Season 9 · Version 20260710
Marvel Rivals Tier List (Season 9, Patch 20260710)
A role-split S/A/B Marvel Rivals tier list for Season 9, with a 'why here' reasoning column sourced from the official Version 20260710 balance patch and a direct comparison against each hero's Season 8 exit tier.
Conclusion
The short version for Season 9 (Version 20260710)
Storm and Magik hold S tier among Duelists on raw pressure and mobility, joined this patch by Cloak & Dagger in Strategist S tier after a healing buff that touched every ability in their kit. Peni Parker is our one tracker-driven S-tier call: no Vanguard got a direct official buff this patch, but Counterwatch.gg's Season 9 hero stats (updated July 16, 2026) put her at a 56.2% win rate on a 26% pick rate, the highest of any hero in the game, so we moved her up from a Season 8 B-tier read. Black Widow and Invisible Woman both jump a full tier on the back of confirmed official reworks — a full kit rebuild plus a July 11 hotfix buff for Black Widow, a straightforward healing-number reversal for Invisible Woman. Everything else on this page keeps its Season 8 exit tier unless the reasoning column says otherwise.
Biggest Season 9 movers
Vanguard tier list
No Vanguard got a direct official buff this patch — Peni Parker's S tier below is our one tracker-driven call, based on a 56.2% win rate (Counterwatch.gg, updated July 16, 2026) rather than a patch note. Outside of her, the role's Season 9 ceiling is durability and space creation, not raw tier movement: most of the roster picked up Regenerative Shields or a base health change rather than a damage buff.
S tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peni Parker | B (moved) | Watch | No direct kit change beyond the universal Team-Up Anchor Bonus removal, but Counterwatch.gg's Season 9 hero stats (updated July 16, 2026) list her at a 56.2% win rate on a 26% pick rate — the highest of any hero in the game and well clear of the next Vanguard (Devil Dinosaur, 52.7%). That is win-rate tracker data, not a patch note, but it is a dated, checkable number rather than an unnamed rumor — worth a retest yourself. |
A tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devil Dinosaur | A | Medium | Base health 750 to 850, critical damage taken reduced 50% to 60%, Ultimate energy cost cut an extra 5 points (35% to 40%). A clean durability buff on top of his S8 identity. |
| Emma Frost | A | High | Defensive uptime improved through Mind's Aegis and Diamond Form changes. |
| The Thing | A | High | Stone Haymaker bonus health cap raised 100 to 150, plus a Clobberin' Time animation adjustment. Small but real brawl-durability gain. |
| Captain America | A | Medium | Base health cut 600 to 300, replaced by a 300-point Regenerative Shield. Same total pool, softer against burst damage, weaker against constant chip that never lets the shield recover. |
| Doctor Strange | A | Medium | Base health 575 to 650 and Shield of the Seraphim 700 to 850, with an extra 150 shield when paired with Invisible Woman's Team-Up. A clear frontline-durability buff. |
| Groot | A | Medium | Base health 700 to 850. Straightforward durability buff for wall-control brawls. |
| Magneto | A | Medium | Defensive utility and angle control keep him relevant in slower ranked lobbies. |
B tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadpool | B | High | Dual Desert Eagles damage partially reverted (34 to 36 standard, 39 to 40 upgraded), damage reduction while active up to 25%/35%, base health 450 to 500. Nets out as a real buff after the S8 trim. |
| Hulk | B | Watch | Heavy Blow damage 40 to 45 and bonus health on hit context improved, but base health was cut 650 to 400 (offset by a new 300-point Regenerative Shield) and Hulk Smash! Ultimate energy cost rose 3400 to 3700. Mixed: stronger swings, slower ultimate, more conditional durability. |
| Thor | B | Watch | Hammer Throw damage up on both the throw (45 to 50) and return (20 to 25), bonus health on hit 50 to 75, and base health restructured 600 to 300 plus a 300-point Regenerative Shield. Net kit buff. |
| Venom | B | Watch | Base health cut 675 to 500, replaced by a 250-point Regenerative Shield (net 750 total, a real buff when he can find downtime to recover it). |
Duelist tier list
Duelist carries the deepest bench and the most Season 9 movement, since direct damage numbers show up fastest in official balance notes and in community win-rate trackers.
S tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm | S | Medium | Wind Blade base damage 55 to 60 plus the Team-Up Anchor Bonus removal simplifies her kit toward pure ranged pressure. |
| Magik | S | Medium | Base health cut 250 to 150, offset by a new 125-point Regenerative Shield (needs 5s without damage to start recovering). Same total pool on paper, more fragile under sustained pressure. |
A tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Widow | B (moved) | Watch | Full rework: hipfire is now a full-auto attack, her Ultimate fires six piercing sniper shots, and she gains a new airborne dive attack. The July 11 hotfix (marvelrivals.com Version 20260711) then buffed her again on top of the rework: Red Room Rifle damage 40 to 45 with eased falloff (80% to 75% at 40m), and Electro-plasma Blast damage raised from a 40-60 range to 50-70. Two patches in two days, both in her favor. |
| Iron Fist | A | High | Combo smoothing and first-strike damage help his dive windows feel more threatening. |
| Mister Fantastic | A | High | Lower Brainiac Bounce cost and faster Flexible Elongation charges raise practical uptime. |
| Phoenix | A | High | Endsong Inferno explosion damage 140 to 150. Stacks on top of the S8 direct-hit buff for more consistent burst. |
| Spider-Man | A | High | Ultimate damage bump makes clustered targets more punishable. |
| The Punisher | A | Medium | Adjudication and Deliverance damage per hit trimmed slightly (20 to 19, 10 to 9.5), but the Daredevil Team-Up restores both numbers when paired, keeping the Primal Punishment lane relevant. |
| Hela | A | Watch | Nightsword Thorn base damage 70 to 80, damage falloff range extended (18 to 30m at 70% became 18 to 35m at 75%), and Astral Flock crow form now flies freely instead of on rails. A clean pressure and mobility buff. |
| Black Panther | A | Watch | Base health cut 275 to 150, replaced by a 125-point Regenerative Shield. Same total pool, more vulnerable to sustained poke that never lets it regenerate. |
| Hawkeye | A | Watch | Piercing Arrow damage scaling increased while charging, and projectile speed rose (120 to 130 m/s base, 180 to 195 m/s max). Rewards holding a charge in the open. |
| Psylocke | A | Watch | Psionic Crossbow base damage 12 to 13, plus Team-Up bonuses with Emma Frost (+5 Wing Shuriken bonus health) and Cloak & Dagger (+1 Crossbow damage) in the July 10 balance post. Confirmed reversed one day later: the July 11 hotfix (marvelrivals.com Version 20260711) cut base damage back to 12, pulled her falloff range in from 15m to 8m, and trimmed both Team-Up bonuses. Two patches in two days nets out close to her Season 8 numbers, not a real buff. |
| Moon Knight | A | High | Crescent Dart damage per hit 23 to 25, but Hand of Khonshu Ultimate energy cost rose 2800 to 3100. Better sustained pressure, slower ultimate. |
| Wolverine | A | High | Regenerative Healing Factor trigger cooldown reduction helps repeat engages. |
| Squirrel Girl | A | High | Mammal Bond cooldown reduction makes repeat pressure more forgiving. |
| Star-Lord | A | High | Stellar Shift's always-on 25 bonus health was removed, and base health was cut 250 to 150 in exchange for a 100-point Regenerative Shield that needs downtime to recover. A net survivability nerf against sustained pressure. |
B tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Man | B | Watch | Repulsor Blast spell field damage cut across every form (50 to 45, 55 to 50, 65 to 60) and Unibeam damage down 190/s to 180/s. A real nerf; flight utility is now his main selling point. |
| Winter Soldier | B | Watch | Consistent value if the lobby gives him mid-range duels. |
| Scarlet Witch | B | Watch | Dark Seal can now be cast while in Mystic Projection, canceling it early. A quality-of-life buff to her combo flexibility rather than a numbers change. |
| Namor | B | Watch | Setup value is lobby-dependent and needs clean staging. |
Strategist tier list
Strategist has the most confirmed healing buffs this patch. Cloak & Dagger's across-the-board healing increase is the single clearest tier jump on this page.
S tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloak & Dagger | A (moved) | Watch | Every healing number in the kit rose this patch: Lightforce Dagger direct-hit 12 to 15, spell field 20 to 25, Veil of Lightforce 45 to 50, Dagger Storm 45/s to 50/s. Independent Season 9 trackers (Counterwatch.gg, Marvelrivals.gg) agree this is enough to put them in S tier, largely credited to their new Luna Snow Team-Up rather than the raw healing numbers alone. |
A tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invisible Woman | B (moved) | High | Orb Projection outgoing healing 45 to 50 and return healing 35 to 40. This reverses the S8 trim and is the clearest sustained buff in her kit this patch. |
| Rocket Raccoon | A | High | Repair Mode orb healing 50 to 55, but C.Y.A. Ultimate energy cost rose 4000 to 4300 and now has 8 to 20m distance falloff. Healing is stronger, the ultimate is slower to reach. |
| White Fox | A | High | Spirit Sanctuary cooldown extended 12s to 15s (nerf) while Kumiho Unleashed total health rose 900 to 1,200 (buff). Ultimate uptime is more valuable, passive healing cadence is slower. |
| Luna Snow | A | Medium | Number One Idol's damage boost was removed (10% to 0%) in exchange for a bigger healing boost (10% to 20%), and Idol Aura healing rose 35% to 40%. She loses her hybrid damage-support role and becomes a pure healer. |
| Loki | A | High | Illusion healing reliability improves, but damage and ultimate economy need respect. |
| Adam Warlock | A | Watch | Base health up 250 to 275, but Cosmic Cluster projectile damage down 38 to 35. Mixed: tankier, less raw poke damage. |
| Ultron | A | Watch | Imperative: Firewall drone area healing rose 30/s to 35/s in the base patch. The July 11 hotfix (marvelrivals.com Version 20260711) then confirmed a real trim to his Peni Parker Team-Up specifically: ally drone healing cut from 35/s to 15/s and the ability's cooldown extended from 15s to 20s — his general kit got stronger, that one Team-Up got weaker. |
| Jubilee | A | Watch | Season 9's new hero. Fireworks-based kit heals allies and damages enemies from the same action, a dual-function design no other Strategist currently runs. Early placement, unproven at scale. |
B tier
| Hero | S8 exit tier | Confidence | Why here (Season 9 read) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mantis | B | High | Star-Lord Team-Up healing flower buffed (10+2.5% to 15+3% of max health/s) and Adam Warlock Team-Up self-heal buffed (12.5/s to 17.5/s) in the July 10 balance post, then partly walked back one day later: the July 11 hotfix (marvelrivals.com Version 20260711) cut her base Healing Flower from (15+3% max health)/s to (12+3% max health)/s, with the Star-Lord Team-Up healing reduced proportionally. Net across both patches is a modest sustain buff, not the full number the July 10 post implied. |
| Jeff the Land Shark | B | Watch | Good rescue and disruption value, but positioning decides survival. |
Comparison
Season 8 exit tier vs. Season 9 read
Reading a tier list without its history hides the question that actually matters: did this hero get better, or did the list writer just change their mind? The table below is every hero whose Season 9 placement differs from where they exited Season 8, with the specific patch reason for each move. If a hero is not in this table, its tier did not change this patch — the S/A/B tables above still show its current placement and reasoning, just without a tier movement.
