In the chaotic battlefields of Marvel Rivals, it’s easy to get caught up in the meta. Players flock to Hawkeye for his ridiculous damage output, Iron Fist for his one-shot potential, and Hela for her game-changing ultimate. But beyond this holy trinity of must-picks lies a treasure trove of underappreciated heroes just waiting to carry your team to victory.
I’ve spent countless hours testing every character in the roster, from the initially overpowered Luna Snow to the seemingly underwhelming Wolverine. What I’ve discovered might surprise you: some of the least-picked characters in Marvel Rivals actually pack enough punch to dominate matches when played correctly. These hidden gems often go overlooked simply because they lack the flashy abilities or straightforward playstyles of their more popular counterparts.
The Hidden Power of Unconventional Characters
Before diving into specific heroes, it’s worth noting that expanding your character pool beyond the meta picks can give you a significant strategic advantage. When everyone expects to face the same handful of characters, surprising them with an unconventional pick can throw off their entire gameplan. Marvel Rivals Boosting by Boost Factory has shown that even in high-level play, mastering these underutilized characters can lead to remarkable results against meta-focused teams.
The beauty of these underrated picks is that they often bring unique utility that can’t be replicated by the more popular choices. While a boosting service might help you climb ranks quickly, learning to leverage these unexpected characters can give you an edge that pure mechanical skill alone can’t provide. It’s about finding the right tools for specific situations rather than forcing the same hammer to work on every nail.
Groot: The Deceptively Versatile Tank
When most players think of Vanguards, Thor and Venom immediately come to mind. Their massive health pools and straightforward abilities make them safe picks for anyone looking to anchor their team. But lurking in their shadow is Groot, a Vanguard whose potential remains largely untapped in the current meta.
At first glance, Groot appears one-dimensional – just another wall-building character designed to block choke points. But there’s far more depth to this walking tree than meets the eye. His Thornlash Wall isn’t just a barrier; it actively damages nearby enemies, turning defense into offense. Meanwhile, his Ironwood Wall, when awakened, provides bonus health to both Groot and nearby allies, offering sustain that few other Vanguards can match.
What makes Groot truly special is his ability to control the flow of battle. A well-placed wall can split enemy teams, isolate key targets, or protect vulnerable allies from area-of-effect ultimates. His ultimate, when combined with damage-dealing teammates like Namor or Iron Man, can lead to devastating team wipes that completely change the course of a match.
The next time you need a Vanguard who brings more than just tankiness to the table, consider giving Groot a chance. His combination of space control, team support, and surprising damage output makes him one of the most versatile tanks in the game.
Black Panther: The Self-Sustaining Powerhouse
Black Panther embodies the perfect balance between accessibility and mastery. His abilities are straightforward enough for beginners to grasp, but mastering their nuances transforms him from a decent pick into a self-sustaining wrecking ball.
The heart of Black Panther’s power lies in his Spirit Rend ability. While it appears to be a simple lunge attack, using it against enemies marked with the Vibranium Mark causes it to instantly refresh and grants bonus health. This creates a high-speed combo potential where a skilled player can chain multiple lunges together, dealing massive damage while constantly regenerating health.
What truly sets Black Panther apart, though, is his passive 20% damage boost when below 100 HP. This makes him deadlier as fights progress, turning what would be desperate situations for other characters into opportunities for Black Panther to shine. Combined with the healing from Spirit Rend, he becomes incredibly difficult to take down in one-on-one situations.
The key to mastering Black Panther is learning the rhythm of applying Vibranium Marks and following up with Spirit Rend at the perfect moment. Once you’ve internalized this dance, you’ll find yourself surviving situations that would spell doom for most other Duelists, all while dealing enough damage to carry your team through tough encounters.
Loki: The Tactical Trickster
Loki suffers from perhaps the most severe case of underestimation in Marvel Rivals. As a Strategist, he’s constantly compared to healing powerhouses like Mantis, often dismissed for his seemingly lower healing output. But this comparison misses the point entirely – Loki brings a unique combination of utility, damage, and healing that makes him a force to be reckoned with in the right hands.
The most overlooked aspect of Loki’s kit is his Regeneration Domain, which can counter several powerful ultimates in the game, including Psylocke’s mind-control and other area-of-effect abilities. This single ability can turn the tide of battle when timed correctly, saving your team from wipes that would otherwise be unavoidable.
Beyond his defensive capabilities, Loki’s offensive potential shouldn’t be underestimated. His damage output is surprisingly high for a Strategist, and his ultimate – which allows him to copy an enemy’s ability – can be devastating when used to mirror a powerful ability like Iron Man’s Unibeam or Luna Snow’s Blizzard.
The trade-off for this versatility is a higher skill ceiling. Loki requires precise timing and positioning to maximize his effectiveness, but the rewards for mastering him are substantial. A well-played Loki can heal his team, deal significant damage, and neutralize enemy ultimates – a combination few other characters can match.
Rocket Raccoon: The Underestimated Healer
If there’s one Strategist who deserves more recognition, it’s Rocket Raccoon. Often overshadowed by Mantis among the Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket brings a unique healing style that can outperform more popular picks in the right situations.
