Marvel Rivals Version 20260417 Balance Post
2026/04/14
We've got another round of tweaks coming to Marvel Rivals. We're rolling out a brand-new Chain-CC Protection system to save you from endless stun-locks, Bucky Barnes is trading in his crowd control for pure firepower, and Ultron is expanding his robotic wrath across the battlefield.
Let's dive in and see how the meta is shifting!
ADJUSTMENTS
Chain-CC Protection
In Season 7.5, we introduced the Chain-CC (Crowd Control) Protection mechanic to ensure combat remains fluid and fair. Here are the specific rules:
- The Trigger: If a Hero suffers 5.5 seconds of total CC duration or is hit by 6 CC effects within a 7-second window, Chain-CC Protection activates. This instantly purges all active CC effects and grants the Hero 30% Tenacity for 3 seconds.
- Scaling Tenacity: Tenacity proportionally reduces the duration of incoming CC. While active, every new CC effect applied to the Hero increases their Tenacity by 10% and extends the buff's duration by 0.5 seconds.
- Total Immunity: If Tenacity reaches 100%, the Hero becomes completely CC Immune until the buff expires. During this window, incoming CC will not grant further Tenacity or extend the Immunity duration.
- Cinematic Exceptions: Certain animation-driven CC effects (such as Emma Frost's Carbon Crush and Monster Hulk's World Breaker) bypass this system. Tenacity cannot reduce their durations, nor will they be interrupted if Chain-CC Protection triggers. Any standard CC effects applied during these cinematic moves will be cleared, and Tenacity applied, only after the cinematic ability concludes.
- Cooldown: The Chain-CC Protection system has a 5-second cooldown, which begins the moment the final Tenacity effect expires.
VANGUARD
Emma Frost
We're slightly lowering the energy cost of the White Queen's Ultimate to boost her suppression power on the battlefield. Time to shine, darling!
- Reduce the energy cost of Psionic Seduction (Ultimate Ability) from 3400 to 3100.
Deadpool (Vanguard)
We're slightly dialing back Vanguard-pool's burst damage and the survivability gains from his gun-form Ultimate. Gotta keep things fair, even for the Merc with a Mouth!
- Reduce The Ban Hammer (Gun Form Ultimate Ability) Bonus Health gained per hammer hit from 80 to 60 (standard) and from 80 to 70 (upgraded).
- Reduce The Ban Hammer (Gun Form Ultimate Ability) damage dealt per hammer hit from 45 to 35.
- Reduce bonus Attack Speed provided by Deadpool in Your Area - Vanguard to Dual Desert Eagles - Vanguard from 60% to 40%.
Peni Parker
We're slightly reducing Peni's base survivability but enhancing the deployment range and protection of her Cyber-Webs, while also improving the hit experience of her Primary Attack. This aims to strengthen Peni in positional warfare! Now she can cover more ground with her Cyber-Webs, and flexibly using their support effects will help the team handle specific enemy dives with more ease!
- Reduce base health from 700 to 650.
- Increase the maximum number of Cyber-Webs that can exist simultaneously on the field from 3 to 4.
- Increase Bonus Health cap provided to Peni by Cyber-Webs from 150 to 200.
- Increase Cyber-Web Cluster Projectile Speed from 120m/s to 150m/s.
DUELIST
Elsa Bloodstone
We're reining in Elsa's mobility and her threat level against Vanguards. The monster hunter needs to pace herself out there in the timestream!
- Increase Helix Advance cooldown from 8s to 10s. (Cooldown at max passive stacks from 2s to 4s).
- Reduce Monster-Piercer percentage damage per pellet from 1.2% to 0.8%.
Reduce total percentage damage when all 5 pellets hit from 6% to 4%.
Zhiyong Note: When all pellets hit, damage against a 275 HP hero drops from 81.5 (13*5+275*6%) to 76; against a 700 HP hero, it drops from 107 (13*5+700*6%) to 93.
