New to Marvel Rivals and wondering who can take the hits while your team dishes out the damage? Look no further. In this guide, we break down the best beginner-friendly Vanguard heroes—also known as tanks—that are perfect for soaking up enemy fire, holding the line, and disrupting the enemy’s formation. Tanks are usually the best way to get into Marvel Rivals without the need of immediately mastering them. All you need to do as a Tank is soak up the damage, stay alive as long as you can and use you character’s skills at the right time. After awhile, you’ll get good at being a shield that you can now turn yourself into a shield that slays! Whether you’re looking to smash through the frontline or provide essential protection, these heroes are your best bet for learning the ropes.
Hero: Venom
Venom can be a terrifying menace in the battlefield, as you swing and smash right in the midst of your enemy’s line up. He can truly disrupt enemy’s formation and weaken their push attempts. He also has a built-in escape mechanism whenever you find yourself in a pinch.
Playstyle:
Venom excels at disruption. Use his Venom Swing to leap into enemy formations and follow it up with Frenzied Arrival to deal area damage. Activate Cellular Corrosion to latch onto nearby enemies, slowing them and dealing damage over time. He’s perfect for breaking enemy lines and forcing them to scatter.
Combo:
Swing into the backline using Venom Swing, slam down with Frenzied Arrival, activate Cellular Corrosion, and go to town with your basic attacks. Use Symbiotic Resilience when you’re low to tank just enough damage to swing out again.
Hero: Groot
You can expect to play Groot as how he’s portrayed in the movies. Bulky HP with strong damage-dealing potential, but he moves and attack slow. He has the ability to put up walls that gives cover and damage. However it can be a double edge sword – depending whether you’re giving a cover for your allies or blocking their exit or skills. So, use Groot wisely.
Playstyle:
Groot is a mid-range bruiser with high durability and excellent area control. His vine walls can shield allies, block enemies, or split fights in your team’s favor. He’s great for players who like to hold ground and support the team without diving in recklessly.
Combo:
Pop Ironwood Wall near objectives to give your team cover and bonus health. Use Thornlash Wall to pressure enemies focusing your damage-dealers. Team up with Rocket or Jeff for extra synergy via Planet X Pals.
Hero: The Thing
The newest addition to this category, The Thing hits hard with good survival mechanics baked into the character. From leaping towards allies to give them and yourself extra shield to charging, The Thing’s passive of Unyielding Will makes him immune to knockback, launches and displacements. You will literally stand in front of Jeff The Land Shark as it tries to launch you off a cliff.
Playstyle:
The Thing is a brawler built to control space and stagger enemy pushes. With a reliable charge and powerful knockbacks, he’s perfect for players who enjoy being right in the center of the chaos.
Combo:
Start fights with Yancy Street Charge to launch enemies and cut off escape paths. Use Stone Haymaker to deliver a heavy-hitting blow, and if allies are under pressure, leap to them using Embattled Leap for shared damage resistance. Unleash Clobberin’ Time to stun the enemy team and lock in your team’s advantage.
Peni Parker
Peni Parker is a utility-based Vanguard where she serves multiple roles in a team. From Vanguard absorbing damage to snaring key targets for your team to focus on. While the character seem to have many skills for a beginner to juggle, the immense impact you’ll have on
Playstyle:
A more tactical Vanguard, Peni Parker controls space using Cyber-Webs and healing zones. She excels at peeling for teammates and zoning enemies off objectives while remaining mobile thanks to Wall Crawl and Cyber-Bond.
Combo:
Trap enemies in a Cyber-Web Snare, drop Arachno-Mines, and let your drones do the work. Use Bionic Spider-Nest to create a healing field mid-fight. Pair with Venom for the Armor Expulsion combo to surprise enemies with a burst of damage.
Hulk
Playstyle:
Hulk is the definition of brute force. With massive health and straightforward abilities, he’s ideal for players who want to dive into the fray and shake things up — literally. His transformation into Monster Hulk gives him crowd control and survivability like no other.
Combo:
Start with Gamma Charge to knock enemies back, then shield your team using Indestructible Guard. Once transformed, use World Breaker to clear objectives or wipe grouped-up enemies. Hulk works well when paired with Iron Man or Doctor Strange thanks to powerful team-up buffs.
Vanguards are the anchor of every successful squad. As a beginner, learning to play these heroes will teach you core mechanics like positioning, initiation timing, and how to be the shield your team needs.
🧠 Pro Tip: Great tanking isn’t just about surviving — it’s about creating space and forcing the enemy to react to you.
🎮 Focus on learning maps, cover spots, and how to combo with your teammates to push the advantage.
Bonus: Learn From the Pros
Want to speed up your mastery? Check out these beginner-friendly YouTube tutorials: