5 Best Tank Heroes in Marvel Rivals for Ranked in 2025

Only eight Vanguards are available when Marvel Rivals launches, so picking the right tank can make or break your team's success.

Each tank hero comes with unique abilities for the battlefield and their impact changes by a lot based on how you play. Doctor Strange offers solid protection with an 800-health shield. Groot packs a punch with his 60-damage Thornlash.

Want to rule the frontline? We checked what each tank could do in battle. Hulk crushes with his massive 1500-health ultimate, while Thor clears objectives with his AoE abilities. Here's our complete tier list of the strongest tanks you'll find in Marvel Rivals.

Doctor Strange - The Ultimate Shield Master

Doctor Strange leads the vanguard class in Marvel Rivals. His defensive capabilities shine through his signature Shield of Seraphim that absorbs up to 800 damage. Players who enjoy strategic positioning and team protection will find his versatile kit perfect for their playstyle.

Doctor Strange's Key Abilities and Mechanics

The Sorcerer Supreme's power comes from his unique Dark Magic system. Daggers of Denak builds Dark Magic with each hit, and players need to manage it carefully to avoid the anti-healing curse. The Shield of Seraphim becomes his main defensive tool that gets back 80 health every second after it drops. Players must time this shield perfectly to get the most value.

Eye of Agamotto, Strange's ultimate ability, creates a powerful 10-meter radius blast that pulls enemies' souls from their bodies for 3 seconds. The Cloak of Levitation helps him move around the battlefield, which becomes vital to position his shield and protect teammates during intense fights.

Best Team Compositions with Doctor Strange

Strange and Hulk create one of the most powerful team combinations through the Gamma Charge ability. This duo turns Maelstrom of Madness into Gamma Maelstrom and removes the anti-heal curse at maximum Dark Magic. Strange and Punisher make another great pair. Punisher's turret can deal damage safely behind Strange's shield while getting 600 extra damage absorption.

Map-specific Strategies

Players can control enemy movement on the Royal Guard map's Odin's Archive by placing portals to block lower entry points and staircases. The Klyntar map offers another opportunity - a portal placed right on the objective with its exit above enemy spawn lets the team take aggressive positions.

Counter Picks and Weaknesses

Close-range combat poses a big challenge for Doctor Strange because his shield can't stop melee attacks. Luna Snow becomes a serious threat with her Absolute Zero ability that can freeze Strange mid-escape with his Cloak of Levitation. Wolverine also gives Strange trouble - his Feral Leap can catch a floating Strange, especially when combined with Hulk's Gamma Fastball team-up ability.

Thor - The Aggressive Frontliner

Thor stands out from other vanguards who focus on pure defense. He shines as an aggressive frontline with his unique mix of mobility and sustained damage output. His base health of 525 isn't quite as high as other tanks, but his strength comes from knowing how to generate temporary health through smart ability usage.

Thor's Offensive Capabilities

Thor's combat style revolves around his iconic weapon, Mjolnir. His primary attack, Mjolnir Bash, deals steady damage and works as his resource generator. The secondary attack, Hammer Throw, packs almost double the simple attack damage and gives 100 extra HP when it connects with enemies.

Storm Surge is Thor's signature mobility tool that lets him:

• Make quick lunges from 10 meters (uncharged) to 20 meters (fully charged)
• Keep enemy team divers away from allies
• Pull targets away from their team to take them down

Managing Thor's Resource System

Thor's success depends on his passive ability, Thorforce. Each ability used gives 100 bonus health, with a cap of 200. Lightning Realm is vital to resource management and regenerates Thorforce when it hits enemies.

The Awakening Rune ability changes Thor's gameplay by using three Thorforce charges. This boost gives extra health and turns Mjolnir Bash into a ranged attack. Players who master Thor keep a steady rhythm of generating and using resources.

Best Support Pairings for Thor

Thor comes alive with certain team compositions. A team-up with Hela activates the Odinson Reborn ability, which brings instant resurrection when Hela takes down an enemy. Storm makes another great ally through the Thunderous Deity combo, giving Thor an extra 100 max health.

