NetEase has revealed its latest balance changes for Marvel Rivals during Season 3.5, nerfing two of the most dominant characters in the game — Loki and Human Torch.
In addition to buffing the latest Duellist added to the roster, Blade, these changes will undoubtedly affect the meta in both casual and professional play.
When Blade was first released, players believed he was bugged due to the underwhelming life steal that came from his Blood Awakening ability. However, Marvel Rivals would later confirm that the ability was working as intended.
The ability has since been buffed to ensure it feels more rewarding for players:
- Increase Lifesteal gained during Bloodline Awakening from 60% to 65%. Reduce self-healing reduction from 40% to 35%
Human Torch is the other Duellist addressed in this patch. Since his buffs back in Season 2: Hellfire Gala, he has become one of the most dominant dps characters in the game due to his area denial and high damage output.
As a result, Human Torch will receive key nerfs to his most powerful abilities in his kit:
- Reduce Flame Field (right-click on terrain) Damage Over Time from 25/s to 20/s.
- Reduce Pyro-Prison Damage Over Time from 50/s to 40/s.
Many players consider Loki to be one of the best Strategists in the game, comparable to must-picks like Luna Snow. In the hero hot list, last updated on August 1st, Loki was amongst the top three most popular picks in the competitive playlists for ranks Celestial and above.
The balance post mainly addresses his primary fire, Mystical Missile, to reduce pressure on enemy teams:
- Reduce Mystical Missile damage dealt by Loki and his illusions to enemies from 30 to 25. (Healing for teammates remains unchanged.)
How Will the Patch Impact Marvel Rivals Esports
The biggest changes lie with Loki and Human Torch, characters that regularly see play in Marvel Rivals esports.
In the Marvel Rivals Ignite Mid Season Finals, the Grand Finals match between ENVY and Rad EU saw both characters played by both sides. In the final map, Spider-Islands, Rad EU used both Human Torch and Loki to secure the win against its American rivals.
Mark ‘Lv1Crook’ Leveleki was also named MVP of the tournament, who regularly played Strategists such as Luna Snow and Loki. On the first map of the Grand Finals, Celestial Husk, Lv1Crook was named MVP after achieving 24,352 total healing, 17 total KO’s, and 29 assists.
Human Torch was also the common pick for Rad EU’s duellist at the time, Nikolai ‘Naga’ Dereli. On the fifth map of the Grand Finals, Central Park, Naga was able to accumulate 38,066 damage, alongside 13 final hits, as Human Torch.
While it is unlikely that these changes will affect their viability in esports, nerfing them will allow more breathing room for innovation. Blade’s buffs are significant and could result in appearances in future esports events such as Ignite Stage 2 and the currently ongoing Season 3 Championship.
