Breaking down the three classes in Marvel Rivals

The team behind NetEase and Marvel's highly anticipated hero shooter Marvel Rivals has revealed the three playable classes available in the closed alpha test. These classes are Vanguard, Strategist and Duelist. While the official list of classes each character belongs to has not yet been released, confirmed roster leaks suggest a clear breakdown of who goes where.

Breakdown of classes

The three playable classes are similar to Overwatch 2. Vanguards are tanks, strategists are supports, and duelists are DPS. Nineteen characters have been announced for the alpha test; Only eighteen were initially released, but Hela has since been confirmed by the developers. The classes are identified in the game by three symbols: Vanguard with a shield, Strategists with a plus symbol, and Duelists with a fist. Although there are nineteen playable characters, the majority (52%) of the heroes are duelists.

Duelists like the Scarlet Witch deal great damage to their opponents through special attacks. For example, Scarlet Witch's Chthonian Burst ability uses her magic to fire explosive missiles at her enemies. Strategists like Mantis provide crucial support to their team with healing, illusions and boosts. Mantis' Soul Resurgence ability turns a nearby location into a recovery area for her teammates, providing healing and movement boosts for everyone in the area. Vanguards like the Hulk use their mass and strength to deliver and deflect powerful attacks. The Hulk's Clap ability delivers slow but powerful blows to the enemy to weaken their defenses.

Every class and their characters

Strategists:

• mantis

• Rocket Raccoon

• Loki

• Luna Snow

Avant-garde:

• Peni Parker

• Magneto

• Doctor Strange

• Bruce Banner

• Groot

Duelists:

• The punisher

• Storm

• Black Panther

• magic

• Ironman

• Spider-Man

• Scarlet Witch

• Starlord

• Namor

• Hela

View of the closed alpha

The Marvel Rivals closed alpha test begins May 10th at 5:00 p.m. PDT and runs until May 20th at 11:59 p.m. PDT. There are five modes available: Tutorial, Quick Match, Pocket Universe, Custom and Competitive. These modes provide casual, competitive, and individual opportunities for players to learn how to best enjoy Marvel Rivals once it launches. The first wave of Alpha access codes will be released on May 7th at 9:00 p.m. and will be followed by more opportunities to join the fight with other players before the end of the Alpha.