Season 3 of Marvel Rivals is ushering in a new meta shift with Phoenix arriving as part of the Duelist roster. Seven months since release, Marvel Rivals continues to roll out a diverse roster of heroes each month, with Blade coming in next.
We’ve already covered the best Vanguard heroes in our Tier List here, along with a general meta report for all heroes. Now, let’s shift our focus to the game’s primary damage dealers: the Duelists.
Marvel Rivals Season 3 Duelist tier list (Diamond+)
S-Tier Duelists
Wolverine
Despite the nerf to his team-up ability with Jean Grey (Phoenix), Wolverine is still a monster in higher elos. If left unchecked, he can easily break the morale of your Vanguards with little to no effort due to his high pressure and damage scaling.
A good Wolverine can dominate the lobby, but he’s also easily countered if someone swaps to heroes like The Thing or Emma Frost to stop him from taking most of the Vanguards hostage.
Pyslocke
Good Psylocke mains know exactly when to engage and when to back off. Before you even realize it, both of your Strategists are dead and already complaining in chat. While she's squishy, Psylocke is best played when the frontlines are distracted. She’s a stealthy force that can disrupt the flow of a solid frontal defense.
Black Panther
Another major threat to a well-coordinated Strategist lineup. Black Panther can easily shred the enemy backline with his high-damage Vibranium claws. If he’s left to zip around your healers, deal with him quickly, or you’ll be left with nothing but complaints from your Luna Snow and Invisible Woman.
Iron Man
Iron Man isn’t exactly a top-tier pick in higher elos since flying heroes are easily countered, but he’s still highly effective against teams that forget to look up. Good Iron Man players know how to use the environment to their advantage, hiding behind columns and walls, then making a quick escape with their thrusters. Before anyone notices, a Maximum Pulse explodes in the backline.
A-Tier Duelists
Squirrel Girl
Surprisingly, Squirrel Girl’s viability has skyrocketed in Season 3. While some might call her kit “low skill,” it’s surprisingly effective at taking down enemies in unexpected ways. Skilled Squirrel Girl mains tear through frontline defenses with ensnaring acorns and exploding nuts. She also has one of the highest Ultimate charge rates among Duelists, which can be frustrating for squishier heroes.
The Punisher
The Punisher remains strong in Season 3, but he’s easily shut down by a good Magneto or a coordinated team of Strategists. He still excels at finishing off low-health targets, but struggles against well-coordinated teams with solid positioning.
Storm
Now that Wolverine and Black Panther are common bans in higher elos, Storm is free to wreak havoc. Yes, she’s slow and vulnerable to good hitscan players, but if left alone, her torrential abilities can tear through your backline and tanks.
It’s always wise to save one or two defensive ultimates against a skilled Storm.
Phoenix
The newest Duelist on the roster, Phoenix, stands out thanks to her passive that builds explosive energy with each hit. She can easily shut down Rocket’s or Hela’s ultimates and becomes a serious threat against teams that tend to cluster. Her explosions pack a punch, and you might not even realize you’re melting until it’s too late.
B-Tier Duelists
Mr. Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is still a solid pick in higher elos, but he requires strong team coordination to get the most out of his hybrid kit. He doesn’t deal the highest damage, as he blends Vanguard and Duelist roles. His strength lies in survivability and disruption, constantly harassing enemy backlines by bouncing in and out.
Winter Soldier
Bucky finds himself in a tough spot. He can still be effective with good aim and ability usage, but he's often countered by strong dive comps. However, in a poke-heavy team, he becomes a lethal threat capable of shutting down aerial heroes and pressuring tanks.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight has been declining in performance each season. Since his Ultimate was “fixed,” his damage output has taken a hit. He can still be a nuisance with clever Ankh usage, but in higher elos, he struggles to survive against dive comps.
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch emerges as the new anti-dive option in Season 3. She can shut down heroes like Black Panther and Captain America with her close-range Chthonic blasts and deadly seals. Skilled Wanda players know how to protect their backline and when to use her shift ability wisely to re-enter the fight.
Hela
Hela remains a solid pick in high elo, but she struggles against a team comp with shield tanks like Emma Frost and Doctor Strange. That said, experienced Hela players know how to position themselves in clever spots, often taking out squishy heroes before anyone notices.
Hawkeye
Much like Hela, Hawkeye has also taken a hit this season. While still a viable pick, he’s too easily shut down by dive comps and lacks strong escape tools. His synergy with Luna Snow can help hold off threats, but only temporarily.
C-Tier Duelists
Namor
Namor has sunk a bit this season. Even with his team-up with Hulk for Gamma Squids, he struggles against teams with solid frontlines. He’s still viable as an anti-dive option, but unlike Wanda, he requires much more setup with his squids to be really effective.
Star-Lord
Star-Lord has also dropped in rankings, partly due to his skills being power crept by stronger and newer Duelists. Many players now opt for Storm or Iron Man to dominate the skies. With the damage drop-off nerf to his Ultimate, Strategists can now easily outheal it, making him a less viable pick.
The Human Torch
Human Torch feels like he should be more effective, but he struggles to secure kills from a distance. The recent damage nerf really hurts his viability and places Johnny among the lower-tier picks. Plus, his Ultimate is easily one of the worst of the Duelists.
At least he still has a cool team-up with The Thing.
Magik
Magik mains are still having a hard time adapting to the shifting meta. In Season 3, she’s not very viable in higher elos, often countered by good anti-dive comps and a skilled Emma Frost. Her Ultimate remains underwhelming and is easily interrupted.
D-Tier Duelists
Black Widow
Not much has changed for Black Widow. She’s still a poor pick in most matchups, and most of her damage is easily outhealed by the enemy team.
Spider-Man
Strategist mains can rest easy knowing Spider-Man isn’t as threatening as before. While he received a minor damage buff this season, he’s still easily countered by anti-dive heroes like Wanda and Namor.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist has lost much of his value this season. He’s no longer a viable pick in higher elos, as strong tanks like Emma Frost, Magneto, and The Thing can shut him down with ease.
And that’s it for the Marvel Rivals Season 3 Duelist Tier List. We’ll update this list as soon as a new season drops, so stay tuned to stay on top of the ever-evolving meta.
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