Marvel Rivals Tank Tier List: All 8 Vanguards Ranked

Marvel Rivals finally brings superheroes to the world of hero shooters — it’s amazing to think we haven’t gotten a game like this before now. Of course, if there’s one thing people know about the Marvel Universe, it’s that there’s a lot of superheroes out there, hundreds even. With so much to choose from, Marvel Rivals has done a pretty admirable job of building a diverse roster. That directly applies to the game’s three classes, of which Vanguards are perhaps the most vital, as the equivalent of tanks. Vanguards are the big and burly characters of Rivals, the hulking (pun intended) heroes that can throw the enemy line into dissaray. If Vanguards or tanking strikes your fancy, we’ll break down who’s the best out of Marvel Rivals’ launch roster.

Why You Should Play Vanguard in Marvel Rivals

Vanguards are the foundation of any team in Marvel Rivals — every single team needs one, no matter who you’re going up against. As the game’s tanks, Vanguards are every bit as essential as healers, and more often than not, you’ll be the one right in the thick of things, soaking up damage, and harassing the enemy team. But the flipside of that is, if you’re good at the role, you’ll likely be suriving a lot longer than characters of other classses. With the right support, you could even go a whole match without losing a single life.

Vanguards can be a ton of fun in Marvel Rivals, because of the specific abilities they have to mitigate damage and do crowd control. If you’re someone that loves the thrill of jumping right into battle and fighting for your life, this is the class for you. And even better, you’ll be helping your team out.

Marvel Rivals Vanguard (Tank) Tier List

8. Thor

Thor is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the slowest Vanguard in the game — a big and bulky tank that trudges along unflinchingly. That slow movement is exactly what lands him at the bottom of the list, simply because it’s incredibly hard to escape any situation. Thor has relatively low health compared to other Vanguards, but he does have some incredibly damage output, especially with his Thorforce ability that lets you fire ranged lightning blasts.

But Thor absolutely needs good support behind him, both in terms of Healers to keep his health up, and Duelists that can mop up remaining enemies. If you find yourself separated from your team, you’re pretty much done, as the Norse god doesn’t have escape options like Venom or Captain America.

7. Captain America

Captain America is one of the most versatile Vanguards in the game, and maybe even the fastest one as well. But his biggest downside is that he has pretty abysmal damage output, especially compared to others. Cap’s dash and leap abilities mean he can get across the map or out of danger in a snap. Good Cap players will use that speed to their advantage to launch guerrilla attacks on the enemy team, weaving in and out of dangers.

You need to get up close and personal with Cap, outside of his shield throw ability, but because of that low damage, it’s hard to do anything on your own. If you really want to play him, you’ll need to make sure you have a robust team backing you up.

6. The Hulk

The Hulk is the most complicated Vanguard in the game currently, largely because of his three different forms. You have the spindly bruce banner who has absurdly low health and Gamma Ray blaster, the pumped up basic Hulk form, and his Monster Hulk form during his ultimate. Because of those three forms, Hulk can be incredibly hard to use, and you’ll need to be careful.

You can rush in as the Hulk and wreck havoc, but beware going too hard as getting your health reduced will transform you back into Banner, just begging to be eliminated. Of course, Monster Hulk form is just as it sounds like, a huge chance to cause tremendous damage — but you need to use it at just the right time. Picking up the Hulk isn’t for players that want a simple experience, but if you master those forms you might be unstoppable.

5. Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is incredibly unique from other Vanguards as he almost fills more of a support role than an attacker, but that’s a huge part of why he’s so good. Strange’s barrier can block nearly any attack and has a ton of durability, meaning it’s perfect for shielding your team while they blast away at the enemy. His ability to float also means you can even protect and support flyers on your team.

Strange’s biggest downside is that he has far less offensive capabilities than other Vanguards, and he moves incredibly slowly. But those support features generally make up for it, especially if you manage to use his portal to trick the enemy team or pull off some flanking maneuvers.

4. Groot

Groot is entirely unique from the rest of the cast of Marvel Rivals, because of his plant-based abilities. He’s the only Vanguard that can place walls that block anyone from passive — meaning he can tie up choke points, protect teammates or objectives, and generally corral enemies into tight spots. Of course, using Groot’s plant walls can be incredibly difficult, so you’ll likely need to practice a bit to get it down pat. His walls can also damage enemies and be used as platforms in a pinch.

Groot also has really good damage output, even if his range isn’t as far as others. Combine all that with the fact he can team up with Jeff and Rocket to let them ride around on his shoulders, and you’ve got a seriously dangerous tank.

3. Peni Parker

Peni Parker is the first of two ranged Vanguards in Rivals, and she can really bombard the enemy with an endless stream of attacks. Peni never has to reload her weapon, meaning you can suppress the enemy team while your allies move in. She doesn’t have the kind of instant damage other Vanguards do, but her constant blasts can seriously stack up.

You also have access to some tremendously useful defensive abilities as Peni — laying down webs and a node that can heal allies, and placing damaging mines. If you’re playing defensive in a match, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better pick than Peni.

2. Magneto

Magneto is the other ranged Vanguard in the game, and he can be absolutely devastating in the right hands. He’s easily the most well-rounded of the class, with great options for offense, defense, damage mitigation, and protection. Like Doctor Strange, Magneto can erect a barrier, even though it doesn’t last as long. He also has a tremendously useful ability that can grant a protective bubble to either himself or an ally.

On the attacking side, Magneto has good range and damage output, with an ability that can blow back an enemy — if you plan it just right, you can knock someone off a cliff, or even interrupt an ultimate attack. While other Vanguards often need specific support and teammates, Magneto is fantastic because he can flourish with any team.

1. Venom

If you’ve played Marvel Rivals for any amount of time, you’ve probably come face-to-face with an annoying Venom that simply won’t go down. Venom doesn’t have the highest damage output, but boy can he soak up punishment and disrupt things. A good Venom can launch themselves into the middle of the enemy team and go blow for blow with all six of them at the same time. His high health and recovery abilities mean that Venom can be ridiculously difficult to take down, especially with Healer backup.

Venom’s flurry of attacks can be hard to deal with, especially if they decide to single out a Healer or low-health character. But it’s that resilience that makes Venom so incredibly dangerous, the quintessential tank of the game.

Marvel Rivals is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.