Finding Your Perfect Vanguard: The Best Tanks for Season 2
As Season 2 unfolds with the exciting Hellfire Gala theme, the tank meta has evolved significantly. In this chapter, we will analyze the most impactful Vanguards that are dominating the current landscape. With a new map, a fresh hero, and substantial balance changes, now is the perfect time to identify which tanks will give players the competitive edge in both casual and professional play.
Groot: The Undisputed Separator
Groot continues his reign from Season 1.5 as one of the premier Vanguards in the game. Surprisingly untouched by balance changes, this botanical powerhouse maintains his exceptional ability to isolate strategists from their teams. His performance metrics are impressive—boasting one of the highest pick rates during the Marvel Rivals Championship and maintaining excellent win rates in high-ELO play according to the Hero Hot List.
What makes Groot particularly valuable is his versatility. He offers substantial damage output, excellent protection capabilities, and unmatched zone control with his walls. While mastering his wall placement requires practice—misplaced barriers are quite conspicuous—the investment pays dividends. Players who perfect Groot’s mechanics can effectively solo climb the ranks, making him an excellent choice for those willing to put in the time to learn his nuances.
Magneto: Master of Magnetism and Meta
Magneto emerges as another top-tier Vanguard in Season 2. Despite a slight nerf to his ultimate charge time, he received a significant boost through a new team-up with Emma Frost that elevates his already formidable kit to new heights. His ultimate ability provides exceptional defensive utility against popular threats like Star-Lord and Punisher, particularly in lower ranks.
What sets Magneto apart is his offensive capabilities while maintaining frontline presence. In situations where solo-tanking becomes necessary, few can match his effectiveness. With the thematic alignment of the Hellfire Gala season and Krakoa, Magneto fits perfectly into the current meta both mechanically and aesthetically. This truly is the “Season of Magneto” as many players have dubbed it.
Emma Frost: The White Queen Ascends
The newest addition to the Vanguard roster, Emma Frost, has made an immediate and powerful impact on the meta. Unlike some new characters whose viability remains questionable upon release, Emma has proven herself to be exceptionally strong right out of the gate. Her kit offers a comprehensive package that addresses multiple facets of tank play.
Emma’s diamond form grants her unimpeded mobility, allowing her to move through effects that would stop other characters, such as Punisher’s turret or The Thing’s charge. This freedom of movement, combined with her close-range pressure and long-range diamond pull ability, makes her a threat at all engagement distances. Her ultimate excels at both combo setup and disruption, completing a versatile toolkit that has few weaknesses.
We anticipate Emma Frost paired with Magneto to be one of the most frequently played combinations this season. Her effectiveness is such that she will likely be a common ban in higher-ranked play. What’s particularly appealing about Emma is her relatively gentle learning curve—most players report feeling comfortable with her mechanics after just a few matches.
The Thing: Reliable Brawler
While The Thing may not be as flashy as some of the newer options, his consistent performance and straightforward playstyle make him an excellent choice for Season 2. Having avoided significant nerfs since his introduction, he offers a reliable option for players seeking a less complex Vanguard.
The Thing excels as a bully in the frontline, with a kit that focuses on timing his AOE punch versus single-target attacks, and knowing when to use his damage reduction jump. His effectiveness scales with rank, as more skilled Strategists can better capitalize on the space he creates. When Emma Frost faces bans in competitive play, we expect The Thing to be a popular alternative, particularly in combination with Magneto—a pairing that proved effective at the end of Season 1.5.
Penny Parker: The Low-ELO Dominator
Penny Parker received substantial buffs that position her to excel in Season 2, particularly in lower and mid-tier ranks. Her improvements include reduced movement penalties while firing, increased critical hit chance, and an additional 100 bonus health. These changes address her previous vulnerabilities while enhancing her strengths.
For players in Diamond rank and below, Penny offers an excellent opportunity to climb. Her self-sustain through healing, strategic spider nest placements, and improved survivability make her one of the most well-rounded Vanguards in the current meta. While her ultimate ability remains somewhat underwhelming, the rest of her kit more than compensates, providing everything a frontline player could want in the current season.
Captain America: The Potential Dark Horse
Captain America deserves mention as a potential breakout Vanguard for Season 2. With a 5% damage increase and improved survivability, he has the tools to become a significant threat. While he typically shines early in seasons before tapering off, the current meta conditions might finally allow him to maintain relevance throughout.
The effectiveness of his new team-up abilities and how the slight reduction in shield health impacts his performance remain to be seen. However, we believe Captain America has a strong chance to establish himself as a top-tier Vanguard option as the season progresses.
As we conclude our analysis of the Vanguard role for Season 2, it’s clear that tank players have several powerful options at their disposal. Whether you prefer the zone control of Groot, the magnetic prowess of Magneto, or the versatility of newcomer Emma Frost, this season offers a healthy variety of viable tank choices to suit different playstyles and team compositions.
