Marvel Rivals Season 1 Overview: Buffs, Nerfs, and More!
Let's Break Down the Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Patch Notes
The Marvel Rivals hype train just hit another gear with the launch of Season 1, and let me tell you, it’s a funderful time to play.
From shiny new characters to cautious but impactful balance changes, NetEase is showing the gaming world how to keep the fun alive while carefully tweaking the meta.
Let’s dive into what’s new, what’s better, and why Marvel Rivals might just be the blueprint for hero shooters moving forward.
What's New in Marvel Rivals Season 1?
Season 1 comes packed with fresh content that’s already got players buzzing. Here’s a quick rundown:
New Characters: Two new heroes have joined the roster—each with unique abilities that are already shaking up the meta.
Balance Updates: Some heroes got the buffs they desperately needed, while a few overperformers were gently brought back to earth. There were a couple…questionable changes, but nothing that’s going to break the game.
New Game Mode: An all-new arcade game mode with tiered rewards has been introduced, giving players more reasons to have fun.
Quality-of-Life Improvements: Streamlined matchmaking, UI upgrades, and minor bug fixes to make the experience smoother than ever.
NetEase isn’t just throwing darts at the board—each addition feels purposeful and focused on delivering what players actually want.
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals | NetEase
Buffs, Nerfs, and the Cautious Balancing Act
Let’s talk balance changes.
Unlike some games (cough Helldivers 2 cough), Marvel Rivals is avoiding the temptation to swing the nerf hammer like a toddler with a sugar high.
Instead, the adjustments feel intentional—tweaking outliers without gutting them completely.
BUFFS WORTH CELEBRATING
Heroes like Captain America and Black Widow finally got the love they deserved. These changes give underdog players a real shot without alienating the broader player base.
NERFS FOCUSED ON FUN
The devs also addressed overpowered heroes like Hela, whose long-range dominance had players crying foul. But instead of obliterating her kit, NetEase opted for less health to make her more of a glass cannon.
This measured approach is earning NetEase serious kudos. Unlike Blizzard’s infamous habit of over-nerfing (RIP Mercy mains), NetEase seems laser-focused on preserving the all-important fun factor in Marvel Rivals.
Marvel Rivals Season 1 All Buffs and Nerfs List
Vanguards: The Frontline Warriors
Captain America: Our star-spangled man got a durability boost, making him even more of a shield-slinging tank.
Thor: The God of Thunder’s ultimate now grants crowd control immunity, letting him storm through battles with less interruption.
Venom: This symbiote-infused bruiser received buffs enhancing his survivability and damage output, making him a more formidable presence on the battlefield.
Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme’s defensive capabilities were slightly toned down, reducing his shield’s effectiveness to balance his support role.
Hulk: The green giant’s shield received a nerf, making him less of an unstoppable force but still a formidable frontline presence.
Duelists: The Damage Dealers
Black Panther: T’Challa’s survivability took a hit with reduced health bonuses from his Vibranium Marks, requiring more tactical play.
Black Widow: Natasha’s mobility and ultimate range got a boost, making her an even deadlier assassin on the move.
Hawkeye: Clint’s long-range damage was dialed back, shortening his threat radius and demanding sharper aim.
Hela: The Goddess of Death’s base health was reduced, balancing her high damage output with increased fragility.
Moon Knight: Marc’s ultimate now unleashes more talons with a larger explosion radius, amplifying his burst potential.
Psylocke: Betsy’s ultimate now interacts with barriers, adding a strategic layer to her psychic assaults.
Scarlet Witch: Wanda’s abilities saw damage tweaks, increasing her threat against Duelists and Strategists while balancing her percentage-based attacks.
Storm: Ororo’s projectile speed and damage were amped up, and her ultimate now provides more bonus health that decays over time, enhancing her tempestuous presence.
Squirrel Girl: Doreen’s ultimate now directs her squirrel army toward the nearest enemy, increasing their effectiveness, though their health was halved to balance this change.
Winter Soldier: Bucky’s long-range damage was toned down, but his close-quarters survivability saw a boost, encouraging a more aggressive playstyle.
Wolverine: Logan’s base health increased, but his damage reduction during his ultimate was lessened, balancing his ferocity with vulnerability.
