tier characters

In such a dynamic game, being a sniper is challenging. Black Widow fails to kill with headshots alone, undermining her role. Her close-range defense tools are rarely helpful.

Black WidowImage: ensigame.com

Wolverine dies before reaching enemies and needs a complete rework to be viable.

WolverineImage: ensigame.com

Storm has potential but requires a coordinated team to capitalize on her abilities.

StormImage: ensigame.com

Even D-tier characters can win, but they require significantly more effort. Play as whoever you enjoy most—after all, games are meant to be fun. Share your favorite heroes in Marvel Rivals in the comments!

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