| Hero | Role | S8 exit | S9 read | Reason for the move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invisible Woman | Strategist | B | A | Orb Projection outgoing healing 45 to 50 and return healing 35 to 40. This reverses the S8 trim and is the clearest sustained buff in her kit this patch. |
| Peni Parker | Vanguard | B | S | No direct kit change beyond the universal Team-Up Anchor Bonus removal, but Counterwatch.gg's Season 9 hero stats (updated July 16, 2026) list her at a 56.2% win rate on a 26% pick rate — the highest of any hero in the game and well clear of the next Vanguard (Devil Dinosaur, 52.7%). That is win-rate tracker data, not a patch note, but it is a dated, checkable number rather than an unnamed rumor — worth a retest yourself. |
| Black Widow | Duelist | B | A | Full rework: hipfire is now a full-auto attack, her Ultimate fires six piercing sniper shots, and she gains a new airborne dive attack. The July 11 hotfix (marvelrivals.com Version 20260711) then buffed her again on top of the rework: Red Room Rifle damage 40 to 45 with eased falloff (80% to 75% at 40m), and Electro-plasma Blast damage raised from a 40-60 range to 50-70. Two patches in two days, both in her favor. |
| Cloak & Dagger | Strategist | A | S | Every healing number in the kit rose this patch: Lightforce Dagger direct-hit 12 to 15, spell field 20 to 25, Veil of Lightforce 45 to 50, Dagger Storm 45/s to 50/s. Independent Season 9 trackers (Counterwatch.gg, Marvelrivals.gg) agree this is enough to put them in S tier, largely credited to their new Luna Snow Team-Up rather than the raw healing numbers alone. |
How to use this list
Find your role first
Scroll to your main role's table before comparing across roles. A B-tier Strategist can outperform an A-tier Duelist in the right comp.
Read the reasoning column
A tier letter without a reason is a guess. Check whether the change is a durability shift, a damage number, or a Team-Up interaction before you act on it.
Check the S8 to S9 comparison
If a hero moved tiers, read why in the comparison table below. Most heroes did not move; the ones that did have a specific patch reason.
Confirm in your own matches
Treat community win-rate signal as a hint, not a verdict. Play five to ten games with a pick before trusting a tier jump.
Sourcing and confidence
Hero identities, roles, and the S8 exit tier baseline come from our own tracked roster. Season 9 deltas are pulled from the official marvelrivals.com Version 20260710 balance post, which lists exact before/after numbers per hero. Where we cite a win rate or community tier read instead of an official number, it is labeled as community-tracked, not an official Marvel Rivals stat.
Why some heroes did not move
Most heroes on this list keep their Season 8 exit tier. That is not an oversight: the official Season 9 balance post did not touch every hero, and a tier list that reshuffles everything after every patch is usually reacting to hype clips, not to real repeatable value. A hero only moves here when a specific number changed enough to justify it.
What changed globally in Season 9
Two systemic changes matter more than any single hero number. First, Ultimate energy generation was cut across every role (Vanguards and Duelists went from 70% to 55% damage-to-energy conversion; Strategists from 75% to 60% healing-to-energy and 75% to 55% damage-to-energy), so ultimates arrive later across the board. Second, Regenerative Shields were introduced as a new health type that starts recovering five seconds after a hero stops taking damage, which several squishier heroes now rely on instead of raw base health. Neither change is hero-specific, but both quietly reshape which heroes reward patient positioning over forced fights.
Quick answers
Is this list based on official Marvel Rivals data?
The Season 9 deltas (health, damage, cooldown, and Team-Up numbers) are pulled from the official marvelrivals.com Version 20260710 balance post. Any win-rate or 'community S-tier' mention is separately labeled as community-tracked, not an official NetEase statistic.
Why do more Duelists sit in S tier than any other role?
Duelists carry the most direct damage responsibility, so a small numeric buff (like Storm's Wind Blade or Hela's Nightsword Thorn) shows up faster in win-rate data than an equivalent Strategist or Vanguard change. It does not mean the role is 'better,' only that swings are more visible there.
Should I copy this list directly into ranked?
Use it as a starting filter, not a locked answer. Pair a tier read with your own hero pool, your team's comp needs, and the current map before locking a pick in a competitive match.
How often will this tier list update?
Whenever the official Marvel Rivals balance post lists new hero changes, or when a hero's community win-rate signal shifts enough to justify revisiting the S8-to-S9 comparison.
What does the Regenerative Shield change mean for tier reads?
Several heroes traded raw base health for a Regenerative Shield of similar size. The total pool is often unchanged on paper, but the shield only recovers after 5 seconds without taking damage, which makes those heroes weaker against constant chip damage and comparatively stronger against single burst hits.