The key to Rocket’s healing power lies in his Repair Mode ability. While it might not provide the immediate burst healing of other Strategists, the bouncing spheres it creates can heal allies multiple times as they ricochet around the arena. Each sphere can bounce up to ten times, creating a consistent healing zone that’s perfect for sustained team fights.
What sets Rocket apart from other healers is his versatility. Beyond his healing capabilities, he brings useful utility to the team with his traps and can deal surprising amounts of damage when necessary. He pairs exceptionally well with Groot, the Winter Soldier, and the Punisher, creating synergies that amplify his effectiveness.
The trick to maximizing Rocket’s potential is understanding the physics of his healing spheres. By positioning yourself and your allies in tight corridors or small rooms, you can increase the chances of multiple bounces hitting your team, dramatically increasing your healing output. This environmental awareness separates good Rocket players from great ones.
Wolverine: The Misunderstood Duelist
Since Marvel Rivals’ release, few characters have been as consistently underrated as Wolverine. The community quickly labeled him as the weakest Duelist in the game, leading to one of the lowest pick rates across the entire roster. This perception, however, is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of how Wolverine is meant to be played.
The secret to Wolverine’s power lies in two key aspects of his kit. First, his Feral Leap ability allows him to isolate enemy Vanguards from their team, creating opportunities that few other Duelists can match. Second, and perhaps more importantly, Wolverine’s damage scales with the enemy’s health pool – the tankier they are, the harder he hits them.
This unique damage scaling makes Wolverine a specialist at taking down the biggest threats on the enemy team. While other Duelists might struggle against high-health Vanguards, Wolverine can tear through them in seconds with a well-executed combo. His Last Stand ability further enhances this capability, allowing him to tackle enemies to the ground and push them away from safety.
The key to success with Wolverine is target selection. Rather than trying to play him as a general-purpose Duelist, focus on isolating and eliminating enemy Vanguards. Once you embrace this specialized role, you’ll find that Wolverine performs better than many give him credit for.
Namor: The Combo Master
At first glance, Namor appears to have a simple, even underwhelming kit. His Trident of Neptune doesn’t deal the explosive damage of other Duelists, and his abilities lack the flash of more popular picks. This surface-level assessment, however, completely misses what makes Namor special: the rhythm and flow of his abilities when chained together properly.
The true strength of Namor lies in his Monstro Spawns – deployable turrets that can apply consistent pressure from a safe distance. The genius of his design becomes apparent when you realize that successful Trident attacks reduce the cooldown of these spawns, creating a loop where aggressive play is rewarded with more turrets, which in turn provide more opportunities for aggression.
When paired with Luna Snow – one of the most popular picks in the current meta – Namor becomes even more threatening. Their Team-Up ability enhances his Monstro Spawns with a slow effect, making it nearly impossible for enemies to escape once they’ve been targeted. This synergy transforms Namor from a solid pick into a game-changing presence.
The key to mastering Namor is understanding the rhythm of placing a spawn, securing kills with your trident to reduce cooldowns, and then deploying another spawn. This creates a snowball effect where proper execution leads to an overwhelming number of turrets on the battlefield, each constantly pressuring the enemy team while you remain relatively safe.
Magneto: The Versatile Threat
Magneto dominated the early access period of Marvel Rivals, but his popularity has waned as the meta evolved. This decline, however, says more about shifting trends than it does about Magneto’s actual capabilities, which remain as formidable as ever.
What makes Magneto special is his incredible versatility. With three different shield abilities, he offers damage mitigation that few other characters can match. His ranged attacks provide consistent pressure, while his ultimate can devastate grouped enemies – even those protected by Luna Snow’s ultimate, which would normally provide safety.
The cherry on top is his Team-Up ability with Scarlet Witch, which transforms him into a formidable melee combatant when the situation calls for it. This adaptability allows Magneto to adjust his playstyle based on team composition and map layout, making him a solid pick in almost any scenario.
While he may not excel in any single area to the same degree as more specialized characters, Magneto’s jack-of-all-trades approach gives him staying power in a constantly evolving meta. He’s the rare character who can adapt to changes rather than being defined by them, making him a valuable addition to any player’s roster.
Conclusion
The beauty of Marvel Rivals lies in its diverse cast of characters, each bringing something unique to the battlefield. While it’s easy to get caught up in the current meta and focus solely on the most popular picks, doing so means missing out on hidden gems that could elevate your gameplay to new heights.
Groot’s versatile tanking, Black Panther’s self-sustaining aggression, Loki’s tactical trickery, Rocket Raccoon’s consistent healing, Wolverine’s Vanguard-slaying potential, Namor’s turret mastery, and Magneto’s adaptability – each of these underrated characters offers something special that can’t be found elsewhere in the roster.
As the meta continues to evolve and players discover new strategies, don’t be surprised if some of these overlooked heroes find their way into the spotlight. The question is: will you be ahead of the curve, mastering these characters before they become popular, or will you be playing catch-up when everyone else realizes what they’ve been missing?
The choice is yours, but I’d recommend giving these underappreciated heroes a chance. You might just find your new main hiding in plain sight.
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