The Marvel Rivals tier list identifies the best characters in the hero shooter. This includes the best DPS/duelist, tank/vanguard, and healer/strategist.
The tier list is based upon both PlayStation LifeStyle’s time with the game teamed with the consensus among the game’s player base. Note that each character’s placement in the tier list is subject to change as updates will continue to roll out for the game on PS5 and across other platforms.
Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Characters
The tier list of Marvel Rivals’ best characters is as follows:
TierCharacterSVenom, Jeff the Land Shark, Hela, Luna Snow, PunisherASpider-Man, Groot, Squirrel Girl, Black Widow, Loki, Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, Adam Warlock, Moon Knight, Cloak and DaggerBIron Fist, Psylocke, Peni Parker, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hulk, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Star-Lord, Thor, Black PantherCCaptain America, Namor, Magik, Magneto, Rocket RacoonDStormFWolverine
S-tier
S-tier heroes are useful in almost any team composition.
Venom’s sustainability makes him the ideal tank for Marvel Rivals. Swinging into the backline, wreaking havoc, and then generating a huge shield to keep himself alive makes him the best pick for tank.
Jeff the Land Shark has received a substantial buff, greatly increasing the amount of healing he can dish out. His ultimate is also one of the best in the game, and an early contender for an ability in need of a nerf. Luna Snow is also great for balancing healing and damage, and also has a game-changing ultimate that can keep her entire team alive.
Hela is a precise damage dealer who can be a nightmare to contend with in the hands of a player with good aim, while Punisher is essential Marvel Rivals’ Soldier 76, dealing a lot of damage with conventional weaponry.
A-tier
The A-tier heroes are useful in most team compositions.
Spider-Man has a high skill ceiling, but in the hands of a capable player, he can destroy an enemy backline and make it impossible for a team to get healed.
Groot is great at shutting off an enemy team, and when paired with a Jeff, their team-up can be incredibly difficult to shut down.
Both Black Widow and Hawkeye provide damage at a long range, capable of taking down squishy enemies with a single headshot.
Moon Knight and Winter Soldier provide excellent mid-range damage and good maneuverability, and both are also equipped with ultimate abilities that can turn the tide of a battle.
Squirrel Girl is a great choice for newcomers, dealing tons of damage with a low barrier for entry.
Adam Warlock’s a great strategist with an ultimate that can resurrect a dead team, while Loki is a strategist who’s incredibly difficult to pin down.
Finally, Cloak and Dagger provide high damage and high heals in equal measure, with their robust toolkit letting them buffer allies while shutting down the enemy team.
B-tier
B-tier heroes are still very strong but are more situational than some of their peers.
Iron Fist and Psylocke are nightmarish for enemy healers, given that they can swoop in and dish out a lot of damage while having great maneuverability.
Star-Lord and Scarlet Witch are damage-dealers who can do an awful lot without much practice, and Scarlet Witch in particular has an ultimate that can consistently wipe out most members of an enemy team. Black Panther is more difficult to master as a duelist, but can be ruthless if a player knows how to successfully team his melee attacks and maneuverability.
Hulk, Doctor Strange, Thor, and Peni Parker are good tank picks, as Hulk has a lot of survivability while Peni Parker can dish out a lot of damage provided she’s propped up by her team. Doctor Strange has a lot of fun with portals, providing your team with new avenues from which to confront your opponents. Thor requires a great deal of team coordination given that he’s best played diving in and then swooping out of an enemy team, but doesn’t do this nearly as well as Venom.
Iron Man can be a huge issue if the other team doesn’t change composition to actively deal with aerial threats, but can also be shut down relatively easily if they pick a character like Black Widow or Hawkeye.
Mantis can also be strong in the right hands, with her not being as immediately useful as Jeff or Luna, but her sleep ability gives her a way to shut down a diving damage dealer letting her escape enemy threats with relative ease.
C-tier
C-tier consists of heroes that are effective but there are usually better options.
Captain America requires a lot of teamwork in order to prove effective, and is best played as an off-tank rather than a main tank. His ultimate can really help out a coordinated team, but currently, there are far better and easier picks for tank. The same goes for Magneto, who’s a slow and more defensively-focused tank, and isn’t as effective given the game’s breakneck pace.
Namor has useful abilities such as his bubble shield, but he’s not as effective as other damage-dealers. Magik was hugely effective during Marvel Rivals’ beta, but is less useful in the final release, and is prone to being melted by the enemy team.
Rocket Racoon was also useful in the beta, and his revival ability can be a game-changer, but he’s the least useful strategist in the game with an ineffective ultimate and less damage than his peers.
D-tier
D-tier consists of heroes that have some redeeming qualities but aren’t worth picking compared to other characters.
Storm has a destructive ultimate ability but is pretty inconsequential during a typical fight. Her speed boost is completely ineffectual, and she’s incredibly easy to pick out of the air.
F-tier
F-tier heroes suffer significant issues that affect their viability.
Wolverine is several steps below every other duelist in the game and needs some substantial buffs. His abilities theoretically make him the perfect dive hero, however, he’s far too easy to melt whenever he jumps into combat. His leaping ability requires a lot of precision in order for players to pull it off consistently, and even when his rage meter is filled, he still deals very low damage compared to other heroes.
Who is the best vanguard/tank in Marvel Rivals’ tier list?
Venom is the best tank hero in Marvel Rivals right now. Given the game’s fast-paced nature, Venom’s hugely disruptive abilities let him swing into the center of a team and deal out a ton of damage, activating a shield that lets him take significant amounts of punishment. Unlike a lot of other tanks, he isn’t reliant on his team to keep him propped up, and is also very easy to learn how to play.
Who is the best duelist/DPS in Marvel Rivals’ tier list?
The Punisher is the best DPS in Marvel Rivals. Though he’s a pretty traditional hero so isn’t as fancy as other characters, he has tons to offer. Both his rifle and shotgun deal lots of damage, he has better visibility than most other heroes, and his ultimate can completely wipe through an enemy team. Although he’s vulnerable when on his turret, he’s able to use it to lock down control points if his teammates can keep him alive, making him a great pick in just about every game type.
Who is the best strategist/healer in Marvel Rivals’ tier list?
Jeff the Land Shark is the best healer in Marvel Rivals. Jeff’s had a significant buff since the beta, with his healing stream being far more effective and able to stretch a considerable distance. He’s also no slouch in the damage department, and while he doesn’t have as much escape as other healers, he’s still able to exit battle with relative swiftness. His ultimate is also greatly effective, with him able to remove an entire team from an objective and send them to their deaths off the side of the map.