The best part of a good hero shooter is that you get to choose how you want to play. Some players like to get in among the enemy lines and deal loads of damage, others like to stay back and provide buffs and heals from afar, while some like to stand at the front, tanking hits and keeping allies safe. The latter, in Marvel Rivals at least, are called Vanguards, and they're an absolute blast to play.
This guide will go over which Vanguards offer the best bang for your metaphorical buck in Marvel Rivals, with a little bit of info on their skills, their strengths, and their weaknesses.
Make sure you also check out our guides for the best Duel characters and the best Strategist characters in Marvel Rivals.
Captain America
Captain America excels at just about everything he does, with a great melee combo that includes a long-range shield throw attack and a jumping smash attack that puts him in the thick of the battle and lets him deal a good amount of damage. Cap's real secret weapon, though, is his shield, which has the unique ability to deflect projectiles and send them back to enemies for decent damage. Captain America can't deal huge amounts of damage, but his mere presence on the field will cause your enemies to back up and rethink their strategies.
Groot
Groot can be a bit difficult to learn, but he's an absolute blast to play once you've got it down. His primary attack is made up of big vines, and they're pretty strong, but his wall-constructing abilities are what make him special. Groot can make two branch walls that attack nearby enemies when Groot and his allies attack them, and these can each be placed independently, so you have a lot of creative options for your construction. He can also make a wall that gives him and allies overhealth when struck by enemies which, on top of his 900 base HP, makes him a defensive powerhouse.
Dr Strange
Dr Strange is a fantastic Vanguard character, in part because of his fantastic shield, which covers a wide area and has a lot of health. He also has access to portals that can help allies escape a sticky situation — or put them in the thick of the action. Dr Strange's attacks build up dark magic, which can then be unleashed for a burst of damage, which isn't super powerful, but every little bit helps. The mobility and utility of Dr Strange's unique kit make him a powerful asset on any team.
Magneto
Magneto is an incredible defensive character, with a huge HP pool and shields for himself, his allies, and everyone on the team. Magneto can deploy a shield for himself or an ally, powering up his basic attack in the process — or he can drop a huge shield wall that stops all incoming damage for a few seconds. The cooldown on his single-target shields is pretty long, but even with that minor drawback he's a fantastic addition to the team.
Hulk
Hulk – or Bruce Banner, depending on which buttons you've pressed – is a bit of a divisive character, because he's not strictly a Vanguard, at least not all the time. As Bruce Banner, you'll be firing off a little ray gun and throwing out burst grenades, but popping your ultimate lets you turn into the Hulk. As you'd expect, Hulk can punch, smack, and jump, letting you take down enemies on the ground and in the air, and he'll stay in this big green form until his HP is depleted, or until he uses his ultimate again. Popping the ult again lets you turn into an enraged Hulk, a huge power-up that lets Hulk wipe out an entire team in the right circumstances. A huge 800 base HP means he can tank a lot of damage, and the threat of an angry Hulk is enough to dissuade enemies, making him both a literal and a metaphorical tank, in a way.
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