Marvel Rivals Buffs and Nerfs in Season 6.5

The mid-season patch for Marvel Rivals, Season 6.5, arrives on February 13, 2026, introducing a new character and a host of balance changes to the hero roster. This update is larger than typical mid-season adjustments, sparking mixed reactions from the community. While several characters received needed improvements, the lack of nerfs for widely considered overpowered heroes has caused frustration. The changes primarily affect a smaller group of heroes compared to previous patches.

Notably, the powerful duelist Gambit received no adjustments. This has increased fan frustration over the perceived power imbalance.

All Marvel Rivals Buffs in Season 6.5

A significant number of buffs were introduced in the Season 6.5 patch, targeting characters whose tool kits required expansion. The adjustments include increased health, reduced ability cooldowns, and even the addition of entirely new skills for some heroes. These changes are intended to make certain characters more viable in their roles and encourage new team compositions.

• Thor (Vanguard): Hammer Throw hits now grant 50 Bonus Health, an effect that can occur once per throw.
• Rogue (Vanguard): The energy conversion rate for damage absorbed by her Defensive Stance has been increased. The cooldown for Fatal Attraction was reduced from 17 seconds to 14.
• Doctor Strange (Vanguard): The shield value recovery speed of Shield of the Seraphim has been reduced.
• Venom (Vanguard): Base Health was increased from 650 to 675. The conversion of damage to bonus health from his Ultimate, Feast of the Abyss, was also increased.
• Deadpool (Duelist): The amount of healing gained when releasing his Ultimate, Pop Quiz!, has been increased. The healing received for successfully passing the Pop Quiz! challenge was also boosted.
• Psylocke (Duelist): The maximum damage falloff for her Psionic Crossbow projectiles was reduced.
• Star-Lord (Duelist): The energy cost for his Ultimate, Galactic Legend, has been reduced.
• Squirrel Girl (Duelist): The projectile speed of Squirrel Blockade when used without a charge has been increased.
• Wolverine (Duelist): The energy cost of his Ultimate, Last Stand, has been significantly reduced.
• Storm (Duelist): She now gains Bonus Health when using Wind Blade or Bolt Rush while her Weather Control — Tornado is active. During her Weather Control — Thunder state, Wind Blade hits now reduce the cooldown of Bolt Rush, and the spell field radius for Bolt Rush is increased. Ally buffs from Thunder & Lightning now decay over time instead of disappearing instantly when they move away from Storm. The animation end lag when using Weather Control has also been reduced.
• The Punisher (Duelist): The energy cost for his Final Judgement Ultimate has been reduced.
• Adam Warlock (Strategist): A new flight ability has been added, allowing him to fly for 4 seconds, with a 15-second recharge time. His Soul Bond ability now allows him to hover and attack during its duration.
• Ultron (Strategist): The drone detachment range for his Imperative: Patch ability has been increased.

The most significant beneficiaries of these buffs are Storm and Adam Warlock, whose abilities have been substantially improved. Adam Warlock, who previously lacked defensive mobility, gains a new flight skill to escape aggressive opponents. Storm's passive bonuses from her Weather Control ability now last longer and are easier to utilize. I see this as a major improvement for her viability.

All Marvel Rivals Nerfs in Season 6.5

Despite the impactful buffs, a major point of contention within the community is the minimal number of nerfs applied to dominant heroes. Many characters widely considered overpowered were not addressed in this patch. Instead, only a few light nerfs were given to consistently strong heroes, and some of the buffed characters also received minor nerfs.

• Thor (Vanguard): The Bonus Health provided by Storm Surge has been reduced.
• Phoenix (Duelist): Base Health was reduced from 275 to 250.
• Moon Knight (Duelist): The Bonus Max Health provided by Moon Blade has been reduced.
• Psylocke (Duelist): The single-hit damage of her Ultimate, Dance of the Butterfly, was reduced.
• Storm (Duelist): The Thunder damage boost provided to nearby allies has been reduced.
• Invisible Woman (Strategist): The cooldown of Force Physics has been increased.
• Loki (Strategist): Mystical Missile charges have been reduced from 12 to 10.

These nerfs are relatively minor and are not expected to fundamentally change the playstyle of the affected characters. While adjustments to Invisible Woman and Moon Knight will have some effect, fans had called for more substantial changes to address balance concerns. It remains to be seen if the buffs will compensate for the lack of broader character balancing.

Season 6.5 Meta

Team-Up compositions are also seeing a major shift. The long-standing Fantastic Four Team-Up involving Mr. Fantastic, The Human Torch, Invisible Woman, and The Thing is being removed from the game. Each of these heroes has been integrated into new or existing Team-Ups with other characters. This change, along with the introduction of new heroes like Deadpool and the upcoming Elsa Bloodstone, signals a significant evolution in team synergy possibilities. One new Team-Up, "Mr. Pool's Interdimensional Toy Box," has been added, featuring Deadpool, Jeff the Land Shark, and Elsa Bloodstone. Three other Team-Ups have been adjusted to include members of the former Fantastic Four, adding new cooperative abilities.

The substantial buffs and exciting Team-Up modifications might be enough to maintain player interest, even with the community's concerns about the lack of nerfs. I do believe the new synergies will create fresh strategies for players to explore. While the absence of nerfs for characters like Gambit, Hela, and others is a notable point of discussion, the positive changes introduce new dynamics to the game.

Read also, NetEase Games has officially unveiled details for Season 6.5 of Marvel Rivals, which is set to launch on February 13. The update will be headlined by the arrival of a brand-new Duelist hero, Elsa Bloodstone, who will join the expanding roster.