Marvel Rivals Tank Tier List – Best Vanguard Heroes Ranked Season 1.5 Meta

Hero Shooter

Feb 26

*Image Credit: NetEase Games, Marvel Rivals*

Tanks, or Vanguards, are the backbone of any Marvel Rivals team. They soak up damage, protect allies, and disrupt enemy players—especially those annoying Duelists. Right now, there are only nine tanks in the game, but even with a smaller roster, some clearly outshine the rest.

Here’s how every tank/Vanguard stacks up, ranked from worst to best, and why in Season 1.5.

Bottom-Tier Tanks (Decent, but Outclassed)

9. Magneto

Magneto is a defensive tank, but the problem is that other tanks do his job better. His shields are decent but weaker than others, and his projectile attack (charged by blocking damage) doesn’t hit hard enough. His ultimate is a big AoE attack, which can be strong, but it doesn’t make up for his lack of versatility. If you love Magneto, you can make him work—but most players will pick a stronger option.

8. Captain America

Cap is a complicated tank that requires a lot of micromanagement. His punch combos, shield throws, and block mechanics make him powerful—if you know exactly how to use them. His ultimate grants movement and health bonuses, but it doesn’t feel as impactful as other tanks' ultimates. If you’re skilled, he can be solid, but casual players will struggle to make him work.

7. Hulk (Bruce Banner)

Hulk is a dive-focused tank who can deal heavy damage but struggles to stay alive. He has a shield and an ultimate that turns him into Monster Hulk, fully healing him and increasing his damage. However, if the enemy team focuses on him, he can be forced back into Bruce Banner mode (like D.Va in Overwatch), leaving him extremely vulnerable. He’s powerful—but only if things go your way.

Mid-Tier Tanks (Good, but Situational)

6. The Thing

The Thing is a pure brawler—he charges in, punches everything, and shrugs off knockbacks. His passive makes him immune to displacement, making him a nightmare for Duelists who rely on crowd control. However, he lacks self-sustain, so he depends on teammates for healing. His ultimate knocks enemies up, setting them up for easy KOs, but it has a long animation, making him vulnerable to stuns. Amazing against grounded enemies, but helpless against flyers.

5. Thor

Thor is a high-damage tank who needs to manage his hammer charges to stay effective. His melee attacks hit hard, and he has a dash attack to close the gap. He can throw his hammer and gain ranged lightning attacks when activating a buff. His ultimate is a massive AoE that can clear objectives, but his hammer charges take time to regenerate—if you miss a charge-up ability, you’ll be stuck waiting. Great if you manage his resources well.

4. Doctor Strange

Strange is a fantastic defensive tank, capable of blocking damage with a massive 800-health shield. He can fly, making him great for countering ultimates from heroes like Iron Man or Hela. His Dark Magic mechanic lets him store energy while attacking, which he can unleash as a burst of AoE damage. His ultimate stuns enemies by knocking their souls out of their bodies, setting them up for easy eliminations. He’s great at protecting teammates, but his low personal damage output keeps him from the top tier.

Top-Tier Tanks (Powerful & Game-Changing)

3. Venom

Venom is the best dive tank in the game. He can web swing into fights, dive onto enemies, and knock them up for easy follow-up attacks. His Symbiotic Resistance ability gives him bonus health, basically acting as a second life bar if used smartly. He can crit with his melee attacks, making him dangerous at close range. His ultimate deals damage based on enemy health while healing himself, making him hard to take down in extended fights. If you love aggressive, in-your-face gameplay, Venom is one of the best picks.

2. Groot

Groot is a tank that does everything well—damage, defense, and crowd control. He can create walls that block enemies and soak up damage, while one of them even heals him when teammates deal damage near it. His Spore Bomb adds extra AoE damage, and his ultimate traps enemies in place, setting them up for easy eliminations. His combination of offense and defense makes him one of the strongest tanks in the game.

1. Peni Parker

Peni Parker is the best tank in Marvel Rivals right now, combining insane defensive tools with arguably overpowered damage abilities. She excels at locking down objectives using her Bionic Spider-Nest, which heals her while spawning Spider-Drones to attack enemies. She has four mines that deal 100 damage each and can be hidden inside her web, making them invisible to enemies. Her Cyber-Web Snare traps enemies in place, and her ultimate lets her spread even more webs and mines, creating a complete zone of control. Right now, no tank can match Peni’s ability to hold down an area while also dealing tons of damage.

Final Thoughts

If you want to play defensively, Peni Parker, Groot, or Doctor Strange are your best bets.
If you prefer diving into fights, Venom, Thor, or Hulk will suit your style.
If you want to brawl, The Thing and Captain America are solid choices.
If you love a challenge, Magneto might be worth trying—but be prepared for a rough time.

With new tanks coming in future updates, expect some balance changes, but for now, Peni Parker and Groot dominate the tank meta.

Andrew has spent over five years writing about video games and is the primary contributor/editor for GamerBlurb. With a background in creative writing and past experience in the industry, he’s mastered the art of turning hours of gaming into something that sounds like work. When he’s not writing he’s either getting distracted by various sidequests or occasionally pretending he’s good at League of Legends (#iron).