Ready to stop feeling like your team is just a random assortment of cool heroes and start dominating the objective? This guide is your friendly handbook to understanding powerful team archetypes in Marvel Rivals, helping squads pick heroes that actually work together to crush the competition in those intense "Clash" or "Brawl" style matches.
Now, Marvel Rivals features some unique game modes. For instance, there's "Clash of Dancing Lions," a special 3v3 football-inspired mode with a limited hero pool where players score by carrying a ball into the enemy net. There's also "Ultron's Battle Matrix Protocol," an auto-battler mode where players select six heroes and purchase modules to upgrade them through PvP and PvE rounds. While these modes offer distinct experiences, this guide will focus on the strategic depth found in the standard 6v6 objective-based game modes. These are the arenas—like Convoy, where teams escort or stop a payload, or various point-capture scenarios—where a full team composition and the diverse abilities of numerous heroes become absolutely crucial for victory. This is where the real "clash" of strategies and "brawl" for objectives truly unfolds.
This guide will break down how to build devastating Burst compositions designed for quick eliminations, unkillable Sustain fortresses that outlast any foe, and clever Anti-Spawn-Camp teams engineered to break even the most stubborn enemy holds.
Understanding Roles in Marvel Rivals
Before assembling super-teams, a quick review of the fundamental building blocks is essential. Every hero in Marvel Rivals is categorized into one of three distinct roles, and a solid grasp of these roles is paramount for constructing a balanced and effective team composition.
These are the frontline warriors, tasked with protecting their allies, initiating engagements, and controlling critical areas on the battlefield. Vanguards like the mighty Hulk, who can leap into the fray and disrupt enemies, the resilient Groot, capable of erecting protective walls and ensnaring foes, the mystical Doctor Strange, who can conjure shields and manipulate enemy positioning, and the adaptable Venom, who uses symbiotic powers for both aggression and survival, all fit this mold. Their primary function is to create space and absorb incoming damage, allowing their damage-focused teammates to operate effectively.
These heroes are the primary damage dealers of the team, excelling at securing eliminations and applying consistent pressure. This category includes heroes such as Iron Man, with his powerful arsenal of energy weapons, Hela, a long-range menace capable of devastating headshots, the agile Spider-Man, who uses webs and acrobatics to outmaneuver opponents, the reality-bending Scarlet Witch, who unleashes chaotic energy, and The Punisher, a versatile combatant with a deadly arsenal for various ranges. Their role is to bring the offensive firepower necessary to dismantle the enemy team.
These heroes are the crucial support elements of any team, influencing the battle through healing, providing buffs to allies, applying debuffs to enemies, and deploying unique utility abilities. Luna Snow stands out as a potent healer, capable of sustaining her team through intense engagements. Other Strategists, such as the cunning Loki or the newly introduced Ultron, might offer different forms of battlefield control, healing, or unique support mechanics. Strategists are often the linchpin that holds a team together and enables its core strategy.
Key Team Archetypes
Understanding common team archetypes provides a strategic framework for hero selection and in-game decision-making.
The Quick KO: Burst Comps
What They Are: These compositions are engineered to overwhelm opponents with a massive, concentrated barrage of damage within a very short timeframe. The primary objective is to swiftly eliminate key enemy targets or even achieve a full team wipe before the enemy has a chance to react effectively or sustain through the onslaught.
General Strategy: Success with a burst comp hinges on focused fire, precise coordination of high-damage ultimate abilities and standard skills, and the ability to quickly identify and neutralize vulnerable enemies. This often necessitates aggressive positioning to maximize damage output.
The Unstoppable Force: Sustain Comps
What They Are: Sustain compositions aim to outlast their adversaries through superior healing capabilities, robust damage mitigation (such as shields and damage reduction effects), and overall team resilience. They typically win engagements through attrition, making themselves exceptionally difficult to eliminate while methodically whittling down the enemy's resources and health.
General Strategy: Effective sustain play involves maintaining team cohesion, diligently protecting allied healers, strategically utilizing defensive abilities to mitigate incoming threats, and controlling objectives by being too durable for the enemy to dislodge.
