Marvel Rivals Beginner Guide: Roles, Modes, First Hero

Marvel Rivals is a free 6v6 hero shooter, and the short version of any Marvel Rivals beginner guide is this: learn one easy hero in each of the three roles, play the objective instead of chasing eliminations, and stay close to your team. Every hero is available to every player from the first match, so nothing stops you from trying them all.

How to play Marvel Rivals: the basics

Two teams of six fight over an objective, in third person, on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. You do not level up a hero or buy power: a new player's Iron Man is exactly as strong as a veteran's.

Each hero has a main attack, a few abilities that recharge on their own timers, and one ultimate ability that charges slowly during the match and faster when you deal damage or heal.

Two things set the game apart from other hero shooters. Parts of each map can be destroyed, so a wall you were hiding behind may not be there a minute later. And you are not locked to your first pick: you can change hero from your team's spawn room at any point in the match.

The three roles: Vanguard, Duelist, Strategist

Every hero belongs to one role, and a team needs all three.

• Vanguard heroes are the front line. They have the largest health pools, and their job is to take space and attention so the rest of the team can work. Doctor Strange and Magneto do it from behind shields. Hulk, Venom and Thor do it by jumping into the enemy.
• Duelist heroes deal the damage. Some shoot from range, like The Punisher, Hela and Iron Man. Others fight up close, like Spider-Man, Black Panther and Magik.
• Strategist heroes keep the team alive. Luna Snow, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon and Cloak & Dagger heal, and most of them have ultimates that can save a whole fight.

The usual line-up is two of each. The game does not force it, so matches with four Duelists and no healer happen, and they usually go badly. Our Marvel Rivals team composition guide explains how to fix a team like that.

Some heroes also gain something extra when a certain hero is on the same team. These are Team-Up abilities. The pairs change over time, so do not memorize a list: hero select shows which Team-Ups your team can form. Treat them as an extra. A hero you play well is worth more than a Team-Up on a hero you cannot control.

Game modes and what wins each one

The main modes are all about an objective, and eliminations matter only when they help you take it.

• Convoy. One team escorts a vehicle along a route. The other team stops it.
• Domination. Both teams fight for a single control point, played as a best of three.
• Convergence. The attackers first capture a point, then escort a vehicle from it.

In all three, somebody has to stand on the point or next to the vehicle. A team with twice the eliminations still loses if nobody touches the objective.

Start in the Practice Range to read each ability, play a few matches against AI, then move to Quick Match. Competitive opens once your account reaches the required level.

Choosing your first hero

The hero list rates every hero's difficulty with stars. Begin with the low-star ones. These are safe first picks for each role:

• Vanguard: Venom or Magneto. Venom has a huge health pool and a simple plan: swing in, cause trouble, get out. Magneto fights from mid-range behind his own shield and can put a protective bubble on a teammate.
• Duelist: The Punisher or Scarlet Witch. The Punisher is a rifle, a shotgun and very little else to learn. Scarlet Witch's main attack latches on to nearby enemies without precise aim.
• Strategist: Rocket Raccoon or Cloak & Dagger. Rocket's healing orbs bounce off walls and heal the teammates they pass, so they forgive loose aim. Dagger's blades home in on allies to heal them.

Spider-Man, Black Panther and Magik are the heroes many new players want first. They are also among the hardest to play well, because they fight at close range and die quickly when a dive goes wrong. Leave them for later.

Aim for three heroes, one per role. With three, you can always fill whatever your team is missing.

Marvel Rivals tips for beginners that win matches

1. Fight together. After a lost fight, wait a few seconds for teammates to return and walk in as six. Running in one at a time loses the next fight too.
2. Stay where your Strategists can see you. They cannot heal through walls. If you chase an enemy around a corner, you are alone.
3. Learn the health packs. Maps have pickups that restore health. Knowing the nearest one saves your life when your healers are busy.
4. Spend ultimates with a purpose. Use yours when the team is fighting for the objective, not on one fleeing enemy.
5. Shoot what your team is shooting. Six people damaging six different targets eliminate nobody.
6. Swap when it is not working. Two fights lost in the same way mean something has to change. Changing hero costs you the ultimate charge you have built, so swap early instead of late.

When these feel natural, work on your shooting. Our Marvel Rivals aim guide covers sensitivity, the reticle and a short daily routine.

Marvel Rivals beginner guide: frequent questions

Is Marvel Rivals free to play?

Yes. The game is free and all heroes are playable without paying. Purchases are for cosmetics such as costumes and the battle pass.

Can you change heroes in the middle of a match?

Yes, from your spawn room, as often as you like. You lose your current ultimate charge when you do.

Does Lattice make my hero stronger?

No. Lattice is the paid currency for cosmetics and the battle pass. Nothing you buy changes damage, health or abilities.

Lattice for Marvel Rivals on Mas4Games

Marvel Rivals asks for practice, not payment. If you later want Lattice for a costume or the battle pass, Mas4Games offers Marvel Rivals Lattice as a top-up by ID: you enter your player ID only, never a password, and the help center has live support if you have a question about an order.