Symbiote Shenanigans

Jeff the Land Shark and Hela can borrow Venom's symbiote to extend tendrils and to enhance their skills. This is one of the 6 new Team-Ups introduced in Season 2.5, and updated in Season 3.

Heroes

• Jeff the Land Shark
• Hela
• Venom

Updates:

• Hela was added in Season 3

Lore

Jeff had never been so close to a symbiote before. The feeling was electric. Dangerous, wild, and thrilling all at once. He could sense this other being was mischievous, yet perhaps a little adorable — a kindred spirit in that regard. For a brief moment, Jeff and Venom were perfectly in sync, their thoughts intertwining in a way Jeff had never experienced.

"You feel it too, don't you, Jeff? We have more in common than just our love for chomping things with our giant mouths..." But that connection was suddenly interrupted by intrusive thoughts of Venom's true partner, Eddie Brock. Right then and there, Jeff made a silent vow: One day, he'd have a symbiote partner of his very own. And then, the entire world would be his feast!

Symbiote Shenanigans Guide

In this new Team-Up ability, Venom acts as the anchor, granting Jeff the ability and Hela to tap into his symbiote tendrils to enhance their skills.

• As the Team-Up Anchor, Venom gains a maximum health increase of 150.
• Jeff gains the Healing Tendrils ability through his Team-Up with Venom.
• Hela gains Symbiote Tendrils from her Hel Sphere skill that pulls enemies and slowing them down.

Jeff the Land Shark

When this Team-Up is activated, Jeff can improve his healing capabilities by connecting symbiote tendrils to teammates within the AoE range for 4 seconds. This ability functions similarly to Venom’s Cellular Corrosion, but instead of latching onto enemies, Jeff links to allies to provide healing.

This is especially useful during intense team fights and clashes, whether contesting a Capture Point or pushing through a choke point. However, this ability requires Jeff to be positioned inside the fight, shifting his role from a medium to long-range support to a more frontline healer.

Not only is this Team-Up ability effective during team fights, but it also works well for protecting the backline from flank attempts. Strategists often group together at the rear of their team, making it easy for Jeff to link with his fellow Strategists when an enemy flanker tries to breach the backline.

Overall, this Team-Up enhances Jeff's ability to provide sustained healing during crucial moments, a role he previously lacked in his standard gameplay.

Is it a game changer? Not quite. But it's certainly a fresh mechanic that shifts how Jeff is played and gives him a more versatile support role.

Hela

With this Team-Up, Hela’s Hel Sphere is enhanced, infused with the power of the Symbiote, allowing it to lash out tendrils that pull enemies and slow their movement.

This is a versatile ability, useful for both survivability and offensive plays. When being chased or ganked, she can deploy the sphere to briefly halt her pursuers and slow them down.

However, it’s best used as part of an offensive kit, either to initiate team fights or as a follow-up ability. This mechanic functions similarly to Groot’s Ultimate, pulling enemies toward the center point of the sphere. However, it only pulls, it doesn't stun, so timing is everything.

Another way to utilize it is to follow up a teammate’s Ultimate. For example, after characters like Moon Knight or Namor unleash their Ultimates, Hela can pull enemies toward the center of those Ultimates by using her Symbiote-infused sphere.

Best Against

This Team-up is best against flankers and divers:

• Captain America, The Thing, and Venom are all diving Vanguards who often chase down Strategists. With Jeff’s symbiote link, he can provide constant healing to teammates who are being harassed, and Hela can slow them.
• Black Panther, Iron Fist, Magik, Psylocke, and Spider-Man are Duelists who typically flank and pressure the backline. Jeff can sustain his allies with healing while also chipping away at these flankers, helping to keep the backline safe. Hela can stop them from chasing.

Best Counters

These heroes are the best counters to Symbiote Shenanigans:

• Groot can interrupt Jeff’s healing by separating him from his teammates, either before or during the symbiote link, effectively breaking the connection.
• Thor can push Jeff away while he’s linking with allies, forcing a disconnection from the tendrils.
• Moon Knight excels at punishing clumped-up enemies, which is exactly the position Jeff needs to be in to maximize his healing, making him a strong counter.
• Wolverine can grab Jeff or one of his linked teammates, instantly disrupting the symbiote link.
• Invisible Woman can pull or push Jeff’s linked allies, causing them to break out of the connection range and sever the healing link.