Marvel Rivals Season 1 Balance Update Is Full Of Buffs And Nerfs For Each Role: Full Patch Notes

Starting January 10th, Marvel Rivals launches Season 1: Eternal Night Falls! To make sure the start is exciting, we’ve got a variety of adjustments planned for the game’s ever-evolving meta to keep things fresh.

In their latest blog post, NetEase explained their approach for tweaking game features like buffs and nerfs, aiming to expand the variety of playable characters and enhance overall gameplay complexity, engagement, and diversity. They discussed various team setups players are using now, expressing satisfaction with the current mix they refer to as a “thriving range of teams.” This dynamic is expected to shift with the arrival of the Fantastic Four this season, as Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman become playable characters at the start of the new season.

/videos/marvel-rivals-season-1-eternal-night-falls-official-trailer/2300-6465574/

From my perspective, it’s quite intriguing to see the shifts in the game, especially for characters like me, a fan of Duelists! Heroes like Hawkeye and Hela, who have been dealing some serious blows, are getting toned down a bit. Hela’s health is taking a slight hit, while Hawkeye’s long-range damage will no longer be as potent. On the flip side, less frequently picked characters, such as Black Widow, are receiving some boosts. For instance, Moon Knight’s ultimate ability will be more impactful in Season 1, whereas Psylocke’s will require a bit more effort to break through enemy shields. Storm is also getting some much-appreciated enhancements, including faster projectile speed, increased damage, and extra health upon completing her ultimate. Lastly, Winter Soldier, another favorite Duelist pick, is trading a bit of damage for more survivability.

On the battlefield represented by Vanguard, characters like Venom, Thor, and Captain America are being strengthened (buffed) to help them last longer in combat. Conversely, Hulk and Doctor Strange are being weakened (nerfed). According to NetEase, Hulk has been a powerful force (dominant), so they’re adjusting the value of his gamma shield as a response.

In summary, many support characters in Marvel Rivals, such as Luna Snow and Mantis, will experience adjustments; while some are getting stronger (buffs), others like Luna Snow and Mantis are seeing a decrease in power (nerfs). Specifically, Mantis’ movement speed from her Nature’s Favor passive is being reduced, and it will take longer for Luna Snow to switch between dealing damage and healing during her ultimate. On the positive side, characters like Jeff the Land Shark, Rocket Raccoon, and Cloak & Dagger are getting buffs to their healing abilities, along with improvements that make it clearer who’s about to get swallowed up by Jeff’s ultimate.

In the upcoming season, there will be modifications to several team-up abilities in the game, but they won’t be major overhauls. NetEase has stated that they don’t intend to make significant changes for Season 1, however, they are currently working on “thrilling redesigns and tweaks” as part of Season 2.

Alongside the adjustments to balancing, NetEase recently disclosed pick and win percentages for each character in the game, highlighting some of the most frequently chosen heroes. While there might be disparities between competitive and casual play, characters such as Peni Parker and almost every Specialist hero have a high popularity (given the fewer number of Specialist heroes compared to Vanguards or Duelists). Heroes like Wolverine, Black Widow, Namor, and Storm, on the other hand, are seldom picked, and they’re set for some improvements in Season 1. You can find the complete patch notes below. For more details about Marvel Rivals Season 1, here’s what we currently know.

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Patch Notes

VANGUARD

Captain America

As a passionate fan, I’ll be able to enjoy increased resilience, enabling me to engage and disengage from combat more frequently.

– Reduce the delay time for shield restoration after releasing Living Legend from 3s to 2s.

– Reduce Liberty Rush cooldown from 12s to 10s.

– Increase base health from 650 to 675.

– Lower the energy expenditure needed to activate Freedom Charge (ultimate ability) from 3400 to 3100;
– Decrease the self-healing rate per second after activating it from 110 to 100.

Doctor Strange

We’ll be reducing the threat range and increasing the defense window of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Modify the area-of-effect damage for both Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom so that it gradually decreases from its full potency starting at a distance of 5 meters, until it reaches 70% of its original power at a distance of 8 meters.

