Marvel Rivals gets a lot of flak for being an Overwatch clone, but NetEase added a new element to the gameplay: Team-Ups. Certain characters can gain extra bonuses and even moves depending on team composition.
While several guides exist on the best team-ups in the game, it’s probably best not to get too invested in them, as the developers plan to change them season by season.
Team-ups in Marvel Rivals aren’t Permanent
As the devs confirmed (via Reddit), Team-Ups are more of a seasonal element and could be changed depending on the season. The post confirms, “There will be changes, additions, and removals based on season narrative.”
With Season 1, a lot of the existing team-ups (like with Thor/Storm, Rocket/Bucky/Punisher) were given buffs and nerfs, but as more heroes are added to the roster, players should expect more team-ups to be added, and even some removed, depending on what’s happening with the season, or how certain characters are being played.
Most Wanted Team-Ups
If anything, there are some team-ups that fans expected with the game but don’t exist. With Wolverine and Storm being members of the X-Men, everyone was hoping that the two would have a team-up, but instead, Wolverine’s team-up is with the Hulk; originally, in the comics, the ‘Fastball Special’ was a move that Wolverine would only do with Colossus—but since he isn’t in the game, it would make sense for some other bruiser to chuck Wolverine across the map instead.
There isn’t even a team-up in the game for Captain America and Bucky, and the only X-Man that Magik has a team-up ability is Psylocke.
Fans have also requested that bigger team-ups be activated within the game, as multiple heroes are members of specific groups. For example, if everyone on the roster is a Guardian of the Galaxy, an X-Man, or an Avenger, maybe there should be a team-up.
At best, fans expect the whole Fantastic Four roster to activate a team-up if all four are used in a team. However, the largest team-ups only consist of three people, with one activator buffing two possible teammates.
Perfectly Balanced as All Things Should Be
With Marvel Rivals planning on adding new heroes every 1.5 months, team-up changes are inevitable. The game's balance will constantly fluctuate based on who is added to the roster.
Admittedly, some players are worried that Rivals could be adding as many as 8 new characters a year, but it does seem that the developers aren’t so concerned about balancing as their priority is more on letting the players have their fun.
There is still a competitive side to the game, but there are said to be bans for certain characters depending on the meta for the current season.
Marvel Rivals is currently available for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.