Some of the most popular Strategists in Marvel Rivals are about to become less overpowered, as developer NetEase has revealed some of the balance changes coming as part of the game’s mid-Season 1 update.
In a “Dev Vision” video, NetEase took aim at what it calls the “Triple Strategist Terror” meta that has begun to form at the game’s higher competitive ranks. In the first half of Season 1, characters like Cloak & Dagger, Invisible Woman, and Loki have proven invaluable and extremely powerful, as their healing ultimate abilities have the potential to bring matches to a grinding halt for an extended period of time. Adding insult to injury is that they recharge incredibly quickly, meaning they can be used frequently.
That’s now about to change. While NetEase said it’s happy that there are more viable options aside from a classic two-tank, two-DPS, and two-support lineup, the current three-strategist meta has led to some “oppressive moments.” As a result, ultimate energy costs are going up for the game’s most powerful support ultimates, which will translate to them being used less often. There will also be some targeted nerfs to characters like Cloak & Dagger, currently the most-picked hero in the game.
“A triple strategist setup often means at least one ultimate counters a Vanguard or Duelist’s ultimate, which may slow down the game’s pace,” lead combat designer Zhiyong said in the Dev Vision video. “We want every match to feel exhilarating, not drawn out.”
However, Zhiyong said it doesn’t want to completely get rid of the triple-support strategy.
“We’re not looking to completely shatter that three-strategist playstyle,” he said. “We’re just looking to bring in more options for fun counterplays and amp up the excitement.
Other balance changes include some nerfs to the game’s two most popular Vanguard characters, Venom and Magneto, as well as nerfs to two of Marvel Rivals’ most popular Duelists, Storm and Moon Knight (whose ultimate has been wreaking havoc in the first half of the season).
The balance changes will come alongside a use for unused battle-pass currency and new rewards for Marvel Rivals’ competitive mode. NetEase originally planned a rank reset as part of the update, but quickly walked back that idea after player outcry. Marvel Rivals’ mid-Season 1 update, which will additionally add The Thing and Human Torch as new playable heroes, releases February 21.