Want to rank up fast? It all starts with picking the right hero. In Marvel Rivals, strategic synergy, individual skill, and tight coordination heavily influence which heroes dominate. That’s why we’ve broken down the tier list into two parts – Above Diamond and Below Diamond – to reflect the different demands of high- and mid-tier play.
⚡ Quick Navigation
Diamond+ Tier List
Below Diamond Tier List
Hero Commentary
💎 Diamond+ Tier List
S+ Tier – Meta Rulers
These heroes are practically mandatory in high-level play. They’re strong on every map, work with any team comp, and often shape the entire meta.
Luna Snow
Magneto
Hela
Rocket Raccoon
Loki
Hawkeye
Namor
S Tier – Top Performers
These heroes bring consistent value, but require stronger team coordination or better counters than S+ picks.
Invisible Woman
The Punisher
Groot
Venom
Ultron
Emma Frost
Peni Parker
Hulk
Doctor Strange
Storm
Star-Lord
Human Torch
A Tier – Reliable & Flexible
Solid picks with good kits. Can outperform higher-tier heroes if used correctly or in the right comp.
The Thing
Winter Soldier
Wolverine
Captain America
Mantis
Psylocke
Cloak & Dagger
Thor
Mr. Fantastic
Iron Fist
Adam Warlock
Spider-Man
B Tier – Situational Picks
Viable but niche. They serve specific roles but tend to be outclassed overall.
Jeff the Land Shark
Scarlet Witch
Black Widow
Iron Man
Moon Knight
Squirrel Girl
Magik
C Tier – Rarely Optimal
Limited value at high levels. Can still work in fringe scenarios, but don’t expect miracles.
Black Panther
🥈 Below Diamond Tier List
S+ Tier – Dominant & Easy to Use
These heroes crush the mid ranks due to their power and ease of use. They synergize well with disorganized teams and often dictate the outcome of lower-rank games.
Rocket Raccoon
Namor
The Punisher
Luna Snow
Peni Parker
Scarlet Witch
Cloak & Dagger
Doctor Strange
Invisible Woman
S Tier – Strong Mid-Rank Picks
Powerful and consistent, but not quite auto-wins. These heroes thrive when you understand their matchups.
Groot
Winter Soldier
Magneto
Moon Knight
Storm
Hela
Loki
Star-Lord
Jeff the Land Shark
Thor
Mister Fantastic
Venom
Emma Frost
Squirrel Girl
A Tier – Decent and Dependable
Good across most matches, but usually need the right teammates or maps to shine.
Hawkeye
Ultron
Wolverine
Human Torch
Hulk
Psylocke
Iron Fist
The Thing
Spider-Man
B Tier – Not Ideal, But Not Useless
Works under the right conditions, but don’t expect them to carry.
Captain America
Mantis
Magik
Adam Warlock
Iron Man
C Tier – Tough to Win With
You’re making life harder by picking them. Steep learning curves or limited impact.
Black Panther
Black Widow
🧠 Overview
This list is based on the Season 2.5 patch (live as of May 30, 2025), and it will evolve as future balance updates shift the meta. Remember: play who you love and who fits your strengths. Tier lists are a guide – not gospel.
🔍 Hero Highlights
Captain America
Tier: A (Diamond+), B (Below Diamond)
Cap’s still strong in expert hands – shield bash, crowd control, and damage deflection make him a great bruiser. But recent nerfs reduced his survivability, making him less forgiving in the mid ranks.
Doctor Strange
Tier: S (Diamond+), S+ (Below Diamond)
Top-tier support with huge outplay potential. His shield counters key ultimates, and his portal enables game-changing plays. Buffed firepower and utility make him a meta cornerstone, especially in lower ranks where coordination is limited.
Emma Frost
Tier: S (Both)
Can dominate frontline duels and handle close combat with ease thanks to her Diamond Form. Lacks mobility, but trades it for unmatched durability and crowd control immunity when transformed.
Groot
Tier: S (Both)
Map control king. Nerfed but still excellent – Groot thrives in coordinated teams that capitalize on choke-point manipulation and ult setups.
Hulk
Tier: S (Diamond+), A (Below Diamond)
A tanky menace with a big body and bigger punches. He shines when played patiently. Requires good timing and positioning – less effective in chaotic solo queue games.
Magneto
Tier: S+ (Diamond+), S (Below Diamond)
Extremely strong but mechanically demanding. High-risk, high-reward – his burst and shielding make him a solo powerhouse, but only if you can land your combos.
