Marvel Rivals: Mr. Fantastic is a Vanguard disguised as a Duelist
While Marvel Rivals classifies Mr. Fantastic as a Duelist, his abilities and design make him feel more like a Vanguard. Duelist mains may find adjusting to Mr. Fantastic a bit difficult, but Vanguard specialists will feel right at home with this damage-absorbing superhero.
Mr. Fantastic is both a human shield and a shield-provider
Boasting the highest base health pool (350 health) and the biggest hitbox of the Duelist class, Mr. Fantastic is a large target meant to draw the attention of the enemy team. Unlike opportunists like Psylocke and Iron Fist who excel in isolated fights, Mr. Fantastic does his best in the middle of skirmishes where he can absorb and deal the most damage.
Using any of Mr. Fantastic’s abilities contributes to his Elastic Strength passive, which increases his damage and can allow him to transform into an even bigger, tankier Inflated state. Since Mr. Fantastic does the most damage while in this state, you want to get Inflated whenever possible.
Some of the best ways to build Elasticity points for Elastic Strength involve aiding your team. Flexible Elongation provides an ally with an extra shield, while Reflexive Rubber allows you to absorb a set amount of damage and throw it back at enemies. A good Mr. Fantastic spends just as much time defending his team as he does attacking enemies, as this defense/attack cycle is at the core of the hero’s game plan.
Fighting with your team and against multiple enemies is where Mr. Fantastic shines
As a Duelist-Vanguard hybrid, Mr. Fantastic can deal a lot of damage given the proper circumstances. His Stretch Punch can hit multiple enemies when aimed properly and his punches while in the Inflated state hit hard (75 damage) and can catch unsuspecting enemies by surprise. His Brainiac Bounce isn’t the best ultimate ability for eliminations, but is useful for creating openings and space for your team (just like the ultimates of Vanguard heroes).
Mr. Fantastic’s Distended Grip also gives him some crowd-control capabilities. You can force two enemies to crash into each other (something I like to call the “Now Kiss!” maneuver) or pull a single enemy towards you for a good pummeling. Even if a grabbed enemy has more damage potential than you, you can activate Reflexive Rubber to absorb their hits and throw them back afterward. Mr. Fantastic’s high tolerance for punishment isn’t infinite, however, so make sure you stay close to your team for backup damage from your Vanguards and Duelists, and healing from your Strategists.
Mr. Fantastic isn’t the strongest Duelist or Vanguard, but his ability to swap between both roles makes him incredibly versatile in any team composition. As one of the first two new heroes added to Marvel Rivals, Mr. Fantastic’s adaptability is a good sign that the game is open to adding heroes that blur the lines between the three set roles.
