At a Glance
- Deadpool joins Marvel Rivals on January 16 as the first hero who can swap between Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist roles mid-match
- He levels up during a match and upgrades abilities, gaining ult charge through style grades instead of passive buildup
- His ultimate shifts aura effects: damage as Duelist, healing as Strategist, shields as Vanguard
- Why it matters: A single pick that fills every team role could scramble competitive drafts and ranked strategies overnight
Marvel Rivals is adding its most unpredictable hero yet. When Season 1 launches at the end of this week, Deadpool will drop into the roster as the first character who can abandon his chosen archetype mid-game and re-spawn as a different one, forcing opponents to counter a moving target.
Deadpool Swaps Roles at Spawn
Instead of locking into the standard trio-Vanguard tank, Duelist damage, or Strategist support-Deadpool can walk back to his spawn and return as any of the three. News Of Fort Worth reports that Wade himself narrated the reveal, mocking the usual developer update format while explaining the mechanic.
Each role carries distinct tools:
- Vanguard: Drops unicorn plushies that project a protective bubble, blocking enemy fire
- Duelist: Dual-wields katanas and pistols for damage at multiple ranges
- Strategist: Uses the same katanas and pistols while also healing allies
The switch costs a respawn, so timing and positioning will dictate whether the flexibility outweighs the downtime.
In-Match Leveling and Style Grades
Deadpool also ignores the game’s normal ultimate economy. Rather than earning charge passively or through raw damage, he gains ultimate energy via a style-grade system that rewards flashy play. Each ability upgrade during a match increases potency, mimicking an RPG talent tree inside a 6v6 hero shooter.
Gameplay footage shows the ultimate adapting to his current role:
- As a Duelist, he rushes a single target surrounded by a damaging aura that grows stronger with every ability used during the ultimate window
- As a Strategist, the aura heals teammates
- As a Vanguard, it emits shielding pulses
Because the ult charges faster through stylish combos rather than pure output, players who mix melee, ranged, and movement abilities will unlock it sooner.
Meta Implications for Competitive Rosters
A hero who can plug any hole in a team composition eliminates the traditional draft risk of one-trick picks. Competitive captains can pick Deadpool early, wait to see enemy selections, then rotate him into the counter-role after the first skirmish. The style-grade mechanic also incentives aggressive, high-variance play, potentially speeding up the pace of pro matches.
Casual queues will face a steeper learning curve: a Deadpool who starts as a Duelist, feeds, and respawns as a pocket-support Vanguard flips the expected matchup on its head. Call-outs and target priority will shift minute-to-minute, not round-to-round.
Deadpool arrives in Marvel Rivals on January 16 at the start of the new season.
