Best Defensive Abilities In Marvel Rivals

Summary

• Doctor Strange’s Shield of The Seraphim can defend against ultimates & regular attacks with a max health of 800.
• The Hulk’s Indestructible Guard absorbs damage into energy for Hulk’s ultimate & defends team from crowd control.
• The Thing’s Embattled Leap reduces damage by 30% for 3 seconds for him and his ally, upping defenses.

Marvel Rivals is a 6v6 online game that has quickly become incredibly popular since its release in December 2024. One of the great things about the game is the eclectic range of recognizable Marvel characters with various abilities that can come together to attack, defend, and everything in between.

When it comes to defensive moves, there are plenty of characters that have abilities that can protect themselves and the rest of the team effectively. Most of these characters are Vanguards–which are basically Tanks – but there are some Duelists and Strategists that are also well-suited to defense.

The following are noteworthy defense abilities in Marvel Rivals that are perfect to use to bolster the team and become a truly formidable force. Keep in mind that these abilities are in no particular order, as they all work in different ways depending on the situation.

We’re also not going to be including ultimate abilities in this list, as they are in a league of their own.

1

Shield Of The Seraphim

Doctor Strange

• Vanguard hero
• In-game description: Create a protective barrier against damage

Doctor Strange is an excellent defensive Vanguard, and his large shield is handy when it comes to protecting himself and the team. The Shield of the Seraphim is huge, with a maximum health value of 800. It takes a lot of hard hits to bring the shield down. It is also highly effective at defending against ultimate abilities as well as regular attacks. The shield is so powerful that some ultimates can be completely avoided simply by holding it up.

The shield’s size makes it easy for teammates to hide behind it, but it is also great when combined with Strange’s Cloak of Levitation skill. The Cloak of Levitation allows Doctor Strange to ascend into the air and then fly for a brief period.

When he holds up his shield while using the cloak, it can be very difficult to defeat him. This can not only protect Doctor Strange from potentially fatal attacks, but it can also buy time for teammates on the ground. The strength of the Shield of the Seraphim along with its huge size and ability to protect multiple teammates at a time makes this one of the best defensive abilities in Marvel Rivals.

2

Indestructible Guard

Hero Hulk

• Vanguard hero
• In-game description: Generate gamma shields for Hero Hulk and nearby allies, absorbing and converting damage into energy for HULK SMASH!

The Hulk’s Indestructible Guard ability creates gamma shields that surround both him and nearby allies. This is a great move to use to handle crowd control, allowing Hulk to protect himself and his team from damage when surrounded.

The shield that surrounds Hulk has 200 HP, while the ally shields are less, with 100 HP. Shields only last for 2.5 seconds at maximum, but they can make all the difference when faced with significant damage, such as that caused by an enemy’s ultimate. This is also a useful ability as the damage that the shields absorb converts into charge for the Hulk’s ultimate.

3

Guardian Shield

Invisible Woman

• Strategist hero
• In-game description: Generate a force shield in front of a selected ally. The shield can block damage and provide Healing Over Time to nearby allies. Enemies that pass through the shield are slowed.

Susan Storm, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman from the Fantastic Four team, is arguably one of the best defense characters in the game. Her shield defenses are fantastic–pun intended–and her ultimate is a great healing and defense skill that can turn the tide of battle.

The ability chosen for this list is Sue’s Guardian Shield skill, as it can protect herself and her allies while simultaneously healing. Sue creates a shield that appears in front of the targeted teammate with this ability. It heals anyone–herself or a teammate–continuously when they stand close to it. These mini-shields are surprisingly powerful, with a maximum value of 300. They can also be reprojected at the player’s will to cover another ally.

4

Embattled Leap

The Thing

• Vanguard hero
• In-game description: Jump toward your ally and apply damage reduction to both of you.

It’s no surprise that a hero who is made of rocks has such a solid defense ability. Although The Thing is mainly all about hard-hitting melee attacks, his Embattled Leap is a handy ability to up the defenses of both the player and their selected ally.

Embattled Leap allows The Thing to jump toward a teammate and provide a shield of rocks for both himself and them when he lands. The shield reduces damage by 30% for three seconds for him and his ally.

This is not only a useful defensive skill, but it can also be combined with offensive attacks to give diving teammates a fighting chance at survival when they are in enemy lines, if only for a few seconds.

5

Flexible Elongation

Mister Fantastic

• Duelist hero
• In-game description: Gain a Shield, elect a target, and dash toward them. Dealing damage to enemies and granting a Shield to allies.

Rubbery Fantastic Four leader Mister Fantastic is pretty close to a Vanguard in terms of his defenses, even though his official classification is a Duelist. His Reflexive Rubber skill is a useful defense ability that allows him to absorb damage and launch it back at the enemy, but it’s his Flexible Elongation ability that is a pro defensive move.

When he uses this skill, Mister Fantastic gains his own shield but also gives one to the teammate of his choosing, dashing toward them as he does so. This can also be used to grab enemies and deal damage, so it can also be an offensive skill.

