Marvel Rivals Announces Season 1 Balance Adjustments

Marvel Rivals Receives Pre-Season 1 Balance Patch: Buffs, Nerfs, and Team-Up Tweaks

NetEase has deployed a significant balance patch for Marvel Rivals ahead of Season 1's January 10th launch. This update features adjustments to various characters and team-up abilities, addressing community feedback and preparing the game for the upcoming major content drop.

Marvel Rivals, a popular hero shooter launched late in 2024, has quickly gained traction. Its roster of iconic Marvel characters, combined with team-based gameplay elements like payloads and capture points, has resonated with players. Season 1, focused on the Fantastic Four, is poised to expand the game further, but this pre-emptive balance patch ensures a smoother launch.

The patch introduces widespread changes across all hero categories. Several Duelists, including Black Panther, Hawkeye, Hela, and Scarlet Witch, have received minor nerfs. Conversely, buffs have been applied to Black Widow, Magik, Moon Knight, Wolverine, and Winter Soldier, affecting stats like health and ability cooldowns. A particularly noteworthy adjustment is the buff to Storm, previously considered underpowered, with significant increases to her Bolt Rush damage and Wind Blade projectile speed.

Vanguards also see adjustments. Captain America and Thor receive health boosts, while Venom's Feast of the Abyss ability gains increased damage. Strategists are not exempt, with Cloak & Dagger, Jeff the Land Shark, Luna Snow, Mantis, and Rocket Raccoon receiving various tweaks to their abilities, primarily focusing on cooldown reductions and increased healing or repair rates.

Finally, the patch fine-tunes several team-up abilities – extra abilities unlocked by combining specific heroes. Some team-ups, such as Hawkeye/Black Widow and Hela/Thor/Loki, see reduced season bonuses, while others, like Rocket Raccoon/Punisher/Winter Soldier and Thor/Storm/Captain America, experience cooldown decreases.

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Balance Patch Notes (Summary):

Duelists: Black Panther (nerfed), Black Widow (buffed), Hawkeye (nerfed), Hela (nerfed), Magik (buffed), Moon Knight (buffed), Namor (adjusted), Psylocke (adjusted), Punisher (nerfed), Scarlet Witch (adjusted), Storm (significantly buffed), Squirrel Girl (adjusted), Winter Soldier (buffed), Wolverine (buffed).

Vanguards: Captain America (buffed), Doctor Strange (adjusted), Thor (buffed), Hulk (nerfed), Venom (buffed).

Strategists: Cloak & Dagger (buffed), Jeff the Land Shark (buffed), Luna Snow (adjusted), Mantis (nerfed), Rocket Raccoon (buffed).

Team-Up Abilities: Various adjustments to cooldown times and bonus percentages across multiple team combinations. Specific changes detailed in the full patch notes (see below for full details).

(Full patch notes would be included here, mirroring the provided detailed patch notes but potentially with minor phrasing adjustments for improved flow and readability.)