Let’s talk about the unsung heroes of Marvel Rivals – the Strategists. You know, those characters who keep everyone alive while barely getting any credit for it. Playing support might not get you those flashy play-of-the-game moments, but trust me, a good strategist can completely change how a match plays out.
Right now in Season 1, we’ve got eight different strategists to pick from. Each one brings something special to the table, and they all play pretty differently from each other. Some focus on pure healing, others mix in some damage, and a few have tricks up their sleeves that can turn a losing fight into a win.
Note: We updated this article with the latest addition in the Strategists roster in Marvel Rivals i.e Invisible Woman (Updated on January 10, 2025)
The strategist roster includes a diverse mix of heroes, each filling different niches within the support role:
Playing strategist requires a different mindset from other roles. Your primary focus should be keeping your team alive rather than securing kills. Position yourself behind your frontline, typically 10-15 meters back, where you can see both your teammates and potential threats.
If you’re playing a more aggressive strategist like Luna Snow or Loki, you’ll want to stay closer to your tanks. These characters can actually contribute decent damage while healing, so you’ll often find yourself moving up with your frontline when they push in. Just remember that even though you can deal damage, healing is still your main job.
On the flip side, if you’re playing pure healers like Mantis, you’ll want to hang back with your duelists. These strategists don’t have much offensive power, but they excel at keeping allies alive and stopping enemy divers. Position yourself about 10-15 meters behind your team – this gives you enough distance to stay safe while keeping everyone in the healing range.
Your positioning also changes based on what you’re up against. If the enemy team has dive heroes like Spider-Man, Venom, or Black Panther, you might need to play even further back. But if they’re running a more standard composition, you can play a bit more aggressively, especially if you’re one of the hybrid damage-support strategists.
Communication is crucial when playing strategist. Let your team know when you’re dead or respawning so they can play more cautiously. Similarly, call out when enemies are diving you in the backline so your team can peel for you.
Resource management separates good strategists from great ones. Don’t waste your healing abilities on teammates who are already at full health. Save your defensive cooldowns for when enemies dive you or your carries need protection.
Map awareness becomes even more important as a strategist. Keep track of health pack locations and safe positions you can retreat to when pressured. Use high ground whenever possible to maintain clear sightlines on your team while staying safe from enemy fire.
Invisible Woman shines through her versatile kit that combines healing with battlefield control. Use Orb Projection to heal allies while pressuring enemies – the projectiles pierce through targets, allowing you to heal multiple teammates at once.
Master Guardian Shield management by recalling it before destruction to maintain shorter cooldowns. Save Veiled Step for escapes rather than mobility.
Use Force Physics to disrupt enemy positioning or save allies from dives. Place Psionic Vortex strategically to zone enemies or protect your backline. Her ultimate works best when coordinating pushes or creating safe zones for team recovery.
Luna Snow thrives on consistent healing output and positioning. Her Light & Dark Ice primary attack automatically tracks allies, making her ideal for newer players.
Use Share the Stage on diving allies or tanks pushing objectives. Save Absolute Zero for self-defense against flankers. Her ultimate, Fate of Both Worlds, works best when coordinated with team pushes.
Mantis excels through her Life Orb management and crowd control. Keep track of your orb count to maintain resources. Position yourself on high ground where possible. Use Allied Inspiration on teammates about to ultimate. Save Spore Slumber for shutting down enemy divers or ultimates.
Play primarily as Dagger, using her reliable healing to support the team. Switch to Cloak when you need to counter enemy ultimates or finish low-health targets. Their ultimate creates stacking healing zones – use this to create safe areas during objective fights.
Balance healing and damage output with Adam. Use Soul Bond strategically when expecting heavy damage. Position Avatar Life Stream to bounce between multiple teammates. Save at least one healing charge for emergencies. Time Karmic Revival carefully – sometimes reviving just one key teammate is better than waiting for multiple deaths.
Master Jeff’s Hide and Seek ability for enhanced mobility and survival. Place Healing Bubbles proactively where teammates can easily access them. Use your knockup from bubbles defensively. Maintain consistent healing with Joyful Splash while contributing chip damage with Aqua Burst.
Utilize high ground and wall-climbing to maintain safe positions. Place Battle Rebirth Beacon strategically and recall it when needed. Save one Jetpack Dash charge for escapes. Coordinate Ammo Invention placement with your DPS heroes.
Create triangular zones of control with your clones. Place Regeneration Domain during heavy team fights. Choose ultimate copies based on team needs – Punisher for kills or Luna Snow for support. Use Mystical Missiles by targeting the ground near allies or enemies.
Luna Snow currently stands as the strongest strategist in Marvel Rivals Season 1. Her healing output, reliable crowd control, and game-changing ultimate make her the most well-rounded support.
While other strategists might excel in specific situations or team compositions, Luna Snow’s kit allows her to perform well in almost any scenario. Her ability to both save teammates from burst damage and enable aggressive plays through damage amplification makes her the current meta pick.
The combination of her straightforward mechanics and high-impact abilities means she can consistently influence matches even without perfect team coordination. This reliability, coupled with her strong ultimate ability that can counter most enemy engage tools, puts her slightly ahead of other strategists in the current meta.
Whether you prefer Luna Snow’s reliable healing, Mantis’s crowd control, or Loki’s strategic depth, there’s a strategist that matches every playstyle.