This guide contains our rankings for the Tank Heroes in Marvel Rivals and, while you can't fairly compare characters between different classes, we are focusing on the Vanguard class in this tier list. If you want to see more characters, check out our Strategist Meta Tier List and Duelist Meta Tier List, where we rank the Supports and DPS in their own classes!
For any tier list to make sense in this style of game, you need to understand the kind of players this list is designed for. Pro players and casual players will play characters very differently, so their rankings can vastly differ. In these tier lists, we are ranking for the average player. This means not brand new to the game, but not a high ranking player either. Typically this means players between Bronze to Platinum ranks.
If you are interested in seeing a tier list designed for competitive play, check out our Competitive Vanguard Tier List!
S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
Season 2 Overview
This is a preliminary update to the tier list based on:
- Balance adjustments for Season 2.
- Changes to Team-Ups for Season 2.
- Win Rate and Pick Rate stats at end of Season 1.5.
- New Season 2 Hero: Emma Frost.
A more full update and more in-depth report will follow shortly after the season starts.
Any low tier ratings for characters doesn't mean the character is outright bad. You can play any character in this game, practice them a bunch, and perform well in a match despite a low ranking. For casual players especially, you can dominate with any character if you master them. This list is designed for players looking to play the game without studying and mastering a character.
C Tier
Emma Frost is the new Vanguard added in Season 2. While it's fun to play the new character, she isn't easy to play. She has a lot of potential as you learn her, but for casual play, she's a bit too tricky to use. As the meta gets used to her, we will see where she fits in standings long term.
Groot is a top tier character for high ranking players, but he can be devastating at lover ranks. His walls are great in theory, but you will more often than not put up a barrier that prevents your team from securing their kills. Walls can benefit both teams if Groot isn't managing them properly. If you are really good with him and can manage the walls, you're probably on the fast track to a higher ranking. For most players though, Groot is too slow and detrimental to a team.
B Tier
Magneto is a good character, but at lower ranks, he is just a worse Doctor Strange. His shielding only lasts a few seconds, so you have to be skilled at knowing when to use it. Your team won't be constantly shielded either, so they will frequently be under pressure. His ultimate can be good for absorbing damage, but it is very tricky to land hits correctly. With a lot of practice, he can be a good pick, but not for casual play.
Thor is in a similar place. He can be incredibly effective as a brawling tank, but it's very difficult to master his abilities. Thor also needs a consistent healer to help him recover since he has to be constantly in the opponent's face to deal damage. A lack of healing will frequently leave you stranded out in the open with no way to quickly find cover or healing. His abilities do give you a small boost of bonus health each time you use them, but that is the part of mastering the character that makes him great at high level play.
Speaking of mastering characters, Venom is a combo tank that takes some getting used to. His bonus health ability can be great for staying alive for a long time, but his other abilities have a combo string you use to make him viable. Without it, he has a hard time securing kills or escaping after you get into combat.
A Tier
Doctor Strange is Marvel Rivals' most popular tank. His ease of use makes him easily accessible to players since all they have to do is shoot and raise a shield. His teleport ability is also a great way to give a bad team a way to break through an enemy setup. Since you have total control of it, that means you have the power to influence the match. His only downsides that makes him A-Tier for casual players is his combo fighting. To effectively do damage, you have to constantly raise your shield, drop it and attack, melee, raise it, attack, melee, raise it, attack, then remove your curse so you don't get anti-heal. Without mastering his combo, you will have a hard time securing kills, making you a glorified wall holding back damage (which can still be helpful).
Captain America has moved up to A-Tier this season for casual play. He's a fun option to be a huge distraction that just constantly runs and jumps around to take opponent's attention off your team. He's one of the best characters to stall an objective, giving your team lots of time to regroup. Casual play usually means uncoordinated, so having a tank that can give the team time to get together can be super effective.
Peni Parker is a tank that is super fun and satisfying to play, but the meta isn't favoring her at the moment. With lots of airborne and jumping characters, it's hard for her to get consistent value with her mines. Even still, causal players tend to forget about mines, so you can still get some good value out of playing her. Once the meta shifts back to favor anchor tanks again, Peni Parker will likely return to S-Tier once more.
S Tier
Bruce Banner (Hulk) got a bunch of buffs at the start of Season 2. They made him faster overall, which makes him really strong in casual play. You can constantly jump onto opponents and pummel them down, then jump away when your health gets low. His shield bubble gives you and nearby teammates a nice, brief protection to guard against ultimates and escaping combat. Brawlers are hot in the meta right now, so Hulk fits in quite well at rushing with your team.
The Thing has proven to be a beast of a tank since his release in Season 1.5. His ability to rush in, swing hard punches, and leap or sprint out makes him very easy to play. His charged attack deals a lot more damage than Hulk, which lets you be much more effective at locking in kills, but at the cost of being a lot slower. Your ability to be immovable ensures you can't be knocked off ledges or pulled into danger by Invisible Woman or Winter Soldier. You do want a healer around to let you keep brawling, but unlike many other tanks, you have multiple abilities that let you rapidly escape to find cover or health.
Wrap Up
That's all for our Vanguard Tier List! As new characters are added and balance changes are made, we will release updated tier lists for these characters. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Meta Tier Lists for Strategists and Duelists!
