Marvel Rivals Reveals Season 1 Balance Changes

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

NetEase has deployed a significant balance patch for Marvel Rivals, impacting various heroes and team-up abilities ahead of Season 1's January 10th launch. The update features adjustments across all hero categories, addressing community feedback and fine-tuning gameplay.

Marvel Rivals, a popular hero shooter launched late in 2024, blends iconic Marvel characters with team-based objectives. Season 1, themed around the Fantastic Four, is on the horizon, but this pre-season patch offers substantial changes to prepare players.

Duelist Adjustments:

The patch includes nerfs to several Duelists (Black Panther, Hawkeye, Hela, Scarlet Witch), while others (Black Widow, Magik, Moon Knight, Wolverine, Winter Soldier) receive buffs, impacting health, cooldowns, and damage output. A notable enhancement boosts Storm's effectiveness, addressing player concerns about her previous underperformance. Her Bolt Rush now deals 80 damage (up from 70), and Wind Blade's projectile speed increases to 150m/s (from 100m/s). Squirrel Girl's Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami sees adjustments to squirrel targeting and health.

Vanguard Enhancements:

Vanguards (Venom, Thor, Captain America) also see improvements. Captain America and Thor gain increased health, while Venom's Feast of the Abyss deals more damage.

Strategist Modifications:

Several Strategists (Cloak & Dagger, Jeff the Land Shark, Luna Snow, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon) receive tweaks to abilities, impacting cooldowns, healing, and damage.

Team-Up Ability Refinements:

The patch also refines various team-up abilities, adjusting season bonuses and cooldowns for specific hero combinations. For example, Hawkeye and Black Widow's team-up bonus is reduced, while the cooldown for Rocket Raccoon, Punisher, and Winter Soldier's team-up is shortened.

Detailed Patch Notes:

The following provides a detailed breakdown of the changes implemented in the Marvel Rivals Season 1 balance patch:

Duelist:

• Black Panther: Reduced Vibranium Marks health bonus.
• Black Widow: Increased Edge Dancer range, reduced Fleet Foot and Electro-Plasma Explosion recovery times.
• Hawkeye: Reduced Blast Arrow spread and Archer’s Focus range/damage.
• Hela: Reduced base health.
• Magik: Increased Umbral Incursion damage (Darkchild form).
• Moon Knight: Increased Hand of Khonshu talon count and explosion radius.
• Namor: Improved Monstro/Frozen Spawn throwing accuracy.
• Psylocke: Dance of the Butterfly now detects barriers.
• The Punisher: Reduced Deliverance and Adjudication spread.
• Scarlet Witch: Increased Chaos Control fixed damage, reduced percentage damage, increased Chthonian Burst projectile damage.
• Storm: Increased Wind Blade speed and damage, increased Bolt Rush damage, and significantly improved Omega Hurricane bonus health.
• Squirrel Girl: Altered Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami squirrel targeting and reduced squirrel health.
• Winter Soldier: Increased Bionic Hook/Tainted Voltage health bonus, increased Roterstern projectile damage, reduced area damage and decay, increased base health.
• Wolverine: Increased base health, reduced Undying Animal damage reduction.

Vanguard:

• Captain America: Reduced shield restoration delay, reduced Liberty Rush cooldown, increased base health, reduced Freedom Charge energy cost and health per second.
• 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 (Hero Hulk).
• Venom: Increased Symbiotic Resilience health ratio, increased 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 switch 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 – The Punisher – Winter Soldier: Reduced Ammo Invention cooldown.
• Scarlet Witch – Magneto: Increased Metallic Fusion damage.
• Thor – Storm – Captain America: Reduced Charged Gale cooldown, increased Charged Gale damage.

This comprehensive balance patch sets the stage for the exciting content and gameplay changes coming with Marvel Rivals Season 1.