Dominating Duelist Picks: Top DPS Heroes for Season 2
Following our examination of the tank meta in Season 2, we now turn our attention to the damage dealers who will be defining the competitive landscape. The Hellfire Gala season has brought significant balance changes that have reshuffled the duelist tier list. In this chapter, we will analyze the most impactful damage heroes that are poised to dominate in both casual and competitive play.
Hela: The Undisputed Goddess of Death
Hela continues her reign of terror in Season 2, maintaining her position as the premier duelist in Marvel Rivals. What makes Hela particularly formidable is her accessibility—players with even moderate aiming skills can achieve remarkable results with her at virtually any rank. Her dominance spans from professional play to casual matches, making her the quintessential damage pick.
Despite receiving a minor mobility nerf to her crow ability, this was offset by buffs to her Soul Drainer, which enhances her crowd control setup and spell damage output. Her kit remains exceptionally well-rounded, offering consistent damage, space creation through her ultimate, and valuable team synergies with Thor and Loki.
Hela particularly excels at cleaning up fights with precise eliminations and punishing vulnerable backline heroes. Her ability to apply constant pressure forces even the most durable tanks to respect her presence or risk being melted from a distance. With flying heroes becoming more prominent in Season 2, Hela’s aerial superiority gives her additional advantages in the evolving meta.
Psylocke: The Shadow Assassin Returns
After a brief moment in the spotlight during Season Zero, Psylocke has reemerged as a top-tier duelist for Season 2. Her reappearance in the meta is particularly timely with Emma Frost’s introduction, as their team-up ability creates one of the most potent combinations in the current game.
Psylocke thrives as a self-sufficient hero who can operate independently, making her an excellent choice for solo queue players. Her playstyle revolves around infiltrating enemy backlines, eliminating key strategists, and disappearing before the enemy team can respond. While her ultimate may not deliver team wipes, it excels at removing high-priority targets with precision.
What truly sets Psylocke apart is her burst damage potential. She possesses one of the most lethal first-hit combos in the game, capable of instantly eliminating strategists and creating immediate 5v4 advantages. This assassination potential, combined with her mobility and elusiveness, makes her a formidable threat throughout Season 2.
Mr. Fantastic: The Flexible Powerhouse
Mr. Fantastic has undergone a remarkable transformation from his previous underwhelming state to become a potential top-tier duelist in Season 2. The recent balance update has addressed his core issues, providing him with the tools needed to compete at the highest levels of play.
Mastering Mr. Fantastic now requires understanding the rhythm between his normal form—where he applies constant pressure and provides peeling for teammates—and his enhanced form, where he becomes an imposing frontline bully. His improved ultimate grants him some of the best survivability in the entire roster, allowing him to sustain through encounters that would eliminate other duelists.
The comprehensive adjustments to his health, damage output, and gameplay flow have resolved his previous identity crisis. While he still occupies a unique space between vanguard and duelist roles, he now possesses the necessary tools to thrive in this hybrid position. His effectiveness in console and lower-rank play has always been solid, but Season 2 might finally see Mr. Fantastic reaching his full potential across all platforms and skill levels.
Moon Knight: From Throw Pick to Menace
Moon Knight has experienced one of the most dramatic meta shifts, transforming from one of the least effective duelists to a potentially dominant force in Season 2. Previously considered a liability in competitive play, his substantial buffs have addressed his core weaknesses while enhancing his already impressive strengths.
His improved mobility through the upgraded grapple ability resolves his previous vulnerability to being isolated and eliminated. Additionally, the restoration of meaningful damage to his ultimate ability has returned his team-fight potential to respectable levels. While he may not reach the overwhelming power he displayed in early Season 1, Moon Knight now possesses a much more balanced and effective kit.
Moon Knight particularly excels when battles descend into chaos, allowing him to dive into grouped enemies and unleash devastating area-of-effect damage. His faster primary fire and enhanced survivability enable him to fulfill his role as a disruptive force more effectively than in previous seasons. Though he will still face challenges against certain counter picks like Psylocke, his overall viability has increased dramatically.
Hawkeye: The Silent Sniper
Hawkeye has consistently maintained his status as a sleeper pick, quietly eliminating targets from across the map while flashier heroes draw attention. With the shield-heavy meta receding, Hawkeye finds himself with clearer sightlines and more vulnerable targets than ever before.
The development team has shown particular favor to Hawkeye, providing him with consistent buffs despite his already solid performance. These improvements have made him feel significantly smoother to play in Season 2. His kit is particularly effective against the prevalent Magneto and Emma Frost combinations, as his range allows him to avoid their control abilities while delivering punishing damage.
