Marvel Rivals has been out for seven months, and fans continue to enjoy this superhero shooter. With the game now officially in Season 3, many players are curious about which characters currently dominate the meta. While we always encourage players to experiment and find heroes that suit their individual playstyles, it's still fun to see who the community considers top-tier.
Tier lists are always subjective, but they can be helpful when preparing for a Rivals session. Sometimes you want to pick a hero for fun; other times, you're trying to support your squad in ranked. Since this is a live-service shooter, the Marvel Rivals tier list will evolve with each update.
Without further ado, as a Diamond player in this current season, here is my current Marvel Rivals Season 3 Tier List:
Marvel Rivals Season 3 tier list (Diamond+)
S-Tier
Here are the characters many fans consider to be the best of the best when it comes to the current Rivals meta:
- Emma Frost
- Magneto
- The Thing
- Wolverine
- Psylocke
- Black Panther
- Iron Man
- Luna Snow
- Loki
- Invisible Woman
There is no defined meta in Rivals Season 3 so far, but there have been notable standout heroes that just made the cut to S-Tier. The season of flyers is over as they are mostly nerfed, and divers will have more problems engaging with the enemy due to many counters.
Tanks like Magneto and Emma Frost are still standout picks, as they are always essential to be frontline defenders that never falter. The Thing has also made it to S-Tier thanks to its new team-up with Human Torch and his ability to smack flyers out of the air.
Wolverine is still a menace despite the nerf to his team-up with Phoenix, which is why most players just ban him to avoid the hassle. Psylocke and Black Panther are dangerous to fight against as well, as they can be difficult to punish due to their agile skillset.
Iron Man is also in the meta, but despite being so easily countered, he can be a threat to an enemy team that doesn't know how to look up.
Strategists have also had it good this season, as Defensive Ults like Luna Snow's "Fate of Both Worlds" and Invisible Woman's "Invisible Boundary" are still great counters against all encounters. Loki, on the other hand, is still Loki.
A-Tier
These characters are some of the best in Marvel Rivals Season 3. Most players will be able to get plenty of wins with these heroes and villains.
- Squirrel Girl
- Punisher
- Storm
- Phoenix
- Peni Parker
- Doctor Strange
- Hulk
- Mantis
- Cloak & Dagger
Squirrel Girl has seen a lot of positive change this season, thanks to the new team-up with Iron Man, as she can now counter flying heroes. On the other hand, other Duelists like Punisher and Storm can also dominate lobbies that leave them unchecked.
The new Duelist, Phoenix, is still adjusting to the meta, but players with good mechanical skills will definitely see her as a promising hero in the growing meta.
Vanguards like Peni Parker, Doctor Strange, and Hulk remain strong. Peni Parker is still annoying during Defensive Maps like Klyntar in Convergence, whereas heroes like Hulk can be annoying to deal with with a competent team. Doctor Strange, however, is still stuck being a "clutch TP" kind of guy despite his strong kit.
As for Strategists, Cloak & Dagger and Rocket Raccoon remain relevant thanks to their healing and Ultimate recharge abilities, which keep teams alive in tight situations. Mantis just had her healing output reworked, making her more effective in hectic team fights with her light healing and damage boosts.
B-Tier
Although these characters are good in Marvel Rivals Season 3, they aren’t great. Players must either master their skills or pair them up with stronger characters. Even then, you won’t regret picking any of these heroes.
- Mr. Fantastic
- Winter Soldier
- Moon Knight
- Scarlet Witch
- Hela
- Hawkeye
- Jeff the Land Shark
- Adam Warlock
- Ultron
A hybrid hero like Mr. Fantastic is still viable, but it would still matter depending on the match up. He won't survive against a poke comp, but he will be effective against brawl compositions.
Other Duelists like Bucky, Moon Knight, and Wanda have devolved into situational picks. Bucky can still counter skilled Vanguards with his high damage, but he struggles against a good dive comp.
Moon Knight and Scarlet Witch excel at disrupting the enemy's flow, while hitscan snipers like Hela and Hawkeye are only viable when the enemy team doesn't run shields.
Strategists like Adam Warlock and Jeff the Land Shark struggle to maintain their viability, but they're getting there eventually.
Ultron, on the other hand, has suffered a heavy blow to his viability after a nerf to his Imperative: Firewall skill.
C-Tier
Fans who use these characters in Marvel Rivals Season 3 will be able to survive, but not by much. In one of these intense sessions, plenty of teamwork and strategy are needed to make these characters work.
- Namor
- Star Lord
- Human Torch
- Magik
- Venom
- Captain America
Dive comps have taken a major hit this season. Heroes like Magik, Venom and Captain America struggle to break into backlines due to Emma Frost, The Thing and Magneto peeling backline threats.
On the other hand, Namor has seen a downgrade with his viability if he's not played with a Hulk for their Gamma Ray squids team-up.
Star-Lord and Human Torch are still fun to play, but there are far better Duelists that are more effective in higher elos than they are.
D-Tier
There are 5 characters who are now in the Marvel Rivals D-Tier in Season 3. While they aren’t necessarily bad, their kit and abilities don’t always give enough value compared to the rest of the playable roster.
- Black Widow
- Spider-Man
- Iron Fist
- Thor
- Groot
Thor and Groot are decent Vanguards when paired with top-tier teammates like Magneto or Strange, but on their own, they tend to "feed", providing free Ultimate charge to the enemy.
Black Widow remains the most underdeveloped Duelist in Rivals. Her damage isn't enough in higher-elos as it constantly gets outhealed.
Divers like Iron Fist and Spider-Man suffer the most, as they are now easily countered by good peelers like Emma Frost and The Thing, and maybe even a Scarlet Witch.
And that's about it. These are my personal tier-list for the current Marvel Rivals meta in Season 3. The list will be updated every new season.
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