Say goodbye to the dreaded triple support meta — and to overperforming tanks like Magneto and Doctor Strange — in Marvel Rivals’ latest balance update, arriving in the second half of Season 1.
The latest Dev Blog from NetEase revealed a wealth of new details about the upcoming update, including the remaining Fantastic Four characters — The Human Torch and The Thing — as well as a brand-new Midtown map, where players will raid Dracula’s castle and rescue Ratatoskr.
The biggest focus of the balance adjustments is, of course, the triple support meta. We won’t be seeing Cloak & Dagger and Luna Snow in the same matchups as often, now that their Ultimate Costs have increased, limiting their defensive capabilities and slowing their charge rates.
That means Luna Snow won’t be dancing as much, and Cloak & Dagger won’t be spreading their light-and-dark bond across the battlefield as easily. For Vanguard mains, this is welcome news — but even with the support nerfs, Vanguards aren’t entirely safe from the update.
Magneto and Doctor Strange are also getting much-needed nerfs, primarily targeting their survivability. While we have no details as to what specific part of their kit would be affected, this could mean longer shield cooldowns for Magneto or a slight reduction in Doctor Strange’s health pool. The goal is to give other tanks a chance to shine and shake up the meta.
Venom, however, is safe from the nerfs. In fact, he’s receiving a buff to his Ultimate Cost, increasing his charge rate and making him an even greater menace as a dive tank. This could pair well with the arrival of The Thing, another Vanguard powerhouse poised to make an impact.
Other notable nerfs include adjustments to Storm and Moon Knight, likely reducing their damage output — particularly addressing Moon Knight’s buggy Khonshu ultimate.
The second half of Season 1 is just around the corner. While NetEase hasn’t specified an exact release date, there’s a strong chance the update could go live as early as next week.
In the coming days, Marvel and NetEase will showcase the two new heroes — The Human Torch and The Thing — along with their villainous alternate skins, similar to Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman.