Marvel Rivals Reveals Season 1 Balance Changes

Marvel Rivals Receives Pre-Season 1 Balance Patch with Buffs and Nerfs

NetEase has deployed a comprehensive balance patch for Marvel Rivals, impacting various heroes ahead of Season 1's January 10th launch. The update features adjustments across all hero categories, addressing community feedback and aiming to refine the overall gameplay experience.

The patch introduces both buffs and nerfs, significantly altering the meta. Duelists like Black Panther, Hawkeye, Hela, and Scarlet Witch received minor nerfs, while others, including Black Widow, Magik, Moon Knight, Wolverine, and Winter Soldier, saw improvements to their stats and abilities. A particularly noteworthy buff enhances Storm's capabilities, addressing player concerns about her previous underperformance. Her Bolt Rush now deals 80 damage, and Wind Blade's projectile speed has been increased to 150m/s from 100m/s.

Vanguards also received attention, with Captain America and Thor receiving health boosts and Venom experiencing an increase in Feast of the Abyss damage. Strategists saw several tweaks, including cooldown reductions for Cloak & Dagger's Dagger Storm and increased healing for Jeff the Land Shark's Joyful Splash. Rocket Raccoon's repair mode also received a boost.

The balance patch extends to team-up abilities, those activated when specific hero combinations are selected. Several team-up bonuses have been adjusted, with some cooldowns reduced for improved synergy. For example, Hawkeye and Black Widow's team-up bonus has been reduced to 15%, while the cooldown for Rocket Raccoon, Punisher, and Winter Soldier's team-up has been shortened.

Below are the detailed patch notes:

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Balance Patch Notes

Duelist

• Black Panther: Reduced additional self-health from Spirit Rend.
• Black Widow: Increased Edge Dancer range and reduced Fleet Foot and Electro-Plasma Explosion recovery times.
• Hawkeye: Slightly reduced Blast Arrow spread and Archer’s Focus range and damage.
• Hela: Reduced base health.
• Magik: Increased Umbral Incursion damage (Darkchild form).
• Moon Knight: Increased Hand of Khonshu talon count and explosion radius.
• Namor: Improved Monstro and Frozen Spawn throwing accuracy.
• Psylocke: Dance of the Butterfly now detects barriers.
• The Punisher: Slightly reduced Deliverance and Adjudication spread.
• Scarlet Witch: Increased Chaos Control fixed damage, reduced percentage damage, and increased Chthonian Burst projectile damage.
• Storm: Increased Wind Blade projectile speed and damage, Bolt Rush damage, and Omega Hurricane bonus health.
• Squirrel Girl: Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami squirrels now target the nearest enemy; reduced squirrel health.
• Winter Soldier: Increased bonus health from Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage, Roterstern projectile damage, and base health; reduced area damage and damage decay.
• Wolverine: Increased base health; reduced Undying Animal damage reduction.

Vanguard

• Captain America: Reduced shield restoration delay, Liberty Rush cooldown, and Freedom Charge energy cost; increased base health and reduced self-heal per second from Freedom Charge.
• Doctor Strange: Added damage falloff to Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom; slightly decreased shield recovery rate.
• Thor: Increased base health; added immunity to control effects during God of Thunder.
• Hulk: Reduced Indestructible Guard shield value.
• Venom: Increased Symbiotic Resilience bonus health ratio and Feast of the Abyss base damage.

Strategist

• Cloak & Dagger: Reduced Dagger Storm cooldown; increased Eternal Bond dashes.
• Jeff the Land Shark: Adjusted It’s Jeff! range; increased Joyful Splash healing.
• Luna Snow: Increased Fate of Both Worlds switching interval.
• Mantis: Reduced Nature’s Favor movement boost.
• Rocket Raccoon: Increased Repair Mode healing.

Team-Up Abilities

• Hawkeye – Black Widow: Reduced season bonus.
• Hela – Thor – Loki: Reduced season bonus.
• Luna Snow – Namor: Increased Frozen Spawn damage and slow effect.
• Rocket Raccoon – The Punisher – Winter Soldier: Reduced Ammo Invention cooldown.
• Scarlet Witch – Magneto: Increased Metallic Fusion damage.
• Thor – Storm – Captain America: Reduced Charged Gale cooldown and increased damage.

This pre-Season 1 patch promises a more balanced and engaging Marvel Rivals experience. Players are encouraged to explore these changes and adapt their strategies accordingly.