How to counter Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals

Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals is a sharpshooter Duelist who can deal massive damage with headshots. Countering this hero is crucial to securing map control as this character can stay back and land devastating headshots. These players mostly tend to target weaker enemies like support characters to cut off valuable support to the front-line fighters in almost all matches.

Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals can be countered easily if you know what you are doing. Being a sharpshooter, the hero is not exactly as effective in close-range combat. However, while his abilities provide him some form of versatility for close-quarter fights, it's not enough to fight against the proper usage of team-play dynamics in the game.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article solely reflect the views and opinions of the writer. The entries in this list have been made with respect to the ongoing meta in the game, and it is inclusive of all the hero balance changes that have been incorporated with the latest March 13 patch notes for the title.

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Exploring the 5 best heroes you can use to counter Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals

1) Spider-Man

Spider-Man in Marvel Rivals (Image via NetEase Games)

Hawkeye is a hero who thrives on accuracy, with his charged arrow shots getting deadlier with more complex shots. As such, one of the best ways to counter Hawkeye is to choose a hero that has agile movement mechanics, to make it harder for him to track your movement.

Spider-Man has one of the best movement abilities in the game. His web-swinging prowess can easily close the gap between him and his nemesis. Make use of complex swinging routes so it gets harder for Hawkeye to target you. Once you get close enough, use Spiderman's Get Over Here! ability to remove the gap between you two.

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2) Black Widow

Black Widow in Marvel Rivals (Image via NetEase Games)

Hawkeye is one of the best long-range heroes you can use in the title. His strength lies in the fact that he can be flexible with his attacks, being able to easily move around and adapt thanks to his widened field of view. However, his arrows suffer from bullet drop. Thus, you can use a sniping specialist to counter Hawkeye in the game.

Black Widow is one of the best snipers you can use in the game. Her Red Room rifle has an incredible focal length, meaning you can effectively damage the archer while staying far away from his attacks, making it harder for him to retaliate. While her field of view is effectively smaller thanks to her zoomed-in secondary fire, you can negate its effects by positioning yourself away from the action.

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3) Star-Lord

Star-Lord in Marvel Rivals (Image via NetEase Games)

Hawkeye's passive makes it so that his damage increases the more he focuses on his target. Thus, one of the best ways to counter Hawkeye can be to choose a superhero who has quick reflexes, good movement abilities, and can work at close range. Combine these all together to make a target that is hard to hit and can deal constant damage at close range.

Star-Lord is one such character in the game. His Rocket Propulsion ability makes it easy for him to give chase to the archer. His Stellar Shift ability works as a short dash, granting him invincibility frames while dodging. It also reloads his Elemental Guns, making it easier for Star-Lord to shred Hawkeye's healthbar.

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4) Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals (Image via NetEase Games)

Due to his role as a long-range DPS hero, Hawkeye has to constantly keep an eye on the battlefield for any enemies. Thus, a great way to counter Hawkeye is to flank him from a location he doesn't expect. As such, choosing a superhero that can transport himself or his allies across the map can be a great choice to deal with the titular archer.

Doctor Strange is a Vanguard-class hero with such an ability. He can use his Pentagram of Farallah ability to create portals that connect different places on the map. Strange and his allies can use this ability to ambush Hawkeye from behind and deal substantial damage before he can retaliate.

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5) Hela

Hela in Marvel Rivals (Image via NetEase Games)

One issue that players might face when engaging in a long-range battle using Hawkeye is the caveat of hitting precise shots. This means you can also become a standing target for the enemy. Thus, to counter the hero, players can choose a character that can use a get-out-of-jail-free card to escape from the standoff.

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Hela is one character with that ability. Hela's Nightsword Thorns replicate similar power to that of Hawkeye's arrows. She can counter Hawkeye using similar poke mechanics, dishing out headshots one after another due to her fast rate of fire. Furthermore, she can also throw the Nightshade Thorns in burst mode and make them explode. Use this mechanic to flush Hawkeye out of cover, and follow up with your primary attack to eliminate him.

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Marvel Rivals' Hawkeye can dish out a ton of damage against his foes. Being a sharpshooter, there will always be a looming threat over your head if you try to fight him headfirst. Instead, employing the use of cover-to-cover mechanics will allow you to stay safe and avoid being hit from his powerful arrows.

Furthermore, you can resort to flanking the hero and using teamplay dynamics to eliminate him. Trying to isolate him away from his fellow heroes is a sure shot way to secure an elimination against him. However, we do not urge players to head into 1v1 duel against him, as a single charged headshot can get you eliminated. Communicate with your team, form proper strategies, and take him down together.

For more related news and hero guides, check these links below:

• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Adam Warlock
• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Black Panther
• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Black Widow
• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Captain America
• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Cloak & Dagger
• Marvel Rivals: 5 best heroes to team-up with Doctor Strange