Season 3: Comprehensive Guide to Buffs and Nerfs

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The launch of Season 3 of Marvel Rivals is accompanied by a significant balance update that enhances some characters while dialing back others that have been overly powerful in various team compositions. By weakening certain heroes, the developers aim to redefine team dynamics and foster new synergies among beloved Marvel figures. Conversely, toning down some characters’ strengths will help improve overall balance within their respective roles.

As Season 3 kicks off on July 11, 2025, many new Team-Ups will debut, while some existing character synergies will be entirely removed. New characters are being integrated into current Team-Ups, resulting in exciting matchups that fans have not seen yet. Moreover, both existing Team-Ups and individual characters will undergo balance changes that will alter familiar gameplay from previous seasons.

Character Buffs for Season 3

Updated Abilities and Enhanced Ultimates

In Season 3, several characters will receive buffs, particularly those designed to address changes in the “meta” regarding flying heroes introduced in Season 2.5. Some strategists will see improvements in their healing capabilities, while multiple duelists will have their attack damage increased. Among these changes, one standout adjustment involves the reworking of a character’s abilities to counteract their toughest matchups.

The table below outlines all character buffs in Season 3 and their respective roles on a team:

Character	Role	Buffs
Emma Frost	Vanguard	Reduced the energy cost of Psionic Seduction (Ultimate)
The Thing ADVERTISEMENT	Vanguard	Gains a new ability called Battle Blitz Stone Haymaker ability now knocks down hit flying enemies
Venom	Vanguard	Increased Cellular Corrosion enemy slow effect
Namor	Duelist	Increased Trident of Neptune projectile damage and speed Increased Wrath of the Seven Seas projectile speed
Scarlet Witch	Duelist	Reduce the maximum slow rate of Reality Erasure (Ultimate) charge period Increased damage of Reality Erasure (Ultimate)

The most significant buff, without a doubt, is the introduction of The Thing’s new ability, Battle Blitz. This ability allows The Thing to leap toward enemies within a 20m range, gaining 25% Damage Reduction upon landing, similar to his previous ability that allowed jumping only to allies. This enhancement provides The Thing a means to close the gap with aerial foes before delivering a powerful punch.

Character Nerfs for Season 3

Necessary Adjustments for Prominent Meta Choices

Marvel Rivals Ultron about to take Cerebro at end of Krakoa map win screen

This season features more character nerfs than buffs, reflecting the developers’ commitment to improving game balance as Season 2 winds down. Some characters receiving buffs are also facing one or two nerfs, highlighting the Marvel Rivals team’s goal of ensuring that no single hero is essential for forming a competitive team.

Despite numerous nerfs in Season 3, some characters may still remain very viable within teams due to their inherent strengths. For instance, although Emma Frost is being adjusted this season, she will still have significant ways to counteract dive heroes.

The following table lists all character nerfs that will become active when Season 3 launches:

Character	Role	Nerfs
Emma Frost	Vanguard	Reduced damage of Telepathic Pulse ability Reduced damage restriction value of Diamond Form
The Human Torch	Duelist	Reduced damage per projectile of Fire Cluster ability Reduced activation shockwave damage of Supernova (Ultimate) Reduced damage over time of Supernova (Ultimate) Fire Tornado
Iron Man	Duelist	Reduced hit damage of the first two Repulsor Blast strikes during Armor Overdrive Increased energy cost of Invincible Pulse Cannon (Ultimate)
Mister Fantastic	Duelist	Reduced Bonus Health from Inflated state

Character	Role	Nerfs
The Punisher	Duelist	Reduced Culling Turret projectile damage Decreased damage from Culling Turret’s spell field Increased energy cost of Final Judgement (Ultimate)
Wolverine	Duelist	Increased duration of Feral Leap Strike Increased cooldown of Feral Leap from 12 seconds to 15 seconds
Loki	Strategist	Increased energy cost of God of Mischief (Ultimate)
Mantis	Strategist	Reduced base healing from Healing Flower ability Increased energy cost of Soul Resurgence (Ultimate)
Ultron	Strategist	Reduced acceleration effect time from Dynamic Flight Reduced Bonus Health from Imperative: Firewall for self Reduced Bonus Health from Imperative: Firewall for allies

Ultron faces significant nerfs in Season 3 of Marvel Rivals, especially considering his game-changing release. Known for his unique survivability as a flying strategist, Ultron’s capabilities included multiple abilities to grant himself Bonus Health to evade difficult situations. With these adjustments, Ultron will have fewer means to sustain himself in battles, compelling him to rely more on his team and adopt a more cautious playstyle.

Another nerf worth noting is the increased cooldown on Wolverine’s Feral Leap ability, which has often allowed him to target Vanguard players like me, launching into the enemy backline and causing mayhem. Given the strong Team-Up with the newly introduced character Phoenix for Wolverine, this nerf will make that ability less intimidating.

Team-Up Balance Changes for Season 3

Hindered Synergies Among Characters

With the addition of two new Team-Up abilities in Season 3, two existing ones will also gain extra heroes. Consistent with this pattern, two Team-Up abilities are being adjusted for balance, mildly altering the dynamics of character synergies. Fortunately, these changes don’t involve the removal of characters or Teams, but rather some cooldown adjustments to make them on par with similar combination abilities.

The table below details the Season 3 Team-Up balance adjustments and the affected characters:

Team-Up	Characters	Buff or Nerf?	Description
Guardian Revival	Adam Warlock/Mantis/Star-Lord	Nerf	Increased cooldowns for Leader’s Soul and Nature’s Soul abilities from 120 seconds to 135.
Symbiote Shenanigans	Venom/Jeff the Land Shark	Nerf	Increases Guardian of the Deep’s maximum Bonus Health from 50 to 100, while also extending the maximum tendril link duration from 3 seconds to 5.

With the addition of Hela to Symbiote Shenanigans this season, a slight adjustment in its effectiveness makes sense. The recovery of Mantis and Star-Lord from elimination through Adam Warlock’s cocoon was previously one of the most powerful Team-Ups in the game, so a nerf is much needed.

The various balance changes will undoubtedly shake up the character rankings in certain team comps, especially with the introduction of new heroes Phoenix and Blade. As Season 3 unfolds in Marvel Rivals, players will witness the emergence of a new meta or the revival of older strategies, depending on how they adapt to the adjustments made to their preferred heroes.