Summary

  • Marvel Rivals could introduce Gwenpool and The Mighty Thor for dynamic mechanics.
  • The Wasp could be a perfect equivalent of Mercy from Overwatch.
  • Characters like Hydro-Man and the Invisible Woman could offer visuals to make the game even more diverse.

Of the thirty-three characters featured on the roster for Marvel Rivals, the majority of them are in the Duelist class. Meanwhile, the Strategist class only features a small fraction of characters, such as Jeff The Land Shark, Loki, Mantis, and Rocket Raccoon.

Collage of Dracula, Captain Marvel and Luke Cage from Marvel
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The Strategist class is the support class, with characters designed to heal or buff allies on the team while backing up the fight with damage. Thankfully, NetEase Games has room for growth as Marvel Rivals is a live-service title, likely with more Strategists on the way and Marvel has a massive selection of characters to choose from.

The Invisible Woman has been removed as she is now part of Marvel Rivals.

8 Nick Fury

Being The Director Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Has Its Perks

Marvel Contest Of Champions (3)
  • First Appearance: Sgt. Fury And His Howling Commandos (1963) #1
  • Creators: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Nick Fury is not against going into action, but he is more famous for being the one giving support, which sounds like the perfect choice for a Strategist. As the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he has access to many kinds of firearms to wield as a shooter, but he could feature all kinds of spy gadgets to help his fellow teammates while damaging enemies.

He could potentially fire a tranquilizer dart to stun an enemy and, simply by shooting an ally, he can heal them. As an ultimate attack, Nick Fury could potentially summon a squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents or a Helicarrier to do immense damage. As an alternative, Nick Fury could perhaps send out a field medic to heal targeted allies or resurrect them if they are defeated.

7 Kitty Pryde

Battling Injustice With Her Pet Dragon

Marvel Contest Of Champions (1)
  • First Appearance: The Uncanny X-Men #129
  • Creators: John Byrne, Chris Claremont

There can never be too many mutants and Kitty Pryde, also known as Shadowcat, is one of the most famous. With her ability to phase through matter, she has the potential to be one of the more aggravating Strategist characters for the enemy team to go up against. NetEase Games could even use her intangibility as a healing method, phasing through allies to heal them.

Against enemies, the phasing power Kitty wields could be used to deal damage or stun them. As a bonus, Kitty Pryde also has a pet dragon named Lockheed, whom she could use as an ability. She could launch him at a foe to deal damage over time.

6 Jane Foster

From Bright Scientist To Powerful Demigod

Jane Foster the Mighty Thor in Marvel's Avengers
Jane Foster the Mighty Thor in Marvel's Avengers
  • First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #84
  • Creators: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby

Characters like Hulk and Cloak & Dagger show that transformations can lead to unique gameplay, which makes Jane Foster perfect. When Jane is in her regular form, she can run around with a firearm as her main attack, healing teammates, and using her technological marvels as a scientist to help in battle.

Split image of Venom, Jeff The Shark, and Punisher in Marvel Rivals
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However, Jane Foster is also The Mighty Thor in the comics, and that could be utilized to give her an alternate form that sacrifices her healing for damage, similar to Cloak & Dagger. To help her stand out from Thor Odinson, maybe her attacks are more long-ranged with lightning and throwing her Mjolnir hammer.

5 Wiccan

Billy Is A Son Of A Witch With Many Abilities

Wiccan in Marvel Future Fight
Wiccan in Marvel Future Fight
  • First Appearance: Young Avengers #1
  • Creators: Allan Heinberg, Jim Cheung

Since Scarlet Witch is featured in Marvel Rivals, it seems logical to include at least one of her sons in the game. After Agatha All Along brought the character to life, Wiccan gained new fans who might want to play him, utilizing magic for psychic abilities, illusions, elemental attacks, teleportation, and so much more.

Being the reincarnated son of Scarlet Witch and Vision, Wiccan wields a lot of power. As a result, he could potentially be used for any class, but his good-hearted nature and optimism combined with his various powers could make for an ideal Strategist. His illusions could protect allies and teleportation could pull them out of a dangerous situation while healing them.

4 Gwenpool

A Nerdy Fangirl From The Real World Would Make For Unique Mechanics

Gwenpool taking a selfie with a thug in Marvel Future Fight
Gwenpool taking a selfie with a thug in Marvel Future Fight
  • First Appearance: Howard The Duck #1 (Vol. 6)
  • Creators: Christopher Hastings, Heather Antos, Jordan D. White, Chris Bachalo

Gwenpool is a character that stands out because she's a fangirl from the real world who was pulled into the Marvel universe. That alone would make Gwenpool enjoyable to play, as she breaks the fourth wall of Marvel and hero shooters combined with her use of guns to take on any enemy.

With her knowledge of Marvel, Gwenpool knows all the characters and what they are capable of. So, she could have an ability that renders herself or an ally immune, or she can spoil the plot of the story, thus healing them. Maybe she can launch Onomatopoeia and the UI at enemies; she has so much potential with her concept.

3 Hydro-Man

Water Is A Dangerous Element In The Wrong Hands

Hydro-Man in Marvel Future Fight
Hydro-Man in Marvel Future Fight
  • First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #212
  • Creators: Dennis O'Neil, John Romita Jr.

Water can be as deadly as it can be healthy for the human body, with jet streams that can do immense damage or cool someone during the hot season. Hydro-Man from Spider-Man's rogues' gallery could take advantage of such a mechanic, similar to Jeff The Land Shark, except his water streams would be akin to laser beams as a main attack.

When Hydro-Man needs to protect or heal his teammates, he can create a barrier of water that absorbs enemy damage while healing the ally. Additionally, Hydro-Man is a being who can change shape and size, which could lead to a tsunami-inspired ultimate attack to damage and/or push enemies far back.

2 Silver Surfer

Cosmic Powers Make Norrin Radd A Godlike Superhero

Silver Surfer in Marvel Strike Force
Silver Surfer in Marvel Strike Force
  • First Appearance: Fantastic Four #48
  • Creators: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

The cosmic power that the Silver Surfer wields with his powerful surfboard is perfect, as even in the comics, it is used for destruction and restoration. He can fire powerful cosmic blasts from his hand while providing a healing aura for his allies and his board, allowing for enhanced speed through the air in the same vein as Iron Man.

A split image of Galactus, Annihilus, and Doctor Doom from Marvel Comics
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The addition of Silver Surfer would also add a new visual to the game, seeing how he is made entirely of silver. He is also able to manipulate and harness the powers of space and reality itself, such as creating black holes, teleporting across space, and creating light brighter than the sun, which could all be used for different abilities, and that's just scraping the surface of the Silver Surfer.

1 Wasp

Healing And Stinging From The Skies

The Wasp in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
The Wasp in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
  • First Appearance: Tales To Astonish #44
  • Creators: Stan Lee, Ernie Hart, Jack Kirby

Whether it is Janet or Hope Van Dyne, the Wasp has quickly risen in popularity over the years thanks to projects such as Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If Wasp could borrow from any Overwatch character, it would likely be Mercy, as they both feature wings for extended flight and can shoot lasers.

Wasp could also feature abilities utilizing Pym Particles for shrinking and growing. Perhaps shrinking an ally or herself can cause them to move faster and jump higher or allow them to heal over time. Wasp is also capable of controlling swarms of ants, which can be used for offensive or defensive abilities.

Marvel Rivals
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Third-Person Shooter
Action
Multiplayer
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Released
December 6, 2024
ESRB
T For Teen // Violence
Developer(s)
NetEase Games
Publisher(s)
NetEase Games
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
OpenCritic Rating
Strong