From big names like Iron Man and Spider-Man, all the way to lesser-known heroes like Peni Parker, the playable Marvel Rivals characters list is absolutely packed. Seriously, whether you’re a casual Marvel fan or a know-it-all, chances are your favorite superhero or villain is in the game.
Focusing on intense PvP action, understanding the Marvel Rivals roster will be invaluable if you’re looking to come out victorious, especially in the competitive mode. So, if you want to find out if your favorite characters are in Marvel Rivals, we’ve got all the info you need ahead of the Marvel Rivals release date. Keep in mind that, thanks to the Marvel Rivals Alpha, you’ll get to play as some of these characters well ahead of launch.
All Marvel Rivals Characters
There are 20 confirmed characters in the Marvel Rivals roster:
- Black Panther
- Doctor Strange
- Groot
- Hela
- Hulk
- Iron Man
- Loki
- Luna Snow
- Magik
- Magneto
- Mantis
- Namor
- Peni Parker
- Rocket Raccoon
- Scarlet Witch
- Spider-Man
- Star-Lord
- Storm
- The Punisher
- Venom
These 20 characters that form the launch roster come from across Marvel’s diverse universe. There’s the typical Hulk, Spider-Man, and Iron Man that you’d expect to see given their popularity in other Marvel media, as well as some surprise inclusions like Luna Snow. However, that’s what makes Marvel Rivals’ roster as good as it is.
Each character has a unique weapon, abilities, ultimate, and passive skills that set them apart. Characters like Hulk are close-up brutes while others, like Hawkeye, favor range. Each character is different, so you’ll have to play to their strengths and find the right character for you.
If you want to win, you’ll need to coordinate with your team to build a well-balanced team. This is particularly important as there are even ways to combine abilities for even more devastation.
Black Panther
T'Challa might not be the best hero in the game, but he's incredibly fun to play with his high mobility. Just like Black Panther should, you'll have to leap in and out of combat to excel with this hero, making use of their high damage while using your agility to survive.
Doctor Strange
With his spells and the Cloak of Levitation, Doctor Strange has high damage and relatively strong mobility. What you likely didn't expect is that this spell-slinger is actually a tank in Marvel Rivals. That's right, Doctor Strange needs to stick to the frontlines and protect his allies to win.
Groot
Making the most of his large stature and nature powers, Groot is a great tank in Marvel Rivals. He can use vines to damage enemies and control the flow of battle, and his massive health bar makes him a tough foe to take down.
Hela
Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death, doesn't just have one of the coolest skins in Marvel Rivals but also comes boasting great AoE damage. As a duelist, this fierce fighter makes use of great range and mobility to pick foes off from afar.
Hulk
Hulk is arguably the most complex of the Marvel Rivals characters as he's technically three-in-one. Beginning as Bruce Banner and building up to the ultimate wrecking ball, Hulk, this mean, green titan is an aggressive tank. As Hulk, it's your job to charge into the action, disrupt their team, and take out as many as you can.
Iron Man
While it's one of the coolest characters in the Marvel universe thanks to his iconic suits, he's not the strongest character in Marvel Rivals right now. Although he has great range and mobility, he's lacking damage and survivability from hit-scan opponents.
Loki
Loki in Marvel Rivals is not what you'd expect from the Norse god of mischief. That's because Loki is part damage dealer, part support character. When you're not disrupting the enemy with your clones and shapeshifting powers, you'll be healing your team to keep them in the fight.
Luna Snow
K-Pop idol and ice-wielding caster, Luna Snow is a top-tier support character in Marvel Rivals. Not only can she heal herself and her team nearly all the time, but she can also damage boost allies and freeze enemies. Is there anything she can't do?
Magik
While melee characters are generally struggling right now in Marvel Rivals, Magik is the exception. With sweeping strikes with her greatsword and strong mobility, Magik is a great frontline damage dealer.
Magneto
With moderate health and a mobile shield, Magneto is a superb tank in Marvel Rivals. He's easily able to protect allies and force enemies out of position. While his primary attack does deal a fair amount of damage, it will take some practice to consistently hit shots, especially at range. When paired with Wanda, Magneto becomes even more terrifying by unlocking a whole new skill.
Mantis
Mantis is a very simple support character to get to grips with. Able to heal allies, provide damage boosts, and even offer speed boosts, Mantis can do it all. Because of this, Mantis is a great support to have in nearly every team.
Namor
Namor is a damage dealer that's surprisingly easy to play wrong. You'll want to be very careful with where you place your octopus to ensure you're benefitting from it as much as possible. His biggest downside is his lack of mobility, though as a more defensive, zone-controlling DPS, it's not the end of the world.
Peni Parker
Peni Parker is one of the most interesting tanks in Marvel Rivals. As a defensive tank designed around placing mines and other gadgets to ward off enemies and control zones, Peni Parker takes a surprising amount of skill to play well. However, once you get the hang of it, she's great for stalling enemies while your team capture the objective.