The Siege Breakers: Anti-Spawn-Camp Comps
What They Are: Being pinned down in the spawn area by an entrenched enemy team, commonly known as spawn camping, can be an incredibly frustrating experience. Anti-Spawn-Camp compositions are specifically designed to break these chokepoints, create openings in the enemy's defensive line, and dislodge deeply dug-in defenders. This archetype is particularly crucial for game modes like Convoy, where attackers can get stalled by a strong defensive hold.
General Strategy: These comps leverage high mobility to execute flanks, utilize abilities that can displace enemies or bypass heavily guarded chokepoints, and rely on coordinated pushes to overwhelm a specific segment of the enemy's defensive setup. For example, some maps allow attackers to widen chokes by destroying environmental features, while defenders often set up on high ground; anti-spawn-camp compositions must be equipped to counter such defensive tactics.
Dominating Compositions
Burst Archetype Showcase
The core philosophy of a Burst archetype is to deliver an overwhelming amount of damage in a very short window, aiming to eliminate key targets or even the entire enemy team before they can mount an effective defense or heal through the assault. This typically involves prioritizing Duelists with high-impact abilities and devastating Ultimates.
Example Comp 1: "The Annihilators"
This composition focuses on large area-of-effect (AoE) damage and coordinated ultimate abilities to obliterate grouped-up enemies.
- Iron Man (Duelist): His Invincible Pulse Cannon (Q) delivers catastrophic AoE damage, and Armor Overdrive (E) significantly boosts his sustained damage output from Repulsor Blasts and Unibeam.
- Hela (Duelist): A dominant force at long range, capable of eliminating many heroes with just two headshots. Her Goddess of Death (Q) ultimate allows her to soar into the sky and rain down Nastrond Crows for massive AoE damage.
- Hulk (Vanguard): Incredible Leap (Space) allows him to dive into the enemy backline, disrupting formations and targeting key heroes. Hulk Smash! (Q) provides significant AoE damage and crowd control. Critically, his Team-Up ability "Gamma Charge" with Iron Man enhances Iron Man's Armor Overdrive, further boosting his damage.
- Scarlet Witch (Duelist): Her Reality Erasure (Q) ultimate is a massive AoE nuke that can devastate clustered enemies. Her primary fire, Chaos Control, deals damage based on a percentage of the enemy's maximum health, making her effective against even high-health Vanguards.
- Doctor Strange (Vanguard): His Eye of Agamotto (Q) ultimate is a cornerstone of this burst strategy, separating enemies' souls from their bodies, causing damage dealt to the souls to be transferred to their physical forms, effectively making them extremely vulnerable to follow-up attacks. His Shield of Seraphim (Right-Click) can also protect the team during the setup phase of the burst.
- Luna Snow (Strategist): While primarily a powerful healer, Luna Snow's Fate of Both Worlds (Q) ultimate has a dual function. She can toggle it to provide a substantial 40% damage boost to all nearby allies, which is an immense amplification for a coordinated burst window.
Example Comp 2: "Close Quarters Chaos"
This composition excels at diving specific targets and overwhelming them with rapid, close-range burst damage.
- The Punisher (Duelist): His Final Judgement (Q) ultimate can melt targets at close to medium range with a hail of bullets and missiles. His shotgun, Deliverance, offers extremely high burst damage potential against single targets at close quarters, capable of one-shotting many 250HP heroes with a headshot.
- Magik (Duelist): Her Darkchild (Q) ultimate transforms her, significantly enhancing all her abilities for a period of intense melee burst damage. Stepping Discs (Shift) provide excellent engage and disengage capabilities, and can be comboed into Eldritch Whirl for AoE damage.
- Venom (Vanguard): His Feast of the Abyss (Q) ultimate allows him to burrow underground and then emerge to devour low-health targets or cause significant disruption and damage. Frenzied Arrival (F) is a powerful engage tool, pulling enemies towards his landing point.
