Marvel Rivals Roles Explained: Vanguard, Duelist, Strategist (2026)

Marvel Rivals has three roles. Vanguards are the tanks who create space and protect the team. Duelists deal most of the damage and pick off targets. Strategists heal and support. Teams are 6v6 with no role lock, so a 2-2-2 split of two of each role is the safe default.

This guide covers what each role does, how to build a team, how Team-Up abilities work, and the full hero list by role. It is current as of October 2026, during Season 10.5. For the ranked ladder itself, see our Marvel Rivals ranks explained guide.

What are the three roles in Marvel Rivals?

Every hero belongs to one of three roles. The official Marvel Rivals hero page lists 54 entries as of October 2026, and reputable coverage groups them as 14 Vanguards, 27 Duelists and 12 Strategists, with Deadpool as a flex pick that can fill any role, per KeenGamer's Season 10.5 roster table.

What does a Vanguard do?

A Vanguard is the front line. Your job is to move the team forward, block damage and give your Duelists safe angles. Good Vanguards decide when the team fights and when it backs off.

• Create space: push onto the objective so enemies must deal with you first.
• Protect: use shields and peel for your Strategists when divers jump them.
• Start fights: engage when your team has ultimates ready, not alone.

Vanguard heroes: Angela, Captain America, Devil Dinosaur, Doctor Strange, Emma Frost, Groot, Hulk, Magneto, Peni Parker, Rogue, The Hood, The Thing, Thor, Venom.

What does a Duelist do?

Duelists are the damage role and the biggest group of heroes. Some fight up close, some fly, and some snipe from range. Your job is to win your duels, remove key targets such as enemy Strategists, and turn space your Vanguard created into eliminations.

• Pick targets: focus low-health or out-of-position enemies first.
• Stay alive: a dead Duelist deals no damage, so play near cover and healing.
• Match the fight: pick heroes that reach the enemy backline or punish their Vanguard.

Duelist heroes: Black Cat, Black Panther, Black Widow, Blade, Cyclops, Daredevil, Elsa Bloodstone, Gorr the God Butcher, Hawkeye, Hela, Human Torch, Iron Fist, Iron Man, Magik, Mister Fantastic, Moon Knight, Namor, Phoenix, Psylocke, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Squirrel Girl, Star-Lord, Storm, The Punisher, Winter Soldier, Wolverine.

The newest Duelist is Gorr the God Butcher, who arrived alone in Season 10 on September 11, 2026, per PlayNews. Season 10 also brought a full Scarlet Witch rework.

What does a Strategist do?

Strategists keep the team alive. They heal, give buffs and often hold the most important defensive ultimates in the game. A good Strategist also deals damage when the team is healthy.

• Heal the right target: keep your Vanguard alive, but save Duelists who are being dived.
• Save your ultimate: use defensive ultimates to counter enemy ultimates.
• Position safely: stay behind your Vanguard and near your other Strategist.

Strategist heroes: Adam Warlock, Cloak & Dagger, Gambit, Invisible Woman, Jeff the Land Shark, Jubilee, Loki, Luna Snow, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon, Ultron, White Fox.

How should you build a team comp in Marvel Rivals?

Marvel Rivals is 6v6 and has no role queue or role lock, so players can pick any hero, per Boss Rush Network. That freedom means your team has to sort roles out in hero select.

1. 2-2-2 (two Vanguards, two Duelists, two Strategists): the balanced default. It gives enough health, damage and healing for most maps.
2. 1-3-2 (one Vanguard, three Duelists, two Strategists): a common lineup that trades durability for more damage. It works best with a strong solo Vanguard.
3. Three Strategists: often frowned upon in solo queue, but it can help when the enemy deals heavy burst damage.

A simple rule for solo queue: if nobody has picked a Vanguard or Strategist yet, fill it. Two healers and at least one Vanguard fix most losing comps before the match starts. For current strong picks, check our tier lists.

How do Team-Up abilities work?

Team-Ups are bonus abilities tied to hero pairs. Since Season 9, when you pick a hero you also choose one of their two Team-Up abilities, per Mobalytics. To change your choice mid-round, you return to spawn and reopen hero select.

• Always available: a Team-Up works even if its partner hero, called the Anchor, is not on your team.
• Anchor bonus: if the Anchor hero is on your team, you get an enhanced version of the ability.
• Example: Jubilee's Team-Up with Blade gives allies in her Vampiric Field an extra continuous healing effect.
• Example: Black Cat's Team-Up with Spider-Man lets her grapple briefly immobilize enemies marked by a Spider-Tracer.

Team-Ups change often between seasons, so treat any list as a snapshot. When picking, look at which Anchor heroes your teammates already chose and take the Team-Up that gets the enhanced bonus.

Which role should you play to climb?

Play the role you enjoy and can repeat well, then keep a small pool of two or three heroes in it. A few guidelines:

• New players: Strategist and Vanguard are always needed, so you will rarely fight teammates for the pick.
• Confident aimers: Duelist rewards mechanics, but it is the most crowded role.
• Flex players: learn one hero per role so you can fill whatever your team lacks.

For a step-by-step plan, read how to rank up in Marvel Rivals. Season 10.5 runs until Season 11 on November 13, 2026, per KeenGamer, and NetEase has said Season 11 returns to two new heroes. Check our patch notes page when it lands.