Marvel Rivals, the quirky hero shooter by NetEase, features beloved characters from the dynamic Marvel universe.
Unlike the more refined Overwatch 2, which fine-tunes its gameplay for the competitive esports arena, Marvel Rivals revels in its unconventional charm.
While the game has been praised for its enjoyable flair, the developers knew that adjustments were necessary as certain characters began to overshadow others with their abilities.
Season 1 Balance Update
With the arrival of the game’s exciting new Fantastic Four-themed season, NetEase has rolled out its first major balance patch.
This initial update introduces several changes that hint at a bright future for Marvel Rivals.
Earlier this week, the developers outlined their vision for Season 1 and subsequently published detailed patch notes.
Among the standout changes are significant nerfs for both Hela and Hawkeye, along with enhancements for Venom and Captain America.
The update also includes minor modifications for a variety of other characters.
While some players may feel Captain America’s damage still requires buffing or that Hela’s reduced health might not suffice, the strategy of implementing careful tweaks appears wise.
This approach preserves the game’s unique vibe without dampening its thrilling essence.
Key Balance Changes
In addition to hero-specific alterations, many Team-Up abilities have received adjustments as well.
Most notably, cooldowns have been decreased, and damage capabilities have been improved across several skills.
- Captain America
- The cooldown for his ability, Living Legend, has been shortened from 3 seconds to 2 seconds.
- Liberty Rush now boasts a reduced cooldown, from 12 seconds to 10 seconds.
- His base health has been bumped up from 650 to 675.
- Doctor Strange
- New damage falloff mechanics have been introduced for his skills, Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom.
- The recovery rate for shield value post-use of Shield of the Seraphim has slightly dropped from 80 points per second to 70.
- Thor
- He now has increased base health, rising from 500 to 525.
- When activating his ultimate ability, God of Thunder, Thor gains immunity to control effects.
- Hulk
- The gamma shield value for Hero Hulk’s Indestructible Guard has been lowered from 250 to 200.
- Venom
- The health ratio bonus from Symbiotic Resilience has improved, now granting 1.2 health points lost per damage.
- The damage output for his ultimate, Feast of the Abyss, has increased from 40 to 50.
- Hela
- Her base health has been reduced from 275 to 250.
Conclusion
Other heroes, including Black Panther, Black Widow, and Winter Soldier, received fine-tuning alongside specific Team-Up abilities linked to Hawkeye and Hela that have seen enhancements.
Overall, these balance changes underscore NetEase’s dedication to preserving the wild and fun spirit of Marvel Rivals, while making sure no single character dominates the battlefield unchecked.
Source: Kotaku