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The Season 4.5 update for Marvel Rivals introduces a significant balance patch, which includes important adjustments to various heroes. These changes bring new opportunities by boosting some characters and weakening others. As a result, players can explore fresh team combinations and strategies. While some heroes are toned down for better balance, others are enhanced to shake up the game’s current meta.
The update kicks off on October 10, 2025, the same day Daredevil joins the game as the new Duelist hero. Daredevil’s addition adds new skins, events, and major changes to how teams work together. The rest of the season is expected to last about one month, following the schedule for upcoming updates.
### Hero Buffs in Season 4.5
Although there are fewer buffs this season, the ones that are included are quite impactful. Many heroes now have new effects added to their abilities, such as reducing healing, immobilizing opponents, or other complex features that make their skills more interesting.
Only 13 heroes are receiving buffs or nerfs this season, a smaller number than at the start of the season. However, the changes are more in-depth to make up for the fewer adjustments. Below is a summary of the heroes who received buffs, their roles, and what specific changes were made:
| Hero | Role | Changes |
|—————-|————-|——————————————————————————————-|
| Angela | Vanguard | Gains stronger axes after Divine Judgement; increases bonus health for allies |
| Venom | Vanguard | Feast of the Abyss applies a 30% healing reduction for 4 seconds |
| Blade | Duelist | Longer range for Daywalker Dash; faster slash speed after Bloodline Awakening |
| Hela | Duelist | Faster cast for Astral Flock; gains 25 bonus health after casting |
| Iron Fist | Duelist | Yat Jee Chung Kuen deals higher damage per hit |
| Mister Fantastic| Duelist | Distended Grip now applies a 1-second immobilize |
| Psylocke | Duelist | Less self-slow during Dance of the Butterfly; strikes deal more damage |
| Rocket Raccoon | Strategist | Increased damage from C.Y.A Ultimate |
Most of these upgrades add new effects rather than just increasing damage or health, making gameplay more nuanced. For example, Venom’s ultimate now reduces enemy healing, and Reed Richards’ ability can now stun opponents. This deepens the strategic options in team fights.
### Character Nerfs in Season 4.5
Nerfs are less common this season, but they are carefully designed to balance the game without making heroes useless. These changes suggest a focus on adjusting highly mobile and burst-damage heroes, such as Phoenix, Human Torch, and Ultron, who are often part of strong team setups.
Heroes like Human Torch and Ultron received nerfs that lower their damage or increase ability cooldowns, requiring players to team up more carefully and avoid over-relying on quick kills.
### Team-Up Changes
Once again, the season features adjustments to how heroes assist each other. Notably, some previously existing team-ups have been removed or changed, and new ones have been added to encourage varied team strategies.
For instance:
– The team-up between Hulk and Namor has been removed.
– Daredevil will now participate in a new team-up called “Bestial Hunt” with The Punisher, which will boost damage and healing.
While details are limited for some new team-ups, rumors suggest that The Punisher might get a new ability called Justice Sense, similar to Daredevil’s wall-penetrating vision.
Overall, these balance updates aim to keep the game fresh and competitive, encouraging players to adapt their strategies for the upcoming season. The continued rapid release of updates suggests that players can look forward to ongoing improvements and more balanced gameplay in the future.