Tips to Improve Your Positioning In Marvel Rivals

In Marvel Rivals, battles are fast-paced and chaotic, with dozens of characters and unique mechanics constantly in play. While mastering your character’s abilities is important, one fundamental aspect of the game often separates skilled players from the rest: positioning.

No matter how well you play your character, being in the wrong spot at the wrong time can undo all your efforts. However, positioning isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept—it’s more nuanced than simply aligning with your role. Even heroes within the same role may require drastically different positions based on their unique abilities and playstyles.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to improve your positioning in Marvel Rivals, so you can maximize your impact in every match. Let’s dive in!

Tips to Improve Positioning as a Vanguard

As a Vanguard, your primary role is to tank damage and protect your team, but that doesn’t mean you’re just a punching bag. Vanguards are capable of dishing out significant damage while drawing enemy attention. Your positioning is critical, and it varies depending on whether you’re playing as an aggressive or defensive Vanguard.

Positioning as an Aggressive Vanguard

Aggressive Vanguards like Thor, Venom, and Captain America are all about disrupting the enemy backline. These heroes excel at diving into the fray, targeting key enemies like Strategists and Duelists, and dealing significant damage before retreating to recover. Their mobility is key—abilities that allow them to leap in and out of combat make this playstyle highly effective.
• Thor leads in raw damage, making him perfect for high-impact dives.
• Venom, on the other hand, shines with exceptional movement capabilities, allowing for quick entry and escape.

While aggressive Vanguards can create chaos for the enemy team, they work best when paired with a defensive Vanguard. This combination balances damage output with frontline durability, providing your team with a solid presence in fights.

Positioning as a Defensive Vanguard

Defensive Vanguards like Groot, Doctor Strange, and Magneto prioritize endurance and team support over raw damage. Their role is to hold the frontline, absorbing enemy attacks and creating opportunities for their teammates. These heroes excel at mitigating damage with shields, healing, or crowd-control abilities.

Defensive Vanguards position themselves right in front of the enemy team, acting as a barrier to protect their allies. By drawing enemy focus, they allow Strategists and Duelists on their team to attack freely from the backline.

However, this constant punishment requires support—having a Strategist nearby to provide healing is crucial for maintaining their effectiveness. With proper positioning, a defensive Vanguard can anchor the team and ensure victory in prolonged battles.

Key Takeaways for Vanguards
• Aggressive Vanguards: Dive in, disrupt, and retreat; focus on targeting enemy backline threats.
• Defensive Vanguards: Hold the line, absorb damage, and create space for teammates to deal damage safely.

By understanding your Vanguard’s playstyle and positioning yourself accordingly, you can maximize your impact on the battlefield and help lead your team to victory.

Tips To Improve Positioning as a Strategist

Strategists require more nuanced positioning than Vanguards, as their effectiveness depends heavily on their unique abilities and the team composition. While they don’t fit neatly into two distinct categories, most Strategists can be divided into Central Strategists and Roaming Strategists, based on their preferred playstyle and utility.

Positioning a Central Strategist

Central Strategists thrive when they stay close to their team, particularly defensive Vanguards, ensuring consistent support. These characters often have abilities that work best when maintaining a direct line of sight or staying within proximity of allies.
• Rocket Raccoon: Rocket’s healing spheres are most effective when fired through multiple allies in a straight line. Placing him in areas where he can maximize this ability—such as near walls for bouncing spheres and doubling their healing impact—can make a big difference.
• Jeff the Land Shark: As one of the game’s strongest single-target healers, Jeff works best when tethered to a defensive Vanguard. His positioning should focus on staying close enough to provide consistent support while remaining safe from direct enemy attacks.

Central Strategists are essential in matches where healing and maintaining the team’s front line are the top priorities. Proper positioning ensures they can provide maximum support while minimizing their exposure to enemy threats.

Positioning a Roaming Strategist

In games where healing isn’t the primary concern—such as when the opposing team lacks heavy damage or when another healer is taking the lead—Roaming Strategists have more freedom to adopt an offensive or utility-focused role.

Roaming Strategists excel by moving along the edges of the battlefield, flanking enemies, or pushing forward to disrupt the opposing team’s plans.
• Cloak and Dagger: This duo can move fluidly around the fight, supporting teammates while also taking advantage of opportunities to deal damage or use their ultimate aggressively.
• Loki: Loki’s mobility and utility make him ideal for flanking or creating distractions, forcing enemies to split their focus. While he can fall back to support the team when needed, his strength lies in outmaneuvering opponents on the fringes of the fight.

Roaming Strategists should always remain purposeful in their movements. Whether flanking or supporting, their positioning must contribute to the team’s overall strategy rather than wandering aimlessly.

Key Takeaways for Strategists
• Central Strategists: Stay near the team, prioritize defensive Vanguards, and optimize healing or support abilities with thoughtful positioning.
• Roaming Strategists: Use mobility to flank enemies, disrupt the opposing team, or support allies from unconventional angles.

By adapting your positioning to your Strategist’s strengths and the needs of your team, you can maximize your impact and turn the tide in any match. Whether staying close to the action or creating chaos on the outskirts, good positioning is the key to success as a Strategist.

Tips to Improve Positioning as a Duelist

Duelists require precise positioning to maximize their impact. With such a wide variety of Duelists in Marvel Rivals, each type demands a different approach to positioning. When done well, a Duelist can dominate the battlefield; when done poorly, they can be easily neutralized. Here’s how to position each type effectively.

Positioning a Harassing Duelist

Harassing Duelists like Spider-Man and Iron Fist excel at disrupting the enemy team by targeting vulnerable backline heroes. Their strength lies in their ability to surprise opponents with flanking maneuvers.

To position these heroes effectively, look for openings where the enemy team isn’t paying attention. Use movement abilities to swoop in, eliminate key targets like Strategists, and quickly retreat before the enemy can respond. Timing is critical—attack when the enemy is distracted or out of position to maximize the impact of your harassment.

Positioning a Melee Duelist

Melee Duelists, such as Magik and Black Panther, share some similarities with harassing Duelists but are built for more sustained combat. With slightly higher survivability and durability, they can remain in fights longer without needing to retreat immediately.

Position these Duelists to approach from an angle the enemy isn’t watching, but don’t be afraid to stay engaged once the fight starts. Their movement abilities and defensive capabilities allow them to sustain damage and apply consistent pressure. Melee Duelists perform best when paired with aggressive Vanguards like Thor, creating a one-two punch that overwhelms the enemy team.

Positioning a Mid-Range Duelist

Mid-range Duelists like Moon Knight, Winter Soldier, and Namor thrive in the heart of the team’s formation. They usually position themselves just behind defensive Vanguards and alongside Strategists, where they can deal damage while staying protected.

For optimal positioning, take advantage of high ground whenever possible. This gives you better sightlines for attacking enemies, keeps you out of range of AoE abilities targeting your allies, and allows you to respond quickly to flanking threats. Moon Knight is particularly effective here due to his mobility, which allows him to reach elevated positions easily and maintain control of the battlefield.

Positioning a Sniper Duelist

Sniper Duelists like Hawkeye and Black Widow share some similarities with mid-range Duelists but can operate more independently. These heroes thrive when positioned away from the team’s main unit, gaining sightlines that allow them to pick off enemies from a distance.

Ideally, position snipers in elevated areas where they are less likely to be noticed or targeted by the enemy. From these vantage points, they can take out key targets with precision while staying out of harm’s way. The element of surprise is key—enemies unaware of your position are easier to eliminate.

Positioning a Flier

Fliers like Iron Man and Storm bring a unique dynamic to positioning due to their ability to control the aerial battlefield.
• Iron Man: Works best at extreme range, where he can bombard the enemy team with AoE attacks, or directly above the enemy’s backline to focus down key targets like Strategists.
• Storm: Thrives near groups—her abilities boost speed for allies or slow and damage enemies nearby. Stay above a cluster of allies or enemies, ensuring you’re contributing to the fight without becoming an easy target.

For both, having a strong defensive Vanguard on your team is essential to keep pressure off, especially for Storm, who can become a primary target without adequate protection.

Key Takeaways for Duelists
• Harassing Duelists: Focus on flanking and surprising key targets, then retreat before taking significant damage.
• Melee Duelists: Use movement to engage from unexpected angles, but stay in the fight longer with your higher survivability.
• Mid-Range Duelists: Stick with the team, prioritize high ground, and provide consistent damage support.
• Sniper Duelists: Gain isolated sightlines, take out enemies from a distance, and remain unnoticed for maximum effectiveness.
• Fliers: Use aerial superiority to dominate from above, focusing on AoE damage or disrupting enemy backlines.

By mastering positioning based on your Duelist’s strengths and playstyle, you’ll maximize your effectiveness and become a game-changing force in every match.

Conclusion

Improving your positioning in Marvel Rivals is a game-changing skill that can elevate your performance regardless of the character or role you play. Understanding how to position yourself as a Vanguard, Strategist, or Duelist is critical to maximizing your impact and supporting your team effectively.

Positioning isn’t just about staying safe—it’s about leveraging your character’s strengths, anticipating enemy moves, and creating opportunities for your team to succeed. Whether you’re holding the front line, supporting from the back, or flanking the enemy, smart positioning can make all the difference in securing victory.