The Punisher marches into Marvel Rivals as a relentless force of retribution, armed with an array of weapons and an unyielding drive to punish the guilty. His abilities make him a formidable opponent with the capability of dealing massive amounts of damage to anyone who stands in his way.
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Whilst having this machine of war on your team may sound like an easy victory, what if he’s on the opposing team? Luckily for you, this is where this guide will go over what characters to pick as well as what playstyles will be the most effective to deal with him.
How To Counter Punisher
One of the many things about the Punisher is his ability to hunker down and deal massive amounts of damage at range using his rifle or his turret.
You might think getting close to him would be the smartest choice, but you’d be sorely mistaken. This is due to his multiple escape tools, such as his smoke grenade and grapple hook, but the main issue is his high-damaging shotgun.
Choose heroes with mobility or crowd control to limit Punisher’s ability to escape. Heroes that can quickly close the gap or lock him down will make it harder for him to use his escape tools. Additionally, since Punisher depends on getting close to land effective shotgun shots, opt for dive and flank heroes that can surprise him while staying out of shotgun range.
Whilst this may sound like he is an unkillable machine, it all comes down to what characters you choose. Let’s dive into each role specifically:
How To Counter Punisher As A Strategist
More often than not, you will rarely see a Punisher in your backline. Instead, a good Punisher will take the high ground and attempt to pick you and your team off. Making yourself harder to hit by hiding behind terrain or moving in an unpredictable way will reduce the chances of being killed.
Jeff The Land Shark is a prime pick when going against a Punisher thanks not only to his small size, but his ability to submerge into the ground, greatly reducing his hitbox. Rocket Raccoon is also a great pick as he is similar in size.
If you run into the rare aggressive Punisher player who enjoys diving into the backline, picking a Strategist with a stun ability will greatly reduce his effectiveness. Luna Snow and Mantis both have the ability to hold an opponent in place for a few seconds, giving you ample time to escape or notify your nearby teammates for an easy kill.
How To Counter Punisher As A Duelist
Now onto the class with a better chance at dealing with Punisher head on. As stated previously, the Punisher will almost always be in an advantageous position and hold it down. The best way to deal with this is to force the Punisher out of position with more damage than he can take or sneak up behind him and put him down.
Squirrel Girl is surprisingly a great choice to force him to move, as when Punisher is in his turret form, she can safely hide behind a wall or environment and spam her primary fire, dealing enough damage to break his turret.
Flankers such as Psylocke, Spider-Man and Iron Fist are very effective at sneaking up on and eliminating Punisher. Though Psylocke lacks vertical movement save for her dash, she can go invisible and has the potential to perform a one-shot combo if done correctly. Spider-Man and Iron Fist both have a much easier time getting in and safely getting out using their movement abilities, though it’s advised to make sure your abilities aren’t on cooldown when engaging.
Avoid flying characters such as Iron Man and Storm as they are easy targets for Punisher.
How To Counter Punisher As A Vanguard
Of the three classes, Vanguards arguably have a much easier time dealing with Punisher. Higher health pools, Crowd Control (CC) and abilities to negate most or all damage dealt to them. Similarly to the Duelist, Vanguards that can dive in and force an oppressive Punisher out of position are must picks.
Hulk is a great candidate for this as he has the tools mentioned above. Simply jump right onto the Punisher’s position and activate your barrier ability before pummeling him till he either falls or flees. If it seems to be a losing battle, using Hulk’s shout to stun the Punisher can give you an opening to get some additional damage or escape back to your team.
Thor and Venom are also good picks, though they are more susceptible to damage and can die very quickly if their abilities aren’t used properly. Another thing to keep in mind is what state the Punisher is currently in. If he is in his turret form, be sure to wait till the turret is at least half health before diving in.
Avoid diving Punisher if he is in his ultimate, as he will be completely immune to Crowd Control abilities and will melt your health in seconds.
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Marvel Rivals: The Punisher Hero Guide
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