Marvel Rivals is cranking up the pace with a new character every month and some spicy balance changes in Season 3.5. This update leans heavily into buffing tanks, though Thor, the God of Thunder, still feels like he’s stuck in a rut. If you’re maining a tank, you’re probably grinning right now.
Season 3.5 hits on Friday, August 8, and it’s got a mix of buffs, nerfs, and new team-up abilities. Some heroes get surprising boosts, while others are getting nerfed in ways that might only trip up less skilled players. It’s a patch that stirs the pot for sure…
Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 Patch Notes
The biggest winners? Tanks. They’re seeing nice upgrades to their kits that should make them tougher and more helpful. Even Thor gets a buff, including a new anti-air move similar to The Thing’s from the last update, but it probably won’t push him into the meta. Sorry, Thor mains, you’re still struggling.
Spider-Man and Iron Fist are getting powered up for reasons that are a bit unclear. Meanwhile, Black Panther is getting a minor nerf that won’t stop skilled players from dominating. Bullying the backline has never been easier, which might explain why tanks got the spotlight.
Doctor Strange
The Master of the Mystic Arts and a favorite tank of mine is getting buffs to regain some power lost in previous seasons. It’s about time he got some love.
Groot
Groot, the favorite plant colossus, is getting more reach on his attacks. Plus, his new team-up ability with Mantis lets his walls heal allies, making him a solid pick this season.
Magneto
Magneto, arguably the tankiest tank, is taking a slight hit to his survivability. Maybe they think he’s been too much of a pain?
Thor
Thor gets a slight buff, including a counter to flying heroes, but it’s not enough to make him meta. The God of Thunder stays the underdog in this patch.
Black Panther
After fixing his hit detection bug, Black Panther is nerfed slightly. Still, good players won’t notice much difference.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist, already a thorn for healers, is getting buffs to compensate for losing his team-up anchor status. Iron Fist mains might actually be happy this time.
Star-Lord
Star-Lord gets a new team-up ability that lets him teleport like Overwatch’s Tracer, plus some survivability buffs. Not bad at all.
Wolverine
Wolverine is getting hit harder than expected, but his team-up with Phoenix keeps him a tough opponent.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man stays a pain to fight and is getting buffed again. Guess those skins need to sell somehow.
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock keeps getting nerfed despite not being very meta, but Season 3.5 finally gives him a sizeable upgrade with new effects.
Cloak & Dagger
These popular strategists only get a slight nerf this patch. Not too harsh.
Mantis
Mantis is getting nerfed again, which feels unfair considering she just gained a new team-up ability.
Ever-Burning Bond Team-Up
The team-up ability between Human Torch and Spider-Man is getting a slight upgrade, adding some extra firepower.
So, tanks are eating well while some other heroes get tweaks that might not change much. Why the focus on tanks? Maybe the devs want to disrupt team compositions a bit. Or maybe they just like seeing giant bruisers dominate the battlefield. Either way, it’s a patch worth checking out.
What do you think about these changes? Will your main get stronger or get the axe?
