Doctor Strange, who holds the highest pick rate in Marvel Rivals, has recently been nerfed. The changes specifically target his key abilities: Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom. Both abilities now have damage falloff, meaning their damage decreases the farther away enemies are from the center of the attack. Here’s a quick rundown of their changes after the Season 1 patch in January 2025.

What Changed?

Damage Falloff:
- Damage starts decreasing after 5 meters.
- At 8 meters, damage is reduced to 70% of its original value.

Impact of the Nerf

Reduced Long-Range Effectiveness
Previously, Doctor Strange could deal consistent high damage over a wide area without penalty. With the new falloff, his damage output will be much lower against enemies farther away, making positioning way more important.
Encourages Closer Engagement
Players will now need to get closer to maximize Doctor Strange’s damage, making him more vulnerable to enemy attacks. This creates more risk for Doctor Strange users, especially when dealing with long-range opponents.
Meta Shift
With Doctor Strange’s abilities being less effective at long range, his dominance in team fights may decline slightly. Teams may look to other characters with more consistent damage output at range.

Our Thoughts

This nerf aims to balance Doctor Strange’s overwhelming presence in the meta by limiting his long-range power. While he’s still likely to remain a popular pick due to his utility and burst potential, players will need to adapt their playstyle and positioning to continue to be as good. This could open the door for other ranged characters to gain more playtime in future matches.