Just days after fans initiated a community-wide Support strike, NetEase Games, the developer of Marvel Rivals, has outlined plans to alleviate pressure on Strategist players.

Marvel Rivals Season 2 has largely been successful, with new characters, maps, and modes pushing the hero shooter forward. The team has promised faster seasons and more playable heroes, but balance changes have introduced new issues. Strategists—the class that primarily serves as Marvel Rivals' Support pool—are struggling as Vanguards and Duelists have gained dominance.

Since Season 2 launched earlier this month, the reduced viability of the Support class has been a major discussion point in the Marvel Rivals community. With other roles empowered on the battlefield, many Strategist players report not only punishing matches but also toxic ones, as teammates use text and voice chats to blame them. The situation reached a boiling point last week when hundreds of players took to social media, declaring they would avoid the healer role until NetEase explains how to make the experience better for all.

"We just want basic respect."

"We're not seeking glorification or to be seen as the 'hardest' role—because I don't believe we are," a Reddit user commented. "We only ask for basic respect. It's exhausting to be called brain-dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you're playing your role as intended."

I Need Healing

Whether the strike has been effective or players are simply avoiding a challenging class, NetEase says it aims to take action. In a Dev Talk post published on its website today, NetEase addressed concerns about the Strategist class. Its approach to easing pressure is twofold: buffing the Support role and making Competitive mode more rewarding.

The team states that Strategist "threat levels" will be raised in an upcoming patch. This may involve buffing heroes like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark, while nerfing the survivability of Vanguards such as Captain America and Groot. Spider-Man's Amazing Combo ability will also see a reduced damage range. Exact details on which characters will be adjusted are still to come.

"Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to improve the experience for certain heroes without drastically shifting the overall meta," NetEase explained. "As we move into S2.5, with Ultron's arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes."

Meanwhile, Competitive mode in Marvel Rivals has seen slightly tweaked stats since Season 2 began. Duelists, in particular, have had an advantage in performance ratings, while Vanguards and Strategists faced a slight disadvantage. As a result, NetEase plans to adjust performance rating calculations "to ensure fairness across all heroes."

"Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging task, and we can't guarantee perfection every time," the Dev Talk adds. "However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!"

Marvel Rivals Season 2 introduced Emma Frost as its newest playable Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to include Ultron soon. While we await whether the upcoming balance changes satisfy those in the Support strike, you can read about a recent Marvel tease that suggests swimsuit skins may join the game.