Rocket Raccoon
As the infamous raccoon with a love of explosives and doing things his way, you wouldn't expect Rocket Raccoon to be a healer of all things. Packing a minigun and various tech, Rocket can heal allies, dash around the arena, and take down foes with ease.
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch is undeniably one of the best Marvel Rivals characters right now. The best part? She's also remarkably simple to play. By managing your Choas Energy well, Scarlet Witch is able to obliterate enemies with her attacks. However, Wanda also has great mobility, letting you get the advantage over your foes with ease.
Spider-Man
Ah, Spider-Man. Even though he's not the best character in the Marvel Rivals roster, I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of Spider-Man simply because he's many fans' favorite hero. With the best mobility in the game, Spider-Man can get in and out of combat faster than you can blink. He can back this up with great damage if you can get his combo down, especially when you've got your ultimate ready.
Star-Lord
With his iconic rocket boots and blasters, Star-Lord is an aerial beast. Fly up high and rain down damage from above. He can be a bit tricky to get to grips with at first, largely due to his mobility also making him a clear target, but it pays off with high damage, especially when using his ultimate.
Storm
Master the elements as Storm. Hovering above the battlefield, Storm can cast devastating AoE attacks that will force enemies to move out of position or pay the price. She's not all about damage though, as Storm can also support and buff nearby allies.
The Punisher
The Punisher is arguably the most straightforward Marvel Rivals character, reflected in his one-star difficulty rating. Packing various firearms, The Punisher can adjust to nearly every range and dish out incredible damage. His ultimate lets him turn up the heat with two gatling guns and missiles, forcing enemies to cower or be killed. He can also place a turret, which while deadly, can be easily countered by coordinated enemies.
Venom
The Lethal Protector is also making his way into the team-based shooter, and since he fills the Vanguard role, the symbiote will get to live up to that moniker. Aside from swinging between buildings, Venom can use his tendrils to hold enemies in place, making them easier targets for his teammates. So, pair up with a strong DPS character and you'll be a force to be reckoned with. We'll be getting the Eddie Brock version of the character in Marvel Rivals.
Marvel Rivals Leaked Characters
These are the 20 leaked Marvel Rivals characters:
- Adam Warlock
- Black Widow
- Blade
- Captain America
- Cloak and Dagger
- Hawkeye
- Human Torch
- Invisible Woman
- Iron Fist (Lin Lie)
- Jeff the Landshark
- Moon Knight
- Mr. Fantastic
- Psylocke
- Squirrel Girl
- The Thing
- Thor
- Ultron
- Winter Soldier
- Wolverine
Many of these characters were leaked during the first closed alpha test, with 20 announced characters joining the already revealed 19 for a total of 39 heroes in the roster. These leaked additions reveal even more varied and lesser-known heroes. In fact, I don’t blame you if you’ve never heard of characters like Squirrel Girl or Jeff the Landshark before.
On that note, the roster will continue to grow as part of the live-service post-launch content, which will add new characters, maps, and more to the game with each season. If you’re missing some of your favorites, don’t lose hope just yet.
In fact, there are some surprising absences from the Marvel Rivals character list that could be added in the future. For example, iconic villains Thanos, Venom, and Mister Negative aren’t currently playable. Likewise, there are more members of the Fantastic Four, Deadpool, and a few other heroes that would be great additions. Personally, I’d love to see everyone’s favorite space dog, Cosmo, join the roster one day.
Marvel Rivals Classes
Marvel Rivals characters are split into the following three categories based on their playstyle and role:
- Vanguard - Tank
- Duelist - Damage dealer
- Strategist - Support/Healer
Although the names might throw you through a loop, the Marvel Rivals classes are very much the roles you'd expect if you've played similar games, including Overwatch.
The Vanguard characters are the frontline brawlers. With large health bars and often featuring shields or other defensive moves, Vanguards create space for allies, disrupt the enemy, and protect their allies.
Duelist characters are all about one thing and one thing only - dealing as much damage as possible and killing enemy players. Some get up close and personal with melee weapons, while some fire from a distance and some can even fly. No matter what type of Duelist you're playing though, your role is to take out important enemy players to give your allies some breathing room. It's worth noting that some DPS characters, like Storm, also have supportive abilities, though these are often focused on playing offensively.
Finally, Strategists are supportive characters, generally having the power to heal allies. Your goal is simple, keep your allies in the fight for as long as possible and provide any other unique advantages your chosen character might provide, like damage boosts and the like.
Vanguards:
- Doctor Strange
- Groot
- Hulk
- Magneto
- Peni Parker
- Venom
Duelists:
- Black Panther
- Hela
- Iron Man
- Magik
- Namor
- Scarlet Witch
- Spider-Man
- Star-Lord
- Storm
- The Punisher
Strategists:
- Loki
- Luna Snow
- Mantis
- Rocket Raccoon
Well, that's all the Marvel Rivals characters in the roster right now, from a pyromaniac raccoon to the Norse god of trickery. We'll update this guide as and when more characters are added, so check back here often.