Human Torch
We're tweaking the Human Torch's mobility mechanics to boost his burst mobility and enhance his gameplay pacing. At the same time, we want his movements to be a bit more predictable for his opponents. Flame on, but with a plan, Rivals!
- Plasma Body Mechanic Adjusted: Upon casting, he immediately dashes a short distance (10m) in the direction of movement and enters the Plasma Body state for 4s. This ability now has 2 charges, with a 10s recharge time per charge. There is a 4s cooldown between consecutive casts.
Winter Soldier
Bucky had a bit too much CC, which caused some serious frustration for enemies, especially when facing dive Vanguards, Duelists, or anchor Vanguards. He felt more like a "bodyguard" than a lethal operative. We're reducing his CC capabilities and slightly buffing his frontal damage output to enrich his combat experience and make him feel like the true soldier he is!
- Remove Trooper's Fist Grounded effect on enemies.
Reduce Cooldown from 12s to 10s.
- Increase Bionic Hook cooldown from 12s to 15s.
- Increase Roterstern Projectile Damage from 75 to 80
Decrease Spell Field Damage from 55 to 45.
- Reduce Tainted Voltage single charge energize time from 6s to 5s.
- Increase Kraken Impact Culling Threshold from 15% to 20%.
Reduce base damage from 80 to 70.
STRATEGIST
Adam Warlock
We're giving Adam Warlock a little cosmic boost to his healing capabilities!
- Increase Cosmic Cluster cooldown reduction provided to Avatar Life Stream per hit on an enemy from 0.05s to 0.08s.
Cloak & Dagger
We're slightly reducing the duration of Cloak & Dagger's Ultimate.
- Reduce Eternal Bond (Ultimate Ability) duration from 13s to 11s.
Jeff the Land Shark
We're slightly reducing the pressure our favorite land shark puts on the enemy backline. Good boy, Jeff, but let's give them a breather!
- Joyful Splash damage falloff now starts at 15m (was 20m) and damage drops to 60% of base at 30m (was 65% at 40m).
- Reduce It's Jeff! (Ultimate Ability) recovery time when failing to swallow any targets from 1s to 0.4s.
Luna Snow
A small encore for Luna Snow to enhance her base combat capabilities!
- Increase Light & Dark Ice damage and healing from 22 to 24.
Ultron
We're expanding the battlefield coverage of Ultron's Ultimate. There are no strings on him!
- We've adjusted the logic of Ultron's Ultimate. The four Ultron Drones surrounding Ultron will no longer shoot directly at the crosshair target; instead, they will bombard the area around the target. The bombardment area matches Ultron's, but with slightly lower values. With this adjustment, the coverage area of Rage of Ultron is increased from a 3m radius to a 6m radius.
- After activating Rage of Ultron (Ultimate Ability):
Increase Ultron's Encephalo-Rays Damage from 8 to 18.
Increase the Drones' Encephalo-Rays Damage from 8 to 12.
New Spell Field Damage Falloff: Starts at 1.5m after Encephalo-Rays explode, with a max falloff to 50% at 3m.
Increase healing effect on allies from 25 to 40.
(Damage and healing effects on targets within the original 3m radius remain roughly the same).
TEAM-UP ABILITIES
ADJUSTED OR REMOVED
Guardian of the Deep (Venom - Jeff the Land Shark/Hela)
Even the Goddess of Death and a ravenous Symbiote have to admit that Jeff's healing hugs were getting a little too powerful. We're dialing back the extra bulk for this aquatic alliance!"
- Reduce excess healing converted to Bonus Health from 100 to 50.
- Reduce healing efficiency from 70/s to 60/s
NEW
Lucky Loan (Black Cat - White Fox/Captain America)
What do you get when you cross a master thief, a mystical Kumiho, and the First Avenger? The ultimate heist crew!
- As the Team-Up Anchor, Black Cat gains a 5% boost in damage output.
- White Fox unlocks the new Nine-Tailed Aura ability through her Team-Up with Black Cat.
- Captain America unlocks the new Vibranium Bastion ability through his Team-Up with Black Cat.