Best Marvel Rivals counters: this is how you beat every hero

Marvel Rivals keeps expanding its roster with new heroes and villains, each divided into three main classes: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist. Every character is strong in their own right, but there is no one perfect hero who can’t be countered. Learning the best Marvel Rivals counters is often the key that decides whether you win or end up losing badly. And we’ve decided to help by providing you with concise, actionable tips!

Marvel Rivals counters list

Below is the complete table of who counters any particular hero in Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals counters explained

Vanguard hero counters

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• Captain America – He does fine in face-to-face fights, but heroes that fly like Iron Man or Peni Parker can ignore his shield and punish him hard. On the other hand, melee heroes like Wolverine get stopped completely when facing Cap. If you’re also curious about rankings, make sure to check out the Marvel Rivals tier list for a broader understanding of the meta.
• Doctor Strange – His shields and magic give big protection to the team, but strong burst characters usually kill him before he can react. Wolverine or Magik are especially scary because they stick close and force Strange to back away; two of the best Marvel Rivals counters for the Doctor.
• Emma Frost – She is good with crowd control, but she really can’t escape fast. Ranged heroes like Iron Man or Hawkeye shoot her down with little trouble while she struggles to reposition.
• Groot – His toughness makes him buy time for allies, but he can’t handle enemies who poke him from far away. Heroes like Punisher and Namor easily wear him out since his attacks are too slow.
• Hulk – Very tanky and one of the hardest heroes to bring down, yet long-range DPS can kite him endlessly. Hawkeye and Punisher do the job by chipping him down while staying safe.
• Magneto – If he has room, Magneto dominates fights with his control, but dive characters ruin him. Wolverine and Namor pressure him quickly and don’t give him time to set up.
• Peni Parker – Her mines and gadgets are deadly if ignored, but if the enemies focus them, she has far less impact. Dive heroes jump her while ranged DPS break her gadgets early.
• The Thing – He is all about melee pressure so airborne fighters like Storm punish him every time. If he can’t close the distance, The Thing loses most of his threat.
• Thor – Thor has good burst damage and some control, but once he is crowd-controlled himself, he can’t do much. He depends heavily on keeping momentum which many heroes can cut off.
• Venom – With healing or support backing him, Venom looks impossible to kill, but focus fire can end him fast. Punisher and Hela bring that raw damage that melts through his health pool.

Duelist Hero Counters

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• Black Panther – He jumps fast into fights, but tanks like Groot or Hulk absorb his dives. Heroes such as Storm or Namor also slow him down because they don’t let him finish trades.
• Black Widow – Good at bursting supports, though she fails against shield users. Thor or Strange tank her damage easily and leave her exposed.
• Blade – His melee damage is scary, but heroes who stay at a distance, like Punisher or Hawkey,e make his life very difficult. Once kited, Blade rarely survives long.
• Hawkeye – His arrows hit very hard at long range, but small or mobile characters like Rocket Raccoon evade him. Any dive hero also punishes him because he needs space.
• Hela – She hits from distance and can carry late fights, still she crumbles to divers like Spider-Man or Moon Knight. Shield tanks also reduce her ultimate pressure.
• Human Torch – His flight mobility is nice, but anti-air picks take him out fast. Sustained DPS forces him to overcommit, where he gets punished.
• Iron Fist – In casual matches, he feels strong, but against organised teams, his lack of range is exposed. Tanks with CC lock him down and he can’t break through.
• Iron Man – He dominates the skies but gets punished if he stays too long above. Heroes like Hawkeye or Punisher snipe him, while tanks force him to ground level.
• Jean Grey – Has good damage but not much durability. Divers mess up her setup badly and DPS pressure keeps her from casting safely.
• Magik – She is more survivable than most divers, though still weak when poked from range. Heroes like Namor deny her free jumps into backline.
• Moon Knight – Balanced fighter but not overwhelming. Shield tanks reduce his pressure because he can’t burst through.
• Namor – Tanky and self-sustaining, but he cannot keep up against other ranged Duelists. Constant DPS wears him down.
• Psylocke – Deadly combo if it lands, but if enemies survive her burst, she becomes much weaker. Support ults or durable DPS heroes stop her momentum.
• The Punisher – Good steady fire damage, yet any strong shield makes him feel useless. Fast duelists can sidestep his slower aim.
• Scarlet Witch – Potential is high, though she’s often outpaced by faster damage dealers. Heroes who hit consistently end up breaking her rhythm.
• Spider-Man – His mobility is scary, but lock-on or CC heavy tanks hold him in place. He has trouble against targets that refuse to be picked.
• Squirrel Girl – Her squirrel mechanics are tricky but she can’t do anything to flying heroes. Storm and Star-Lord completely outplay her.
• Star-Lord – Solid DPS, but shield supports reduce his damage. His ultimate is easily answered by defensive team setups.
• Storm – Great AoE and mobility, though team-wide heals stop her ult from finishing fights. Grouped tanks also absorb her storm.
• Winter Soldier – Needs momentum to stay relevant. If pressured by CC and tank focus, he drops impact quickly.
• Wolverine – Strong melee pressure but collapses against defensive comps. With shields and healers in play, his dives rarely succeed.
• Mister Fantastic – Excellent anti-dive, but consistent DPS slowly eats through him. He cannot handle prolonged poke very well.

Strategist Heroes Counters

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• Adam Warlock – His poke and healing are good but he lacks durability. Divers rushing him make him almost useless.
• Cloak & Dagger – Their survivability is impressive, but steady DPS burns them over time. Best way is not to attack with an instant burst, but to keep pressure on.
• Jeff the Land Shark – Functions strongly in healer comps, though when focused directly, he struggles. Reducing his sustain hurts the whole team.
• Loki – His clones confuse enemies, yet DPS cuts them down fast. Airborne heroes also abuse his weak anti-air tools.
• Luna Snow – Her healing ultimate can flip fights, but she is very sensitive to bad positioning. Mobility-based heroes punish her when she stands alone.
• Mantis – Flexible support but weak against dives. Since her projectiles are slower, flying heroes avoid them easily.
• Rocket Raccoon – His small size makes him frustrating to hit, but once melee heroes reach him, he dies quickly. Gap closers are his hardest counters.
• Invisible Woman – Stealth gives surprise factor, though AoE and sustained DPS deny her resets. Heroes who spam attacks reveal her fast.
• Ultron – His drones bring strong pressure, yet focusing them or applying poke ruins his setups. Without drones, Ultron’s threat is minimal.

Counterplay is a huge part of Marvel Rivals. Even heroes that feel overwhelming at first always have some form of weakness if the right pick is chosen. Sometimes it is a Vanguard tank that stops a dive, sometimes it’s a Duelist who shreds through health pools, or a Strategist who breaks down support lines.

Marvel Rivals counters are just one part of improving your performance. Your aim and mechanical precision can be equally decisive. Mastering Marvel Rivals crosshairs settings lets you track targets more consistently and land abilities under pressure. Combining good crosshair control with hero-specific counters gives you a big edge in competitive matches.

By learning which Marvel Rivals counters matter the most, players can prepare better both for casual games and competitive modes. Understanding these matchups turns fights that look impossible into victories.

Featured Image Source: Marvel