Best Marvel Rivals characters to play in 2025: Marvel Rivals tier list

Who are the best heroes in Marvel Rivals right now? With 38 iconic characters pulled from across the Marvel multiverse, figuring out which hero to main can be a real challenge. 

While the game does a great job of keeping the roster relatively balanced, some heroes are naturally more viable than others in the current meta, especially in Season 2. 

To help you lock in the best picks, we’ve ranked 38 characters from S-Tier (must-picks) to D-Tier (off-meta picks) in our Marvel Rivals tier list. We’ve also split the list by role – Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist – so you can easily find the best picks for your preferred playstyle and team comp. Let’s dive in. 

Like most team-based hero shooters, Marvel Rivals is all about adaptability. Every new patch brings balance changes (buffs, nerfs, and reworks) that shake up the meta. With each update, the dominant heroes shift, and staying on top of those changes is key.

With 38 characters and multiple roles to choose from, it can be hard to keep track of which characters are worth playing right now. 

We’ve rounded up the strongest characters in Marvel Rivals as of April 2025, so you know exactly who to pick, ordered from S-Tier to D-Tier based on their current strengths, consistency, and overall impact in matches. 

This is how the Marvel Rivals character ranking works in our tier list: 

This Marvel Rivals character ranking is based on the most recent patch notes, community stats, and pro-play data from Season 2. We’ll continue updating it as the meta shifts, so watch this space. 

Here are all characters in Marvel Rivals, ranked from S-Tier to D-Tier according to how they perform in the current Season 2 meta. 

The Vanguard class is the tanks of Marvel Rivals, with ten heroes making up the numbers. These heroes are typically physically bigger and have larger health pools when compared to Duelists or Strategists. A good Vanguard can make or break a push, so make sure you choose one that works well in the current meta. 

Emma Frost is the breakout star of Season 2, wasting no time in climbing the ranks. Her dual-form design – between a hard-hitting brawler and near-unstoppable diamond tank – gives her great flexibility in teamfights, making her a good solo Vanguard pick. Whether you’re pushing or shutting down ultimates with her Diamond Form, she brings value to almost every team comp, making one of the best characters in Marvel Rivals. 

The Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, isn’t your typical tank, but his kit is deceptively supportive. His Cloak of Levitation and Shield of the Seraphim offer great verticality and protection, while his ultimate can swing fights if timed correctly. The only catch of his kit is his teleport, the Pentagram of Farallah, which requires solid coordination to fully capitalize on. In the right hands, though, Doctor Strange is an absolute powerhouse.  

As of Season 2, there are 20 Duelists in Marvel Rivals. Their entire kit is focused on DPS and getting eliminations, with either ranged or melee abilities. 

Hela lives up to her title as the Goddess of Death, delivering insane damage with her precision-based kit. Her primary attack and Piercing Night can easily shed enemies, especially with headshots. While her mobility was slightly nerfed at the beginning of Season 2, Hela has gained some offensive power back as one of the top characters in Marvel Rivals by a large margin.

Invisibility and stealth are tough to counter in any multiplayer game, and Psylocke takes full advantage of that. Her Psychic Stealth ability lets her easily slip past defences, set up flanks, or disengage when needed. Combined with her high burst damage and mobility, she’s incredibly hard to lock down, making her a nightmare for backline supports and squishy Duelists. 

Finally, we have Storm, who brings strong aerial mobility and consistent AoE damage, making her a solid Duelist with an eye in the sky. Her goddess-like abilities let her control the weather, further empowering her abilities and allies, for anything from damage to movement boosts. With her 54.32% win rate, she’s quietly climbing the meta to become a solid Duelist pick. 

There are currently eight Strategists in Marvel Rivals, offering healing, shielding, and other utilities to support their team. 

Following some reworks in Season 2, Rocket Raccoon has shifted from an overlooked pick to one of the best Strategists in Marvel Rivals. While his ultimate’s damage boost was nearly halved, it now heals teammates too. His base healing was also adjusted, rewarding players for their accuracy rather than spraying and praying. Adding in his iconic B.R.B revive beacon, and he’s a must-pick for any Marvel Rivals team comp. 

Luna Snow is the definition of cool under pressure – literally. Her Light & Dark Ice attack can damage enemies or heal allies for a hybrid support style. The Share the Stage ability also lets Luna Snow heal two allies at once, making it much easier to keep the team alive in high-intensity situations. Finally, her ultimate, Fate of Both Worlds, is possibly one of the best in the game, with both a healing and damage boost setting. 

Invisible Woman is one of the most versatile Strategists on the current roster, bringing a strong mix of support and utility to the table. Her piercing basic attack offers steady healing to keep her teammates alive and poke damage to chip away at the enemy. With invisibility, shield projection, and her Psionic Wave to push or pull enemies, Sue Storm is slippery, disruptive, and hard to lock down, easily making her one of the best characters in Marvel Rivals right now. 

Picking the right hero in Marvel Rivals can make or break your match, but it depends on your individual playstyle, the current team comp, map, and meta. Here are some tips to help you make smarter picks: 

Don’t force yourself into a role or hero just because it’s meta right now. If you win more playing high-mobility heroes or love being a frontline rank, lean into that. For example: 

Just because you’ve chosen an S-Tier hero doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed the win. Good team synergy is everything, especially when playing Marvel Rivals ranked modes. Make sure your squad covers each role: 

You don’t need a perfect formula every time, but Marvel Rivals’ 6v6 format lends itself to having two players in each role. If you’re running three Duelists with zero healing, you may need to re-evaluate. 

Don’t get stuck playing what was working in Season 1. Stay up-to-date with the game’s updates and balance changes. Characters like Emma Frost have seen a boost thanks to recent tweaks that have made her an S-tier pick. Keep an eye on patch notes and community tier lists (like this one) to stay in the loop.

Mastering around 2-3 heroes per role gives you options without being overwhelming. Try to have:

Having this versatility lets you adapt to the current situation, making you more flexible in solo queue and team play. 

Certain heroes will shine on specific maps. Open layouts favor long-range duelists like Hawkeye and Black Widow, while maps with tight corridors are best with melee characters like Wolverine. 

Learn the map pool and consider factors like chokepoints, verticality, and flank routes. Factoring these into your pick can be the edge that wins you rounds.

With regular balance changes and an ever-shifting meta, Marvel Rivals rewards those who stay adaptable and build up a well-rounded hero pool. But winning isn’t just about tier lists; it’s about how you play. 

There are no hard rules on which characters can or cannot be played in Marvel Rivals; this character tier list serves as a rough guideline on what’s working for most players right now. 

If you want to play an off-meta pick like Black Widow, go for it! Some D-Tier heroes can still work well in the right hands – the key is playing to your strengths and building smart team comps. 

Check back on this Marvel Rivals tier list as the game evolves; we’ll be updating it with every major patch to keep you ahead of the competition.