Peni Parker
Tier: S (Diamond+), S+ (Below Diamond)
Buffed into the spotlight, especially deadly in lower ranks where trap awareness is low. Her Web-Snare is among the best CC tools in the game.
The Thing
Tier: A (Both)
Tanky brawler with devastating CC. Performs best when teammates follow up on his dives. Counters mobile heroes and excels against dive comps.
Thor
Tier: A (Diamond+), S (Below Diamond)
Bursty and brutal, but struggles against tankier or CC-heavy heroes. Less durable than other Vanguards but shines in 1v1s against squishies.
Venom
Tier: S (Both)
Mobile and hard to kill, Venom punishes out-of-position enemies. Great counter to Rocket and Hela. Requires decent game sense to manage survivability tools effectively.
Human Torch (S Diamond+, A Below Diamond)
Johnny Storm is a blazing force on the frontlines, turning chokepoints into infernos. His toolkit excels with high AoE damage and packs serious burst in his combos. After dominating the meta following buffs in Seasons 1.5 and 2, he’s now been heavily nerfed to balance his overwhelming presence. Though still potent, you’ll need to play more cautiously due to the longer cooldown on Flaming Meteor and its reduced Bonus Health. His Team-Up Ability with Storm unleashes devastating damage over an extended duration – enough to sway many battles. But running two fliers with overlapping roles and using dual Duelist ultimates simultaneously can strain your team’s resources.
Hela (S+ Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
Hela shines brightest in the hands of mechanically skilled players with pinpoint accuracy. Many top Duelist mains swear by her, and she’s one of the most banned heroes in competitive play. Her consistent ranged damage is brutal; just two headshots from afar can fell most foes. The devs’ buffs in Seasons 2 and 2.5 – more damage, lower stun cooldown, and increased ammo – have only cemented her dominance. Her ultimate, Goddess of Death, offers a clutch escape, instantly switching her to a first-person bird’s-eye view with a 1000 HP shield, raining AoE devastation for 10 seconds. Pairing with Loki for Team-Up synergy is deadly, but her reliance on raw aiming skill means she truly excels only with high-skill players.
Iron Fist (A both lists)
Iron Fist’s journey has been a rollercoaster. Empowered by Shou-Lao, Lin Lie uses martial arts and triple jumps to pursue enemies, his unpredictable Leap and kicks making him tricky to pin down below Diamond. However, Season 2.5 hit his survivability hard and nerfed his Team-Up damage with Luna Snow by 5%. All his attacks now deal slightly less damage overall. Thankfully, his K’un-Lun Kick cooldown got a 20% reduction, enhancing his best finisher and escape tool. Watch out – if he’s parrying with Dragon’s Defense, shooting him is a mistake; he’ll obliterate your team.
Iron Man (B both lists)
Iron Man’s been shuffled through updates constantly. His Gamma Team-Up got the axe, replaced by a new Anchor role for Ultron’s Nano Ray, granting him a 5% damage boost this season, though his final Repulsor Blast damage took a hit. His counters have received major buffs, making him tough to play. His loud jet sounds prevent flanking, but his Team-Up works well in a flyer comp. Season 2.5 also slashed his Overdive Bonus Health by half, nerfing that ability’s survivability. His Invincible Pulse Cannon is easily blocked or dodged if used carelessly but can net reliable kills when timed perfectly, especially against defensive ultimates.
Magik (B both lists)
Magik wields her Soulsword to slice through foes with large hitboxes and heavy damage. She’s a challenging melee hero demanding flawless combo execution and relies heavily on Bonus Health to survive. While specialists still perform well, the player base is increasingly adept at countering her. A Season 1.5 buff sped up her ultimate generation, making Dark Child-specific tactics crucial. Her biggest weakness is inconsistency – opportunities to shine are rare, and perfect execution is essential. With anti-dive strategies strong in Season 2, expect to face tough counters regularly.
Mister Fantastic (A Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
Reed Richards, the stretchy powerhouse, boasts a massive health pool and superior damage mitigation, outlasting most Duelists. Season 1.5’s brutal nerfs gave way to massive buffs in Season 2: Flexible Elongation now slows enemies, making him a stellar anti-dive pick and effective at locking down enemy Vanguards. Add extra health, boosted damage, and automatic Bonus Health during his ultimate, and Mister Fantastic has rebounded from worst to strong hero.
