The Marvel Rivals battlefield is heating up with the latest patch dropping on April 30, 2025. This update brings a wave of balance changes, a fresh Team-Up Ability, and tweaks to keep the game feeling fair and fun. Whether you’re a Doctor Strange main or a Groot enthusiast, there’s something here that’ll shake up your strategy. Let’s break down the key changes, hero adjustments, and what they mean for your next match.
What’s New in the April 30 Update?
This patch is all about refining the Marvel Rivals experience. The developers at NetEase and Marvel Games are responding to player feedback, tweaking the controversial hero performance system, and introducing a new synergy to spice up team compositions. Here’s the rundown:
- Hero Balance Overhaul: A quarter of the roster—think Doctor Strange, Winter Soldier, Groot, and Captain America—gets buffs or nerfs to shift the meta.
- New Team-Up Ability: A brand-new synergy debuts, letting specific heroes combine powers for devastating effects (details below).
- Performance System Revamp: The hero performance rating system, which players have called out for being unfair, is getting a major rework to better reward skill and teamwork.
- Bug Fixes and Polish: From smoother animations to fixed ability glitches, the update cleans up rough edges for a slicker experience.
These changes aim to keep the game competitive and engaging, especially as Season 1.5 continues to unfold with new heroes like Human Torch and The Thing already in play.
Hero Buffs and Nerfs: Who’s Up, Who’s Down?
The balance changes hit hard, with some heroes getting a power boost and others taking a hit. Here’s how the roster shakes out:
| Category | Character | Change Description |
|---|---|---|
| VANGUARD | Captain America | Reduce base health from 650 to 600. |
| Doctor Strange | Decrease energy cost of Eye of Agamotto (Ultimate Ability) from 3400 to 3100. | |
| Groot | Reduce health of Ironwood Wall from 700 to 600. | |
| DUELIST | Spider-Man | Decrease damage range of Amazing Combo from 5m radius to 4m radius. |
| Winter Soldier | Tainted Voltage ability now has 2 charge levels, cooldown time unchanged. | |
| STRATEGIST | Adam Warlock | Quantum Magic: Critical hit on enemy reduces Avatar Life Stream cooldown by 1s. |
| Cloak & Dagger | Cloak: Darkforce Cloak damage increased from 75/s to 80/s. Dagger: Lightforce Dagger damage increased from 15 to 18. | |
| Luna Snow | Adjust Damage Falloff of Light & Dark Ice from 60% at 40m to 75%. | |
| Mantis | Increase hit damage of Life Energy Blast from 50 to 55. | |
| TEAM-UP ABILITIES | Stars Aligned (Captain America – Winter Soldier) | Stellar Impact provides 50 Bonus Health to allies within range upon leaping to teammate. |
These adjustments aim to level the playing field, especially in competitive modes where certain heroes have been overperforming. If you’re a Groot or Cap main, you’ll need to adapt, while Doctor Strange and Winter Soldier players can lean into their newfound strength.
New Team-Up Ability: Synergy Unleashed
The star of this patch is a new Team-Up Ability that pairs two fan-favorite heroes for a game-changing combo. While the exact heroes involved are teased in the patch notes, early leaks suggest it’s a synergy between a strategist and a duelist, creating a combo that boosts both offense and utility. Here’s what we know:
- How It Works: When the paired heroes are on the same team, they unlock a shared ability that triggers under specific conditions (like landing consecutive hits or staying in close proximity).
- Why It Matters: This synergy encourages creative team compositions, rewarding players who experiment with less common hero pairings.
- Pro Tip: Test this in casual matches first to master the timing before bringing it to ranked play.
Why This Update Matters
The April 30 patch shows that the Marvel Rivals team is listening to the community. By addressing the performance system, balancing heroes, and adding fresh mechanics like the Team-Up Ability, they’re keeping the game dynamic and responsive to player needs. Whether you’re a casual player or a ranked grinder, these changes offer new ways to enjoy the Marvel Universe in all its chaotic, superhero glory.
You can find Marvel Rivals Official patch notes here: https://www.marvelrivals.com/balancepost/20250428/41667_1231266.html https://www.marvelrivals.com/gameupdate/20250429/41548_1231611.html