Reduce the speed at which Shield of the Seraphim recovers slightly, from 80 per second to 70 per second.

Thor

In a more accessible language, we could say: To enhance the resilience and boost the effectiveness of the Thunder God’s ultimate ability would be beneficial.

– Increase base health from 500 to 525.

– Added immunity to control effects during God of Thunder (ultimate ability).

Hulk

Dr. Banner’s dominance is noticeable, but his combat abilities may weaken slightly when he enters the battlefield, making him more comparable to other vanguards.

– Reduce the Indestructible Guard gamma shield value for Hero Hulk from 250 to 200.

Venom

Boosting its durability and wielding a potent final skill, the symbiote danger will instill terror in the rear lines of every opposing squad.

– Increase the Symbiotic Resilience bonus health ratio gained per lost health point from 1 to 1.2.

– Increase the base damage of Feast of the Abyss (ultimate ability) from 40 to 50.

DUELIST

Black Panther

We’re slightly decreasing T’Challa’s combat survivability.

– Decrease the extra health gained by oneself upon refreshing Vibranium Marks with Spirit Rend from 40 to 30, and set the maximum amount of additional health that can be obtained in this way at 75.

Black Widow

Natasha needed some fine-tuning when assessing the launch process of her skills, along with a minor boost to the danger level of her final ability.

– Increase the range of the first effect of Edge Dancer from a 3-meter radius to a 5-meter radius.

– Reduce the time required for Fleet Foot to recover from 0 stamina to full from 12s to 4s.

Cut down the duration it takes for the Electro-Plasma Explosion (ultimate ability) to achieve its full strength from 1 second to just 0.6 seconds.

Hawkeye

We’re going to lessen the Archer’s ability to deal damage at a moderate to long distance, shrink the dangerous combat zone around it, and boost its resistance in close-quarters combat, making it a bit tougher to defeat up close.

– Slightly reduce the spread angle between every two Blast Arrows.

Decrease the active range of Archer’s Focus from 60 yards to 40 yards. Lower the maximum extra damage dealt by the passive ability from 80 to 70.

Hela

The Goddess of Death has been a menace and we’ll slightly decreasing her combat strength.

– Reduce base health from 275 to 250.

Magik

The Queen of Limbo needed an Increase to her threat after unleashing her ultimate ability.

– Increase Umbral Incursion damage in Darkchild form from 115 to 135.

Moon Knight

The Hand of Khonshu will receive a slight increase to the threat of his ultimate ability.

– Increase the number of talons generated by Hand of Khonshu (ultimate ability) from 10 to 14.

– Increase the explosion radius of each talon from 4 meters to 5 meters.

Namor

We’re optimizing the throwing feel of Namor’s eggs!

Modify the tossing sensation for both Monstro Spawn and Frozen Spawn, enabling Namor to more precisely fling them towards the intended destination.

Psylocke

We’ll be providing more options for other heroes to counter the demon slayer’s ultimate.

With the activation of Dance of the Butterfly (the ultimate skill), it will scan for obstacles such as Magneto’s Metal Barrier or Hulk’s Indestructible Shield.

The Punisher

We’re slightly increasing the damage capability of Frank’s weapons.

– Slightly reduce the spread of Deliverance and Adjudication.

Scarlet Witch

We’re Increasing Wanda’s combat strength when she’s facing Duelists or Strategists.

– Increase Chaos Control’s fixed damage from 50/s to 60/s.

– Reduce the percentage damage per second from 5% to 3%.

– Increase Chthonian Burst’s projectile damage from 30 to 35.

Storm

To enhance The Weather Witch’s destructive power, we aim to boost her overall damage output. Additionally, we are refining the sensation of her left-click projectile and improving the discharge sensation of her ultimate skill.

– Increase Wind Blade projectile speed from 100m/s to 150m/s and left-click damage from 50 to 55.