This is a useful skill for protecting teammates who are close to death or surrounded by enemies, as it gives them a chance to retreat. The dashing movement is also helpful in this situation, as it allows Mister Fantastic to get up close to a teammate in need and protect them.

6

Thornlash Wall/Ironwood Wall

Groot

• Vanguard hero
• Thornlash Wall in-game description: Target a location and grow a Thornlash Wall. When Awakened, it strikes nearby enemies attacked by Groot and his allies.
• Ironwood Wall in game description: Target a location and grow an Ironwood Wall. When the wall is Awakened, damage dealt by Groot and nearby allies grants Groot Bonus Health.

We’re combining both of Groot’s wall abilities into one here, as although they do different things–as per the in-game descriptions above—they are equally effective defense-wise. That being said, the Thornlash Wall is the offense wall, while the Ironwood Wall is the defense wall.

Both walls are excellent to use when it comes to blocking enemy sightlines and protecting Groot and his team from ranged attacks. The Thornlash Wall is also highly effective against close-range attacks due to the damage it can deal. These walls are adept at blocking enemy healers from reaching their teammates too. When used well, Groot and his walls can be highly problematic for the enemy and lifesaving for his team.

7

Blessing Of The Deep

Namor

• Duelist hero
• In-game description: Summon a protective barrier while flying upwards

Although Namor’s squid summoning Aquatic Domination can be a very useful defensive skill, it is his Blessing of the Deep ability that makes this list. It is a little different from the other defensive abilities, as it solely protects Namor and no one else. However, its strength is worth mentioning, particularly for Namor players looking to up their defenses.

Blessing of the Deep allows Namor to summon a water shield that makes him fly up into the air as he does so. This is a truly lifesaving ability for Namor when he is low on health. It’s the perfect escape ability, offering a few crucial seconds to get some distance away from the enemy.

The high defense level of Blessing of the Deep is also impressive, as it is entirely invulnerable. Namor cannot take any damage while it is active, but he also can’t be stunned or affected by ultimate abilities.

Magneto

• Vanguard hero
• Metal Bulwark In-game description: Conjure a metal shield around a chosen ally. Damage taken will transform into rings on Magneto’s back.
• Iron Bulwark in-game description: Conjure an iron shield around himself. Damage taken will transform into rings on Magneto’s back

As with Groot’s walls, we are combining Magento’s Metal Bulwark and Iron Bulwark skills into one entry here as they do the same thing. The only difference is that Metal Bulwark summons a shield around allies while Iron Bulwark summons a shield around Magneto.

Metal Bulwark can protect healers in the backline from certain death, as it allows them to be protected for two and a half seconds. This might not seem like a lot of time, but it can make a difference during quick-paced battles.

Iron Bulwark is Magneto’s only way to avoid death at the ends of melee-based heroes. His other shield-like ability–Metallic Curtain–doesn’t mitigate damage, so Iron Bulwark can make all the difference for Magneto mains when standing off against melee characters like Hulk or Iron Fist.

9

Living Legend

Captain America

• Vanguard hero
• In-game description: Raise the shield to deflect incoming Projectiles, sending them ricocheting in random directions.

Seeing as Captain America’s entire thing is defending with his iconic shield, it’s no surprise that he has some great defensive moves. His Living Legend ability is a simple defensive skill, but it makes all the difference in a fight.

When using Living Legend, Cap simply lifts his shield to defend himself and the team. There are a few ways that this can be used effectively. Firstly, the shield can deflect incoming damage, so the ability can be used to protect Cap or his team from projectiles. The projectiles randomly ricochet when they hit his shield, so it can also be used to deflect damage back at the enemy.

This is a skill that can reflect ultimates too, so top-level players can truly make the enemy team suffer when they time their deflections correctly. The ability can also be used to rush enemies safely. Diving the enemy team is always risky business, but with Living Legend, Cap can do so much more safely. Living Legend can also be used while Cap is jumping, making diving enemies all the more effective.

10

Bionic Spider-Nest

Peni Parker

• Vanguard hero
• In-game description: Generate a Bionic Spider-Nest at a targeted area, periodically spawning Spider-Drones and creating Cyber-Webs. While in the Cyber-Web, gain Healing Over Time and a Movement Boost. Excess healing converts into Bonus Health.

Peni is the trap-wielding hero of Marvel Rivals, with a defensive arsenal of explosive robot spiders at her disposal. This makes her an excellent choice for a defense tank. Peni’s Bionic Spider-Nest can be a game-changing defensive move, but its effectiveness is entirely dependent on its placement. When placed in an area that is protected and hard for the enemy to reach, it can rack up kills pretty quickly,

Each Spider-Drone emitted from the Bionic Spider-Nest does 40 damage, so, when paired with other damaging abilities, the nest can become a force to be reckoned with. The 15-second cooldown for the nest is also useful, as it allows players to destroy the nest when necessary to reposition it without having to wait too long to do so.