Moon Knight (B Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
As Khonshu’s avatar, Moon Knight serves up vengeance with his Ancient Ankh – first pulling enemies in, then bouncing his primary fire to auto-target foes within AoE. He’s one of the best heroes for newcomers, especially below Diamond, where players often ignore shooting the Ankhs, allowing Moon Knight to farm easily. Season 1.5 nerfs dropped him sharply, but Season 2 buffs to projectile speed, Bonus Health, and his ultimate revived him. His main weaknesses? Dive heroes like Spider-Man and Venom, plus snipers such as Hela. If Moon Knight is giving your team trouble, consider switching to his counters.
Namor (S+ both lists)
The trident-wielding King of the Seas commands his octopus turret, Aquatic Dominion, making him formidable against tanks and flankers alike. Despite frequent buffs, Namor lost the ability to deploy all three turrets simultaneously after his ice turret swapped to a Gamma turret. Still, his Gamma Team-Up keeps him among the best in Marvel Rivals. Season 2.5 expanded his ultimate’s size and improved turret damage falloff, making his auto-firing turrets deadly at all skill levels. Master cross-fire turret placement and precise secondary fire to maximize damage – missing Wrath of the Seven Seas significantly cuts his output.
Psylocke (A both lists)
One of the game’s top flankers, Psylocke chains combos for swift kills. When trapped, she vanishes instantly with Psychic Stealth. Wing Shurikens deliver multiple damage hits and heal her with each round landed. Season 2.5 nerfs to Wing Shuriken damage mean she now requires an extra primary or melee hit to secure kills, slightly lowering her tier placement. Her ultimate, Dance of the Butterfly, can be countered by healing Strategist ultimates and is harder to leverage at high ranks due to auto-tracking and AoE escape challenges. Contrary to misconceptions, her ult’s shield-blocking only works when shields face her dash direction and can’t block consecutive hits – her ult remains strong, just less overwhelming. Pair her with Vanguard Emma Frost for devastating combo damage.
Scarlet Witch (B Diamond+, S+ Below Diamond)
Scarlet Witch is a fantastic pick for players struggling with mechanics, thriving especially below Diamond in Season 2.5 thanks to her low skill floor and steady damage. Her damage model shifted from percentage-based to higher base damage, significantly buffing both primary and secondary fire and transforming her into a lethal backline assassin. Her new Team-Up with Doctor Strange is chaos incarnate, scoring more consistent KOs with a short cooldown. However, her damage-over-time is still too weak to outduel top-tier players who rely on precision over auto-tracking. Reality Erasure’s slowdown now triggers later, and she keeps her Bonus Health from previous patches. While not the strongest ultimate compared to others, combined with stun ultimates from Dr. Strange or Emma Frost, she can pull off team wipes.
Spider-Man (A both lists)
Everyone’s beloved web-slinger, Spider-Man, demands the highest skill to master – he boasts complex movement, multiple abilities, and an arsenal of animation cancels and tech tricks. At elite ranks, consistent impact is rare, but for most players, a skilled Spidey can dominate lobbies. Both Spider-Man and Venom have gained traction post-Season 1.5 buffs, though mastering them requires coordination and finesse. Season 2.5 has seen Spider-Man improve due to the rise of poke and flyer heroes, which suit his playstyle well. Surprisingly, he’s now one of the most banned heroes – especially annoying for Strategists – because a good Spider-Man can completely derail their plans.
Squirrel Girl (B Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
The nut-eating, butt-kicking powerhouse! Squirrel Girl shines when she leverages terrain, using her primary fire, Burst Acorn, to bounce attacks behind cover where enemies can’t reach her. Her signature move, Squirrel Blockade, is a top-tier crowd control ability that traps foes effectively.
Groot’s presence boosts Squirrel Girl’s viability, as her relentless acorn and squirrel barrage tears through him and his barriers – especially after his Season 2.5 nerfs.
In Diamond+ ranks, opponents learn to dodge her trajectory and limit her impact, but below Diamond, she farms ultimates insanely fast and nets kills almost every time. Her linear positioning in lower ranks lets her kit truly dominate.
Be warned: if used carelessly, her squirrel stampede is easy to avoid, and her nerfed lead squirrel is fragile enough for banned-rank players to take down quickly. Spam clustered enemies, particularly on tight maps like Klyntary, and you’ll see why she’s currently a force to be reckoned with.
Star-Lord (S Both Lists)
For players with lightning reflexes and pinpoint aim, Star-Lord is a go-to pick! Facing a skilled Star-Lord often feels hopeless – especially with Warlock’s recent resurrection buffs in play.
