Marvel Rivals Receives Pre-Season 1 Balance Patch with Significant Character Adjustments
NetEase has deployed a comprehensive balance patch for Marvel Rivals, impacting numerous characters across all hero categories ahead of Season 1's January 10th launch. The update features buffs, nerfs, and refinements to abilities, aiming to create a more balanced and engaging gameplay experience.
The patch addresses community feedback regarding character effectiveness. Several Duelists, including Black Panther, Hawkeye, Hela, and Scarlet Witch, received minor nerfs. Conversely, Black Widow, Magik, Moon Knight, Wolverine, and Winter Soldier received buffs, enhancing their overall performance. A notable highlight is the significant buff to Storm, previously considered underpowered, with increased damage and projectile speed for her key abilities.
Vanguards also saw adjustments. Captain America and Thor received health increases, while Venom's ultimate ability, Feast of the Abyss, now deals increased damage. Strategists, such as Cloak & Dagger, Jeff the Land Shark, and Rocket Raccoon, received various tweaks to their abilities, improving their utility and effectiveness.
Team-up abilities, activated by specific hero combinations, also underwent changes. Several team-ups, including Hawkeye/Black Widow and Hela/Thor/Loki, experienced reductions in their season bonuses. Conversely, others, such as Rocket Raccoon/Punisher/Winter Soldier, saw cooldown reductions.
The full patch notes detail the specific numerical changes to each character and ability. These adjustments aim to improve the overall balance and strategic depth of Marvel Rivals before the significant changes introduced with Season 1.
Marvel Rivals Season 1 Balance Patch Notes
Duelist
- Black Panther: Reduced Vibranium Marks health bonus.
- Black Widow: Increased Edge Dancer range and reduced cooldown times for Fleet Foot and Electro-Plasma Explosion.
- Hawkeye: Reduced Blast Arrow spread and Archer’s Focus range and damage.
- Hela: Reduced base health.
- Magik: Increased Umbral Incursion damage.
- Moon Knight: Increased Hand of Khonshu talon count and explosion radius.
- Namor: Improved Monstro and Frozen Spawn throwing accuracy.
- Psylocke: Dance of the Butterfly now detects barriers.
- Punisher: Slightly reduced Deliverance and Adjudication spread.
- Scarlet Witch: Increased Chaos Control fixed damage, reduced percentage damage, and increased Chthonian Burst projectile damage.
- Storm: Significantly increased Wind Blade speed and damage, and Bolt Rush damage; extended Omega Hurricane health bonus duration.
- Squirrel Girl: Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami squirrels now target nearest enemies; reduced squirrel health.
- Winter Soldier: Increased Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage health bonus, increased Roterstern projectile damage, reduced area damage and decay, and increased base health.
- Wolverine: Increased base health, reduced Undying Animal damage reduction.
Vanguard
- Captain America: Reduced shield restoration delay, Liberty Rush cooldown, and Freedom Charge energy cost; increased base health and reduced self-healing from Freedom Charge.
- Doctor Strange: Added damage falloff to Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom; reduced Shield of the Seraphim recovery rate.
- Thor: Increased base health; added immunity to control effects during God of Thunder.
- Hulk: Reduced Indestructible Guard shield value.
- Venom: Increased Symbiotic Resilience health ratio and Feast of the Abyss base damage.
Strategist
- Cloak & Dagger: Reduced Dagger Storm cooldown; increased Eternal Bond dashes.
- Jeff the Land Shark: Adjusted It’s Jeff! range; increased Joyful Splash healing.
- Luna Snow: Increased Fate of Both Worlds switching interval.
- Mantis: Reduced Nature’s Favor movement boost.
- Rocket Raccoon: Increased Repair Mode healing.
Team-Up Abilities
- Hawkeye – Black Widow: Reduced season bonus.
- Hela – Thor – Loki: Reduced season bonus.
- Luna Snow – Namor: Increased Frozen Spawn damage and slow effect.
- Rocket Raccoon – Punisher – Winter Soldier: Reduced Ammo Invention cooldown.
- Scarlet Witch – Magneto: Increased Metallic Fusion damage.
- Thor – Storm – Captain America: Reduced Charged Gale cooldown and increased damage.
