Marvel Rivals' Mister Fantastic Poised to Disrupt the Meta as a Duelist-Vanguard Hybrid with His Near-Broken Abilities

The launch of Season 1: An Endless Night in Marvel Rivals is set to bring a wealth of new content, with the addition of the Fantastic Four as new playable characters standing out as a major highlight. While details on their abilities and tiers are still limited, we've gotten an early preview of Mister Fantastic and his kit. Based on what we've seen so far, he looks incredibly fun, unique, and, frankly, a bit overpowered.

Speculation ran high when the Fantastic Four were first announced for Marvel Rivals Season 1, but a recent Character Reveal video gave players a first look at Mister Fantastic and his abilities. While many expected him to be a Vanguard, he's classified as a Duelist. However, based on his kit, he can function as an off-tank or off-vanguard, able to absorb hits and control space.

🧪 Intellect Packs a Punch!

Dr. Reed Richards, better known as Mister Fantastic, is the leader of the Fantastic Four and one of the greatest minds in the Multiverse. Whether uncovering the secrets of Chronovium or crafting the tools to restore fractured realities, his intellect… pic.twitter.com/vk8WqJUAPh

— Marvel Rivals (@MarvelRivals) January 7, 2025

His kit is a mix of quirky yet powerful abilities that some might argue are overpowered, though it's too early to say for sure. What we can confirm is that his abilities are unique and reflect his intellectual prowess and fighting style. For example, his primary fire allows him to stretch his arms to punch enemies from a distance.

He can also grab two enemies and smash them together, stunning them and leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks. Then there's his "Hulk Out" ability, which turns him into a bruiser-style Vanguard that hits hard, gains over health, and repeatedly slams the ground to stun and damage enemies (As painful as it may be, think Buckys ultimate but on a cooldown).

His most tactical ability turns his body into a trampoline-like shape that deflects abilities back at enemies, best showcased when he deflected Iron Man's ultimate back at him. This gives players a way to deal with powerful ultimates that would otherwise force them to run for cover, a great option to counterplay an enemy Iron Man that's good at positioning those Pulse Cannon shots.

With all these elements in his kit, Mister Fantastic is shaping up to be a meta-changer, capable of countering ultimates, acting as a Vanguard, and wreaking havoc on the backlines with his stretchy powers. While we still need to see how he plays in comparison to the other members of the Fantastic Four, he looks incredibly fun, and many players are eager to give him a try in Season 1.