When assigning roles to its roster of heroes,Marvel Rivalsmakes some unexpectedly clever choices, but there’s still room for improvement. Each playable hero inRivalsis assigned to one of three classes: Duelist, for characters whose focus is on dishing out as much damage as possible; Vanguard, for tanks designed to soak up damage and protect their teammates; and Strategist, for healers who keep the rest of their team alive as long as possible.
Ahero’s role and their unique kit of abilitiesis designed to reflect their personality and the powers they have in the original source material of Marvel comics. While it seems like most characters would be easily sorted into one of three roles,some heroes end up with a role that seems contrary to what would be the most obvious. This aspect of the roster is one ofRival’s best features, and yet they could be going even further with it.
Marvel Rivals Plays Against Type With Its Hero Roles
A Hero’s Role Isn’t Always What You’d Expect It To Be
With only three roles available,assigning most characters in the Marvel library to a role inRivalsshould be straightforward. The Punisher, for example, is all about guns and violence, so it doesn’t make much sense for him to be anything other than a damage-dealing Duelist. Captain America always leads the charge into battle and wields a shield as his primary weapon, so Vanguard is a natural fit for him. For the most part, theRivalsroster aligns with this pattern.
Marvel Rivals: Every Vanguard Character, Ranked From Weakest To Strongest
Vanguards are a class of characters in Marvel Rivals whose high health and survivability help teams, but some in this role are stronger than others.
More exciting are the heroes who seem to be in a role that’s at odds with how most fans would perceive thembased on their depiction in the comics or MCU movies, like Rocket Raccoon. Traditionally portrayed as a gun-toting mercenary, it would have been easy to make him a Duelist equipped with a full arsenal of firearms and explosive devices. Instead, he’s a Strategist with a kit focused primarily on healing and limited offensive options.
On the opposite end of the spectrum,Doctor Strange seems like a natural fit for a healer inRivals. He wields an array of spells and enchantments that could be used for healing or applying buffs to teammates–and he is, quite literally, a doctor. YetRivalscasts him as a tank, a bulky damage sponge with a deep health pool and a shield that he can use to protect his teammates. These kinds of role assignments certainly have some players scratching their heads, but it actually proves thatMarvel Rivalshas an appreciation for its characters that goes beyond the surface level.
Subversive Roles Show Marvel Rivals Understand Its Characters
The Obvious Choice Isn’t Always The Right One
Working with a license as huge and universally beloved as Marvel is going to come with lofty expectations, and the developers at NetEase have clearly made an effort withMarvel Rivals. The level of care they’ve shown for all 30+ of the game’s heroes comes through loud and clear in the various voice lines, costumes, and team-up moves found throughout the game.They’ve done their homework with every character they represent, and that really shines with the role they select for each hero.
10 Coolest Character Skins In Marvel Rivals, Ranked
Marvel Rivals has many incredible cosmetic skins for its entire roster of playable characters, but these ones are truly the best of the best.
Yes, Rocket is a trigger-happy gun for hire, but he’s also a genius mechanic and supporting member of a team, so castingRocket Raccoon in the role of a healer inRivalsmakes perfect sense for him. Doctor Strange may be a doctor, but he’s also the Sorcerer Supreme tasked with safeguarding the world from mystic threats, so protecting others first and foremost as a Vanguard fits his character.
The fact that NetEase didn’t go with the most obvious choice for heroes like Rocket and Doctor Strange proves thatthey dug deeper and tried harder when designing their heroes. In so doing, they’ve made an even more faithful depiction of these classic characters, one that rings more true to their identity. Yet even with all the good work they’ve achieved,it still feels like more could be done.
Some Duelists Would Make More Sense In Other Roles
Marvel Rivalsis enjoying massive popularity, but even as it rolls along into season 1, players are already grumbling about balance problems. The game’s main issue stems from the uneven allotment of roles across the roster as theDuelists vastly outnumber Vanguards and Strategists, and subsequently, teams inRivalsmatches all too often end up being Duelist-heavy.
With the launch of season 1, the hero roster inMarvel Rivalscurrently consists of 8 Vanguards, 8 Strategists, and 19 Duelists.
One solution to this problem would bereconsidering the current role assignments of heroes already in the gameto give them something further off the beaten path. Storm may be one of the most powerful mutants in the X-Men, but with abilities that affect the entire area around her, she may be a better fit for a Strategist than a Duelist, especially with how her kit inRivalsechoes that ofOverwatchhero Lucio. Similarly, Magik’s abilities that allow her to charge into the fray and generate bonus health could easily be tweaked to make her viable as a Vanguard.
What Marvel Rivals Season 1 Hero Designs Mean For Role Queue
Mr. Fantastic’s hybrid ability toolset, and the potential of future heroes to follow suite, pose more problems for implementing a role queue feature.
More decisions like this could accomplish a lot in balancing the hero meta inRivalswhilestaying true to the goal of delivering an authentic Marvel experience. The characters are the lifeblood of any hero shooter, especially when they come with as much pre-established lore and popularity as someone like Spider-Man. By diversifying the roles they assign to future heroes,Marvel Rivalscan continue to be a source of excellent fanservice while also becoming a more polished and balanced game.
