Marvel Rivals is entering Season 3 on July 11, with plenty of new content for players to enjoy. Additional cosmetics and the new Luxury Battle Pass are sure to interest fans, but the most important inclusion of the upcoming Marvel Rivals update is Phoenix joining the roster of playable characters.
As with every previous Marvel Rivals season, changes are made to the game’s characters. Buffs, nerfs, and alterations to Marvel Rivals Team-Up abilities are to be expected in the update, and with them, the game’s meta also shifts. From what is known about the balance changes so far, one team comp looks like it could be the key to securing victory.
Marvel Rivals Reveals Upcoming Balance Changes for Season 3
Marvel Rivals gives fans a first look at upcoming balance changes that will launch with the debut of Season 3 of NetEase Games' popular hero shooter.
Jean Grey Is Essential in Marvel Rivals Season 3
As the new Duelist of Season 3, players should expect that their team will immediately insta-lock her to try out her abilities. This isn’t too much of a problem, though, as she seems like she will be a core component of most Marvel Rivals Season 3 team comps.
Teams that are missing a Jean Grey player will be at a severe disadvantage, and she could be a hero who will be difficult to counter.
Jean’s gameplay seems devastating in all situations. Her Cosmic Flames left-click ability has a relatively fast fire rate, taking out weaker enemies very quickly, especially if she lands consistent headshots. Damage dealt to enemies generates Spark stacks, which can cause an explosion when at three stacks and slowly heals Jean over time. In one-on-one firefights, she has all the tools necessary to sustain herself, making her a hero that players won’t want to face alone.
Where Jean excels, though, is with her ability to wipe out enemies that are grouped together. Her Telekinesis Burst is the ability to watch out for, since it has great range and deals massive amounts of damage. It also has stun properties like some other Marvel Rivals abilities, potentially nullifying enemy Ultimates if timed right. Combined with the AoE damage of the Spark stacks, grouping up becomes very dangerous against an enemy Phoenix.
Marvel Rivals: Jean Grey's Most Unique Ability Sounds OP
Jean Grey is one of Marvel Rivals' newest heroes, and one of her abilities seems worryingly strong.
Some Heroes Synergize Really Well With Phoenix
Wolverine
Any team comp that has Jean Grey needs to include Wolverine. In past Marvel Rivals seasons, Wolverine was difficult to master, but the recent changes to the character make him unstoppable. Phoenix and Wolverine’s Primal Flame Team-Up gives lifesteal to all of Wolverine’s attacks, as well as damaging enemies over time after using Feral Leap. This makes him even more of a nightmare for Vanguards to deal with. If a player sees a member of their team pick Jean, they should make sure Wolverine accompanies her to get the most bang for their buck.
Doctor Strange
Some of Doctor Strange’s abilities facilitate Jean Grey’s explosive Spark stacks, making him a great support for Phoenix’s combat potential. His Pentagram of Farallah teleport can help with getting Jean into position to take out clustered opponents, but his Ultimate in Marvel Rivals helps to facilitate Jean’s Telekinesis Burst, as well as her own Ultimate.
Groot could be another worthwhile alternative to easily group enemies together, but Strange’s kit can also be used to counter Jean if she is on the enemy team. Shield of the Seraphim is one of the most important tools at his disposal, and could stop Jean’s AoE’s from wiping out the team.
Emma Frost
Emma Frost was introduced in Season 2, and she has been a key player in team comps since. She’s taken a hit in the recent Marvel Rivals balance changes, nerfing many of her abilities, but she remains a very strong tank.
Unfortunately, Emma Frost doesn’t synergize with Jean Grey, but she could be a great counter if the enemy team is also using Phoenix. Jean’s projectiles are a threat, but her damage output can be hindered by Emma’s Mind’s Aegis shield ability. On top of that, Psionic Seduction could temporarily stop the enemy Jean Grey from using her ultimate, giving the player’s team the ability to set up the perfect scenario to unleash their own.
Cloak and Dagger
Since the game’s initial release, Cloak and Dagger have been a staple of many team comps. Their healing output is some of the best among the Strategists, and their Ultimate is one of the strongest in Marvel Rivals. Dagger’s left-click ability, Lightforce Dagger, is a homing projectile that can ricochet off structures.
Considering how mobile Jean Grey and Wolverine are, healing them both from afar would not be a problem. Their Eternal Bond Ultimate ability and Cloak’s Dark Teleportation abilities are both effective counters against Jean if the enemy team is running a similar team composition.
Invisible Woman
Sue Storm has always been a fairly strong healer since she was first introduced to the game, and her Season 3 buffs make her healing output much more reliable. Because Jean works best against bunched-up enemies, Invisible Woman can use her Force Physics ability to reposition the enemy team, ready to be eliminated by Telekinesis Burst.
Opponents will want to keep an eye on where Jean is at all times to shut her down before she can deal too much damage, but Sue’s Invisible Boundary Ultimate can make her undetectable.
Marvel Rivals' upcoming Season 3 content looks to be adding a lot for players to look forward to, but Jean Grey has the potential to change the meta. Alone, Phoenix could cause a lot of chaos on Marvel Rivals’ battlefield.
With a team built around her, there are plenty of strategies to synergize and guarantee a victory. The game’s balance update and Team-Up changes will mean that players should reconsider their team picks as Season 3 approaches, but it would not be surprising to see Jean Grey at the center.
Marvel Rivals
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence
- Developer(s)
- NetEase Games
- Publisher(s)
- NetEase Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Limited - console crossplay, no PC crossplay
- Cross Save
- No
- Franchise
- Marvel
- Number of Players
- 1-6
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 7.5 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 20 GB
