The gameplay ofMarvel Rivalshas created many pros and cons, which tend to shift every time a seasonal update introduces new balance changes. The inclusion of new characters and adjustments to different heroes oftentimes shape which strategies are strongest on various teams. In Season 3.5, one particular ability being added has been asked for by many players, possibly marking an end to a common complaint.
New characters, like Ultron’s release in Season 2.5, have never-before-seen abilities that tend to shape fresh team comps. Many of theSeason 3 balance changesserved to move the game’s meta away from the strength of flying characters seen at the end of Season 2. Similarly,Blade’s launch might create a new"meta"of teamsbecause of his unique skills.
Blade’s Anti-Healing Abilities Finally Counter Marvel Rivals' Strong Support Heroes
Reduced Recovery May Stop Triple Support Teams
Among Blade’s many abilities is the inclusion of a new game mechanic -Reduced Healing.Whenever Blade hits enemies using his Daywalker Dash attack while his shotgun is equipped, he applies Reduced Healingto them, preventing them from receiving full restoration from any source.
Blade also applies Reduced Healing through his Ultimate ability, Thousand-Fold Slash, which applies to all enemies hit by it. This can be trickier to use than Daywalker Dash, but provides a far more likely way to inflict Reduced Healing to multiple targets.
An enemy with Reduced Healing only takes a limited amount of healing from any source, including Health Packs or the abilities of a teammate. For example, should Blade apply Reduced Healing to Loki, thatStrategist inMarvel Rivalscould not gain as much restored health from their own Regeneration Domain.
The introduction of Reduced Healing is not quite a full Anti-Heal that prevents recovery entirely, but it is still a strong mechanic that is sure to have a heavy impact.The strength of Strategist characters and healing abilities has been profound sinceMarvel Rivals’launch, and Blade’s new ability might be the counterplayers have awaited a long time to use.
Strategists May No Longer Define A Team
Some Support Characters Aren’t As Powerful
Any form of Reduced Healing during a match through Blade’s existence marks a big change in how Strategist characters might work.The strong, fast healing of support heroes has always been strong, especially in the dreaded"triple support"metathat has developed over multiple Seasons. Just asLifesteal with Wolverine’s Phoenix Team-Uphas shaped many team comps, Blade’s Reduced Healing could have the same effect.
Blade could open up opportunities for his team to quickly eliminate a target before they can get enough healing to recoverfrom their allies. I believe this could lead to interactions where healers are unable to keep their teams alive, leading to faster pushes on objectives with a team who communicates well with their Blade player.
One of Blade’s own abilities, Bloodline Awakening, applies Reduced Healing to himself. While this debuff is offset by stronger sword attacks, Blade also gets Lifesteal on his attacks in that state, making it far less risky than targets who solely have Reduced Healing applied to them.
In the previous"dive"meta ofMarvel Rivals, Strategists were pressured to be eliminated first by an enemy team, but having more Strategists supporting each other could solve that problem at times.With Reduced Healing, the Strategist isn’t always going to be Blade’s target, but rather the most potent threaton a team. With enough coordination, a good Blade can destabilize an enemy team by applying his healing debuff to the right targets.
This might create situations where Strategists aren’t the cornerstone of every team, but rather a comp that prioritizes protection from Blade. A higher reliance on Magneto to bubble an ally, or a Groot to block Blade’s path may lead to far more diverse teams than the typical triple support.
New Team-Ups Will Force Players To Use New Healing Strategies Against Blade
Season 3.5 Synergies May Look Very Different
If Strategists take on a reduced role due to Blade’s presence,players may have to rely on new Season 3.5 Team-Ups to counter Reduced Healing. Two new Team-Ups are both focused on giving teams new ways to heal their allies, adding sources of recovery that Blade cannot take away.
As an example, one such Team-Up is Vibrant Vitality, which simply improves Mantis' healing outright. ThisTeam-Up inMarvel Rivalsalso buffs Groot’s plant walls, which can heal targets near it when Groot is on the same team as Mantis. Other characters have more specific Team-Ups, like Luna gaining Lifesteal on her attacks when allied with Adam Warlock through Duality Dance.
Beyond even the new Team-Ups,players will have to play safer and rely more on their allies to overcome Reduced Healingmechanics, which may appear on more characters than just Blade in the future. Overall, the idea behind Reduced Healing addresses concerns that many players, including myself, have always had in the game where healing has felt far stronger than any other abilities.
In an era of the game where some matches feel like no character can die, the arrival of Blade’s Reduced Healing may be perfect for keeping things interesting. Whether or not Blade’s counter-healing skill will changeMarvel Rivals' overall meta, it will likely inspire more abilities that take the hero shooter in new, worthwhile directions.