– Increase Bolt Rush damage from 70 to 80.

Following the deployment of Omega Hurricane (ultimate ability), the self-bonus health will be boosted from 350 to 450. Afterwards, rather than disappearing immediately, the additional health will gradually decrease by 100 points every second.

Squirrel Girl

We’re increasing the threat of Doreen and her furry friends in their ultimate ability.

Modify the Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami’s ultimate ability: once launched, the squirrels will now charge directly towards the closest opponent rather than bouncing aimlessly in different directions.

– Reduce the squirrel tsunami health from 600 to 300.

Winter Soldier

We plan on modifying Bucky, focusing on reducing his effectiveness in long-range battles while enhancing his resilience during medium to close-range encounters instead.

– Increase the bonus health provided by Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage from 30 to 40.

– Increase Roterstern’s projectile damage from 70 to 75.

– Reduce the area damage from 70 to 65 and reduce damage decay from 65% at 40 meters to 60%.

– Increase base health from 250 to 275.

Wolverine

Logan’s fundamental combat power will get a boost, however, there’ll be a minor reduction in extra durability upon using the Undying Animal ability.

– Increase base health from 300 to 350.

– Reduce the damage reduction ratio provided by Undying Animal from 50% to 40%.

STRATEGIST

Cloak & Dagger

Ty and Tandy’s healing abilities will be enhanced, allowing them to heal more effectively, and their ultimate abilities will extend to a wider range.

– Reduce Dagger Storm cooldown from 15s to 12s.

– Increase the number of dashes in Eternal Bond (ultimate ability) from 3 to 4.

Jeff the Land Shark

We plan to modify the scope of his powerful skill to match the safety indicator more accurately. Furthermore, we will enhance his healing potential as well.

Change the area where Jeff’s ultimate ability takes effect from a 10-meter spherical field to a 10-meter radius, 5-meter tall cylindrical zone.

– Increase the healing of Joyful Splash from 140/s to 150/s.

Luna Snow

Though we’ve appreciated Luna’s rhythm with the bass drops, we’ve fine-tuned her ultimate skill to discourage excessive usage of its curative powers.

In Fate of Both Worlds, let’s extend the time period for alternating between healing and damage from every 0.1 seconds to 0.5 seconds instead.

Mantis

We’ll be making Mantis a bit less fleet-footed, reducing her roaming support capability.

– Reduce Nature’s Favor (passive) movement boost from 2.5m/s to 1.5m/s.

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket could use an enhancement to his healing capability.

– Increase the healing of Repair Mode from 60 per/s to 70 per/s.

TEAM-UP ABILITIES

Hawkeye – Black Widow

To further tone down Hawkeye’s oppression, we’ ll be reducing his seasonal buff.

– Reduce Hawkeye’s season bonus from 20% to 15%.

Hela – Thor – Loki

Much like Hawkeye, Hela’s overwhelming power will be receiving a slight reduction.

– Reduce Hela’s season bonus from 20% to 15%.

Luna Snow- Namor

We’ll be increasing the threat of Namor’s Frozen Spawn.

– Increase Frozen Spawn damage from 25 to 27.

– Increase Frozen Spawn slowing effect applied to hit enemies from 25% to 30%.

– Increase berserk state Frozen Spawn damage from 16 to 18.

Rocket Raccoon – The Punisher – Winter Soldier

One of Rocket’s best tools will be available more often!

– Reduce the cooldown of Ammo Invention from 45s to 40s.

Scarlet Witch – Magneto

The power of this Team-Up ability between father and daughter will become more impressive when it comes to causing damage.

– Increase Metallic Fusion projectile damage from 55 to 60.

– Increase Metallic Fusion spell field damage from 30 to 35.

Thor – Storm – Captain America

We’ll be enhancing the damage capability of Storm’s side of this Team-Up ability.

– Reduce the cooldown of Charged Gale from 20s to 15s.

– Increase the damage of Charged Gale from 50 to 55.

2025-01-08 23:09