Captain America forms one of the strongest frontline pairs, right away improving Thor's impact through the Voltaic Union passive. This duo lets Thor play aggressively while Captain America holds the objective. Without a doubt, Groot makes another excellent partner and uses wall placement to trap targets for Thor to attack.

Thor works best with a dedicated healer in the team. His aggressive playstyle needs consistent healing support to stay in the fight. His ability to take on backlines and disrupt enemy positions works much better with smart healing back up.

Groot - The Space Controller

Groot stands out as a defensive specialist in Marvel Rivals. He controls battlefield space through his wall placement and crowd control abilities. His tank role focuses on isolating enemies and creating better positions for his team.

Groot's Wall Placement Guide

You need to understand both Ironwood Wall and Thornlash Wall to become skilled at Groot's wall mechanics. The Ironwood Wall has 700 HP and serves as a strong defensive barrier. The Thornlash Wall packs quite a punch when awakened, though it only has 250 HP.

Here's how to place walls effectively:

• Set your Thornlash Walls horizontally to deal damage without drawing attention
• Put Ironwood Walls between enemy vanguards and healers to break their coordination
• Place walls on-ramps to give your team higher ground
• Set up walls around corners to catch enemies off guard with unexpected damage

Team Fight Positioning

We want to keep Groot in the middle of the team. This creates a strong point for allies to gather around. His walls work best near choke points and force enemies to either destroy them or find another way.

You get bonus health from the Ironwood Wall when nearby enemies take damage. This makes it vital to stay close to these structures during fights. Your team can operate safely in this defensive zone you create.

Ultimate Ability Usage Tips

Strangling Prison, Groot's ultimate ability, drags enemies to its center and traps them for a short time. It deals 200 HP damage and works best with team follow-up attacks.

The ability shines in tight spaces or near walls where enemies can't escape easily. You'll get quick eliminations when enemies are already trapped within your wall setup.

Synergies with Other Heroes

Iron Fist works great with Groot because he benefits from the space Groot creates. This combo lets Iron Fist deal maximum damage while Groot controls the field. Namor also pairs well by picking off targets between Groot's walls.

Storm makes a powerful ally. Her piercing attacks and chain lightning work perfectly through the corridors Groot's walls create. Moon Knight's ultimate becomes deadly when combined with Groot's crowd control.

Peni Parker - The Defensive Specialist

Peni Parker stands out from other tanks with her sophisticated trap system and territorial control. Her SP//dr mech shines at creating defensive zones that heal allies and damage enemies.

Web Territory Control

The Cyber-Web system is the heart of Peni's defensive strategy. It heals allies for 40 HP per second when they stay within the web. The webs turn excess healing into bonus health that can stack up to 150 HP above base health. The Bionic Spider-Nest is the lifeblood of web control. It deploys webs around its base and spawns spider drones that hunt down enemies.

These tips will help you control web territory:

• Put the Spider-Nest close to choke points or objectives
• Spread your web coverage through smart placement
• Set up healing zones where your team fights
• Keep web connections between key points

Mine Placement Strategies

The Arachno-Mine system lets you set up smart traps that deal 100 damage each. You can have up to 15 mines active at once, and each mine lasts 60 seconds. Your Spider-Nest will keep deploying mines until it reaches its limit of 10 active mines.

Smart hiding spots are vital to mine placement success. Mines become invisible to enemies when placed inside Cyber-Webs. You can secure kills by placing three to four mines near doorways or choke points.

Supporting Your Team as Peni

Peni Parker excels at helping her team through smart positioning and trap coordination. Her Cyber-Web Snare has a quick 3-second cooldown and can stop enemy ultimates, including Scarlet Witch's Reality Erasure.

Spider-Sweeper Ultimate gives you 450 bonus health and 70% increased movement speed. This makes it perfect to control objectives or protect your team. Sometimes, you can use it to break up enemy backlines and force them to move.

