Marvel Rivals Update Brings Major Balance Changes Across Heroes and Team-Ups

Marvel Rivals has rolled out a comprehensive update ahead of its next test build, bringing a wide array of balance changes, hero tweaks, and restructured Team-Up abilities. The update, labeled “Version 20250530,” targets all three roles in the game—Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist—with various nerfs, buffs, and reworks. Additionally, multiple Team-Up synergies have been introduced, replaced, or removed entirely to refine gameplay depth and hero synergy.

Vanguard Role Adjustments: Tweaking Powerhouses

• Captain America sees a modest drop in both durability and ultimate uptime, with base health reduced to 575 (down from 600), and his ultimate, Freedom Charge, becoming more costly to deploy. His Living Legend passive also takes longer to recharge its shield post-use.
• Doctor Strange gains better mid-range consistency, with improved falloff on Daggers of Denak and complete removal of distance-based damage loss from Maelstrom of Madness.
• Emma Frost experiences both buffs and nerfs. While her Telepathic Pulse gains increased range, her shield and Diamond Form abilities now offer reduced defensive value, making her more vulnerable under pressure.
• Groot, known for his support strength, now dishes out slightly less damage and will be less reliant on Ironwood Wall due to a longer cooldown.
• Magneto gets a minor improvement to his offensive capabilities, with a quicker charge time for his magnetized rings.
• Thor undergoes a substantial mechanical rework. His Hammer Throw now functions as a standard skill with adjusted cooldown and damage output. Thor's Thorforce utility is also toned down, reducing bonus health per stack.

Duelist Role Changes

• Hawkeye receives a modest buff to his core abilities, improving arrow damage and increasing charge efficiency when focusing targets.
• Hela’s Nightsword Thorn now holds more charges, enhancing her sustained combat potential.
• Human Torch is toned down with reduced fire cluster output, longer cooldowns, and weaker shield gain, diminishing his burst damage and survivability.
• Iron Fist loses some effectiveness, particularly with his shield-to-health conversion and mobility. His cooldown reduction from Jeet Kune Do hits has also been scaled back.
• Iron Man sees diminished burst capability and survivability. Notably, his Gamma Overdrive ability has been removed from his previous Team-Up, and his Repulsor damage slightly decreased.
• Namor’s passive defense is curtailed, while Horn of Proteus gets a wider area of effect but with reduced outer zone damage. His Monstro spawns also become more consistent across mid-to-long ranges.
• Psylocke faces cuts in both damage and invisibility, trimming her burst-and-escape potential.
• Squirrel Girl benefits from several quality-of-life updates and minor buffs to acorn capacity and cooldowns, improving her flow in combat.
• Star-Lord trades frequency for potency. His ultimate now costs more energy but can hit more targets over a larger range, with improved damage retention over distance.
• Storm gets a slight damage increase to her Omega Hurricane ultimate.
• The Punisher is bolstered with increased damage in mid-to-long range and improved mobility during his ultimate. His gunplay becomes more forgiving with expanded magazine size and reduced spread.

Strategist Role Overhaul

• Jeff the Land Shark receives the most significant rework this patch. His toolkit now favors frontal support and offensive utility, replacing instant healing with over-time effects. His healing output is reduced, but his offensive pressure and team utility are enhanced, especially through new knock-up mechanics and finetuned energy management in his stealth.
• Luna Snow sees minor power shifts—she now heals and deals slightly more damage with her basic skills and gains bonus health on landing her Absolute Zero attack. Her ultimate energy cost has been increased.
• Rocket Raccoon takes a hit in healing and survivability, and loses his previous Team-Up advantages. A new synergy with Peni Parker helps offset the nerf through additional support tools.

Team-Up System Revamped

Several new Team-Ups have been added to increase the tactical depth between character pairings:

• Chilling Assault (Luna Snow - Hawkeye): Luna gains stronger healing; Hawkeye gets a new Ice Arrow ability.
• Jeff-nado (Storm - Jeff the Land Shark): Both characters gain new team-based offensive options.
• Operation: Microchip (The Punisher - Black Widow): Punisher gets more health and damage; Black Widow unlocks a new Pulse Rifle.
• Rocket Network (Rocket Raccoon - Peni Parker): Rocket gains upgraded healing and beacon utility; Peni gets a fresh ability.
• Stark Protocol (Iron Man - Ultron): Iron Man increases damage; Ultron gains a Nano-Ray.
• Symbiote Shenanigans (Venom - Jeff the Land Shark): Venom’s durability increases; Jeff picks up a new healing skill.
• Simultaneously, a number of outdated or imbalanced Team-Ups have been retired:
• Allied Agents (Hawkeye - Black Widow) and Ammo Overload (Rocket - Punisher) were removed.
• Chilling Charisma (Luna Snow - Jeff) and Symbiote Bond (Venom - Peni Parker/Spider-Man) were deactivated.
• Iron Man’s Gamma Overdrive and Spider-Man’s Suit Expulsion are no longer part of their respective synergies.

Minor Team-Up Balance Tweaks

Adjustments were also made to existing Team-Ups to better balance their frequency and power:

• Atlas Bond (Iron Fist - Luna Snow) now provides a reduced damage boost (from 15% to 10%).
• Fantastic Four Team-Up cooldowns are now longer, scaling down their on-demand utility.
• Gamma Charge (Hulk - Namor) now has a longer cooldown for Monstro synergy.
• Mental Projection (Emma Frost - Psylocke/Magneto) now produces lower damage illusions.

Also Read: Marvel Rivals Leak Teases Return of Galactic Fangs & Talon Skins in Upcoming Update

With substantial tweaks to characters, abilities, and Team-Ups, Marvel Rivals is clearly pivoting toward a more refined and balanced competitive landscape. The May 2025 update sets the stage for a more tactical metagame, rewarding synergy and sustained pressure over burst damage and quick ultimates.