The Marvel Rivals closed alpha is finally out, and while the similarities to Overwatch are aplenty, there’s no denying that the hero shooter allows players to experience the distinctive abilities of various Marvel superheros, of which there will be 19 at launch.
However, the closed alpha has also revealed that Scarlet Witch is an unusually overpowered character, which is sort of on-brand but could bring balance issues within the ecosystem of the game itself. A recent gameplay clip demonstrates the sorceress’ boundless power.
Chaos Magic Makes For Some Mighty Abilities
Staying in line with the comics, Scarlet Witch wields powerful Chaos Magic in Marvel Rivals, making her a versatile and, as we shall see, devastating force in a match. Think Reyna from Valorant, but with even more abilities and attacks.
Scarlet Witch’s primary attack, Chaos Control, utilizes Chaos Magic for basic attacks. These attacks not only deal damage to enemies but also replenish her Chaos Energy, a crucial resource for her more potent abilities. She can also use Mystic Projection, which allows her to enter a Projection state, granting her temporary free-flight.
Chthonian Burst is where things start to get really destructive, allowing her to unleash a barrage of explosive magic missiles. These missiles consume Chaos Energy but deliver significant damage, or even outright death, to enemies caught in their path. Dark Seal is another ability which can either unleash a direct attack with Chaos Magic or generate a Force Field.
The Force Field periodically stuns enemies within its range, yet again effective for crowd control and giving the team some breathing room from enemy advances. For enhanced control during descents, Scarlet Witch can leverage Telekinesis. By holding down the space bar, she slows her fall, allowing for more precise landings or extended aerial maneuvers while in her Projection state.
Marvel Rivals Fans Are Aghast At Her Overpowered Ult
However, Scarlet Witch’s showstopper ability (or “ult”) is Reality Erasure. By entering a state of free-flight while charging energy, she can unleash a concentrated burst of Chaos Magic upon release. This area-of-effect ability can be a powerful tool for crowd control or dealing high damage to priority targets.
Reality Erasure sounds quite overpowered, and it is. A recent gameplay clip of Rivals shows a Scarlet Witch user deploying the ability during a match, and near-instantly taking out four enemies in one fell swoop, with flabbergasted comments from viewers.
Area effect, long charging devastating power.
She's still a low defense glass cannon though.. isn't she?
— Dirkovian (@Redgerbil5) May 12, 2024
Nah her ult is very obvious when it's about to go off, and it takes that 4-5 seconds to actually pop. You can kill her while she's about to erupt
— Gemini Jack (@GeminiJack11) May 12, 2024
Quick and efficient. But yes severely OP.
— PooranD1 (@PooranD1) May 12, 2024
She’s not, she’s situationally overpowered, but best way to kill SW in hee ult is to shoot her… lmao
— Vi (@ItsViiTamine) May 12, 2024
I mean if they dont even try and shoot her then yeah shes OP
— Shy Ky (@samtheshyguy9) May 12, 2024
So while Scarlet Witch may be a highly potent character for offense, it turns out her defense stats won’t make her suitable for those who take their time and strategize, instead of rushing out into the open to get kills. Reality Erasure itself is no doubt overpowered, but according to players, the time window it requires to activate also leave the character vulnerable.
Beyond her own powerful abilities, though, Scarlet Witch can also synergize with her teammates. One such example is Chaotic Bond, a Team-Up ability that allows her to infuse Magneto with Chaos Energy to enchant his greatsword and go on a rampage.
Marvel Rivals may not be innovating much over other hero shooters, but the closed alpha proves that the game’s foundations are quite solid, and it easily accomplishes what it sets out to do: wreak havoc as excellently stylized renditions of Marvel superheroes.