- Black Panther (Duelist): His Bast's Descent (Q) ultimate is a powerful pounce that deals damage, marks targets, and critically refreshes his Spirit Rend (Shift) dash. This allows for rapid, high-damage combos on isolated enemies.
- Psylocke (Duelist): Her Dance of the Butterfly (Q) ultimate unleashes a flurry of AoE melee psionic katana slashes. Psi-Blade Dash (Shift) provides a quick engage or repositioning tool.
- Adam Warlock (Strategist): While not a direct burst damage contributor, Adam Warlock's kit can offer control elements or crucial revives via the "Guardian Revival" Team-Up with Star-Lord or Mantis. This can be invaluable if a key burst hero is eliminated prematurely.
| Hero | Role | Key Burst Abilities | Team-Up Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Man | Duelist | Invincible Pulse Cannon (Q), Armor Overdrive (E) | Gamma Charge with Hulk boosts Overdrive |
| Hela | Duelist | Goddess of Death (Q), Nightsword Thorn headshots | Ragnarok Rebirth with Thor/Loki for revive |
| The Punisher | Duelist | Final Judgement (Q), Deliverance (Shotgun) | Operation Microchip with Black Widow |
| Scarlet Witch | Duelist | Reality Erasure (Q), Chthonian Burst | Arcane Order with Dr. Strange |
| Magik | Duelist | Darkchild (Q), Umbral Incursion (E) | Disc Master with Black Panther/Psylocke |
Sustain Archetype Showcase
Sustain archetypes are built to outlast opponents through a combination of robust healing, strong damage mitigation from shields and damage reduction effects, and overall team resilience. These compositions aim to win prolonged engagements by making themselves incredibly difficult to eliminate, effectively turning fights into wars of attrition where their superior endurance prevails.
Example Comp 1: "The Unyielding Bastion"
This composition focuses on creating multiple layers of static defenses and overwhelming incoming damage with potent healing.
- Groot (Vanguard): Possesses a substantial 700 health pool. His Ironwood Wall (E) provides durable cover and grants him Bonus Health when awakened by his Flora Colossus passive. His ultimate, Strangling Prison (Q), can trap enemies, making them easy targets or preventing their advance.
- Doctor Strange (Vanguard): His Shield of Seraphim (Right-Click) is an exceptionally strong defensive tool, capable of absorbing up to 800 damage before breaking. Additionally, his Pentagram of Farallah (F) portals can be used for strategic repositioning or to help teammates escape dangerous situations.
- Luna Snow (Strategist): Widely regarded for her immense healing output, Luna Snow can keep her team alive through intense firefights using her Light & Dark Ice primary fire, Ice Arts (Shift), Share the Stage (E), and her powerful Fate of Both Worlds (Q) ultimate, which provides massive AoE healing.
- Ultron (Strategist): As a newer addition, Ultron brings significant healing and support. His Imperative: Patch ability sends a drone to provide AoE healing, while Imperative: Firewall grants bonus health to allies. His Rage of Ultron (Q) ultimate also includes an ally healing component.
- Hulk (Vanguard): In his Hulk form, Indestructible Guard (Shift) allows him to generate a shield for himself and nearby allies, absorbing incoming damage. His naturally high health pool further contributes to his resilience.
- Venom (Vanguard): Symbiotic Resilience (E) grants Venom personal Bonus Health, with the amount increasing as his health gets lower, making him harder to finish off. His Feast of the Abyss (Q) ultimate also generates Bonus Health upon damaging enemies.
Example Comp 2: "The Mobile Fortress"
This sustain comp relies less on static defenses and more on distributed, mobile sources of healing, protection, and crucial Team-Up synergies.
- Peni Parker (Vanguard): Her kit likely involves her SP//dr mech providing protection and utility. A key Team-Up, "Rocket Network" with Rocket Raccoon, allows Peni to deploy a smaller nest that also generates armor packs, while Rocket's revive beacon becomes a mini nest with mines, adding both sustain and area control.
