Marvel Rivals Season 9 tier list — August 2026 meta ranked
The August 2026 Marvel Rivals tier list, ranked by win rate and pick rate for Season 9 (post-Blade release). S-tier led by Peni Parker, Daredevil, and Storm. Updated for the August 4 balance patch.
The 5 best heroes right now. First-pick in ranked. Dominate their roles.
Strong meta picks. Work in most team comps and most maps.
Off-meta but viable. Niche picks with strong use cases.
Situational. Pick only into specific team comps or maps.
Outclassed by current meta picks. Skip unless you're a one-trick.
Steer clear. Multiple other heroes do their job better.
How we ranked them
This tier list reflects the August 2026 Marvel Rivals Season 9 meta (post Blade release and the August 4 balance patch). Rankings cover Competitive ranked play at Diamond rank and above.
Data sources:
- CounterWatch.gg — daily-refreshed win
rate and pick rate from public match data
- MetaBot.gg — win rate snapshots,
refreshed weekly
- RivalsMeta.com — Pro Scrim community
rankings
Criteria:
- Win rate at Diamond+ rank (the
competitive sweet spot)
- Solo queue carry potential (can one
player swing a match)
- Team comp flexibility (works in
multiple compositions)
- Skill floor vs ceiling (how hard the
hero is to play)
S tier
Peni Parker (Vanguard, 56.0% WR, 1.1% PR)
Peni Parker is the single highest win rate hero in the game at 56.0% on a 1.1% pick rate. The August 4 patch didn't touch her, and she's been S-tier for 3 seasons in a row.
What makes her dominant:
- Web-sling turret nests that lock
down objectives
- Bionic Spider-Nest ultimate that's
hard-countered by very few heroes
- Self-sustaining kit — no healer
required to be effective
Pick her when you want to lock down a control point or payload. She pairs especially well with dive comps that need a stationary anchor.
Daredevil (Duelist, 57.5% WR, 1.9% PR)
Daredevil's melee-focused kit is a nightmare to play against when piloted by a competent player. 57.5% win rate is the highest of any Duelist in the current meta.
Key strengths:
- Radar Sense passive makes him
nearly invisible on the minimap
- Billy Club combo chains can
two-shot most Strategists
- Devil's Chord ultimate is a
team-wipe if the enemy cluster is caught
Pick Daredevil into comps without strong point-blank damage dealers (most Vanguards struggle to deal with him).
Storm (Duelist, 56.9% WR, 0.6% PR)
Storm's low pick rate (0.6%) but elite win rate (56.9%) is a "high skill floor, high ceiling" pattern — she rewards mastery.
Best played as a back-line poke Duelist — her lightning AoE and tornado ultimate delete groups. The Whirlwind ultimate is one of the best zone-control tools in the game.
Rocket Raccoon (Strategist, 56.6% WR, 3.1% PR)
The best Strategist in Season 9 by win rate. Rocket's revive-bird ultimate is a fight-turner, and his high-damage primary fire means he can support the team while also dealing 8K+ damage per match.
Ultron (Strategist, 56.5% WR, 0.8% PR)
Ultron's "Drones" kit turns him into a second Vanguard that also heals. He's the most underrated Strategist right now — his pick rate is 0.8% but his win rate is top-5.
A tier
| Hero | Role | Win Rate | Pick Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mantis | Strategist | 56.1% | 1.2% |
| Magik | Duelist | 55.1% | 1.4% |
| Black Cat | Duelist | 54.9% | 2.1% |
| Captain America | Vanguard | 54.9% | 3.7% |
| Squirrel Girl | Duelist | 54.9% | 0.6% |
| Mister Fantastic | Duelist | 51.9% | 2.4% |
| Cyclops | Duelist | 51.9% | 4.5% |
| Bruce Banner | Vanguard | 51.8% | 3.0% |
| Blade | Duelist | 51.7% | 5.0% |
| Storm (alt) | Duelist | 51.7% | 0.6% |
| White Fox | Strategist | 51.6% | 1.8% |
A tier is "strong but not first-pick". Mantis is the most underrated Strategist — 56.1% WR with a 1.2% pick rate means players who learn her climb fast. Captain America is the best "anchor Vanguard" for stable team comps. Blade is the headline Season 9 new release and he's already in A tier.
B tier
| Hero | Role | Win Rate | Pick Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue | Vanguard | 51.5% | 2.3% |
| Black Panther | Duelist | 51.4% | 5.1% |
| Spider-Man | Duelist | 51.3% | 7.8% |
| Iron Fist | Duelist | 51.2% | 3.2% |
| Black Cat (alt) | Duelist | 51.1% | 2.1% |
| Angela | Vanguard | 51.1% | 0.9% |
| Star-Lord | Duelist | 50.8% | 4.0% |
| Hela | Duelist | 50.6% | 3.7% |
| Iron Man | Duelist | 50.2% | 6.4% |
| Wolverine | Duelist | 50.2% | 4.8% |
| Doctor Strange | Vanguard | 50.1% | 2.6% |
B tier is "viable but not meta". Spider-Man is the most-picked Duelist in the game (7.8%) but only 51.3% WR — he's a pub comfort pick, not a climb pick.
