Marvel Rivals Winter Soldier: How to Play, Counter & Abilities

Winter Soldier is currently one of the strongest picks in Marvel Rivals, and for good reason. His mix of reliable damage output and crowd control makes him a versatile Duelist who can adapt to most team compositions. While he’s not the most challenging character to pick up, mastering Winter Soldier requires solid aim and smart ability management – you’ll need to think about when to use your skills rather than just spamming them whenever they’re available.

What makes Winter Soldier particularly strong in the current meta is his ability to consistently pressure enemy teams without being overly dependent on his ultimate ability. His kit revolves around his Roterstern revolver, which deals impressive damage at medium range, paired with crowd control abilities that let you set up kills for yourself or your team.

His playstyle sits somewhere between a traditional damage dealer and a setup character – you can both secure kills yourself and create opportunities for your teammates.

Let’s break down everything you need to know about playing Winter Soldier effectively, from his base stats to advanced strategies and counters.

Winter Soldier Stats in Marvel Rivals

Winter Soldier’s base statistics reflect his role as a damage-focused character who can hold his own in fights while maintaining decent survivability.

	Winter Soldier
Role	Duelist
Base Health	250
Difficulty Rating	3/5 Stars
Voice Actor	Eliah Mountjoy

How to Play Winter Soldier in Marvel Rivals

He excels at medium-range combat where he can effectively use his Roterstern revolver while staying close enough to capitalize on his crowd control abilities. The key to playing him effectively lies in managing his passive ability, Ceaseless Charge, which automatically reloads his weapon when using abilities and grants bonus health.

Your primary goal should be positioning yourself near your team’s frontline, but not directly in it. This allows you to support your Vanguards while maintaining enough distance to pick off priority targets. The Roterstern deals significant damage, especially with headshots, and can take down most Duelists and Strategists with just two well-placed shots.

Ability management is crucial for maintaining consistent damage output. Since the Roterstern only has three shots before needing to reload, you should weave abilities between your shots to take advantage of the automatic reload from Ceaseless Charge. Start engagements with your primary fire, then use Tainted Voltage to slow enemies and make them easier targets. Follow up with Trooper’s Fist to reposition or finish off weakened targets.

The Bionic Hook serves as your primary tool for isolating targets. Use it to pull enemy Strategists or separated Duelists into your team for quick eliminations. This ability works particularly well when coordinated with teammates who can follow up on your initiation.

Kraken Impact, your ultimate ability, might just be one of the best ultimate in Marvel rivals right now. The key to maximizing its effectiveness lies in timing. Wait for enemies to be slightly damaged before using it, as the Culling mark will execute them at 20% health. Getting an elimination with Kraken Impact allows for an immediate recast, potentially leading to team wipes if executed properly.

When paired with Rocket Raccoon, take full advantage of the Infinite Grit team-up ability. The unlimited ammo and increased fire rate can devastate enemy teams, but make sure to position yourself near cover while using it to avoid becoming an easy target.

How to Counter Winter Soldier in Marvel Rivals

Winter Soldier becomes vulnerable when his abilities are on cooldown or when he’s forced to reload without them available. His effectiveness drops significantly at extreme ranges, and he struggles against highly mobile targets that can avoid his abilities.

The best approach to countering Winter Soldier involves pressuring him when his abilities are down and attacking from multiple angles. His frontal damage can be overwhelming, but he becomes much less effective when flanked. Additionally, his relatively limited mobility makes him susceptible to being cornered by multiple attackers.

Heroes that counter Winter Soldier effectively in Marvel Rivals:

• Iron Fist: Can close the distance quickly and overwhelm Winter Soldier in close combat where his medium-range advantages are negated
• Wolverine: Superior mobility and close-range damage make him a natural counter
• Venom: High survivability and ability to pressure Winter Soldier consistently
• Thor: Can engage from unexpected angles and has enough durability to survive initial bursts
• Spider-Man: High mobility and web abilities make him a difficult target to hit

Iron Fist	Wolverine	Venom	Thor	Spider-Man

All Winter Soldier Abilities in Marvel Rivals

Ability	Description	Stats
Roterstern (Primary Attack)	Fire explosive rounds with his blaster, damaging the target hit and enemies behind them.	• Damage: 70 (Projectile & Spell Field) • Projectile Speed: 180 m/s • Fire Rate: 2.5 rounds/s • Ammo: 3 • Range: 40m • Damage Falloff: 65% at 40m • Spell Field: 5m radius cone, 90° angle • Critical Hits: Only on projectile
Kraken Impact (Q)	Leap high, then dash forward and slam down with the bionic arm, dealing damage and marking enemies for Culling. Marked enemies die instantly below threshold.	• Damage: 100 • Range: 5m radius • Culling Duration: 5s • Culling Threshold: 20% HP • Recharge: 8s after Culling kill • Energy Cost: 3100
Trooper’s Fist (Shift)	Dash forward, seizing enemies along the path and launching up enemies at the end of the dash.	• Seize Damage: 25 • Knockback Damage: 65 • Speed: 30 m/s • Maximum Distance: 9m • Area: 4.5m x 4.5m x 2m • Cooldown: 12s
Tainted Voltage (E)	Charge up and launch an electrical punch, dealing damage and Slowing enemies. Can Knock Down flying heroes.	• Damage: 55 • Projectile Speed: 100 m/s • Slow Effect: -35% • Slow Duration: 2s • Special: Pierces through enemies • Cooldown: 6s
Bionic Hook (RMB)	Charge up and launch a hook with his bionic arm, reeling in the first target hit and enemies lurking behind.	• Projectile Damage: 15 • Spell Field Damage: 20 • Projectile Speed: 80 m/s • Range: 10-20m • Charge Time: 0.5-4s • Spell Field: 4.5m radius cone, 80° angle • Cooldown: 8s
Ceaseless Charge (Passive)	Roterstern reloads automatically while the bionic arm is in action, granting Bonus Health to Winter Soldier.	• Bonus Health: 30 (Hook & Voltage) • Bonus Health: 50 (Fist & Impact) • Effect: Auto-reloads on ability use
Infinite Grit (Team-Up)	Rocket Raccoon throws an Ammo Overload device that grants infinite ammo and faster firing to Winter Soldier.	• Partner: Rocket Raccoon • Effect: Infinite ammo and faster firing • Fire Rate Boost: 25% • Special: Effect ends 0.5s after leaving area

While Winter Soldier learning curve might seem steep at first, the investment pays off with his ability to control fights and secure crucial eliminations. Keep practicing your aim and ability timing, and you’ll find yourself becoming a formidable force in Marvel Rivals matches.