His Stellar Shift ability, which instantly reloads guns while granting a burst of movement and invulnerability, makes him a truly oppressive force. Top teams increasingly rely on him for relentless backline harassment. Perfect aim means he can one-shot 250 HP heroes without headshots.
His ultimate, Galactic Legend, earns him the nickname “flying aimbot.” Despite a slight cost increase, the improved max range and reduced damage falloff are a net buff for Season 2.5, helping players below Diamond carry harder.
Season 2’s damage nerfs to Blaster Barrage keep him just shy of S+ tier, but with good timing around enemy defensive ults or teamwork with heroes like Emma Frost, he remains a dominant force.
Storm (S Both Lists)
Storm’s meteoric rise began with massive buffs in Season 1 and a minor tune-down in 1.5. Her increased health, projectile speed, and damage elevated her from a toss-up pick to a top-tier flying hero.
Season 2.5 brought tougher skies, with buffs to long-range heroes like Hela, Punisher, and Hawkeye making it risky to fly freely. Her ultimate often gets shut down in high-level play, forcing her to adopt a more grounded playstyle – benefiting her team by spreading speed and damage buffs more broadly.
Her team-up ultimates require two ults but usually clinch team fights. In below Diamond ranks, Storm’s more aggressive, safe playstyle and frequent ult wins – often knocking out key Strategists lacking healing ults – keep her formidable.
The Punisher (S Diamond+, S+ Below Diamond)
If one machine gun isn’t enough, The Punisher’s Q ability lets you melt enemies like butter. His FPS-style kit is straightforward and devastating, making him an easy climb in competitive play.
After middling patches, Season 2.5 buffs have catapulted Frank back into meta status, dominating skies and shredding Vanguards.
Though he lost his Team-Up with Rocket, the base kit buffs more than compensate, keeping him highly viable.
Winter Soldier (A Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
“Again! Again! Again!” If you’ve faced a Winter Soldier, you know how one Kraken Impact can snowball into relentless team wipes.
The 4/30 hotfix gave him an extra Tainted Voltage charge – doubling damage, adding reload bonuses, and 40 bonus health – making him scarier than ever.
Bionic Hook is a game-changer: land a hook-uppercut combo to displace enemies and swing fights. Ignore it at your peril.
Season 2.5’s meta favors longer-range poke comps over dive, leaving Bucky with fewer prime targets. His Team-Up with Cap lacks Rocket’s Ammo Overload punch but grants bonus health and great escape utility.
Wolverine (A Both Lists)
The near-immortal adamantium claw-ripper excels at shredding bulky Vanguards. His Savage Claw scales with the enemy’s max HP, making him a nightmare for tanks.
Season 2 nerfs slowed his Rage build and shortened his stun duration, making him less deadly in extended fights.
Sneaking behind a Vanguard to Feral Leap them into your team is still a deadly tactic, especially against heroes like Doctor Strange, Groot, and Venom.
Below Diamond, Wolverine’s complex playstyle hinders his impact – players struggle to stage and escape effectively, often feeding kills instead of securing them.
If Wolverine’s wrecking you, The Thing is your hard counter.
Strategists Commentary
Adam Warlock (A Diamond+, B Below Diamond)
Master of soul magic, Warlock extends fights by linking his team’s souls. His unique revival abilities – self-resurrection every two minutes, resurrecting Team-Ups Mantis and Star-Lord, and an ult that can revive the whole team – make him a clutch player.
Season 2’s Soul Bond nerf was painful, but the hotfix buff – reducing Avatar Life Stream cooldown per primary headshot – revitalized his critical hit playstyle.
Warlock thrives in higher ranks where precision aiming amplifies his healing and damage. Below Diamond, reliance on raw healing stats limits his influence.
Cloak and Dagger (A Diamond+, S+ Below Diamond)
Season 1.5 nerfs hit their ultimate hard – less healing, shorter duration, and longer charge time. Still, Eternal Bond remains great for escapes, AoE damage, and team healing.
Season 2 buffed their ult’s dash linger time, but skilled enemies quickly capitalize to shut them down, especially in higher ranks. Below Diamond, players struggle to punish ultimates, boosting their power there.
Their auto-tracking primary fires make them a lethal duo in lower ranks, balancing offense and defense flawlessly. Dark Teleportation is one of Rivals’ best defensive tools, phasing them and teammates untargetable.
Invisible Woman (S Diamond+, S+ Below Diamond)
She’s unseen but leaves a huge impact, weaving between allies while her Orb pierces enemies. Her mix of healing, shielding, and crowd control protects teammates and sets up kills.
