Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play 6v6 hero shooter from NetEase Games, released in December 2024. Two teams of six pick Marvel heroes and fight over an objective that changes with the mode. This guide focuses on what the gameplay looks like once a match starts: how heroes move and fight, how ultimates and Team-Ups change a fight, what the three modes ask of you, and what separates a good team from a bad one. For a beginner walkthrough of roles and settings, see our Marvel Rivals beginner guide.
The shape of a match
Every hero has a primary fire, a secondary fire, two or three abilities on cooldowns and an Ultimate that charges as you deal and take damage. Heroes are comic-accurate: Spider-Man swings and web-shoots, Doctor Strange opens portals and shields, and Hulk smashes. A match is team-based, and you win by completing the objective, not by getting the most kills. The roster has grown since launch, with over 30 heroes at the start and about 38 by mid-2025, so there is a wide range of playstyles.
The three roles in action
Vanguards hold the front
Vanguards absorb damage and create space. A Vanguard stands on or near the objective and forces the enemy to look at them instead of at your Strategists. Magneto and Doctor Strange use barriers and shields, and heroes like Venom, Thor and Hulk can dive to break the enemy line. The biggest mistake is to charge in alone, since a Vanguard who dies first leaves the whole team exposed.
Duelists deal the damage
Duelists advance aggressively and target the enemy Strategists. Some, such as Hawkeye, Black Widow and Iron Man, are comfortable at range, while others such as Spider-Man and Wolverine need to close in. Winter Soldier ability to refresh when he eliminates a foe lets him chain attacks. Scarlet Witch Chaos Control damage scales with the target maximum health, which makes her effective against high-health Vanguards.
Strategists keep everyone alive
Strategists heal, revive and provide defensive boosts, and a team should have one or two. Mantis, Rocket Raccoon and Luna Snow are among the easier ones, and Jeff the Land Shark has an ultimate that swallows allies and enemies and can wipe a team off a cliff.
Ultimates change fights
An ultimate is a charged ability that can swing a fight. Using it with your team matters more than using it alone. Coordinating several ultimates at the same moment is one of the best ways to win a team fight, and saving a defensive one for the moment the enemy commits is just as strong. Some heroes build ultimate charge quickly, and some can chain their ultimate again and again, potentially wiping the opposing team.
Team-Up Abilities
Team-Ups are shared abilities that become available when certain heroes are on the same team. Each requires an anchor hero that grants a bonus to a partner, and you activate it with the Z, X or C keys on PC. Examples include Ammo Overload (Rocket Raccoon with The Punisher or Winter Soldier, giving unlimited ammunition and a faster fire rate), Planet X Pals (Groot with Rocket Raccoon or Jeff, letting riders take reduced damage), Chilling Charisma (Luna Snow with Namor or Jeff), Gamma Charge (Bruce Banner with Doctor Strange or Iron Man), Metallic Chaos (Scarlet Witch with Magneto) and Ragnarok Rebirth (Hela with Loki or Thor). Seasonal anchor bonuses, such as extra health, healing or damage, appear on the Team-Up icon during character select.
Game modes and what they ask of you
- Domination: both teams contest a control point. The first team to capture two points wins. Play around the point and rotate when you lose it.
- Convergence: the offense captures points much like Domination, and three points wins. The defense works to stop them.
- Convoy: the offense escorts a payload to its destination while the defense tries to halt it. Defenders should stagger and contest the payload.
Playing the objective instead of chasing kills is the most repeated advice for new players, and it is true in all three modes.
Movement and positioning
Heroes have very different mobility. Some fly or swing, some teleport, and some are heavy and slow. Learning your hero movement and the cover on each map is more valuable than perfect aim. High ground and walls give protection, and many maps have flanking routes that Duelists can use. Stay within reach of a Strategist, and do not dive in alone.
Hero examples with tricks
- Doctor Strange can place a portal in front of the enemy spawn with the exit at a platform edge, so rushing opponents may fall.
- Jeff the Land Shark can swim to cliff edges and spit out enemies he has swallowed, or jump off for multiple eliminations.
- Iron Fist and Magneto have abilities that block projectiles and power up their offensive moves.
- Hela stun and Mantis sleep should be saved for emergencies, especially when enemies dive at you.
Difficulty ratings
Heroes are rated from one to five stars for difficulty. One-star heroes such as Jeff, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon, Scarlet Witch, Squirrel Girl and The Punisher are easy to pick up, and two-star heroes such as Doctor Strange, Groot, Iron Man, Luna Snow, Magneto, Namor, Star-Lord and Venom are also beginner friendly. Starting with those lets you learn objectives without fighting the hero.
Practice and custom play
From the Play tab you can use Practice Tutorials, Rivalry Practice versus AI bots, and Rivalry Custom Game, where you can create a lobby for friends and add AI bots at adjustable difficulty. These are useful for learning ability timings and testing Team-Ups without pressure.
Reading a fight
A team fight in Marvel Rivals usually has three beats. First comes the engagement, when Vanguards step forward and Duelists look for angles. Second comes the commitment, when ultimates are used and Team-Ups fire. Third comes the cleanup, when the surviving side pushes the objective or resets. The side that wins the second beat usually wins the fight, which is why calling out and timing ultimates is so valuable. Players who watch the enemy ultimate meters and their own cooldowns make better decisions about when to fight and when to fall back.
What good teams do
- Cover all three roles. If your team lacks a Vanguard, someone should switch.
- Group up and advance together. A solo dive usually loses.
- Call out enemy ultimates so the team can respond.
- Trade ultimates well. Do not waste yours at the start of a fight.
- Switch heroes when a matchup is bad. Adapting is part of the game.
If you want the fastest way to improve, watch your death replays, note which role killed you, and decide whether you could have avoided the fight, changed hero or waited for your team.
Check the in-game hero select for the current roster and balance changes, since patches adjust heroes often.
Frequently asked questions
Is Marvel Rivals free?
Yes, it is free to play.
How many players are on a team?
Six per team.
What are the game modes?
Domination, Convergence and Convoy, plus practice and custom modes.
What is a Team-Up Ability?
A shared ability unlocked by certain hero pairs, activated with Z, X or C.
Which heroes are easiest?
Heroes rated one or two stars for difficulty.
Can I practice against bots?
Yes, in Rivalry Practice versus AI or a custom game.