Developer NetEase has released a significant balance patch for Marvel Rivals ahead of the launch of Season 1 on January 10.
This patch brings a variety of buffs, nerfs, and adjustments to characters, abilities, and team-up bonuses, setting the stage for the Fantastic Four-themed season.
Key Updates
The patch makes changes across all hero categories, including Duelists, Vanguards, and Strategists.
Players can expect reworked abilities, adjusted health stats, and updated team-up bonuses. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the updates:
Duelist Changes
- Black Panther:
- Reduced additional health from Vibranium Marks with Spirit Rend (40 → 30).
- Upper limit of additional health reduced (120 → 75).
- Black Widow:
- Increased range of Edge Dancer’s first effect (3m → 5m).
- Reduced Fleet Foot recovery time (12s → 4s).
- Reduced Electro-Plasma Explosion charge time (1s → 0.6s).
- Hawkeye:
- Slightly reduced Blast Arrows’ spread angle.
- Reduced Archer’s Focus triggering distance (60m → 40m).
- Maximum additional damage reduced (80 → 70).
- Hela:
- Base health reduced (275 → 250).
- Magik:
- Increased Umbral Incursion damage in Darkchild form (115 → 135).
- Moon Knight:
- Increased talons from Hand of Khonshu (10 → 14).
- Explosion radius of talons increased (4m → 5m).
- Namor:
- Improved accuracy for Monstro Spawn and Frozen Spawn.
- Psylocke:
- Dance of the Butterfly now interacts with barriers like Magneto’s Metal Bulwark.
- The Punisher:
- Slightly reduced spread of Deliverance and Adjudication.
- Scarlet Witch:
- Chaos Control fixed damage increased (50/s → 60/s).
- Percentage damage per second reduced (5% → 3%).
- Chthonian Burst projectile damage increased (30 → 35).
- Storm:
- Wind Blade projectile speed increased (100m/s → 150m/s).
- Bolt Rush damage increased (70 → 80).
- Omega Hurricane bonus health increased (350 → 450), with gradual depletion post-use.
- Squirrel Girl:
- Squirrels in Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami now target enemies directly.
- Squirrel tsunami health reduced (600 → 300).
- Winter Soldier:
- Bonus health from Bionic Hook increased (30 → 40).
- Roterstern projectile damage increased (70 → 75).
- Area damage reduced (70 → 65).
- Base health increased (250 → 275).
- Wolverine:
- Base health increased (300 → 350).
- Undying Animal damage reduction ratio decreased (50% → 40%).
Vanguard Changes
- Captain America:
- Shield restoration delay reduced (3s → 2s).
- Liberty Rush cooldown reduced (12s → 10s).
- Base health increased (650 → 675).
- Freedom Charge energy cost reduced (3400 → 3100).
- Doctor Strange:
- Damage falloff added to Maelstrom of Madness.
- Shield recovery rate reduced (80/s → 70/s).
- Thor:
- Base health increased (500 → 525).
- Added control effect immunity during God of Thunder.
- Hulk:
- Indestructible Guard gamma shield value reduced (250 → 200).
- Venom:
- Symbiotic Resilience health ratio increased (1 → 1.2).
- Feast of the Abyss base damage increased (40 → 50).
Strategist Changes
- Cloak & Dagger:
- Dagger Storm cooldown reduced (15s → 12s).
- Eternal Bond dashes increased (3 → 4).
- Jeff the Land Shark:
- Adjusted It’s Jeff! range to a cylindrical field (10m radius, 5m height).
- Joyful Splash healing increased (140/s → 150/s).
- Luna Snow:
- Fate of Both Worlds interval for switching effects increased (0.1s → 0.5s).
- Mantis:
- Nature’s Favor movement boost reduced (2.5m/s → 1.5m/s).
- Rocket Raccoon:
- Repair Mode healing increased (60/s → 70/s).
Team-Up Ability Changes
- Hawkeye & Black Widow:
- Season bonus reduced (20% → 15%).
- Hela, Thor & Loki:
- Season bonus reduced (20% → 15%).
- Luna Snow & Namor:
- Frozen Spawn damage increased (25 → 27).
- Frozen Spawn slowing effect increased (25% → 30%).
- Rocket Raccoon, The Punisher & Winter Soldier:
- Ammo Invention cooldown reduced (45s → 40s).
- Scarlet Witch & Magneto:
- Metallic Fusion projectile damage increased (55 → 60).
- Thor, Storm & Captain America:
- Charged Gale cooldown reduced (20s → 15s).
- Charged Gale damage increased (50 → 55).
What’s Next?
With these changes, Marvel Rivals Season 1 is shaping up to deliver a dynamic and competitive experience.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of The Fantastic Four and the exciting gameplay possibilities they’ll bring.
