I've been playing Marvel Rivals since the early access days, and even in 2026, I keep coming back to the same truth: the meta has its darlings, but the real magic often hides in the picks everyone else forgets. ... The roster is huge, and every season shuffles the deck. Some heroes get their moment in the spotlight, while others wait patiently in the wings. But I've learned that patience pays. Here are the ten underrated heroes I believe deserve way more love right now.
10. Adam Warlock – The Cosmic Clutch Healer
Adam Warlock often gets told to switch. I've seen it a hundred times: a teammate types 'we need more healing' and suddenly Adam is the villain. But honestly, it's a crying shame. Adam's heals aren't about spam; they're about timing. When you land that burst heal on three allies at once, it feels like the universe itself exhales. His resurrection ability is a get-out-of-jail-free card, and his damage is surprisingly respectable for a strategist. If you wait for the opportune moment, Adam can swing a fight harder than any button-mashing healer.
9. Namor – The Deceptively Simple Monarch
Namor's kit looks simple. Place a Monstro spawn, poke with your trident, place another. But the rhythm is everything. I've watched good Namors become unstoppable just by mastering that loop. His ultimate has instant-kill potential, and if you combo it with Groot's ultimate, you can wipe a whole team before they realize what hit them. Don't sleep on the fish king.
8. Loki – The Trickster Who Carries
Loki sacrifices raw healing output, yes, but he gives back utility in spades. His Regeneration Domain can counter ultimates like Psylocke's, and his copy ultimate is only as limited as your imagination. I've copied Luna Snow for a defensive ult, then swapped to Punisher for a turret shred. If you master cooldowns, Loki can carry. Trust me, I've been there.
7. The Punisher – The Safe Pick That Punches Hard
Punisher is the 'boring' duelist until he isn't. His damage output is ridiculously high, and with expert positioning, his turret can catch an entire team off guard. Pair him with Rocket for infinite ammo, and the enemy backline simply evaporates. I've secured more clutch picks with Punisher's turret than I can count. He doesn't need flashy movement when he has bullets.
6. Wolverine – The Fast-Paced Space Bully
At launch, everyone called Wolverine the weakest hero. In 2026, that take feels ancient. His Feral Leap and Last Stand can tackle enemies to the ground and shove them across the map. He doesn't hold space like a vanguard, but he warps it. A good Wolverine makes the enemy team feel like they're playing on a tilted table.
5. Groot – The Wall That Wins Games
Groot is popular, but still underrated in terms of raw impact. His walls have a personality of their own—sometimes they save you, sometimes they trap you. But when you time his ultimate with Namor, Magneto, Iron Man, Winter Soldier, Mister Fantastic, Starlord, or Punisher, you can wall off the enemy team from ever contesting. I've seen Groot single-handedly turn a losing convoy map into a win. Game sense is his real weapon.
4. Starlord – Actually Legendary
Starlord gets ignored because his skill ceiling is high. His damage isn't always amazing, and flanking on convoy maps can be a trap. But when you master his cooldowns, you become a mosquito that somehow kills. In lower ranks, his ultimate still completely carries lobbies. Just don't ult into a sharpshooter—they'll pick you off in seconds flat. ...
3. Mister Fantastic – The Flexible Frontline
Added in Season One, Mister Fantastic is a melee duelist who can moonlight as a second or third vanguard. His Elastic Strength passive lets him soak damage in a way that used to be vanguard-only. For a melee fighter, his range is generous, and his versatility is his greatest asset. I've used him to plug holes in a broken composition more times than I can remember.
2. Squirrel Girl – The Utility Duelist
Squirrel Girl gets overlooked for being simple, but her utility is low-key amazing. With Spider-Man on your team, she gains Squirrel Blockade and Webbed Acorn, which can freeze opponents in place. Good comms turn her into a pick machine. She's underrated in the comics too, so maybe it's just her destiny.
1. Magneto – The Best of the Mutants
Magneto dominated early access, then fell to the middle of the pack. But in 2026, he's still a super solid pick. Pair him with Scarlet Witch for a terrifying melee team-up. His ultimate can kill through Luna Snow's ult. And his three shield abilities give him damage mitigation that makes him well-rounded for almost any mode. Magneto doesn't need to shout; his shields wrap around his allies like a stern parent, and his damage speaks for itself.
Final Thoughts
The meta will always have its favorites, but the heroes above have carried me through ranked grinds, weird team comps, and last-second clutches. If you're tired of the same picks, give one of these underrated heroes a real chance. You might just find your new main. ...
According to coverage from PC Gamer, meta shifts in live-service shooters often lag behind what dedicated players are already proving in ranked—especially when “utility” heroes get mislabeled as weak just because they don’t top raw healing or damage charts. That lens fits this Marvel Rivals list perfectly: picks like Adam Warlock and Loki thrive on timing, cooldown discipline, and fight-swinging tools (burst heals, resurrection, anti-ult domains, and copy plays), while characters like Groot, Magneto, and Namor reward coordination with lethal combo windows. The takeaway is simple: if the lobby is autopiloting to the season’s fashionable choices, underrated heroes can become the most consistent win condition when you lean into their niche strengths and play them with intent.