Marvel Rivals The Punisher: How to Play, Counters & Abilities

The Punisher isn’t the flashiest character in Marvel Rivals, but he gets the job done. After putting in the hours to learn his kit inside and out, I can tell you he’s perfect if you enjoy methodical gameplay and have a decent aim.

Let’s break down everything you need to know about playing The Punisher in Marvel Rivals effectively – from the basics to some useful tricks that’ll help you control the battlefield and also the characters that counter Punisher in-game.

Note: This guide is based on the Marvel Rivals Version 20241210. We will update this article as soon as there is any stat or ability change.

Marvel Rivals The Punisher Stats and Role

The Punisher is a Duelist who excels at medium to long-range combat, using his arsenal of weapons to control space and deal consistent damage. While he might seem straightforward at first, mastering his kit requires good game sense and positioning.

	The Punisher
Role	Duelist
Health	275 HP
Difficulty	★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
Playstyle	Mid to Long-range Combat

How to Play The Punisher in Marvel Rivals?

In my experience, The Punisher is a beginner-friendly character, and the key to success while playing him is by maintaining optimal positioning. You’ll want to stay at medium range where your Assault Rifle (Adjudication) is most effective while keeping your Shotgun (Deliverance) ready for when enemies try to close the gap.

I’ve found that the best approach is to play The Punisher as a space controller. Your Culling Turret is perfect for locking down chokepoints and objectives. When setting up the turret, always look for elevated positions or spots with good cover – you’re extremely vulnerable while using it.

One trick I’ve discovered is using the Vantage Connection (grappling hook) not just for mobility, but as a mindgame tool. You can set up the zipline and choose not to take it, making enemies waste time watching that angle while you flank from another direction.

The Scourge Grenade is your best friend when things get dicey. I always save it as an escape tool rather than using it aggressively. The backward leap combined with the smoke screen has saved me countless times from diving enemies.

How to Counter The Punisher in Marvel Rivals?

When you’re up against The Punisher, there are a few key weaknesses to exploit. His biggest problem is handling close-range pressure – once someone gets in his face, he struggles to create space. While he does have a shotgun, it’s not enough to reliably fend off coordinated dives.

The best approach is to either pressure him with highly mobile characters or outrange him completely.

The other major weakness is his lack of vertical mobility. Sure, he has the grappling hook, but it’s predictable and has a long cooldown. If you can force him to use his Scourge Grenade early, he becomes an easy target for the next 12 seconds. Here are the heroes that give him the most trouble:

• Spider-Man: His mobility makes him incredibly hard to track. A good Spidey will web-swing around your shots and close the distance before you can react. Once he’s in close range, you’re in serious trouble.
• Peni Parker: Her higher health pool and constant barrage of gadgets can overwhelm your defenses. The Spider-Drones give you too many targets to focus on.
• Venom: His high health pool and shield generation make him hard to take down. Once he gets close, you’ll have trouble creating distance even with your Scourge Grenade.
• Black Panther: His speed and ability to close gaps quickly makes him dangerous. The moment he gets in close, his combo potential can shut you down before you can react.
• Iron Man: His aerial mobility lets him attack from angles that are hard to counter. A good Iron Man will harass you from above while staying just out of your effective range.
• Magneto: His ability to manipulate the battlefield can pull you out of position. Shield abilities block your shots, and his ultimate can completely disrupt your setup.
• Iron Fist: Although squishy, he can be a real pain if he gets close to you due to his high damage.

When facing these counters, you’ll need to rely more on your team and play extra carefully with your positioning. Sometimes switching heroes might be the best option if multiple counters are giving you trouble. I personally enjoyed playing Punisher when I had a Captain America on my team so maybe you can try it out as well.

Marvel Rivals All Punisher Abilities

Ability	Description	Stats
Adjudication (Primary)	Fire at enemies with an Automatic Rifle	• Damage: 18 per round • Fire Rate: 10 rounds/sec • Ammo: 30 • Damage Falloff: 20m-40m (reduces to 70%) • Spread Radius at 10m: 0.12m • Critical Hit: Yes
Deliverance (Secondary)	Fire at enemies with a Shotgun	• Damage: 10 per pellet • Pellets per Shot: 14 • Fire Rate: 1.43 rounds/sec • Ammo: 8 • Damage Falloff: 8m-15m (reduces to 40%) • Spread Radius at 10m: 0.7m • Critical Hit: Yes
Final Judgement (Ultimate)	Unleash dual Gatling guns and missiles	Gatling Guns: • Duration: 10s • Damage: 8 per round • Fire Rate: 33.33 rounds/sec • Damage Falloff: 20m-40m (reduces to 70%) • Spread Radius: 0.6m→0.3m→0.15m • Movement: -20% idle, -40% shooting Missiles: • Damage: 50 • Speed: 60 m/s • 8 missiles per volley • 3s between volleys • Max 3 missiles per target • Lock-on Range: 40m
Vantage Connection	Launch a grappling hook for mobility	• Cable Length: 5m-35m • Attachment Angle: 20°-160° • Dash Speed: 25 m/s • Cooldown: 20s
Culling Turret	Deploy a stationary turret	• Damage: 12 per round • Explosion Damage: 12 • Explosion Range: 3m • Fire Rate: 12.5 rounds/sec • Ammo: 200 • Turret Health: 600 • Spread Radius: 0.2m→0.1m→0.05m • Cooldown: 20s
Scourge Grenade	Throw smoke grenade and leap backward	• Damage: 45 • Projectile Speed: 40 m/s • Smoke Radius: 5m • Jump Distance: 9m • Cooldown: 8s
Warrior’s Gaze (Passive)	Retain vision of enemies briefly	• Range: 30m • Duration: 3s
Infinite Punishment (Team-Up)	Gain infinite ammo and increased fire rate with Rocket Raccoon	• Fire Rate Boost: 67% for both weapons • Team-Up Partner: Rocket Raccoon

I’ve found The Punisher to be most effective when played with a team that can capitalize on his pressure. Having a Rocket Raccoon on your team is particularly powerful – the Infinite Punishment team-up ability can turn you into an absolute monster during teamfights.

Remember, while The Punisher might seem simple, there’s a big difference between playing him adequately and mastering him. Focus on your positioning, manage your cooldowns wisely, and always be ready to adapt your weapon choice based on the situation. With practice, you’ll be striking fear into the hearts of your enemies just like Frank Castle himself.