Season 2’s 50 HP barrier nerf barely dents her strength.
Her primary fire’s limited range and kit complexity hold her back below Diamond, but her massive healing ult shines in those ranks – giving players a clear signal to push aggressively.
At higher ranks, her well-timed ult and force displacement can completely shut down melee threats like Wolverine.
Jeff the Land Shark (B Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
The adorable shark offers steady team healing and speed boosts via bubbles. Season 2.5 reworks improved his Strategist role but killed his solo flanker style – Jeff mains need fresh strategies.
His primary fire now pierces allies and enemies alike, favoring grouped team play.
His ult’s lowered height makes it easy to dodge, and compared to other Strategists, Jeff lags in team value – especially on maps without ledges.
Strategists dominate Marvel Rivals, and Jeff is widely seen as the weakest, demanding extra effort to keep pace.
Loki (S+ Diamond+, S Below Diamond)
Even if his kit was weak, Loki’s ability to copy any hero and instantly access their ult makes him a strong pick. Typically, his ults bolster team defense.
Regen Domain grants temporary immortality by turning damage into healing, making his team nearly unkillable. The Season 2 nerf trimmed 5 seconds, but Loki remains meta.
Managing clones, regen cooldown, damage vs. healing focus, and ult timing are tough at lower ranks. Many Strategists offer easier, more reliable value below Diamond.
Luna Snow (S+ Both Lists)
Luna Snow dishes out the highest average healing for any comp. Her buffs in Season 2 and instant Bonus Health from stuns make her a healing and damage threat.
Two headshots with primary fire can drop 250 HP heroes – feel free to DPS her in Season 2.5.
Her Share the Stage aura is perfect for high-mobility teammates who dive enemy lines, extending fights and tipping duels.
Her ultimate, Fate of Both Worlds, grants 12 seconds of near-immortality and a massive 40% damage boost – turning many ultimates into one-shots.
Ice Arts’ piercing and self-healing, plus freeze stuns, make Luna a deadly flanker who can outplay attackers. A hotfix buff boosted her damage range, increasing her overall threat.
Mantis (A Diamond+, B Below Diamond)
A resource-heavy support, Mantis excels at buffing allies with stacked damage boosts. Her 12% boost may seem small, but stacking it across multiple heroes amplifies its effect.
Season 2’s stacking duration greatly improves her value in dive comps, giving allies 16 seconds of healing and damage boosts anywhere.
Slow healing keeps her from burst-saving allies like other Strategists, and she generally lags in raw healing numbers. A Season 2 max HP drop didn’t help either.
Rocket Raccoon (S+ Both Lists)
Rocket got major healing buffs in Season 1, and Season 2 made him a burst healing monster. His reworked ultimate is more forgiving and easier to utilize.
Ammo Overdrive’s loss was softened by Rocket Network Team-Up, which locks down objectives well with Peni.
His Jetpack Dash range and cooldown were nerfed, but small hitbox and speed make him tough to kill.
B.R.B. buffs his team’s health, jump packs, and rez before fights, turning battles into 6v7s by forcing double eliminations.
Rocket delivers steady AoE healing and solid close-range damage, with double bounce tech maximizing burst healing even after minor nerfs.
He demands minimal support, playing safely and self-sufficiently – making him a top Strategist at any rank.
Ultron (S Diamond+, A Below Diamond)
The latest Strategist and first non-Duelist flyer, Ultron blends damage and healing with an aggressive edge.
Imperative Patch’s passive AoE healing suits grouped or high-mobility teams.
His poke damage and ultimate stand out: Encephalo-Ray’s hitscan beam hits hard even at range, with minimal falloff and explosive bursts. Slow fire rate allows peek-shoot-peek playstyle, maximizing damage while minimizing exposure.
Ultron’s ult excels in clustered objective fights, dealing damage and healing simultaneously. Pair him with Iron Man to quickly farm Rage of Ultron with piercing Nano Rays.
Why Two Lists?
Skill, strategy, team coordination, and meta execution vary widely – so two tier lists capture hero strength more accurately.
For instance, Wolverine’s difficult Feral Leap combos weaken him in low ranks but make him devastating in high ranks. Scarlet Witch’s easy-to-use auto-tracking primary fire makes her strong below Diamond but less viable at top levels where higher skill players out-damage her.
Since banning isn’t a factor in Silver and Bronze, all heroes and counters remain available. Spider-Man, for example, struggles in those ranks due to both high skill demand and inability to ban counters like Namor.
