Marvel Rivals Groot: How to Play, Counter & Abilities
If you’re looking for a tank that can control the battlefield in Marvel Rivals, Groot might be exactly what you need. While learning to play him properly takes time, his ability to create and manage walls makes him incredibly satisfying once you get the hang of it.
After spending considerable time playing him at different ranks, I can say that Groot is a decent tank to play in the current meta.
You’ll find that while his 2/5 difficulty rating makes him seem straightforward, there’s a lot of depth in knowing exactly where and when to place those walls.
However, it’s important to note that Groot isn’t for everyone. His slower movement speed means you need to think ahead and position carefully. You can’t just jump into the middle of fights and expect to survive. Instead, success with Groot comes from smart positioning and thoughtful ability usage.
Groot Stats in Marvel Rivals
The thing about Groot is that he’s more than just a damage sponge – he’s a space controller who can completely change how a fight plays out. His wall-building abilities let you dictate where enemies can and can’t go, which is incredibly powerful when used right.
 | Groot |
| Role | Vanguard |
| Health | High |
| Movement Speed | Low |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
How to Play Groot in Marvel Rivals
Playing Groot effectively requires understanding your role as the team’s protector and space controller. Your primary job is creating safe zones for your teammates while disrupting enemy positioning.
The key to success with Groot is smart wall placement. You have two types of walls at your disposal – Ironwood and Thornlash. Ironwood Walls are your main defensive tool, providing wider coverage and granting you bonus health when nearby allies deal damage. Place these walls to block enemy sightlines or create safe spaces for your team to work from.
Thornlash Walls, on the other hand, are your offensive option. A neat trick I’ve found is placing them horizontally – many players don’t expect this, and it makes the walls harder to spot while still providing their damage bonus. When awakened (meaning you’re nearby), these walls will attack enemies that you or your allies are targeting.
Your positioning is crucial. Stay close to your walls to activate their “Awakened” state, but be careful not to block your own team’s movement or sightlines. A common mistake is placing walls that end up hurting your team more than helping them.
For combat, use your Vine Strike for consistent damage and Furious Flora when enemies get too close. The Spore Bomb is great for area control – try throwing it where enemies are likely to group up. Your ultimate, Strangling Prison, is a game-changer when used correctly. Save it for key moments like stopping enemy pushes or setting up team combos.
How to Counter Groot in Marvel Rivals
Knowing how to counter Groot starts with understanding his fundamental weaknesses. His biggest vulnerability is his lack of mobility – once Groot commits to a position, he struggles to reposition quickly. This means you can often force him into uncomfortable situations by applying pressure from multiple angles.
The key to defeating Groot lies in wall management. His walls have specific health pools, and once destroyed, there’s a cooldown before he can place new ones. Focus fire on his walls when they appear, especially the Thornlash Walls which provide offensive support. Without his walls, Groot loses much of his utility and becomes much more vulnerable.
Another effective strategy is to force Groot away from his walls. Since his walls need to be “awakened” by his presence to gain their special effects, creating distance between Groot and his walls significantly reduces their effectiveness. You can do this by using crowd control abilities or by threatening his backline, forcing him to choose between staying with his walls or protecting his team.
Heroes that counter Groot most effectively:
Storm – Her aerial mobility lets her attack from angles Groot struggles to defend against, and she can easily avoid his walls while maintaining constant pressure
Iron Man – Similar to Storm, he can bypass wall defenses entirely with his flight, while his sustained damage can quickly break down Groot’s walls
Hawkeye – His range and high damage make him excellent at destroying Groot’s walls from a safe distance, and his mobility helps him maintain optimal positioning
Punisher- His turrets provide consistent pressure that forces Groot to either abandon his position or watch his walls slowly get destroyed, and the sustained damage can be hard for Groot to deal with
All Groot Abilities
| Ability | Description | Stats & Effects |
 Vine Strike | Launch vines to attack enemies | • Single-cast projectile with delay • Range: 20m max • Speed: 120m/s • Damage: 70 • Attack interval: 0.7s • No critical hits |
 Strangling Prison | Fire a massive vine cluster that pulls nearby enemies to its center and imprisons them | • Single-cast projectile with field • Range: 8m radius • Speed: 60m/s • Damage: 10 (projectile), 70 (field), 20 per 0.5s (DoT) • Energy cost: 2800 • Imprisons enemies for 3.5s |
 Thornlash Wall | Target a location and grow a Thornlash Wall. When Awakened, it strikes nearby enemies attacked by Groot and his allies | • Targeted ability • Range: 15m max • Wall health: 250 • Cooldown: 2 charges, 6s each • Deals 60 damage every 0.5s when awakened |
 Ironwood Wall | Target a location and grow an Ironwood Wall. When the wall is Awakened, damage dealt by Groot and nearby allies grants Groot Bonus Health | • Targeted ability • Range: 10m max • Wall health: 700 • Cooldown: 8s • Heals 40 Bonus Health/s (max 250) |
 Spore Bomb | Throw an explosive Spore Bomb that splits into multiple small explosive spores | • Projectile with field • Range: 5m main radius, 1.5m spore radius • Damage: 55 (main), 10 (each spore) • Cooldown: 6s • Splits into 6 explosive spores |
 Furious Flora | Perform a combo with his arms, and the third strike will slightly Launch Up the hit enemy airborne | • Melee combo • Range: 3m (strikes 1-2), 4m (strike 3) • Third strike launches enemies airborne |
 Flora Colossus | Wooden walls near Groot will Awaken, activating an extra effect. Press R2 (RT) while building a wooden wall to continue building additional walls | • Persistent field around Groot • Range: 20m radius, 40m height • Awakens nearby wooden walls |
 Friendly Shoulder | Jeff the Land Shark and Rocket Raccoon can ride on Groot’s shoulders, receiving Damage Reduction | • Team-Up ability • Grants +150 Max Health • Provides damage reduction to riding allies • Works with Jeff the Land Shark and Rocket Raccoon |
When playing Groot, success comes down to positioning and timing. Take time to practice wall placement in different situations, and don’t get discouraged if your first few matches feel clumsy – it takes time to get a feel for his unique playstyle. Focus on protecting your team and creating opportunities for them to secure objectives, and you’ll start seeing improvement in your Groot gameplay.