Peni works great with ranged combat specialists. Luna Snow makes an excellent partner because she provides steady healing while getting protection from Peni's web zones. On top of that, Iron Man's mobility fits well with Peni's defensive setup. He can quickly move around while you keep control of the area.

Peni Parker works best on defense-oriented maps where she can set up before fights start. She's a great pick in competitive play because she can lock down objectives. Just remember that good positioning and team coordination are key to realize her full potential.

Hulk - The Berserker Tank

Hulk stands out as a complex yet rewarding tank choice in Marvel Rivals with an impressive 44.93% ban rate. His unique three-form system and devastating crowd control abilities are the lifeblood of successful team compositions.

Form Management Guide

You need to master Hulk's three distinct forms, each with unique health pools and abilities. Bruce Banner form begins with 200 health. A transformation into Hero Hulk provides 650 health. The Monster Hulk form gives a massive 1,400 HP boost.

To manage forms effectively:

• Bruce Banner: Use ranged attacks to build a transformation meter
• Hero Hulk: You retain control through strategic shield usage and healer support
• Monster Hulk: Utilize the 1,550 health pool to make aggressive plays

Your success with Hulk depends on spending minimal time in Bruce Banner form. The transformation meter naturally charges at 2% per second. Enemy body shots add 4% while critical headshots give a 10% charge. Note that dying as Banner teleports you back to base with a fully charged transformation meter.

Engagement Timing

Your engagement strategy revolves around the Indestructible Guard ability. This ability converts 100% of damage into gamma energy for Hulk and 10% for allies. Radioactive Lockdown is a vital component to control mobile threats. The ability needs precise timing against heroes like Iron Fist, Star-Lord, or Storm.

Monster Hulk transformation is a powerful survival tool that restores health completely upon activation. Saving this transformation for critical moments can turn losing fights around. World Breaker, available in Monster Hulk form, deals devastating damage to enemies caught out of position.

Best Support Heroes for Hulk

The "Gamma" team composition is especially effective with Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Luna Snow. This powerful trio unlocks the Gamma Charge ability that substantially boosts damage output for both Doctor Strange and Iron Man.

Luna Snow makes an ideal healer partner. Her Smooth Skate passive helps her keep up with Hulk's aggressive movements. Doctor Strange creates a strong healing combination through his Eye of Agamotto by providing shields during aggressive pushes.

Mantis provides unique support with Life Orbs that continue healing even when Hulk moves out of direct line of sight. These healing options combined let Hulk maintain his presence in extended fights without reverting to Banner form.

Map-specific Tips

Hulk excels on maps like Hydra Charteris Base: Hell's Heaven. Open spaces and chokepoints complement his crowd-control abilities and survivability perfectly. His Incredible Leap offers excellent mobility across vertical elements to quickly close gaps against ranged opponents.

Captain Marvel works exceptionally well with Hulk in confined spaces, especially when pushing payloads. Their abilities create constant pressure on enemy positions while maintaining objective control.

Radioactive Lockdown becomes invaluable in narrow corridors and chokepoints where enemies have limited dodge options. Good positioning remains essential since Hulk's large hitbox makes him vulnerable to concentrated fire.

Map awareness lets you use the Indestructible Guard effectively to shield all allies. This ability delivers the most value during coordinated team pushes through contested areas or objective captures.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, each tank hero in Marvel Rivals adds unique strengths to your team composition. Doctor Strange protects teams effectively, and Thor controls the frontline with aggressive plays. Groot's space control abilities work best to defend objectives.

Your preferred playstyle and team strategy determine tank selection. Defensive specialists like Peni Parker excel at protecting objectives. Hulk's raw power makes him the perfect choice to lead aggressive pushes. Your pick should line up with your team's overall strategy and what the map needs.

Note that playing tanks well needs more than just picking the right hero. Your effectiveness as a frontline depends on map awareness, ability timing, and team coordination. Learning your chosen tank's unique mechanics and understanding their synergies will substantially improve your competitive win rate.