Character bans in Marvel Rivals turn on once every player in a Competitive match is Gold III or higher, and they reshape every draft in Season 8.5. Before a match starts, each side votes on heroes to keep off the board, and the strongest picks of the patch are the ones you want gone first. Venom, Elsa Bloodstone, Cyclops, Daredevil, Star-Lord, Phoenix, and Invisible Woman are the heroes that swing games the hardest right now.
Quick answer: Ban Elsa Bloodstone, Phoenix, and Invisible Woman first. They are the most reliable value bans of Season 8.5 unless your own team has a main on one of them.
How the Marvel Rivals ban system works
Bans unlock only after you reach Level 15 and hit Gold III rank in Competitive mode. The whole lobby also needs to qualify, so every player in the match must be Gold III or higher for the ban phase to appear at all.
At the start of the round, each player picks one character they want banned. Every vote adds to a percent chance that the chosen hero is removed, so the more teammates who vote for the same name, the more likely it gets banned. If four players vote Iron Man and you vote Thor, Thor still carries a 20 percent chance of going down even though most of the team wanted Iron Man.
Each team bans three characters. If both teams ban the same hero, that overlap wastes a slot, so a match ends with a minimum of three and a maximum of six characters banned. Coordinating votes with your team is the difference between three clean bans and one wasted on a duplicate.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Unlock requirement | Level 15 and Gold III rank in Competitive |
| Lobby requirement | Every player must be Gold III or higher |
| Votes per player | One character vote each |
| Bans per team | Three |
| Total bans per match | 3 minimum, 6 maximum (duplicates overlap) |
Best characters to ban in Season 8.5
Elsa Bloodstone
Elsa Bloodstone is close to a default ban in nearly every game unless your team plans to run her. The moderate nerfs in the 7.5 patch did not move her off the top of the DPS pile. Bonus HP and dashes make her hard to kill, she puts out fast damage, and her ult is strong enough to win a fight on its own.
Phoenix
The 8.0 patch buffed Phoenix into one of the best characters in the game, which makes her an obvious ban. Leave her in and matches turn into a contest of which team’s Phoenix is better. If you still want to play around her, Hela is a fine alternative pick, but Hela is no longer the ban you should be reaching for.
Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman has stayed the best healer in the game through the 8.0 update. Her healing output is high, and her kit layers in force push and pull, an orb that knocks down fliers and damages grouped enemies, and healing that can deal damage at the same time. She can also vanish to heal safely and has a strong ult. Banning her strips that utility from the enemy, which is worth it when your own team has another healer they trust.
Cyclops
Like most recent additions, Cyclops launched strong. Even if you handle him fine in a fight, you do not want matches to come down to which side has the better Cyclops. Banning him removes a large, unpredictable variable from the draft.
Daredevil
Daredevil has been a persistent headache for several seasons, and the heavy Black Cat nerfs have pushed his popularity higher than ever. As long as you do not have a Daredevil main on your own roster, banning him takes constant pressure off your backline.
Star-Lord
The Season 8.0 buffs made Star-Lord a real problem. When he is not diving you, his newly buffed ultimate punishes you thanks to the extra ammo. Most players struggle to deal with him, so a ban is justified for the peace of mind alone.
Venom
Venom became more potent after the CC immunity update. He is not a mandatory ban, but removing him keeps your backline safer by cutting a diver, and it also denies his team-up with Hela, which adds extra value to the pick.
Ban priority for Season 8.5
| Hero | Role | Why ban |
|---|---|---|
| Elsa Bloodstone | DPS | Tanky, fast kills, strong ult; staple ban |
| Phoenix | DPS | Buffed in 8.0 into a top pick |
| Invisible Woman | Healer | Best healer with heavy utility |
| Cyclops | DPS | New and overtuned; removes a coin-flip variable |
| Daredevil | Dive | Backline pressure, rising with Black Cat nerfs |
| Star-Lord | DPS | 8.0 buffs and a stronger ult |
| Venom | Tank/Dive | CC immunity boost; cuts Hela team-up |
The one rule that ties all of these together is to never ban a hero your own team intends to play. Each of these picks flips from a threat to an asset the moment a teammate mains it, so check your lineup, line up your votes so you do not waste a slot on a duplicate, and spend your three bans on the heroes the enemy can actually punish you with.
