Marvel Rivals All Vanguards: How to Play Each Tank
Playing Vanguard in Marvel Rivals can feel thankless at times – you’re rarely getting those flashy plays or MVP highlights. But a good tank can completely change the flow of a game. Let’s break down everything you need to know about playing each Vanguard hero effectively in Marvel Rivals.
All Vanguards in Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals features eight Vanguard heroes, each bringing different strengths to the frontline role. These tanks vary significantly in their playstyles – some excel at protecting the team, while others focus on disrupting enemy formations or controlling space. Here is a complete list of all the Vanguards in Marvel Rivals:
How to Play Vanguards in Marvel Rivals
The role of a Vanguard in Marvel Rivals is unique – you’re the frontline that creates space for your team while soaking up damage. When picking a Vanguard, you need to think about both defense and disruption. Some excel at protecting the team, while others are better at diving into the enemy backline and causing chaos.
The Vanguard role requires careful positioning and resource management. Your primary job is creating space for your team while denying it to enemies. This means staying between your damage dealers and threats, but the exact positioning depends on your hero choice.
Space control comes in different forms – Doctor Strange uses shields and portals, Peni Parker creates web networks, Groot places walls. The key is matching your positioning to your hero’s strengths. If you’re playing Venom or Thor, look for opportunities to pressure the enemy backline. With Doctor Strange or Magneto, focus more on protecting your team from incoming damage.
Watch your cooldowns carefully. Using defensive abilities at the wrong time leaves both you and your team vulnerable. Don’t feel pressured to constantly push forward – sometimes backing off to get healed is the right move. Coordinate with your healers and stay aware of health pack locations.
How to Play Each Vanguard in Marvel Rivals
Doctor Strange
Playing Strange effectively comes down to managing shield timing and Dark Energy. The Shield of Seraphim can block 800 damage, but breaks quickly under focus fire. Save it for crucial moments like enemy ultimates or protecting low-health allies. Keep an eye on your Dark Energy – letting it max out prevents healing, which is deadly in teamfights.
The Cloak of Levitation gives you good vertical mobility. Use it to reach high ground for better portal placement. Speaking of portals, they’re not just for movement – place them to give your damage dealers safe angles on enemies. The Maelstrom of Madness ultimate can completely change teamfights, but timing is crucial. Wait for enemies to group up or get distracted before using it.
Peni Parker
Success with Peni comes from smart web network setup. Place your Spider-Nest somewhere hidden but within range of the fight – behind cover near objectives works well. Connect important areas with Cyber-Webs to give your team quick rotation paths while providing healing and speed boosts.
Arachno-Mines need careful placement to be effective. Hide them in your webs or around corners where enemies won’t expect them. Use Cyber-Bond to quickly move between positions in your network. Remember that your strength comes from controlling space – don’t try to play like an aggressive tank.
Venom
Venom’s strength lies in his ability to disrupt enemy formations. Start fights by using Venom Swing to get a good vantage point – look for positions that let you dive the enemy backline. The Frenzied Arrival ability works best when enemies don’t expect it, so try to come from angles they aren’t watching.
Save your Symbiotic Resilience for critical moments. The shield gets stronger the lower your health is, so waiting until you’re around 20% HP maximizes its value. Cellular Corrosion slows enemies significantly – use it on priority targets like healers or mobile damage dealers to make them easier to catch.
The key to playing Venom well is knowing when to commit and when to back off. You can quickly swing into fights, cause chaos, and escape before the enemy team can focus you down. Target isolated enemies first – Venom excels at picking off heroes who stray from their team.
Groot
Playing Groot revolves around strategic wall placement. The Ironwood Wall provides wider coverage and gives nearby allies bonus health when they deal damage. Place these to block enemy sightlines or create safe spaces for your team to work from. Thornlash Walls are your offensive tool – place them to cut off escape routes or force enemies into awkward positions.
Stay close to your walls to keep them “awakened,” but be careful not to block your own team’s movement. Your Vine Strike provides consistent damage at medium range, while Furious Flora helps when enemies get too close. The Spore Bomb is perfect for area denial – throw it where enemies need to go, not where they currently are.
Thor
Thor’s effectiveness depends on smart Thorforce management. Each ability that uses Thorforce grants bonus health – 100 HP for basic abilities and 200 HP for Awakening Rune. Start fights with Storm Surge to close gaps, then use Lightning Realm to regenerate Thorforce and slow enemies.
The Awakening Rune is powerful but leaves you vulnerable – wait until you have team support before using it. Your ultimate works best as a follow-up to team engagements rather than an initiator. Remember that enemies can see you charging it, so try to use it from unexpected angles.
Magneto
Magneto plays differently from other Vanguards. Your Iron Volley deals more damage at maximum range due to the larger explosion radius. Position yourself where you can see multiple enemies but still protect your team. The Metallic Curtain blocks projectiles briefly – save it for important enemy abilities rather than using it randomly.
Metal Bulwark and Iron Bulwark convert absorbed damage into rings that power up your Mag-Cannon. Time your shields carefully – absorbed damage isn’t wasted, it becomes offensive potential. The Meteor M ultimate needs precise timing – start charging when you see multiple enemies using projectiles, but don’t overcharge or it’ll damage your team.
Hulk
Hulk’s gameplay changes based on your current form. In Hero Hulk form, use Incredible Leap for mobility and catching airborne enemies. The Indestructible Guard provides significant protection – save it for when your team needs it most, like during enemy ultimates.
Monster Hulk form gives you massive health and stronger abilities. Use World Breaker on priority targets – grabbing and slamming a healer or main damage dealer can often win teamfights. Just remember that Banner form is extremely vulnerable, so try to maintain your transformation as much as possible.
Captain America
Captain America excels at mobile defense. Leading Dash lets you quickly reach objectives and establish position. Use Living Legend to protect your team from incoming damage while creating opportunities to counter-attack. The Liberty Rush ability works well for both pursuit and escape – save it for when you really need the mobility.
The Super-Soldier Slam ability disrupts enemy formations effectively. Coordinate with your team before using it – the brief stun gives them time to follow up with damage. Your Vibranium Energy Saw provides good ranged pressure, but remember that your main job is protecting the team.
How to Choose Your Main Vanguard in Marvel Rivals
Your playstyle should guide your choice. If you enjoy aggressive diving, Venom or Thor lets you pressure the enemy backline. For defensive play, Doctor Strange and Magneto excel at protecting the team. Want to control space? Try Peni Parker or Groot. Like mixing offense and defense? Captain America and Hulk offer that flexibility.
For me, I enjoy playing characters that are tanky and can dive into enemy backline and hence I love playing Venom. You just need to find out what your natural playstyle is or what you actually like and based on that you can pick your main Vanguard in Marvel Rivals. One last tip – do keep in mind that what Vanguard is in meta right now!
Who is the Strongest Vanguard in Marvel Rivals?
Doctor Strange currently stands out in the meta. His combination of team protection and space control makes him incredibly valuable. The shield blocks significant damage when timed well, and his ultimate can completely turn around teamfights. However, reaching his full potential requires good team coordination and careful ability management.
Mastering Vanguard heroes takes time and practice. Focus on staying alive while creating opportunities for your team. Learn the specific strengths of each hero and adapt your playstyle accordingly. The most effective tanks aren’t necessarily the ones getting kills – they’re the ones enabling their team to secure objectives and win fights.