Hawkeye’s effectiveness tends to inversely correlate with Dr. Strange’s popularity—as the Sorcerer Supreme falls out of favor, Hawkeye’s stock rises proportionally. His ability to melt tanks, eliminate strategists, and punish poor positioning makes him an excellent choice for players who prefer a methodical, distance-based approach to the duelist role.
Namor: The Atlantean Avenger
Despite losing his previously overpowered Luna team-up ability (Chilling Charisma), Namor remains a formidable duelist in Season 2. His new Gamma turret compensates for this loss by delivering exceptional damage when properly positioned, though its green beam makes it somewhat more visible than its predecessor.
Namor continues to benefit from strong synergies with top-tier support heroes like Luna, and his compatibility with meta vanguards such as Groot enhances his effectiveness in coordinated team compositions. His well-rounded kit allows him to carry matches while maintaining a relatively safe position, making him an accessible option for players looking to make a significant impact with minimal risk.
The Atlantean prince excels particularly against dive compositions, serving as a natural counter to aggressive playstyles. His combination of sustainability, consistent damage output, and zoning capabilities makes him a reliable choice across various team compositions and map types in Season 2.
Spider-Man: The Web-Slinging Menace
Spider-Man continues to dominate in lower ranks while maintaining high effectiveness at competitive levels of play. His synergy with Venom and the newly improved Penny Parker creates one of the strongest team-up combinations in the current meta, further enhancing his already impressive capabilities.
As Spider-Man players continue to refine their techniques, the hero’s skill ceiling appears to rise ever higher. While mastering his movement and combo potential requires significant practice, players who invest the time are rewarded with one of the most versatile and impactful duelists in the game.
Spider-Man’s effectiveness has increased in Season 2 due to nerfs to several of his primary counters, including Bucky’s hook, Loki’s lanterns, and various soulbound abilities. His playstyle revolves around diving into enemy formations, eliminating key targets, and rapidly disengaging—creating advantages that allow his team to capitalize on the resulting chaos.
His rapid respawn-to-fight cycle means that even when Spider-Man trades his life for an elimination, he can often return to the battlefield before his victim, creating sustained pressure that can snowball into decisive advantages. For players in Gold rank and above, the introduction of hero bans provides a welcome counter to particularly skilled Spider-Man specialists.
As we conclude our analysis of the duelist role for Season 2, it’s evident that damage dealers have several powerful options at their disposal. Whether you prefer the consistent dominance of Hela, the assassin playstyle of Psylocke, or the versatility of the newly improved Mr. Fantastic, this season offers a diverse range of viable damage heroes to suit different playstyles and team compositions. In the next chapter, we will examine the strategist role to complete our comprehensive guide to the Season 2 meta.
Strategic Success: The Best Support Heroes for Season 2
As we conclude our comprehensive analysis of the Season 2 meta, we turn our attention to the backbone of any successful team: the Strategist role. While tanks create space and duelists secure eliminations, strategists provide the crucial support that enables these plays to happen. In this chapter, we will examine the most impactful support heroes that are defining the current landscape and helping teams achieve victory in the Hellfire Gala season.
Loki: The Trickster God Reigns Supreme
Despite receiving a five-second increase to his runestone cooldown, Loki remains the gold standard for strategists in Season 2. His kit offers unparalleled versatility, combining top-tier healing capabilities with surprisingly effective damage output and one of the most adaptable ultimate abilities in the game.
What truly distinguishes Loki from other strategists is his exceptional survivability. With multiple escape options including teleportation and deception tactics through his lanterns, a skilled Loki player can be frustratingly difficult to eliminate. This self-sufficiency allows him to operate independently while still providing consistent value to his team.
Loki excels in virtually any team composition, making him a reliable first pick in both casual and competitive play. His ultimate ability continues to be a game-changer, capable of turning losing engagements into victories through well-timed interventions. For players seeking a support hero that can heal effectively, deal meaningful damage, and survive in challenging situations, Loki represents the complete package.
Luna Snow: The Healing Powerhouse
Luna Snow continues to define the healing meta in Season 2, cementing her position as the premier dedicated healer in Marvel Rivals. While the nerf to her synergy with Namor (Chilling Charisma) has reduced one specific combination’s effectiveness, every other aspect of her kit remains exceptionally strong.
Her primary strength lies in her unmatched healing output, which allows her to sustain teammates through even the most intense firefights. This healing prowess is complemented by effective crowd control abilities and personal survivability tools that help her remain active throughout extended engagements.
Luna Snow fits seamlessly into most team compositions, rarely feeling like a suboptimal selection regardless of the map or opposing lineup. Her ultimate ability provides both healing and offensive utility, making it one of the most valuable support tools in the current meta. While she may not receive as many bans as in previous seasons due to the Namor synergy adjustment, her fundamental effectiveness remains unchanged, making her a cornerstone of the strategist roster.
