Marvel Rivals is getting another balance update, and this one looks set to shake up the Season 8 meta in a pretty noticeable way. NetEase has confirmed that Version 20260515 will go live after maintenance on May 15, with the patch focusing on hero balance changes across Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist roles.
The new seasonal patch note includes changes for Deadpool, Emma Frost, The Thing, Iron Fist, Mister Fantastic, Moon Knight, Phoenix, Spider-Man, Squirrel Girl, Star-Lord, Wolverine, Invisible Woman, Loki, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon, White Fox, and Team-Up abilities.
Marvel Rivals Version 20260515 Maintenance Schedule
According to NetEase, maintenance for the Marvel Rivals Version 20260515 patch will begin on May 15 at 9 AM UTC and is expected to last around two hours. During this time, servers will be offline, meaning players will not be able to access the game until maintenance is complete.
As usual, server return times may vary depending on how smoothly the update process goes. NetEase says it will announce when servers are back online through official channels.
Marvel Rivals Season 8 Meta Is Getting Another Shake-Up
This update is mainly a balance patch, and the theme is pretty clear. NetEase wants more heroes to feel viable in Season 8, especially as players continue adapting to the arrival of Devil Dinosaur and the current competitive meta.
Some of the biggest winners here are Emma Frost, The Thing, Iron Fist, Rocket Raccoon, and White Fox. At the same time, Deadpool, Invisible Woman, Loki, Phoenix, and Mantis are receiving adjustments that either reduce parts of their power or shift their role slightly.
All Vanguard Buffs and Nerfs in Marvel Rivals Version 20260515
The Vanguard role gets a mix of frontline buffs and Deadpool nerfs. Deadpool is being toned down after becoming a little too effective with his constant gun pressure, while Emma Frost and The Thing are getting stronger defensive tools to help them stay relevant in brawls.
| Hero | Change Type | Version 20260515 Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Deadpool | Nerf | The Ban Hammer healing while active reduced from 50 per second to 25 per second. Dual Desert Eagles single-shot damage reduced from 36 to 34 for standard shots and from 42 to 39 for upgraded shots. |
| Emma Frost | Buff | Telepathic Pulse falloff now begins after 4 seconds instead of 3 seconds after not hitting an enemy. Mind’s Aegis reposition cooldown reduced from 3 seconds to 1 second. Diamond Form and Psionic Seduction damage reduction increased from 20 percent to 25 percent. |
| The Thing | Buff | Base health increased from 700 to 750. |
Emma Frost looks like one of the more important Vanguard buffs in this patch. Her improved damage reduction and shorter Mind’s Aegis reposition cooldown should make her much harder to pressure out of the frontline. The Thing’s change is simpler, but an extra 50 health can still matter a lot in extended fights.
Deadpool, on the other hand, is clearly being pulled back. His healing during The Ban Hammer has been cut in half, while his Dual Desert Eagles damage has also been reduced.
All Duelist Buffs and Nerfs in Marvel Rivals Version 20260515
Duelists receive the largest number of changes in this update. Iron Fist, Moon Knight, Spider-Man, Squirrel Girl, Star-Lord, and Wolverine are all getting buffs, while Phoenix and Mister Fantastic receive more mixed adjustments.
| Hero | Change Type | Version 20260515 Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Fist | Buff | Jeet Kune Do hits now reduce Dragon’s Defense cooldown by 1.2 seconds instead of 1 second. K’un-Lun Kick first strike damage increased from 35 to 40. |
| Mister Fantastic | Mixed | Stretch Punch damage increased from 65 to 70. Flexible Elongation no longer applies movement speed reduction, but charge time is reduced from 8 seconds to 6 seconds. Brainiac Bounce ultimate energy cost reduced from 3400 to 3100. |
| Moon Knight | Buff | Moonlight Hook cooldown reduced from 15 seconds to 12 seconds. |
| Phoenix | Mixed | Cosmic Flames direct hit damage increased from 50 to 55. Explosion damage when detonating Spark marks reduced from 40 to 35. |
| Spider-Man | Buff | Spectacular Spin damage per single spherical Spell Field increased from 13.6 to 15, raising total damage over 2.4 seconds from 408 to 450. |
| Squirrel Girl | Buff | Mammal Bond cooldown reduced from 15 seconds to 12 seconds. |
| Star-Lord | Buff | Element Guns ammo capacity increased from 40 to 50. |
| Wolverine | Buff | Regenerative Healing Factor trigger cooldown reduced from 105 seconds to 90 seconds. |
Iron Fist should feel more dangerous after this patch, especially when diving backlines and chaining combos. His cooldown reduction buff gives him more frequent access to Dragon’s Defense, while K’un-Lun Kick now hits harder at the start of the combo.
