Marvel Rivals Groot guide: Abilities, how to play, and more

Groot in Marvel Rivals is a Vanguard Class Hero. His primary task is to claim space and take control of it. He performs the role of a Tank Hero in this game. The abilities in his kit are quite straightforward, and we believe that makes him quite a beginner-friendly character in the game. The Hero's massive health pool and self-regeneration abilities also allow him to be quite a menace on the field.

This article will provide a detailed brief on how to make the best use of his abilities in-game.

Editor's Note: This guide is updated until the December 19 patch of Marvel Rivals. We will update it whenever a new balance update for the character is released.

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Marvel Rivals Groot: All abilities

Groot in Marvel Rivals is quite an easy Hero pick. As stated above, abilities are straightforward, and you can easily meet the requirements of your role by creatively combining them.

Here's a detailed look into all his abilities:

Abilities	Effect
Vine Strike (LMB)	Launch vines to attack enemies.
Spore Bomb (RMB)	Throw an explosive Spore Bomb that splits into multiple small explosive spores.
Flora Colossus (Passive)	Wooden walls near Groot will Awaken, activating an extra effect.
Ironwood Wall	Target a location and grow an Ironwood Wall. When Awakened, it grants Bonus Health to Groot when nearby enemies take damage.
Thornlash Wall	Target a location and grow a Thornlass Wall. When Awakened, it strikes nearby enemies attacked by Groot and his allies.
Friendly Shoulder (Team Up)	Rocket Raccoon can ride Groot's shoulder receiving damage reduction.
Strangling Prison (Ultimate)	Fire a massive vine cluster that pulls nearby enemies to its center and imprisons them.

Groot character overview (Image via NetEase Games)

Categorized as a one-star hero, Groot is quite a fun and easy-to-learn character in Marvel Rivals. His skill ceiling is quite low, but that doesn't make him a bad character, but one that is accessible to players of different calibers. All in all, we do believe that he is quite a powerful vanguard in the game, and when used right, he can easily ruin the enemy team's synergy and coordination.

Read more: Is Marvel Rivals free-to-play?

How to play as Groot in Marvel Rivals?

Mobility

Groot does not have a ton of mobility. You can use his Walls as a means to get high ground in certain areas of the map. However, he lacks mobility tools.

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Playstyle

Groot has a massive 900 HP health pool and if you want to play this Hero, you should be the player leading your team into battle. His primary and secondary attacks aren't too strong, however, if you can find the sweet spot of hitting combos with his other abilities, you will be an undefeatable force.

Marvel Rivals Groot Ironwood Wall ability (Image via NetEase Games)

Both of Groot's walls, i.e., the Ironwood Wall and the Thornlash Wall offer unique advantages to the character. They don't merely deny space, but also assist Groot in dealing damage and controlling a high-traffic space.

One of the easiest and best combos you can execute with this Hero is by boxing your enemies with both the Ironwood Wall and the Thornlash Wall. Both these abilities will aid you in killing the foes, and the former will also help you regain the HP that you'll be losing in such an encounter.

Ultimate

Groot's Ultimate, Strangling Prison, is a fantastic engagement tool to squeeze in all the enemies in the ability's effective radius together. Strangling Priison deals up to 200 HP damage and is paired with a combo of either your team's attacks or the aid of your Walls, you can easily wipe out squishy Duelists and Strategists at the flip of a button.

Check out: Marvel Rivals hero guide: Peni Parker all abilities, how to play, and more

Best team-ups for Groot in Marvel Rivals

1) Jeff the Land Shark and Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Racoon is a great duo for Marvel Rivals Groot (Image via NetEase Games)

Groot, Jeff the Land Shark, and Rocket Raccoon together form the team-up in Marvel Rivals called Planet X Pals. When this team-up is active, Jeff and Rocket have the ability to ride on Groot’s shoulders which grants them damage reduction.

Groot, being the Team-up anchor, receives +150 max health. It is important to note that this stat boost for Groot is active throughout the season whether Planet X Pals is active or not.

2) Iron Fist

Iron Fist is a great duo for Marvel Rivals Groot (Image via NetEase Games)

Iron Fist is one of the best Duelists in Marvel Rivals who can deal massive amounts of damage up close. However, in order to get close he needs the help of a Vanguard. Groot is best paired with Iron Fist as he can create a lot of space using his Thornlash and Ironwood walls.

Moreover, Groot’s ultimate, Strangling Prison, has the ability to imprison and pull enemies to one place, making them easy targets for Iron Fist.

Also read: 5 best heroes to duo with Groot in Marvel Rivals

Best Marvel Rivals Spider-Man Groot counters

1) Iron Man

Iron Man is a counter to Marvel Rivals Groot (Image via NetEase Games)

Groot struggles against airborne characters like Iron Man. His Thornlash and Ironwood walls are pretty much useless against Iron Man who can fly over them using Hyper Velocity and attack from above.

Additionally, Iron Man’s Armor Overdrive state and his ultimate, Invincible Pulse Cannon can deal massive amounts of damage in seconds, which is difficult for Groot to shield or absorb.

2) Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a counter to Marvel Rivals Groot (Image via NetEase Games)

Spider-Man is particularly powerful against Groot owing to his advanced movement mechanics and fast-paced playstyle. Groot has a slow movement speed and is an easy target for Spider-Man who can easily get up close, deal damage, and swing away.

Moreover, Spider-Man’s Web Swing, Get Over Here!, and Thwip and Flip allow him to dodge Groot's vines effectively, making it problematic for Groot to find value. Furthermore, Spidey’s ultimate, Spectacular Spin is very easy to land on Groot which stuns him and makes it easy for Spidey and his team to take him down.

Read more: 5 best heroes to counter Groot in Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals Groot Lore

The fan-favorite character from Guardians of the Galaxy also has quite a rich lore behind him. Here's a glimpse into the story behind Groot in Marvel Rivals:

"He is Groot, a flora colossus from the branch world of Planet X capable of manipulating plant matter and regrowing his damaged body from a single splinter. The hero at the heart of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Groot may not have many words to say, but his actions always speak for themselves. Groot accompanied Star-Lord and Rocket on a scouting mission to Klyntar, where they became stranded after their ship was shot down. Klyntar's dark king, Knull, now seeks to corrupt Groot's regenerative powers in an effort to cultivate the ultimate symbiote."

That's all there is to know about Groot in Marvel Rivals.

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