Marvel Rivals Doctor Strange: How to Play, Counters & Abilities

Doctor Strange is a Vanguard hero in Marvel Rivals, offering a mix of team protection and ranged damage that sets him apart from other tanks. While his abilities might look complex at first glance, mastering them opens up game-changing possibilities for your team.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about how to play Doctor Strange effectively, from basic mechanics to how to counter him in Marvel Rivals.

Note: This guide is based on the Marvel Rivals Version 20241219. We will update this article as soon as there is any stat or ability change.

Marvel Rivals Doctor Strange Stats and Role

Doctor Strange brings a distinctive approach to the Vanguard role, focusing on active protection rather than just absorbing damage.

	Doctor Strange
Role	Vanguard
Difficulty	⭐⭐ (2/5)
Base Health	650
Movement Speed	Ranged Tank/Protector

How to Play Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals?

From my experience, the key to playing Doctor Strange effectively is managing your Dark Energy buildup while protecting your team. I start most engagements by positioning myself slightly behind my team’s frontline, using Daggers of Denak to build up Dark Energy. What makes Strange unique is his ability to switch between aggressive and defensive plays seamlessly.

When I see enemy ultimates coming or heavy damage incoming, I quickly pop Shield of the Seraphim to protect my teammates. The shield’s 800 HP might seem like a lot, but it can break quickly under focused fire, so timing is crucial. I’ve learned to save it for crucial moments rather than keeping it up constantly.

One of my favorite tactics is using Cloak of Levitation to gain height advantage, then placing portals with Pentagram of Farallah to create unexpected angles for my team. This lets our damage dealers attack from completely safe positions while I maintain a frontline presence.

The trickiest part I’ve found is managing the Price of Magic passive. When my Dark Energy gets too high, I get hit with anti-healing, which can be deadly in intense fights. I’ve learned to regularly release the energy using Maelstrom of Madness, even if I’m not hitting multiple targets. It’s better to deal less damage than to be unable to receive healing at a critical moment.

How to Counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals?

Countering Doctor Strange requires understanding his defensive rotation and exploiting gaps in his protection. His relatively low base health of 650 makes him vulnerable when caught without the Shield of the Seraphim.

Focus on baiting out his shield early in fights, then capitalize when it’s on cooldown. Pay attention to his Dark Energy meter – if it’s maxed out, he can’t receive healing, making him an easier target.

Strong Doctor Strange counters in Marvel Rivals include:

• Luna Snow – Freezes Strange mid-flight with Absolute Zero, preventing shield usage and making him vulnerable. Her consistent crowd control prevents him from setting up portals effectively.
• Winter Soldier – Hook ability pulls Strange out of position, while execution ultimate punishes his low-health pool. He can pressure him from range and prevent effective shield usage.
• Black Panther – Superior mobility lets him bypass shield and attack from unexpected angles. Burst damage forces defensive cooldowns and creates openings for the team.
• Hulk – Radioactive Lockdown prevents ultimate usage, while World Breaker grabs Strange out of the air. Can consistently pressure Strange and prevent him from protecting his team.
• Venom – Mitigates Strange’s damage while providing consistent crowd control. Ultimate allows pushing through portal setups and disrupting positioning.

Marvel Rivals Doctor Strange Abilities

Ability	Description	Stats
Daggers of Denak	Cast projectiles forward	• Damage: 18 • Projectile Speed: 60 m/s • Fire Rate: 5.56 rounds/s (0.03s interval between pairs) • Ammo: 8 (1 dagger per release) • Damage Falloff: Starts at 10m, drops to 62.5% at 20m • No Critical Hits
Eye of Agamotto	Separates enemy Souls from bodies, damage to Souls transfers to physical forms	• Range: 10m spherical radius • Damage: 60 • Soul Separation Duration: 3s • Energy Cost: 3400
Cloak of Levitation	Ascend and enter sustained flight	• Dash Distance: 8m • Flight Duration: 6s • Cooldown: 15s
Maelstrom of Madness	Release Dark Magic to damage nearby enemies	• Range: 8m spherical radius • Damage: 1.3 per Dark Magic point • Cooldown: 8s
Pentagram of Farallah	Create two linked portals for unit travel	• Duration: 20s • Cooldown: 180s
Shield of the Seraphim	Create protective damage barrier	• Maximum Shield: 800 • Recovery Rate: 80/s • Recovery Delay: 1s after release • Cooldown: 3s after destruction
Price of Magic	Dark Magic builds on enemy hits, peaks cause Anti-Heal	• Anti-Heal Activation: 3s at peak • Anti-Heal Duration: 2s • Dark Magic Gen: – Daggers: 3.5 per hit – V key: 10 per enemy hit
Gamma Maelstrom	Hulk-empowered version of Maelstrom	• Range: 10m spherical radius • Damage: 1.4 per Dark Magic point • Cooldown: 8s • Special: Negates Anti-Heal at peak Dark Magic

Doctor Strange excels at creating opportunities for your team while denying enemy advances. Success with him comes down to managing your defensive cooldowns and positioning effectively to protect your team. Take time to practice timing your abilities – especially Shield of the Seraphim and portal placement. Once you get comfortable with his basic mechanics, you’ll find yourself controlling the flow of matches and enabling your team to secure objectives with much less resistance.