Best Vanguards & Tanks: Competitive Meta Tier List (Season 1.5)

With Marvel Rivals now live globally, we finally have answers to the burning question: Who are the best Heroes in the game? In this guide, we 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, which refers to Diamond rank and above.

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.

C Tier

For our lowest tier, we have Venom. This character has had a steady decline in play over the last few weeks. The latest update did give him a little boost, but he just doesn't have the same "umph" he used to. He will jump in, be annoying for a few seconds, then swing out like nothing happened.

The current meta is built in a way that he can't be nearly as effective at diving. With Captain America's flurry of buffs lately as well, there just isn't much reason to play Venom right now besides trying to team up with Spider-Man.

B Tier

And speaking of Captain America, those buffs have finally moved him up a tier! He has gone from unplayable to a decent pick when you need to stall or push back against a strong defense hold. You won't be getting a ton of kills, which is why he is B-Tier, but you can assist your team by deflecting enough damage to push the opponents back and make space for your team to fill in. He can be efficient at pressuring healers with his constant bombardment, but not great against anyone else.

A Tier

Locking in our A-Tier are Thor, Peni Parker, The Thing, and Bruce Banner. These Vanguards 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 has grown to be the favorite brawler pick for many players. He is great for rushing and putting pressure on the backline or ranged characters. His abilities give him small bursts of bonus health, which can help him survive a bit without healer aid. His awakened state lets him mow down small HP characters that can't escape him. He's definitely a contender for S-Tier, but he is very slow and can get ruined very quickly with some focused DPS pressure on him.

Peni Parker is moving up a tier this half of the season. Her win rate proves that mines are effective killers at high ranks. I find her to be especially strong when launching mines far into the backline where healers are likely to step on them. She has proven that you don't have to be on defense for her to perform well, and that offensive pushes can greatly benefit from her utilities. Her ultimate allows her to rush into the opponents and force them all to back up, or else be surrounded by mines. It's a great way to break up a defensive hold and give your team space to move into. With her net getting to stop The Thing from rushing in or out, I think we all will be seeing a lot more Peni Parker in the meta.

Speaking of The-Thing, the newest Vanguard has already made an impact on the meta. His rush down strategy is similar to Thor in that he can pressure weaker opponents who can't escape. His charged punch does a great deal of damage, which helps to quickly take down opponents who thought they had a little more time to run away. His immovability gives Vanguard a new way of fighting against Wolverine, as well as protecting against sneaky plays like a Spider-Man pull off a ledge. Time will tell if the meta will adapt to counter this wrecking ball, but I think he is locked in as a solid tank pick. His biggest drawback right now is getting blocked in by Groot, which is a death sentence each and every time it happens.

Bruce-Banner wraps up our A-Tier, and I imagine many of you are confused why Hulk isn't in S-Tier. Ultimately, Hulk was S-Tier because of his incredible Team-Up with Doctor Strange and Iron Man. Now that the team-up has been heavily nerfed, he isn't nearly as necessary to play. Plus with the addition of The Thing, Hulk now has some competition for his role. He is still a strong character, don't get me wrong. He just isn't the monster he was at the start of the season.

S Tier

Holding the top spots in our S-Tier are Magneto, 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.

Magneto is back on top! His shielding has made him effectively a second Doctor Strange, but with a bit more range. His shields are time based, not damage based, so he can always hold an area no matter how much damage he is taking. His ultimate is the big shift that has pushed him back into S-Tier. Players have discovered he is the perfect counter for big healer ults like Cloak & Dagger since he soars into the air and aims down to wherever the healer pauses. The absorbing power of his ult also is a great way to negate big moves from your opponent, letting you stall for your team while they heal up and reset.

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!