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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The first-half Season 1 balance update for Marvel Rivals changed heroes across all three roles and adjusted six Team-Up abilities. It includes straightforward number changes as well as mixed adjustments and mechanical changes—for example, Psylocke’s ultimate now checks barriers, while Squirrel Girl’s ultimate squirrels seek the nearest enemy after bouncing. These are the changes announced for Season 1’s January 2025 launch, not a description of the game’s current live balance.
What are the Marvel Rivals Season 1 buffs and nerfs?
The official Season 1 balance post, dated January 9, 2025, covers the first half of the season. The developers said their Season 0 analysis showed varied lineups in regular matches, while double-shield and ranged compositions were especially strong as skill level increased. They framed the changes as a way to broaden the roster and encourage more varied, intricate play.
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“Buff” and “nerf” below describe the direction of an individual change, not a measured change in a hero’s overall competitive strength. Some heroes received changes in both directions, and some adjustments alter behavior rather than a numerical stat.
Which Vanguard heroes changed?
| Hero | Direction | Season 1 changes |
|---|---|---|
| Captain America | Buff, with a lower ultimate health gain | Living Legend’s shield restoration delay fell from 3 to 2 seconds; Liberty Rush cooldown fell from 12 to 10 seconds; base health rose from 650 to 675. Freedom Charge energy cost fell from 3400 to 3100, while its additional self-health per second fell from 110 to 100. |
| Doctor Strange | Nerf | Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom gained damage falloff: it starts at 5 meters and reaches 70% damage at 8 meters. Shield of the Seraphim’s post-release shield recovery fell from 80 to 70 per second. |
| Thor | Buff | Base health rose from 500 to 525. God of Thunder now grants immunity to control effects during the ultimate. |
| Hulk | Nerf | Hero Hulk’s Indestructible Guard gamma shield value fell from 250 to 200. |
| Venom | Buff | Symbiotic Resilience’s bonus health per lost health point rose from 1 to 1.2. Feast of the Abyss base damage rose from 40 to 50. |
Which Duelist heroes changed?
| Hero | Direction | Season 1 changes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Panther | Nerf | Self-health after refreshing Vibranium Marks with Spirit Rend fell from 40 to 30; the maximum additional health fell from 120 to 75. |
| Black Widow | Buff and optimization | Edge Dancer’s first effect radius rose from 3 to 5 meters. Fleet Foot’s recovery from zero stamina to full fell from 12 to 4 seconds. Electro-Plasma Explosion now reaches maximum power in 0.6 seconds rather than 1 second. |
| Hawkeye | Nerf and adjustment | Blast Arrow’s spread angle was slightly reduced. Archer’s Focus triggering distance fell from 60 to 40 meters, and its maximum additional damage fell from 80 to 70. |
| Hela | Nerf | Base health fell from 275 to 250. |
| Magik | Buff | Umbral Incursion damage in Darkchild form rose from 115 to 135. |
| Moon Knight | Buff | Hand of Khonshu generates 14 talons instead of 10. Each talon’s explosion radius rose from 4 to 5 meters. |
| Namor | Handling adjustment | Monstro Spawn and Frozen Spawn throwing behavior was adjusted so they can be thrown more accurately to the desired location. No numerical value was specified. |
| Psylocke | Counterplay adjustment | Dance of the Butterfly now checks for barriers, including Magneto’s Metal Bulwark and Hulk’s Indestructible Guard. |
| The Punisher | Buff | Deliverance and Adjudication weapon spread was slightly reduced. |
| Scarlet Witch | Mixed adjustment | Chaos Control fixed damage rose from 50 to 60 per second, while its percentage damage per second fell from 5% to 3%. Chthonian Burst projectile damage rose from 30 to 35. |
| Storm | Buff | Wind Blade projectile speed rose from 100 to 150 m/s and its left-click damage from 50 to 55. Bolt Rush damage rose from 70 to 80. Omega Hurricane’s self-bonus health rose from 350 to 450 and now decays by 100 per second after the ultimate ends, rather than disappearing instantly. |
| Squirrel Girl | Mixed adjustment | Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami squirrels now rush toward the nearest enemy after bouncing instead of bouncing randomly. The ultimate’s health fell from 600 to 300. |
| Winter Soldier | Mixed adjustment | Bonus health from Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage rose from 30 to 40; Roterstern projectile damage rose from 70 to 75. Its area damage fell from 70 to 65, and the listed damage-decay value changed from 65% at 40 meters to 60%. Base health rose from 250 to 275. |
| Wolverine | Mixed adjustment | Base health rose from 300 to 350, while Undying Animal damage reduction fell from 50% to 40%. |
Which Strategist heroes changed?
| Hero | Direction | Season 1 changes |
|---|---|---|
| Cloak & Dagger | Buff | Dagger Storm cooldown fell from 15 to 12 seconds. Eternal Bond gained a fourth dash, up from three. |
| Jeff the Land Shark | Mixed adjustment | It’s Jeff! changed from a 10-meter sphere to a spell field with a 10-meter radius and 5-meter height. Joyful Splash healing rose from 140 to 150 per second. |
| Luna Snow | Nerf and adjustment | Fate of Both Worlds’ interval for switching between healing and damage rose from 0.1 to 0.5 seconds. |
| Mantis | Nerf | Nature’s Favor movement boost fell from 2.5 to 1.5 m/s. |
| Rocket Raccoon | Buff | Repair Mode healing rose from 60 to 70 per second. |
What changed for Team-Up abilities?
The developers described Season 1’s Team-Up changes as minor value adjustments and said more extensive redesigns were planned for Season 2. The figures below are the Season 1 changes in the official balance post.
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| Team-Up | Season 1 changes |
|---|---|
| Hawkeye–Black Widow | Hawkeye’s seasonal bonus fell from 20% to 15%. |
| Hela–Thor–Loki | Hela’s seasonal bonus fell from 20% to 15%. |
| Luna Snow–Namor | Frozen Spawn damage rose from 25 to 27, its slow effect rose from 25% to 30%, and berserk-state Frozen Spawn damage rose from 16 to 18. |
| Rocket Raccoon–The Punisher–Winter Soldier | Ammo Invention cooldown fell from 45 to 40 seconds. |
| Scarlet Witch–Magneto | Metallic Fusion projectile damage rose from 55 to 60, and spell field damage rose from 30 to 35. |
| Thor–Storm–Captain America | Charged Gale cooldown fell from 20 to 15 seconds, and damage rose from 50 to 55. |
How should you read these changes alongside the Season 1 patch notes?
The balance post is the source for the hero and Team-Up values above. The separate Version 20250110 patch notes, dated January 8, 2025, cover broader launch updates as well: Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman joined the roster; the Empire of Eternal Night: Midtown Convoy map and Doom Match mode were introduced; and the notes list a new Celestial ranked tier alongside PC graphics, mouse-setting and Intel XeSS 2 support changes. Those additions and settings are not character balance changes.
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