- Captain America (Vanguard): Expected to have shield abilities for damage mitigation, befitting his iconic status. His "Stars Aligned" Team-Up with Winter Soldier enables both heroes to unleash shockwaves that damage or debuff nearby enemies, adding a layer of offensive pressure to his defensive capabilities.
- Mantis (Strategist): A dedicated healer and support character. Her "Guardian Revival" Team-Up with Adam Warlock and Star-Lord is exceptionally valuable for sustain, as it grants Mantis and Star-Lord the ability to self-revive after being defeated.
- Adam Warlock (Strategist): Provides healing and other support, and is a crucial component of the "Guardian Revival" Team-Up, which can negate enemy picks.
- Jeff the Land Shark (Strategist): Another source of healing. His "Symbiote Shenanigans" Team-Up with Venom extends tendrils that link nearby allies for additional healing, significantly boosting AoE sustain.
- Iron Fist (Duelist): While primarily a damage dealer, Iron Fist's "Atlas Bond" Team-Up with Luna Snow grants Luna a new ability: an AoE blast that pushes back enemies and heals nearby allies. This enhances Luna's survivability and the team's overall sustain, while Iron Fist provides self-sufficient damage.
| Hero | Role | Key Sustain Abilities | Team-Up Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groot | Vanguard | Ironwood Wall (E), 700 Health Pool | Planet X Pals with Rocket/Jeff for damage resistance |
| Doctor Strange | Vanguard | Shield of Seraphim (800 HP), Pentagram Portals | Arcane Order with Scarlet Witch |
| Luna Snow | Strategist | Light & Dark Ice, Fate of Both Worlds (Q) | Atlas Bond with Iron Fist for AoE push/heal |
| Ultron | Strategist | Imperative: Patch (AoE Heal), Firewall (Bonus Health) | Stark Protocol with Iron Man |
| Venom | Vanguard | Symbiotic Resilience (E), Feast of Abyss (Q) | Symbiote Shenanigans with Jeff for AoE healing |
Anti-Spawn-Camp Archetype Showcase
Spawn camping, where the enemy team establishes a dominant position near a team's respawn area and prevents them from effectively rejoining the fight, is a common frustration in objective-based shooters. Anti-Spawn-Camp compositions are specifically tailored to break these entrenched enemy holds.
Example Comp 1: "The Door Kickers"
This composition focuses on using high mobility and disruptive abilities to attack entrenched defenders from multiple, unexpected angles simultaneously.
- Spider-Man (Duelist): His Web-Swing (Shift) ability grants incredible mobility, allowing him to traverse the map quickly and access unusual angles. Get Over Here! (E) can pull an enemy out of a strong defensive position or, if used on a marked target, pull Spider-Man towards them for an aggressive dive. His Spectacular Spin (Q) ultimate provides AoE stun and damage, ideal for breaking up formations.
- Magik (Duelist): Stepping Discs (Shift) allow Magik to teleport short distances, becoming invulnerable during the teleport, making her excellent for bypassing chokepoints or dangerous sightlines. Umbral Incursion (E) can launch enemies into the air, disrupting their positioning, and her Darkchild (Q) ultimate enhances her dive and burst potential.
- Hulk (Vanguard): Incredible Leap (Space) enables Hulk to jump over enemy defenses and land directly into their backlines, causing immense disruption. His Hulk Smash! (Q) ultimate creates AoE chaos, breaking enemy formations and drawing attention.
- Black Panther (Duelist): Spirit Rend (Shift) provides multiple dashes for agile movement, while Subtle Step (Space) allows for wall-running to find unique flanking routes. His Bast's Descent (Q) ultimate is a powerful dive tool that also refreshes Spirit Rend, enabling extended offensive pressure.
- Doctor Strange (Vanguard): His Pentagram of Farallah (F) ability, which creates portals, can be a game-changer for breaking spawn camps by allowing the entire team to bypass a heavily guarded chokepoint and appear in an unexpected location. His Eye of Agamotto (Q) ultimate can also make entrenched enemies extremely vulnerable to a coordinated push.
