Marvel Rivals healers are omitted from post-game props

Healers often have problems in hero shooter games. Classes that are able to keep players alive are extremely important and can be the difference between a team winning and a team losing. Despite risking life and limb for teammates who may not deserve it, healers say they are rarely appreciated. This axiom was true at the time of the original Overwatch and its controversial resurrection mechanic, and remained consistent in the sequel even as Blizzard spent years refining said gameplay. Since Marvel Rivals comes into focus, healers have a serious case of déjà vu. This time, however, the healers are taking part in a literal popularity contest.

Finally, a Marvel Rivals match, after the winner is announced, the most valuable player (MVP) and the losing team’s runner-up (SVP) are selected. On this screen, players can watch highlights from each participant’s matches and take the opportunity to chat with their group one last time. This is where participants can send each other votes of support, presumably to build camaraderie among fans. For some reason, you can send as many votes as you want, including yourself. There is probably some incentive to submit votes as some seasonal challenges reward cosmetics such as sprays.

But based on conversations with nearly a dozen strategists… Marvel Rivals‘ the official term for characters whose mechanics revolve around helping others – healers are the class most likely to get scammed. Characters in this category include the recently released Invisible Woman and Jeff the Land Shark. Both strategists like Rocket Raccoon and Mantis have this some of the highest win rates around. The importance of the Strategist seems indisputable, but many of them feel like they won’t get flowers.

“I think healers don’t get a lot of credit in this game,” said Hayes Madsen, a core Cloak & Dagger player who has logged more than 100 hours in the NetEase shooter. Madsen estimates that he spent 60% of that time playing Strategist, and all that time, he said, he would only get an upvote “if [he’s MVP or SVP] ON [his] team or randomly here and there.”

Most Strategist players I’ve talked to agree that end-game voting as a whole can be considered hit or miss. It’s likely that dejected players on the losing team will get through the screen reminding them of their defeat. Marvel Rivals“The virtually instant queue times also make it easier to get to the next trial.

Like anything else, there are exceptions when Strategists succeed but don’t get their due. For example, if you’re playing with real friends, those buddies are more likely to throw you a bone. The mode you’re waiting in line for sometimes changes this dynamic as well.

“People are much better at ranking voting and tend to appreciate my efforts even if we didn’t do very well,” said Otachis, Jeff’s main character, who sometimes plays with her boyfriend ready to vote.

Hushbuppy, the main character of Mantis, who maintains that healers “don’t get much recognition, even if they do very well,” has also witnessed the differences between Quick Play and Ranked. While strategists may receive primary votes, the potential nod sometimes feels like it’s not their responsibility.

“In quick play, people either don’t vote or they just vote for the entire team, so there’s usually no need for highlighting,” Hushbuppy told Polygon. “But people seem to be more selective in the rankings and I find that here [damage-per-second] Roles usually get votes (if the team wins), while healers often don’t.

Players interviewed widely noted the divide between damage dealers and supporting classes. In general, Rivals players seem more willing to vote for people with high kill/death ratios than other team members. While the game itself recognizes Strategists that heal in large numbers via badge, support types in general are less likely to be considered MVPs or SVPs. However, some classes feel stinginess more than others.

“I think Mantis is easier to win MVP because in addition to her ultimate, she does pretty good damage, sometimes it’s enough to tip the scales to secure objectives or keep the game in overtime while waiting for my team,” said Synda, a Gold ranked player whose above-average gameplay allowed him to receive positive votes in both Quick Play and Ranked Play.

Views about the “optimal” team composition also influence strategists’ voting results, according to interviews with many players. Rivals players can earn seasonal bonuses such as extra damage or health by playing certain characters together. Players say that these dark horse types, which often defy conventional wisdom, are usually passed over after the game.

“Voting at the end of the game was like not choosing a meta character [like Mantis or Luna Snow]”You won’t get much recognition unless you manage to pump out an insane amount of healing and get the ‘Most Healing in the Game’ icon on the end-game scoreboard,” said Loki’s main, Yabba.

As some say, while they may drop out when voting, they will occasionally find other signs that others don’t take them for granted. Luca, Jeff’s player whose multi-kill skills sometimes result in end-of-game votes, said players often show appreciation during the match itself.

“Some people thanked me in the chat when my healing clearly saves them, and others just ignored me,” Luca said.

When strategists do earn votes, they usually come from players who directly benefited from the treatment. Hushbuppy said, for example, that highly mobile players like Spider-Man tend to be more graceful than others.

“I suspect they just realize it’s difficult to reach them, given the speed and ferocity at which they move,” Hushbuppy said. “Iron Man and Storm players also seem to appreciate it more, and I suppose it’s for the same reasons as the flying characters.”

But despite all the subtleties, there seems to be an equal number of ingrates who spoil the experience. Ryan, an Adam Warlock enthusiast, called the role a “thankless job” where “no matter how good you are at it, people who are spamming still need healing.”

Many of these complaints will sound familiar to anyone who has played team-based shooters before. But apart from voting – in which there are no mechanics Overwatch 2 — plays as a support class in Marvel Rivals is slightly different from its predecessors. Many players told Polygon that playing in support mode feels slightly less tiring than other games in the genre.

“I had a lot of fun with Cloak & Dagger and now I play it for real pleasure rather than necessity,” says Dennis. While some Strategists, especially those in Quick Play, may be picked less often, surprisingly, healers are not necessarily the rarest class in the game. Instead, it seems that players are most likely to avoid the heavy tank-equipped Vanguard class. Many players I spoke to said that their matches usually have at least one Strategist, although they may be vilified. On the other hand, there aren’t many Vanguard characters to begin with, which may explain their scarcity.

The stigmas surrounding character types vary Rivals also. Where Overwatch players had to endure gender-based harassment related to characters like Mercy, Rivals came out of the gate with more supporting characters, as well as gender parity in the class. Characters who can resurrect, such as Adam Warlock and Rocket Raccoon, are also male. Typically, starting support characters in team sports are usually women.

“I remember the term ‘Mercy main’ was often used as a derogatory word and people assumed that all women played mercy because they lacked skills in other roles,” Otachis said. “Luckily, I haven’t seen much of it in the Rivals community.”

Although the depressing vibrations are not as rancid as in games like Overwatchand, overall, despite the occasional yes vote Rivals Strategists tend to feel a burden of guilt when things go wrong. “It’s always been one of those roles where if you do it right, no one notices,” Ryan says. “But if you drop the ball, everyone will point to you first.”

Strategists acknowledge that anyone who plays poorly is likely to face harassment during or after matches. However, strategists are scapegoats because their role is directly linked to other players.

“With healers, it’s easy to think that you died because your healers are bad, compared to the fact that your position wasn’t good or they were just busy saving someone else,” said Loki Chief Jason Michaels. “I also think healers are in the spotlight because if they ‘don’t do well’ you get killed and you can’t play your game.”

Why bother strategists with all this pressure and potential negativity? Players like Ryan readily admit that playing the Strategist opens up an inherently “masochistic” dynamic. But if you want to win, someone has to dare.

“As always, I play the healer because I believe in my heart that healing will be the difference between winning and breaking the match,” Ryan stated.