Welcome, hero! If you're looking to jump into some fast-paced, action-packed battles in Marvel Rivals and heard whispers of a "Clash Arena," you're likely thinking of the game mode officially known as Conquest. This primer will get you up to speed on how to score, stay alive, and ultimately claim victory in this exciting mode, all with minimal jargon.
Understanding Conquest Mode
Let's clear things up right away: while you might have heard "Clash Arena," the mode in Marvel Rivals that fits the bill for high-octane, elimination-focused gameplay is called Conquest. It's categorized as an "arcade mode," which means it's designed for quick, fun rounds filled with non-stop action, setting it apart from more objective-heavy modes like Domination or Convoy.
The core objective in Conquest is straightforward: your team needs to be the first to collect 50 Chronovium Orbs. If neither team hits that 50-orb mark before the match timer runs out (usually around 3 minutes and 50 seconds, or 4 minutes), the team with the most orbs wins. These orbs, as we'll discuss, are dropped by defeated enemies.
So, why jump into Conquest? It's an excellent environment for practicing your combat skills with different heroes and for warming up before diving into other game types. Because there's no ranked pressure and the focus is squarely on fighting, it's a fantastic way to improve your mechanical skill and test out heroes you're unfamiliar with in a live combat scenario. The unique hero pick rule encourages this experimentation, pushing players to adapt and broaden their understanding of the diverse roster.
It's important to use the correct term, "Conquest," when looking for more information or discussing this mode with other players. While another mode, "Clash of Dancing Lions," exists, it's a very different, soccer-like game and not the team deathmatch experience you're likely seeking.
How Scoring Works
In Conquest, simply knocking out an opponent isn't enough to score for your team. The real key to victory lies in what happens after an enemy is defeated.
It's All About the Orbs
When an enemy hero is taken down, they drop glowing particles known as Chronovium Orbs (sometimes referred to as Chromium in discussions). For your team to score, a player from your side must physically pick up these orbs. This is the most critical step. As one source puts it, "You won't get points if you don't Chromium [Chronovium]. So, if you find yourself unoccupied... use that downtime to pick up the Chromium your occupied teammates are missing".
Understanding Combat Statistics
While orb collection is paramount for scoring, the game does track your individual combat performance through a few key terms:
- Final Hits: This is what most players traditionally understand as a "kill." It means you were the one who dealt the finishing blow to an enemy.
- Kills (Eliminations): On the Marvel Rivals scoreboard, the "Kills" statistic often represents a combination of your Final Hits and any eliminations you significantly contributed to, which are also known as Assists.
- Assists: You receive an assist if you helped a teammate secure a Final Hit. This can be through dealing damage to the target, healing the teammate who got the final blow, or applying a useful buff to your ally or a debuff to the enemy.
| Term on Scoreboard | What it Means for You in Conquest | Why it Matters for Winning |
|---|---|---|
| Chronovium Orbs Collected | The number of scoring items you've picked up for the team | This is the primary way your team wins |
| Final Hits | You personally delivered the finishing blow to an enemy | Shows your direct elimination capability |
| Kills (Eliminations) | Counts Final Hits + significant contributions to other takedowns | Reflects overall combat involvement |
| Assists | You helped a teammate secure a Final Hit | Highlights teamwork and support in securing eliminations |
Orb Value Dynamics
There's an interesting dynamic to orb values. It's suggested that "the more Chronovium a player collects, the more they'll drop upon their next death", and also that "Each coin [orb] becomes more valuable throughout the match". This means that players who are successfully gathering orbs become high-priority targets, as eliminating them can yield a larger bounty for the opposing team.
Health Pack Locations
The action in Conquest is relentless, and taking damage is a certainty. While support heroes can provide healing, health packs scattered around the map are vital for quickly patching yourself up and rejoining the fray. Knowing their locations can often be the deciding factor in winning a skirmish or being forced to wait for a respawn.
General Health Pack Spawn Logic
Across many maps in Marvel Rivals, health packs tend to appear in predictable types of locations: often near main engagement areas (like objectives in other modes), tucked away in side rooms, or along common flanking routes. The general advice is that "There are always health packs near the objective areas", and on some maps, specific "health pack rooms" can be found on routes used for surprise attacks.
Health Packs on Ninomaru (Tokyo 2099)
Conquest mode primarily takes place on the Tokyo 2099: Ninomaru map. This map is described as a "Japanese-themed futuristic dojo" and is designed for "fast-paced with objective-focused skirmishes". While detailed, specific schematics of Ninomaru's health pack locations are not readily available in general guides, the design principles seen in other Tokyo-themed maps offer clues.
A key strategic use of health packs is denial: if you see an enemy heading for a health pack, try to take it yourself, even if you're not critically injured. Preventing an opponent from healing can be just as beneficial as healing yourself.
Respawn Mechanics
One of the defining characteristics of Conquest mode is how quickly players get back into the fight after being defeated.
Lightning-Fast Respawns
Conquest features "near-instant respawns". This means the downtime after being eliminated is minimal, ensuring the action remains intense and continuous. This is a deliberate design choice that differentiates it from modes or games with longer respawn penalties, where each death can significantly impact team momentum.
Impact of Fast Respawns
The rapid respawn system has several key effects on gameplay:
- Less Punishing Deaths: Individual defeats are far less detrimental to your team's overall momentum compared to modes with significant respawn delays.
- Continuous Pressure: Teams can maintain almost constant pressure on opponents, as defeated players quickly rejoin their allies.
- Strategic Staggering is Less Effective: The common tactic in other games of "staggering" enemy deaths (eliminating them one by one to delay a full team regroup) has a much smaller impact when players return to the action almost instantly.