- Loki (Strategist): While specifics vary, Loki's kit typically involves abilities centered around deception, such as creating clones or teleportation. These are invaluable for confusing defenders, creating diversions, and opening windows of opportunity for teammates to push through.
Example Comp 2: "The Siege Engines"
This composition focuses on systematically dismantling entrenched defensive positions through sustained area denial, suppressive fire, and by making enemy strongholds untenable.
- Iron Man (Duelist): His Hyper-Velocity (LShift) flight capability allows him to gain advantageous high-ground positions or execute flanks. His Invincible Pulse Cannon (Q) ultimate delivers significant AoE damage, which is excellent for clearing out enemies holding tight formations or fortified positions.
- Groot (Vanguard): His Thornlash Wall (LShift) can be used offensively to block enemy sightlines, protect advancing teammates, or even damage enemies hiding behind cover if the wall is "Awakened" by his passive. His Strangling Prison (Q) ultimate can pull defenders out of cover or trap them for follow-up damage.
- The Punisher (Duelist): Vantage Connection (Shift) provides zipline mobility, allowing him to reach unexpected firing angles. His Final Judgement (Q) ultimate, or even his Culling Turret (E), can lay down a withering hail of suppressive fire, forcing defenders to relocate or take heavy damage. His Scourge Grenade (Right-Click) deploys smoke, which can cover the team's advance or obscure enemy sightlines.
- Hela (Duelist): Astral Flock (Shift) grants her a burst of mobility to reposition to high ground or escape danger. Soul Drainer (E) can pull enemies out of position, and her Goddess of Death (Q) ultimate allows for devastating aerial bombardment of entrenched foes.
- Storm (Duelist): Likely possesses flight capabilities and powerful AoE abilities that can control space and inflict damage on grouped enemies. Her "Jeff Nado" Team-Up with Jeff the Land Shark combines their ultimates into a massive, damaging twister, excellent for breaking static defenses.
- Rocket Raccoon (Strategist): His kit is expected to include traps or other AoE damage abilities that can control space or punish enemy movement. The "Rocket Network" Team-Up with Peni Parker allows Peni to deploy nests that generate armor packs and also turns Rocket's revive beacon into a mini nest with mines, which can be used to secure ground during a push or deny areas to the enemy.
| Hero | Role | Key Anti-Camp Abilities | Team-Up Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Man | Duelist | Web-Swing (Shift), Get Over Here! (E) | ESU Alumnus with Squirrel Girl |
| Magik | Duelist | Stepping Discs (teleport), Umbral Incursion | Disc Master with Black Panther/Psylocke |
| Hulk | Vanguard | Incredible Leap (Space), Hulk Smash! (Q) | Gamma Charge with Iron Man/Namor |
| Doctor Strange | Vanguard | Pentagram Portals (F), Eye of Agamotto (Q) | Arcane Order with Scarlet Witch |
| Iron Man | Duelist | Hyper-Velocity (flight), Pulse Cannon (AoE) | Stark Protocol with Ultron |
Tips for Team Success
Assembling a team with strong synergistic potential is a significant step towards victory, but it's only part of the equation. Several other factors, often referred to as "soft skills," play a crucial role in maximizing any composition's effectiveness.
Ultimately, even a perfectly constructed "Burst Comp" will fail if players don't communicate and focus their fire on the same target; the damage will be diluted and ineffective. If players deploy their powerful ultimates at random intervals rather than in a coordinated window, the intended burst potential is squandered. Similarly, if a team becomes preoccupied with chasing individual kills and neglects the game's objective, they might win skirmishes but ultimately lose the match. These "soft skills" are essential force multipliers that amplify the effectiveness of any "hard" team composition.
Assemble Your Victory!
Now armed with a deeper understanding of team roles, strategic archetypes, and powerful hero synergies, players are better equipped to build some truly fearsome team compositions in Marvel Rivals. The next step is to take this knowledge into the game, experiment with these archetypes, discover what combinations resonate best with individual playstyles and squad dynamics, and, most importantly, have a blast doing it. May these insights lead to many triumphant moments in the Rivals arena!