Strategists: The Tactical Support
Cloak & Dagger: Tandy’s Dagger Storm now recharges faster, with the cooldown slashed from 15 seconds to 12 seconds while their Eternal Bond Ultimate boasts an extra dash from 3 to 4, allowing for more shadowy shenanigans.
Jeff the Land Shark: The fish’s ultimate, “Jeff!” now has a much-needed reduced range, while his Joyful Splash healing has been buffed from 140 to 150 per second.
Luna Snow: Another much-needed change, the interval for switching between healing and damage in “Fate of Both Worlds” has increased from 0.1 seconds to 0.5 seconds, preventing players from abusing its healing capabilities.
Mantis: Mantis’s passive movement boost from “Nature’s Favor” has been reduced from 2.5 meters per second to 1.5 meters per second, slightly slowing her roll.
Rocket Raccoon: Rocket’s healing per second in “Repair Mode” has been amped up from 60 to 70, ensuring his gadgets keep allies in top shape.
Meet the New Heroes!
Season 1 of Marvel Rivals just rolled out the red carpet for two of Marvel’s most iconic powerhouses: Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman.
Let’s break down what these stretchy and stealthy legends bring to the battlefield—and why they’re ready to shake things up:
SUSAN STORM: THE INVISIBLE WOMAN
Susan Storm, aka The Invisible Woman, is here to prove that sometimes it’s what you don’t see that kills you. As a Strategist in Marvel Rivals, she’s a tactical powerhouse who brings stealth, support, and some serious don’t-mess-with-me vibes to the battlefield.
Let’s break down why Sue is the ultimate mix of brains, brawn, and badassery.
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals | NetEase
INVISIBLE WOMAN ABILITIES
Passive: Invisibility Cloak
Sue’s bread-and-butter move. She cloaks herself with invisibility and gains healing over time, turning your her into a ghostly healing nightmare. Use it to escape enemies, reposition for healing during a fight, or simply mess with your opponents’ heads. Nothing’s more satisfying than vanishing mid-fight and watching them flail around like confused NPCs.- Basic Attack: Orb Projection
Her basic attack launches a pair of orbs that pierces through heroes and enemies alike, damaging foes and healing teammates simultaneously. Line up your shots while in the backline for some great multitasking! - Secondary: Guardian Shield
Don’t let the name fool you—this isn’t just a shield. Sue can create a dome of safety around her teammates, blocking projectiles and providing Healing over Time to nearby allies. If enemies try to walk through your shield to get to the juicy players behind it, they’ll also be slowed as they pass through. Psionic Vortex
Susan shoots out an orb and upon impact or by pressing Shift/L1 again, you can detonate your shot into a wide vortex that will damage and drag enemies in while healing your teammates over time.- Force Physics
An attack that can push or pull enemies in a straight line in front of you. Great for getting those Scarlet Witches and Dr. Stranges out of range before their ults blow your team to dust. - Agile Strike
It’s just a melee 3-hit combo, that launches the enemies up on the last hit. Honestly, nothing amazing here imo. - Veiled Step
Susan get’s an overpowered double-jump that’s probably my favorite ability on her, because it also activates her invisibilty/self Heal Over Time passive. Best disengage in the game, 10/10 would recommend. Ultimate – Invisible Boundary
The pièce de résistance. Sue unleashes a massive area of invisibility, turning the battlefield into your team’s undetectable playground while also providing Healing over Time. Enemies that dare to face check this field are slowed, giving your squad free rein to dish out damage, set traps, or just flex. It’s chaos, and it’s glorious.- Team Up – Fantasti-Force
The lame name preludes a lame ability. Right now, this only boosts Mr. Fantastic’s damage resistance in the form of generating bonus health, however, as this ability mentions “the entire Fantastic 4 team”, I’m assuming this will also boost The Thing and The Human Torch as the enter the fray later on.
DR. REED RICHARDS: MR. FANTASTIC
Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, isn’t just a nerd with a stretchy body—he’s a brainiac Strategist who dominates the battlefield with adaptability and control.
If you’ve ever wanted to outplay your enemies while flexing (literally), Reed is your guy. Let’s dive into his kit and figure out how to use that elasticity to snap the competition.