C tier
| Hero | Role | Win Rate | Pick Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thor | Vanguard | 49.9% | 5.6% |
| Luna Snow | Strategist | 49.8% | 3.4% |
| Deadpool (Duelist) | Duelist | 49.7% | 4.2% |
| Psylocke | Duelist | 49.7% | 2.8% |
| Winter Soldier | Duelist | 49.1% | 2.0% |
| Emma Frost | Vanguard | 49.1% | 1.5% |
| Venom | Vanguard | 49.0% | 6.1% |
| Invisible Woman | Strategist | 48.9% | 7.0% |
| Groot | Vanguard | 48.7% | 4.4% |
| The Punisher | Duelist | 48.7% | 1.9% |
| Scarlet Witch | Duelist | 48.7% | 3.0% |
| Cloak & Dagger | Strategist | 48.6% | 4.2% |
| The Thing | Vanguard | 48.5% | 1.7% |
C tier heroes are specialist picks — they shine in narrow scenarios but are outclassed by A and S tier in most matches. Venom at 49.0% WR with 6.1% PR is the most-overpicked Vanguard.
D tier
| Hero | Role | Win Rate | Pick Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moon Knight | Duelist | 48.2% | 1.1% |
| Adam Warlock | Strategist | 48.1% | 1.4% |
| Loki | Strategist | 47.7% | 3.3% |
| Squirrel Girl (alt) | Duelist | 47.7% | 0.6% |
| Gambit | Strategist | 47.7% | 0.5% |
| Namor | Duelist | 47.6% | 1.0% |
| Deadpool (Strategist) | Strategist | 47.4% | 0.8% |
| Jeff The Land Shark | Strategist | 47.3% | 5.4% |
| Elsa Bloodstone | Duelist | 47.2% | 0.7% |
| Phoenix | Duelist | 47.2% | 1.2% |
D tier heroes are outclassed by current meta picks. Jeff The Land Shark at 5.4% PR is the most-surprising D-tier entry — he's a fan favorite but struggles in competitive play.
F tier
| Hero | Role | Win Rate | Pick Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magneto | Vanguard | 46.7% | 0.9% |
| Deadpool (Vanguard) | Vanguard | 46.7% | 0.3% |
| Human Torch | Duelist | 46.3% | 1.3% |
| Hawkeye | Duelist | 45.6% | 2.6% |
| Black Widow | Duelist | 42.7% | 1.8% |
F tier is "don't pick unless you're a one-trick". Black Widow at 42.7% is the lowest win rate in the game — she's been F-tier for 4 seasons. The August 4 patch did not address her.
Notes on controversial picks
- Peni Parker at S tier is
uncontroversial — her 56.0% WR is the highest in the game. Some players argue she's "boring" but she's not overpowered, just well- designed for the current objective- focused meta.
- Storm in S tier is more
controversial. Her 0.6% pick rate means most ranked players don't know how to play her. But the 56.9% WR for the players who do is undeniable.
- Jeff The Land Shark in D tier
is the most-shocking pick. Jeff is a fan favorite and very strong in casual play. He drops to D tier in Diamond+ because his kit is too easily counterable by competent teams.
What to play if you're climbing ranked
If you're climbing in Season 9, pick one S-tier hero per role and one-trick them:
- Vanguard: Peni Parker
- Duelist: Daredevil (high skill)
or Captain America (low skill)
- Strategist: Rocket Raccoon (best
WR) or Mantis (underrated)
This is the safest climb comp in Season 9 — three heroes with >55% win rates and proven team comp synergy.
FAQ
Who is the best Marvel Rivals hero in
Season 9?
Peni Parker at 56.0% win rate. She's the highest WR hero in the game and has been S-tier for 3 seasons.
Is Blade good in Marvel Rivals?
Blade (the new Season 9 hero) is A tier at 51.7% win rate. He's a strong Duelist but not meta-defining yet.
What was the August 4 balance patch?
The patch nerfed Storm (slight), buffed Rocket Raccoon, and adjusted several ultimate charge rates. No major meta- shifting changes.
Who is the worst Marvel Rivals hero?
Black Widow at 42.7% win rate. She's been the lowest WR hero in the game for 4 seasons. The devs have hinted at a rework in Season 10.
What's the best hero for solo queue?
Captain America for Vanguard, Daredevil for Duelist, Rocket Raccoon for Strategist. All three are forgiving of team mistakes and can carry games on their own.
How often does the meta change?
Every major balance patch (roughly every 3-4 weeks). The next patch is expected late August 2026.
Is this tier list different from
other sites?
We focus on Diamond+ ranked play, which is a stricter filter than most public tier lists. The S-tier matches CounterWatch.gg and RivalsMeta.com's top picks; C and D tier diverge because we weight pro-scrim data less than public ranked data.
Sources: CounterWatch Marvel Rivals tier list, MetaBot Marvel Rivals meta, RivalsMeta tracker.
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