How to play guide

Marvel Rivals Beginner's Guide: Roles, Team-Ups and Objective Types

A Marvel Rivals starter guide: Vanguard, Duelist and Strategist roles, Team-Ups, the three objective types, unlocking Competitive, default PC controls and common beginner mistakes.

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Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play, third-person, team-based hero shooter developed by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games. Two teams of six, drawn from Marvel heroes and villains, clash over map objectives. It launched in December 2024 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

This guide is for players who just installed it, or keep wondering “who should I pick and why does my team keep falling apart?” In Marvel Rivals, role balance and playing the objective matter as much as aim, so this guide focuses on team play rather than raw mechanics.

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Heroes, balance and modes change every season, so we don't give hero counts or tier lists here.

Goal of the game

Matches are six versus six. Every hero belongs to one of three roles: Vanguard (high-health tanks who protect the team and create space), Duelist (damage dealers) and Strategist (healers and supports). According to the community wiki most Duelists and Strategists have 250-300 health, while Vanguards have much larger pools.

Quick Match and Competitive rotate three objective types. In Domination both teams fight to capture and hold a single point. In Convoy attackers escort a moving vehicle to the end of the map while defenders try to stop it. In Convergence attackers first capture an area to unlock the vehicle, then escort it. The game's signature feature is Team-Ups: certain heroes gain extra effects or abilities when on the same team. Some map structures are destructible, so cover doesn't last forever.

Controls

Key	Action
`W A S D`	Move
`Space`	Jump; ascend for flying heroes
`Left Ctrl`	Descend (flying heroes)
`Left click`	Primary attack
`Right click`	Secondary attack
`R`	Reload
`V`	Melee attack
`E`	Ability 1 (varies by hero)
`Left Shift`	Ability 2 (varies by hero)
`F`	Ability 3 (varies by hero)
`Q`	Ultimate
`Z / X / C`	Team-Up abilities
`H`	Change hero (in spawn)
`Tab`	Scoreboard
`F1`	Hero profile: ability descriptions

First steps

Start with practice modesAccording to the community wiki the game has practice modes with tutorials and training grounds, plus Practice vs. AI. Trying your first heroes there avoids a rough start against real players.
Learn one hero per roleWith a Vanguard, a Duelist and a Strategist in your pool you can fill whatever your team lacks. If nobody heals or nobody holds the front line, filling that gap makes the biggest difference.
Read abilities with F1The same key does different things on every hero. When you pick someone new, open the hero profile with F1 and read their kit.
Play the objectiveEliminations matter, but the objective decides the match. A team that doesn't stand on the point in Domination, or next to the vehicle in Convoy and Convergence, can lose despite more eliminations.
Check Team-UpsAccording to the wiki every hero has two Team-Up loadouts, and the enhanced effect only activates when the partner hero is on your team. Adjust your Team-Up during hero select based on your teammates.
Move with your teamAfter respawning, don't trickle back one by one; wait for teammates or rejoin safely. Players arriving alone are easy to pick off and hand the enemy a numbers advantage.
Don't rush CompetitiveAccording to the wiki Competitive unlocks at player level 15, with placement matches for your starting rank. Use the time to get comfortable with several heroes in Quick Match.

Tips and tactics

Don't waste your ultimateUltimates on Q charge slowly. Use them in decisive objective fights rather than on a single enemy, and combine with teammates' ultimates when possible.
Protect your StrategistsHealers are the enemy's first target. As a Vanguard or Duelist, watch for enemies diving your backline.
Don't trust destructible coverSome structures can be destroyed. Assume the wall you're behind may disappear and learn alternative cover.
Use high groundMany maps have elevated platforms and flank routes. Playing ranged heroes from above gives vision and safety.
Swap heroes when neededIf your pick isn't working against the enemy lineup, press H in spawn to switch. Changing role mid-match often beats stubbornness.
Check the scoreboardThe Tab scoreboard shows which enemy is having the biggest impact. A better counter-pick can relieve your team.
Climb by playing to winAccording to the wiki rank points rise with wins and fall with losses, with a new division every 100 points. Helping your team win earns more over time than chasing personal stats.
CommunicateUse quick communication and the chat wheel. Calling out an enemy ultimate or a fallen healer often decides a fight.
Follow season changesHeroes, balance and modes update every season. Official season notes tell you what changed on your favourite heroes.

Common mistakes

Running six Duelists: without healing and a front line, fights are lost quickly.
Leaving the objective to chase kills: the point and the vehicle decide Domination and Convoy.
Starting a new hero without reading abilities: the same key does something different on every hero.
Rushing back alone after respawning: it hands the enemy a numbers advantage.
Spending your ultimate on one enemy: nothing is left for the decisive team fight.
Ignoring Team-Up loadouts: you miss the extra power a partner hero provides.

Frequently asked questions

Is Marvel Rivals available in Turkish?

Yes. According to its Steam page the interface supports Turkish; full voice-over is not in Turkish.

Is Marvel Rivals free?

Yes. It is free to play; the Steam page notes in-app purchases.

Can I play solo?

It's a multiplayer team shooter, but you can queue alone, and there are Practice vs. AI matches and training modes.

When does Competitive unlock?

According to the community wiki at player level 15; your starting rank is set through placement matches.

Can I play with console players?

The Steam page lists cross-platform multiplayer.

This guide was written for version: Guide written for the current season as of September 2026; hero count, balance and mode details change each season, and keys can be remapped.