Balancing Act: Marvel Rivals Season 1 Overhaul Announced

Marvel Rivals receives a pre-Season 1 balance patch from NetEase, addressing character strengths and weaknesses. The update, released before Season 1's January 10th launch, features adjustments across all hero categories.

The patch includes both nerfs and buffs. Duelists such as Black Panther, Hawkeye, Hela, and Scarlet Witch see minor nerfs, while Black Widow, Magik, Moon Knight, Wolverine, and Winter Soldier receive buffs, impacting health, cooldowns, and damage output. A significant buff to Storm, previously considered underpowered, enhances her Bolt Rush and Wind Blade abilities.

Vanguards also receive adjustments. Captain America and Thor gain increased health, and Venom's Feast of the Abyss damage is boosted. Strategists, including Cloak & Dagger, Jeff the Land Shark, Luna Snow, Mantis, and Rocket Raccoon, see various tweaks to their abilities, often focusing on cooldown reduction and increased healing or repair rates.

Finally, the patch modifies several team-up abilities, impacting combinations like Hawkeye/Black Widow, Hela/Thor/Loki, and Rocket Raccoon/Punisher/Winter Soldier. These changes adjust season bonuses and cooldowns.

Detailed patch notes are provided below, outlining specific numerical changes for each character and team-up ability.

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Balance Patch Notes

Duelist

• Black Panther: Reduced Vibranium Marks health bonus.
• Black Widow: Increased Edge Dancer range, reduced Fleet Foot and Electro-Plasma Explosion cooldowns.
• Hawkeye: Reduced Blast Arrow spread and Archer’s Focus range and damage.
• Hela: Reduced base health.
• Magik: Increased Umbral Incursion damage.
• Moon Knight: Increased Hand of Khonshu talon count and explosion radius.
• Namor: Improved Monstro Spawn and Frozen Spawn throwing accuracy.
• Psylocke: Dance of the Butterfly now detects barriers.
• The Punisher: Slightly reduced Deliverance and Adjudication spread.
• Scarlet Witch: Increased Chaos Control fixed damage, reduced percentage damage, increased Chthonian Burst projectile damage.
• Storm: Increased Wind Blade speed and damage, increased Bolt Rush damage, significantly improved Omega Hurricane bonus health and duration.
• Squirrel Girl: Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami squirrels now target nearest enemies; reduced squirrel health.
• Winter Soldier: Increased Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage health bonus, increased Roterstern projectile damage, reduced area damage and damage decay, increased base health.
• Wolverine: Increased base health, reduced Undying Animal damage reduction.

Vanguard

• Captain America: Reduced shield restoration delay, reduced Liberty Rush cooldown, increased base health, reduced Freedom Charge energy cost and health regeneration.
• Doctor Strange: Added damage falloff to Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom, reduced Shield of the Seraphim recovery rate.
• Thor: Increased base health, added immunity to control effects during God of Thunder.
• Hulk: Reduced Indestructible Guard shield value.
• Venom: Increased Symbiotic Resilience health ratio, increased Feast of the Abyss damage.

Strategist

• Cloak & Dagger: Reduced Dagger Storm cooldown, increased Eternal Bond dashes.
• Jeff the Land Shark: Adjusted It’s Jeff! range, increased Joyful Splash healing.
• Luna Snow: Increased Fate of Both Worlds switch interval.
• Mantis: Reduced Nature’s Favor movement boost.
• Rocket Raccoon: Increased Repair Mode healing.

Team-Up Abilities

• Hawkeye – Black Widow: Reduced Hawkeye's season bonus.
• Hela – Thor – Loki: Reduced Hela's season bonus.
• Luna Snow – Namor: Increased Frozen Spawn damage and slow effect, increased berserk state damage.
• Rocket Raccoon – The Punisher – Winter Soldier: Reduced Ammo Invention cooldown.
• Scarlet Witch – Magneto: Increased Metallic Fusion projectile and spell field damage.
• Thor – Storm – Captain America: Reduced Charged Gale cooldown, increased Charged Gale damage.