I’ve been playing Marvel Rivals since the early seasons, and by 2026 I’ve learned one thing: the roster can surprise you. Jeff the Land Shark proved that a cute, weird pick can work, so I never say never. Still, when my friends and I start fantasy-booking future villains, some names make the whole lobby go quiet for a second. Not because they’re bad characters—many are iconic—but because their powers, silhouettes, or themes would be a nightmare to balance in a hero shooter.
Take Super-Skrull. I get the appeal: shapeshifting, stretching, clobbering, flame powers, invisibility. He is basically the Fantastic Four rolled into one angry alien. But when Season 1 brought Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and Human Torch into Marvel Rivals, Super-Skrull started to feel redundant. Why add a character whose whole identity is borrowing four kits that already exist? I’d rather see a more focused Skrull fighter with creative shapeshifting tricks than a walking greatest-hits album.
Kingpin is another one I struggle with. Wilson Fisk is a fantastic crime boss, and his grip on New York’s underworld is legendary. In a hero shooter, though, he feels oddly grounded. Sure, his size makes him a natural Vanguard, but what does he do beyond swinging a cane and looking sharp in a suit? My friends joke that he’d basically be a sumo wrestler with a business card. That could be fun for one match, but I don’t see a long-term kit there.
Then there’s M.O.D.O.K., and honestly, I laugh every time someone suggests him. The Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is a giant head on a chair. As a Vanguard, his hitbox would be enormous. Even my worst-aim teammates would land headshots on him while he floats toward the backline for heals. Laser beams from his forehead sound hilarious, but being a walking, talking headshot magnet does not sound fun for anyone who mains him. 😅
| Villain | Natural Role | Main Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Super-Skrull | Flex | Overlaps with the Fantastic Four |
| Kingpin | Vanguard | Too grounded and melee-limited |
| M.O.D.O.K. | Vanguard | Absurdly easy headshot target |
| The Spot | Duelist | Teleport and hole powers are hard to balance |
| High Evolutionary | Strategist? | Evolution tech makes for bizarre gameplay |
| Mojo | Controller? | More TV producer than fighter |
| Mephisto | Strategist? | Deal-making powers don’t fit team play |
| Red Skull | Duelist | Nazi imagery creates community toxicity |
The Spot is a fascinating case because he went from goofy to genuinely sinister. His body is covered in holes that lead nowhere and everywhere, so bullets and punches could come out somewhere unexpected. That is a cool idea for a comic, but a nightmare for a fair shooter. If shooting him just reflects projectiles, and punching him risks a portal counter, how do you make him readable? I love weird kits, but The Spot might need so many compromises that he stops feeling like The Spot.
High Evolutionary is similar. I enjoy a mad scientist with grand plans, and his technology is wild. But his whole deal is fast-tracking evolution and creating New Men from animals. Would his kit evolve allied heroes? Would he summon pig-like soldiers? It sounds like a bizarre strategy mini-game inside a shooter. I can see the design doc getting weird fast, and not always in a good way.
Mojo might be the strangest pick of all. He’s a giant alien blob in a metallic spider chair, and he rules Mojoworld as a twisted TV producer. That makes him perfect for watching Marvel Rivals, not necessarily playing it. His anti-life field and cross-dimensional force bolts are odd even by Marvel standards. I’d rather have him as an announcer or a map Easter egg than a playable fighter.
Mephisto has the opposite problem. He is a huge deal in Marvel lore, but his powers revolve around deals, temptation, and manipulation. How would that work in a team shooter? Would a teammate have to trade something just to get healed? Fire powers and regeneration could be fine, but his demonic bargain theme feels better suited to a story event than a balanced kit.
And then there’s Red Skull. I don’t think this one needs a long explanation. He is a Nazi, and adding that imagery to a hero shooter invites vile trolling and community problems. Even as a dark inverse to Captain America, Red Skull feels like too dangerous a play. Some villains are better left in comics, and I’m okay with that.
So yes, I still believe Marvel Rivals can make unlikely characters work. Jeff is proof. But as of 2026, these villains still feel like long shots to me—not because they’re lame, but because their designs fight against the game’s needs. If any of them make it, I hope the developers take a big swing and rework them from the ground up. Until then, I’ll keep my fantasy roster in the group chat. 🎮