How to counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals

Knowing how to counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals is definitely essential if you are serious about grinding through the competitive ladder. Doctor Strange remains one of the most popular Vanguard heroes in the game. He is arguably one of the toughest in the entire roster, and his versatile kit makes him an attractive pick for most players.

Doctor Strange is a great hero to deal poking damage. Furthemore, his ability to pull up the Shield of the Seraphim comes in handy to block incoming damage and protect both yourself and your team. Though he has a straighforward kit, the hero possesses quite a high skill ceiling. Players who have mastered this hero will push the boundaries of the abilities beyond their limits and use it in unconvetional ways to make players fall victim to their strategies.

That said, this article will provide you with a detailed brief on how you can counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals. We have curated a list of the five best heroes, that we believe, are best suited to counter him, and shut him down in the game. Read below to know more.

Note from the editor: This article has been updated to feature the latest content with respect to the patch released on March 6, 2025. It will be further updated as the developers release future patches for the title. It must be noted that the contents of this article are purely subjective and feature the writer's own opinion.

---

The heroes that can take down Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals

Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals truly is one of the toughest Vanguard heroes in the game. It is very hard to find holes in his defenses on account of how powerful and versatile his abilities seem to be. However, if you want to counter this hero, you need to be locked in and you have to try to poke holes in his defences whenever you can.

One of his key weaknesses is that, Doctor Strange cannot attack when he has his shield up. Furthermore, the shield can only block damage from a single direction. You can abuse this, and use fast-moving duelists to sneak up from behind and deplete his health pool. Alternatively, you can also push him out of his comfort zone and isolate him. Teamplay and communication will play a huge role when it comes to defeating this Vanguard in-game.

That said, here's a list of the five best heroes to counter Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals:

1) Psylocke

The hero, Psylocke (Image via NetEase Games)

Psylocke comes under the Duelist category of heroes in Marvel Rivals. Her abilities do a high amount of damage to her opponents. Psylocke also has some amazing mobility options that can make her a very difficult hero to play against in Marvel Rivals.

Doctor Strange can struggle quite a bit against Psylocke, as she can deplete his shield from far away using her Psionic Crossbow and Wing Shurikens. Then, she can get close to him using the Psi-blade dash or the Psychic Stealth. This can also create the perfect opportunity for her to use the Dance of the Butterfly as Doctor Strange's low mobility will get him caught in a very tricky situation.

---

2) Iron Fist

The hero, Iron Fist (Image via NetEase Games)

Iron Fist is another Duelist in Marvel Rivals that is quite menacing to face off against. He is a close-range brawler who does tons of damage to his enemies. Iron Fist also has some very unique mobility options like triple jump and wall running that aid him in becoming a little more creative.

As of now, Iron Fist is one of the scariest heroes to go up against. When it comes to facing off against Doctor Strange, he can quickly get in his face and melt his health. The triple jump combined with the K'Un-Lun kick could be the perfect initiation tool for his duel against Doctor Strange. After that, he can activate Dragon's Defense and make his punches even faster. Once again, due to Doctor Strange's low mobility, he ends up falling prey in this duel.

---

3) Thor

The hero, Thor (Image via NetEase Games)

Thor comes under the Vanguard category of heroes in Marvel Rivals. With the help of his abilities, he can do damage to the enemies in both close and medium-ranged scenarios. Thor's Storm Surge also offers a decent amount of mobility to the players.

When it comes to the current Vanguard selection, Thor is among the better picks in the game. Against Doctor Strange, he stands a good fighting chance. Thor can use the Awakening Rune to do some long-ranged damage and then get close and personal with the Storm Surge and push through Doctor Strange's Shield. Then, the Mjölnir Bash should be decent enough to inflict enough damage to take him down.

---

4) Black Panther

The hero, Black Panther (Image via NetEase Games)

Black Panther is a Duelist hero in Marvel Rivals. His abilities allow him to become a brawler and do a good deal of damage to the opponents. The coolest aspect of Black Panther is his mobility. By using the Spirit Rend and Spiral Kick, players can get very creative with his movement. On top of these, he can also wall run vertically on structures and perform a double jump, almost allowing him to pounce on his enemies from above like an actual panther.

Doctor Strange can be in quite the trouble against Wakanda's king. Black Panther can use his Spear Toss to do some damage from long range and then get close using the Spirit Rend. It can help him get through Doctor Strange's shield or even reach him above if he tries to levitate. This can then be followed by the Spinning Kick and the standard Vibranium Claws.

---

5) Iron Man

The hero, Iron Man (Image via NetEase Games)

Iron Man is one of the few Duelist heroes that has continuous flight. With his abilities, he can take many long-range duels and is perfect for maps that provide many elevations. Iron Man also has incredible mobility that helps get out of tricky situations very quickly. His Invincible Pulse Canon is one of the strongest ultimates in Marvel Rivals.

You might be interested in: 5 best heroes to counter Mantis in Marvel Rivals

The strongest aspect of Iron Man is how he provides the player with both close and long-range options. Against Doctor Strange, he can use the Repulsor Blast to deplete his shield's health from long range. Then, he can activate his Armor Override to enhance his damage output. After this, the best option in a close-range duel would be to shred his health quickly using the now-enhanced Unibeam.

---

If this guide is to your liking, stay tuned to Sportskeeda's esports section for more related articles. You can also check out a few of them below:

• All Marvel Rivals Black Panther skins: Tier list, prices and more
• Marvel Rivals Spider-Man guide: Abilities, how to play, and more
• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Black Panther
• Marvel Rivals Thor guide: Abilities, how to play, and more
• Marvel Rivals Mister Fantastic guide: Abilities, how to play, and more