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Marvel Rivals’ latest Season 1.5 update has brought a lot of exciting new content, including new Heroes, Maps, and a teaser that fans have been waiting for, Blade. He makes an appearance in the new Empire Of Eternal Night: Central Park New York City map, serving as a hint that he will be coming soon. So, how will Blade fit into Marvel Rivals? In this piece, I will predict how he will impact gameplay based on leaks and lore.
Blade Leaked Kit and Abilities
Based on leaks, Blade will wield two different weapons. His primary weapon is a katana, which is obviously a melee weapon, likely capable of dealing high burst damage. His secondary weapon is a shotgun, providing some flexibility to handle threats at medium range.
Now, let’s take a look at his leaked skills before diving deeper into the analysis.
Passive: Bloodline Liberation
One of the most interesting aspects of Blade’s kit is his passive ability: Bloodline Liberation. Similar to The Punisher, it allows him to see enemies through walls. However, there is still no confirmation on how this ability is triggered.
Will it require Blade to deal damage first, or is there another condition? If it works similarly to The Punisher, it could give him a strong edge in tracking and ambushing enemies, making him even deadlier while chasing enemies.
Stomp and Slash
Based on the leaks, Stomp and Slash will be Blade’s main attacking skill, allowing him to deal high burst damage with his katana. This would be his bread and butter, as its burst damage potential makes it perfect for catching enemies off guard and quickly eliminating them.
The Dark Knight Attack
Now, what’s the use of a burst melee combo skill if you can’t get close to your enemies? This is where The Dark Knight Attack comes in handy. According to leaks, this ability is a dash strike that allows Blade to either close the gap or retreat when needed. However, it’s still unclear whether this skill deals damage to enemies or simply serves as a movement tool.
From the looks of it, it seems similar to abilities seen in characters like Psylocke, enabling quick repositioning or chasing down fleeing enemies with ease.
Fang Deflect
Fang Deflect is rumored to be Blade’s defensive skill, allowing him to deflect incoming ranged attacks. In the comics, Blade possesses superhuman senses and speed, so it makes sense that he could use his katana to parry incoming projectiles.
It will likely function similarly to Iron Fist’s RMB or Hawkeye’s melee deflect, providing a way to counter ranged opponents and maintain his aggressive playstyle.
Ultimate Ability: New Moon
Blade’s ultimate, New Moon, is rumored to transform him into his full vampire form. Surely, this transformation isn’t just for show—it enhances all his stats and grants access to an entirely new set of abilities. While the specifics of these abilities remain unknown, this ultimate could be what makes Blade truly terrifying on the battlefield.
This would be the perfect opportunity to introduce lifesteal mechanics to the game. It would make sense if his vampiric form had a passive lifesteal ability, allowing him to heal whenever he lands a hit during his ultimate. This would further solidify Blade as a relentless Duelist, capable of sustaining himself in extended fights.
Blade Gameplay Prediction
From what I can see, Blade is shaping up to be a unique hybrid between a diver and a survivor. Think of him as a mix between Psylocke and The Punisher, but with extra defensive capabilities. His ability to deflect attacks while maintaining high mobility and burst damage could make him incredibly difficult to deal with in the right hands.
What makes Blade particularly interesting is his flexibility. While he’s primarily built for close-range combat, his shotgun and defensive abilities ensure that he isn't completely helpless at medium range. This versatility could make him a solid pick in various team compositions, allowing him to adapt to different playstyles.
Looking at his skill set, he seems to be a strong duelist, capable of flanking or dealing burst damage alongside teammates. However, the most exciting part of his kit is his ultimate. In his vampire form, he could catch enemies off guard. Imagine he’s flanking, and enemies turn to focus him down—but then, he pops his ultimate, transforming into a deadly enhanced vampire.
A lifesteal passive in this form would make perfect sense, reinforcing his survivability and offensive power. If done right, this could even make him a semi-Vanguard while flanking, allowing him to absorb damage and sustain himself as he takes down enemies.
Best Team Compositions for Blade
Based on his predicted playstyle, Blade will thrive in teams with long-range Strategists who can buff his damage. Mantis and Rocket Raccoon are ideal supports for him, as they can enhance his burst potential while he flanks. If they can boost his damage while he activates his ultimate, it would cause chaos in the enemy backline.
From a lore perspective, Blade might have a Team-Up ability with Magik, as they are both members of the Midnight Sons. In the future, Ghost Rider could also be introduced, possibly featuring a synergy with Blade.
Additionally, Blade would pair well with Vanguards like The Thing or Thor, who can draw enemy attention while he sneaks into the backline to unleash deadly attacks.
