With Marvel Rivals now live globally, we finally have answers to the burning question: Who are the best characters in the game? In this guide, week will break down our tier list for every character. You can't fairly compare characters to each other from different classes, so in this tier list, we are focusing on the Vanguard class. If you want see more characters, check out our Strategist Meta Tier List and Duelist Meta Tier List!
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 high ranking and competitive players. This means a less experienced or new player may have a very different experience playing these higher tier characters, or lower tier might be really good for you.
If you are a new or more casual player, the Meta can look very different than at higher competitive levels. For a more casual take on the meta, check out our Vanguard Casual Tier List!
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 tier rating.
S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
C-Tier
For our lowest tier, we have Captain America. This character just lacks in all departments on a competitive level. He doesn't do enough damage or have enough flexibility to stack up to other Vanguard. In a competitive setting, picking Captain America over any A or S tier character is basically throwing the match. His shield can be effective at blocking, but Doctor Strange just does shielding better. If you really want to play this character, wait for his inevitable buff.
B-Tier
Our B-Tier lineup includes Peni Parker and Venom. These characters aren’t bad, but they just aren’t consistently beneficial match to match. Some slight updates to these characters can easily bump them up in tiers.
Venom is made to attack the opponent’s back line. The issue is a competitive team won’t give you the chance to single low hp targets consistently. You will often find yourself using your web swing to get into position, but quickly need to retreat with your web swing on cooldown. He can still find use when you run a dive comp with multiple teammates supporting Venom. Venom is great at a casual level, but he just loses consistency in battles once you face players who know how to manage his aggression. His ultimate ability also gets easily countered by popular picks Luna Snow and Mantis since his ult only cuts hp in half.
Peni Parker is much stronger at lower ranks or casual play, but her tricks don't work as well in competitive play. Most of her strength comes from laying mines down. An experienced team won't fall for the traps as easily. They will either avoid them, destroy them, or swap to a character that counters the mines entirely. Her ultimate is really only good to lay out a bunch of those mines, so it doesn't have a high impact like other characters have. The one benefit the mines do offer is a distraction for the enemy team to have to handle. She does have the benefits like fast web movement, an unlimited magazine for her weapon, and a web snare to trap enemies. These upsides make her notably better than Hulk, but not as good as the other Vanguards.
A-Tier
Locking in our A-Tier are Thor and Magneto. These Vanguard are all strong picks for most team comps, and they serve important roles in different ways. They aren't as consistent or flexible as the S-Tier Vanguard, but they still hold their own and won't often let you down.
Thor is a bit more complicated than other Vanguard, but mastering his abilities can make you live for significantly longer. By managing his charges effectively, you can keep pressure on opponents with his dash attack, or enter his Awakened State for extra health and damage. Like Venom, his ultimate ability is very lackluster. It has very little range and is often a non-factor during matches due to how long the wind up is. A major benefit for Thor is his synergy with Hela. With her being a popular S-Tier competitive character, Thor can get free revives with their team up! The ability for your team to get a free revive on a tank is incredibly strong.
Magneto was once an S-Tier pick, but he is simply outclassed by other Vanguard. His shield and bubble are time based and not damage based, making him a strong pick for being aggressive. His ultimate is great for completely negating opponent’s damage or ultimates. A good Magneto player can very effectively hold off multiple opponents by properly managing his abilities. He offers a solid damage output, especially with his Iron Rings used properly. Magneto is simply an all-around solid character.
S-Tier
Holding the top spots in our S-Tier are Hulk, Doctor Strange, and Groot! These Vanguard are the best of the best, and can be used in nearly any team comp to significantly support the team. Each of these characters also stand out at being especially good at supporting the team with large barriers to shield behind.
Hulk was viewed across the board as a bad character at launch. His need to fight up close frequently proved difficult to achieve. With the game being out for about a month now, Hulk has proven to be extremely effective if you can master his jumping and Gamma Shield (and good Strategists make a big difference.) He is often paired with Iron Man to force opponents to either deal with the aerial barrage or a melee onslaught. His big swings also help remove the need to hit evasive characters. Just jump in their face and punch them a bunch!
Doctor Strange has one of the most powerful abilities in the game: his portal. With a coordinated or aware team, you can sneak your entire team behind enemy lines to break past tough choke points. You can also use unique angles to open up special lines of sight for your team, or allow your team a faster route to the objective after dying. His shield can absorb a large amount of damage and has a wide range of protection for your allies. With his flight ability, you can utilize this shield to negate the ultimate abilities of characters like Hela by literally putting a barrier over them. His ultimate ability can completely stop a major push, or help your team move in, but you have to get dangerously close to use it. Doctor Strange is simply one of the best options for offering a great mix of protection and utility.
Groot is one of the most infuriating Vanguards you can play. In the wrong hands (like casual players), he can constantly wall off opponents, making it impossible to finish them off in a fight and letting them regroup. For a competitive player though, he can strategically use his walls to separate opponents from their healers, or stop large threats before they hurt the team. He has the highest base health of the Vanguard, and is one of the best characters for taking damage head on. His ultimate ability works perfectly with a coordinated team, as it groups up your opponents and stuns them. This can let your team focus fire, or combo with you using a second ultimate to team wipe.
Wrap Up
That's all for this Vanguard Meta Tier List for competitive players! 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 tier lists for Strategist and Duelist!