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals | NetEase
MR. FANTASTIC ABILITIES
Passive: Elastic Strength
Bend it, stretch it, break the meta—every time Reed uses an ability, he builds up elasticity like a rubber band ready to snap. Once he hits max stretchiness, it’s go-time: he enters an inflated state (no, not ego, actual shields), packing extra damage and turning him into a stretchy tank of destruction.- Basic Attack: Elastic Punch
Reed’s bread-and-butter basic attack isn’t just a simple punch—it’s a ranged slap with a side of humiliation. Perfect for poking enemies and keeping the pressure on while maintaining a safe-ish distance. - Secondary: Extended Grip
Stretch those limbs to grab an enemy and pull them toward you (or you toward them, depending on your targeting). This is a setup king—yank squishy enemies out of position and let your Duelist teammates finish the job. Ideal for isolating pesky healers or shutting down runaway cowards. Reflexive Rubber
Mr. Fantastic turns his body into a flexible barrier that absorbs ranged damage for a brief duration before shooting storage damage at the enemy. It’s perfect for protecting allies or holding key positions during a push. The key? Timing and elasticity. Use it too late, and it’s a waste. Too early, and your enemies will just wait it out.- Flexible Elongation
Launch yourself toward a target, smacking enemies and giving shields to teammates in your splash zone. Ultimate – Brainiac Bounce
Go big or go home. Reed temporarily grows into a massive, bouncy juggernaut of doom (not Doom!), slamming himself enemies and creating chaos across the battlefield. It’s equal parts crowd control and rubber spectacle, making it a game-changer during team fights.- Team Up – Wedded Harmony
Sigh…these names. Same thing though: this uses The Invisible Woman and boosts Mr. Fantastic’s damage resistance in the form of generating bonus health.
Gameplay Tips: How to Dominate Season 1 in Marvel Rivals
If you’re diving into Season 1, here are some tips to get ahead:
Experiment with the New Heroes: Take Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic for a spin. Even if they don’t fit your usual playstyle, understanding their kits will help you counter them.
Adapt to Balance Changes: If your main got nerfed, don’t panic—adjust your playstyle. For example, if you liked a “spammy” playstyle, try focusing more on strategy and precision.
Try the New Mode: The new arcade mode is good for a breather and rewards adaptability. Learn the portal routes to tackle whatever comes your way.
Communicate: As always, teamwork makes the dream work. Use voice or ping systems to stay in sync with your team.
NetEase is Learning from Past Mistakes
What’s setting Marvel Rivals apart isn’t just the flashy updates—it’s the mindset behind them. NetEase seems to understand a lesson other devs (looking at you, EA and Blizzard) keep forgetting: fun comes first.
Marvel Rivals, on the other hand, prioritizes fun and fair gameplay over checkboxes and virtue signaling.
By avoiding heavy-handed “message games” and keeping the focus on engaging mechanics, they’re earning the trust and loyalty of their audience.
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals | NetEase
A Dev-Player Connection That Works
The cautious balancing, well-received updates, and willingness to listen to feedback show that NetEase respects its players. They’re not trying to dictate how you should enjoy the game—they’re just giving you the tools to have a blast.
The community’s positive response speaks volumes.
Sure, you’ll always have naysayers, but the overwhelming sentiment is clear: Marvel Rivals is getting it right.
The Marvel Rivals Road Ahead
Season 1 is just the beginning, and if NetEase keeps this momentum, Marvel Rivals could dominate the hero shooter genre for years to come. Of course, the road won’t be without challenges—balancing is an ongoing battle, and player expectations will only grow. But with the right focus (fun, fun, and more fun), there’s no reason Marvel Rivals can’t stay at the top.
So here’s to more funsies in the future.
Let’s just hope they don’t ruin everything with overbalancing. For now, though, Marvel Rivals is a reminder of what happens when devs listen to players and prioritize what really matters.
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals | NetEase
Season 1 is here, and it’s a blast. Get in, suit up, and start smashing—because Marvel Rivals isn’t just another hero shooter; it’s setting the bar for the genre.
Let’s see how high they can go!
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