Invisible Woman: The Versatile Protector
Sue Storm continues to excel in Season 2, maintaining her position as one of the most well-rounded strategists in the game. Since her introduction, she has defined a unique support playstyle that combines proactive protection with significant offensive capabilities.
Her portable shields provide crucial protection for aggressive duelists, allowing them to take calculated risks with reduced consequences. The push mechanic integrated into her kit offers valuable utility for both creating space and peeling for vulnerable teammates. Perhaps most importantly, her ultimate ability can be deployed from a safe distance, allowing her to impact teamfights without exposing herself to unnecessary danger.
While Invisible Woman does have a higher skill ceiling than some other strategists, players who master her mechanics are rewarded with exceptional damage potential alongside her protective capabilities. Her effectiveness across all skill brackets speaks to her fundamental strength in the current meta. Though she may be invisible on the battlefield, her impact on match outcomes is unmistakable.
Mantis: The Emerging Facilitator
Season 2 marks a potential breakout period for Mantis, whose kit adjustments have significantly enhanced her effectiveness. The ability to double-stack both health and damage orbs represents one of the most impactful changes in the entire patch, transforming her from a niche pick into a potentially meta-defining strategist.
Mantis now excels in the role of team facilitator, providing resources that amplify the effectiveness of her teammates. Her damage boost ability is particularly valuable when applied to high-performing duelists, creating opportunities for them to secure quick eliminations and establish numerical advantages. Alternatively, confident Mantis players can apply these boosts to themselves, significantly increasing their own damage output in crucial moments.
This combination of team enhancement and personal effectiveness makes Mantis an excellent choice in both organized team play and solo queue environments. Her versatility allows her to adapt to various team compositions and playstyles, potentially establishing her as one of the strongest strategists across all skill levels in Season 2.
Winter Soldier: The Reimagined Support
Winter Soldier has undergone a significant transformation in Season 2, emerging with a more clearly defined support identity. While he sacrificed some of his unique mobility and ultimate mechanics, the enhancements to his healing capabilities have more than compensated for these adjustments.
His infinite ammo passive continues to provide consistent value, allowing him to maintain pressure without interruption. However, the most significant improvement comes in the form of his redesigned ultimate ability, which now offers defensive utility that integrates more effectively with various team compositions. This change addresses one of his primary weaknesses from previous seasons, making him a more universally applicable pick.
For players who previously avoided Winter Soldier due to negative team reactions, Season 2 presents an opportunity to explore his enhanced kit without facing the same resistance. His improved healing output and defensive capabilities make him a legitimate support option rather than a controversial selection. While he may not reach the same heights as Loki or Luna Snow, Winter Soldier now occupies a respectable position in the strategist hierarchy.
Rocket Raccoon: The Respected Upgrade
Rocket Raccoon has received what could be described as a respect upgrade in Season 2, transforming him from a frequently criticized pick into a potentially viable strategist option. The adjustments to his kit have addressed several longstanding issues, particularly regarding his ultimate ability’s effectiveness against other support ultimates.
What makes Rocket particularly interesting in the current meta is his accessibility. The changes have made him more approachable for players at all skill levels, not just those in coordinated team environments. His damage output remains impressive for a support hero, and his utility has been enhanced to provide more consistent value throughout matches.
While Rocket may not immediately jump to the top tier of strategists, the perception shift surrounding him is significant. Teams are more likely to welcome a Rocket selection rather than immediately requesting a switch, creating space for dedicated players to demonstrate his potential. For those who have always appreciated his unique playstyle, Season 2 offers the best opportunity yet to showcase his capabilities.
Honorable Mentions
While we have focused on the most prominent strategists in Season 2, several other support heroes deserve recognition for their specific strengths in certain situations:
Dr. Strange continues to offer powerful utility through his portals, though his effectiveness has diminished somewhat with the rise of more mobile heroes. In organized team environments where his portals can be fully utilized, he remains a strong selection.
Magik provides exceptional point control and zone denial, making her particularly valuable on certain map types. Her teleportation abilities offer unique rotation options that can catch opposing teams off guard, though her healing output remains lower than some alternatives.
Adam Warlock, while still finding his place in the meta, offers interesting team composition possibilities with his resurrection mechanics. As players continue to explore optimal ways to integrate these abilities into strategic play, his value may increase throughout the season.
As we conclude our comprehensive analysis of the Season 2 meta across all roles, it’s clear that the Hellfire Gala has brought significant changes to the competitive landscape. The strategist role offers perhaps the most balanced selection of viable heroes, with multiple strong options available to suit different playstyles and team compositions.
Whether you prefer the versatility of Loki, the healing prowess of Luna Snow, or the protective capabilities of Invisible Woman, Season 2 provides support players with numerous paths to victory. By selecting strategists that complement your team’s vanguards and duelists, you can create synergistic compositions capable of dominating the battlefield throughout this exciting new season.
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