Mister Fantastic is a more interesting case. Reed gets better damage and a cheaper ultimate, but loses the movement speed reduction from Flexible Elongation.
Phoenix is also being adjusted rather than fully buffed or nerfed. Her direct hit damage is going up, but her Spark mark explosion damage is going down. NetEase says this prevents Phoenix from one-shotting a 250 HP hero with a single mark and direct hit from Endsong Inferno without damage buffs, while still making her baseline primary fire more threatening.
All Strategist Buffs and Nerfs in Marvel Rivals Version 20260515
Strategists are also getting major balance changes. Invisible Woman is being toned down, Loki is shifting further into a support-focused role, Mantis is getting a new movement speed effect, and Rocket Raccoon and White Fox are receiving meaningful buffs.
| Hero | Change Type | Version 20260515 Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Invisible Woman | Nerf | Force Physics push distance reduced from 12 meters to 10 meters. Damage reduced from 55 to 50. |
| Loki | Mixed | Illusion Mystical Missile healing ratio increased from 90 percent to 100 percent. Illusion Mystical Missile damage ratio reduced from 90 percent to 80 percent. God of Mischief ultimate energy cost increased from 4300 to 4500. |
| Mantis | Mixed | Allied Inspiration damage boost to allies reduced from 12 percent to 8 percent. New effect added that gives allies a flat 100 movement speed boost. |
| Rocket Raccoon | Buff | Bombard Mode hit damage per projectile increased from 16 to 17. Repair Mode charges increased from 8 to 10. C.Y.A. ultimate energy cost reduced from 4300 to 4000. |
| White Fox | Mixed Buff | Fox Form Awakening aura healing increased from 25 per second to 35 per second. Burst healing from each successful attack during Fox Form Awakening reduced from 35 to 25. Blessed by the Nine healing during Kumiho Unleashed increased from 40 per second to 60 per second. |
Rocket Raccoon might be one of the biggest winners on the Strategist side. More projectile damage, more Repair Mode charges, and a cheaper ultimate all add up to a stronger overall support pick.
Mantis is getting a role shift rather than a straight nerf. Her damage boost is being reduced, but she now gives allies a flat movement speed boost.
White Fox is also changing in a smart way. Her burst healing during constant attacks is being reduced, but her passive aura healing in Fox Form Awakening is going up.
Team-Up Ability Changes in Marvel Rivals Version 20260515
Team-Up abilities are also getting attention in this patch, including one adjusted Team-Up and one new Team-Up tied to Devil Dinosaur.
| Team-Up Ability | Change Type | Version 20260515 Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Chilling Assault | Buff | Iced Out Diamond Spell Field increased from 9 meters to 12 meters. Barrier placement distance increased to match the 12 meter radius. |
| Primal Punishment | New | Devil Dinosaur and The Punisher receive a new Team-Up. Devil Dinosaur gains 100 bonus health as the Team-Up Anchor, while The Punisher unlocks Ancient Judgement. |
The Chilling Assault buff should make the Luna Snow, Iron Fist, and Emma Frost Team-Up more flexible, especially with the larger 12-meter radius. Meanwhile, Primal Punishment gives Devil Dinosaur and The Punisher a fresh combo to experiment with in Season 8.
Biggest Winners in Marvel Rivals Version 20260515
Emma Frost, Rocket Raccoon, Iron Fist, The Thing, and White Fox look like the biggest winners from this update. Emma Frost gets better survivability and a much smoother defensive cooldown, while Rocket Raccoon gets improvements across damage, healing resources, and ultimate economy.
Iron Fist should also climb in value after receiving better burst damage and more reliable defensive cooldown cycling. The Thing’s health increase may not look flashy, but for a frontline Vanguard, that extra durability can make a real difference.
Biggest Nerfs in Marvel Rivals Version 20260515
Deadpool and Invisible Woman take the clearest nerfs in this patch. Deadpool loses a lot of sustain from The Ban Hammer and also gets lower gun damage, which should make him less overwhelming in longer fights.
Invisible Woman’s Force Physics nerf reduces both push distance and damage, making her less dominant as a control-heavy Strategist. Loki and Mantis are not exactly pure nerfs, but both are being pushed into different roles with reduced damage-focused value.
With the patch going live after the May 15 maintenance, players should expect the ranked meta to shift quickly once servers return. The changes may not completely rewrite Season 8 overnight, but they should open the door for more varied team comps and a few returning picks across Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist roles.