With enemies returning so quickly, even a full team wipe only provides a very short window to collect the dropped Chronovium Orbs. This reinforces that the primary objective – orb collection – is even more critical than just winning a team fight, because the advantage gained from eliminations is fleeting.
Win Conditions & Overtime
Understanding how a Conquest match concludes is crucial for focusing your efforts correctly, especially when the timer is a factor.
Two Paths to Victory
There are two distinct ways your team can achieve victory in Conquest mode:
- Path 1 (Orb Cap): The primary objective is for your team to be the first to collect 50 Chronovium Orbs. This 50-orb threshold is effectively the "cap" that determines an immediate win.
- Path 2 (Time Limit): If neither team manages to collect 50 orbs before the match timer expires (typically around 3 minutes and 50 seconds to 4 minutes), the team that has accumulated the higher number of orbs at that moment is declared the winner.
This clarity in win conditions means teams always have a precise understanding of what they need to achieve. There's no ambiguity that a potential overtime phase might introduce, allowing teams to concentrate fully on maximizing orb collection within the given timeframe.
The match timer itself becomes a significant strategic element. As the clock winds down, particularly if neither team is close to the 50-orb cap, the pressure to secure every possible orb intensifies. This can lead to teams taking more risks or shifting their focus from general skirmishing to aggressive orb denial and collection to ensure they have the lead when time expires.
Map Awareness Tips
"Map awareness" is a fundamental skill in Marvel Rivals, and it simply means understanding the layout of the battlefield and using that knowledge to your advantage. This includes knowing common routes, chokepoints where fighting is likely, high ground positions, available cover, and anticipating where enemies might be or where they might go. As one analysis notes, "Map awareness is arguably the most important universal mechanic in Marvel Rivals".
Ninomaru – The Conquest Battlefield
Conquest mode is primarily, if not exclusively, played on the Tokyo 2099: Ninomaru map. This map is described as a "Japanese-themed futuristic dojo" and is specifically designed for "fast-paced with objective-focused skirmishes". This description suggests a layout that encourages frequent engagements and quick rotations.
General Map Awareness Tips
- Learn the Layout: Move around Ninomaru and familiarize yourself with its main pathways, side alleys or corridors, and any areas with multiple levels.
- Identify Chokepoints: These are narrow passages or areas where teams are likely to clash. Knowing them helps you anticipate enemy movements or prepare ambushes.
- Utilize High Ground: If Ninomaru offers elevated positions, they can provide superior sightlines and a tactical advantage in fights.
- Discover Flanking Routes: Look for less obvious paths that allow you to get behind or to the side of enemies.
- Cover is Your Friend: Always make use of environmental objects to block incoming fire. Avoid standing out in the open.
- Listen for Cues: Audio cues like footsteps and ability sounds can alert you to nearby enemies.
- Track Enemy Movement: Pay attention to where enemies were last seen and predict where they're heading.
Dojo-Specific Considerations
The "futuristic dojo" theme of Ninomaru might imply certain characteristics:
- Close-quarters combat opportunities
- Multiple rooms for strategic positioning
- Predictable orb hotspots after fights
- Interconnected pathways for flanking
- Limited long-range sightlines
- Crowded engagement areas
- Quick enemy rotations possible
- Destructible environment changes
Key Takeaways
As you dive into the thrilling chaos of Conquest mode, keep these core principles in mind to give yourself and your team the best chance at victory.
Core Mechanics Recap
- Objective First, Always: Remember, the ultimate goal is to collect 50 Chronovium Orbs or to have the most orbs when the timer hits zero. Eliminations are a means to make orbs appear, but orb collection is what wins the game.
- Heal Up and Stay in the Fight: Knowing the locations of health packs on Ninomaru is essential for your survival and ability to contribute continuously.
- Back in a Flash: Respawns are incredibly quick, so expect non-stop action and be ready to jump back in immediately.
- No Complex Overtime: The match ends decisively when a team reaches the 50-orb cap or when time runs out. There are no convoluted overtime rules to worry about.
Embrace the Chaos (and Learn from It)
Conquest is inherently fast-paced and can feel chaotic, especially when you're starting out. Don't be discouraged by frequent deaths. Instead, view each engagement as an opportunity to practice your chosen hero's combat abilities, learn their cooldowns, and understand their strengths and weaknesses in different situations. The skills honed in Conquest—aim, ability usage, quick decision-making, and map navigation—are foundational and will benefit you in all of Marvel Rivals' game modes.
Team Play Still Matters
Even though Conquest has a strong deathmatch feel, coordinating with your teammates can significantly improve your chances. Sticking together can help you overwhelm opponents and more effectively secure orbs after a fight. Simple communication, even using the in-game ping system to highlight a large cluster of orbs or to call for assistance, can make a difference.
Hero Choice Considerations
While Conquest is a great place to practice any hero, some characters may naturally perform better in its brawling environment. Heroes with good survivability, high burst damage, or strong close-quarters capabilities can often shine. For example, heroes like Iron Fist, Venom, Spider-Man for their combat prowess, or even Rocket Raccoon and Magik for their unique advantages in sustained fights, have been noted as strong picks.
Keep Learning Ninomaru
The more familiar you become with the Ninomaru map—its pathways, health pack locations, chokepoints, and common engagement areas—the more effective you will be.
This primer aimed to provide a clear, jargon-free introduction to Conquest mode. By understanding these fundamental mechanics and tips, you'll be well-equipped to jump into the arena, contribute to your team's success, and most importantly, have a blast doing it!