Marvel Rivals The Punisher guide: Abilities, how to play, and more

Marvel Rivals The Punisher is a Duelist hero who is considered to be one of the best hit-scan characters in the game. Staying true to his lore, The Punisher brings a vast arsenal of weapons to the battlefield. He can take long-range fights with his Automatic Rifle while also excelling at close-quarters combat with his shotgun.

In this article, we will take a detailed look at The Punisher in Marvel Rivals. We will break down this hero's kit and discuss his playstyle so that you can utilize him to the fullest extent.

Editor's Note: This guide is updated until the January 12, 2025 patch of Marvel Rivals. We will update it whenever a new balance update for the character is released.

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Marvel Rivals The Punisher: All abilities

Marvel Rivals The Punisher is a Duelist character (Image via NetEase Games)

In Marvel Rivals, The Punisher is a hit-scan Duelist hero who relies on gunplay rather than supernatural abilities. In the current build of the game, he is an easy counter to aerial heroes like Iron Man or Scarlet Witch, and can often force these players to switch out.

The character synergizes well with other heroes from the Marvel Universe, such as Rocket Raccoon, and others. While the hero is undoubtedly strong on his own, pairing him up with other characters makes him quite an unstoppable force. That said, let's explore The Punisher's abilities:

Abilities	Effect
Adjudication (LMB)	Fire at enemies with Adjudication, his Automatic Rifle.
Deliverance (LMB)	Fire at enemies with Deliverance, his Shotgun.
Scourge Grenade (RMB)	Throw a Smoke Grenade to obscure enemy vision and leap backward.
Final Judgement (Q)	Unleash two gatling guns and missiles to attack enemies.
Vantage Connection (L-Shift)	Latch a hook to generate a cable that enables The Punisher to move rapidly by pressing F.
Culling Turret (E)	Deploy a Culling Turret that grounds The Punisher while dealing massive damage.
Warrior's Gaze (Passive)	Retain vision of enemies that disappear from view for a short duration.
Infinite Punishment (Passive)	Rocket Raccoon throws an Ammo Overload device in the target direction. Upon entering the device's range, The Punisher receives the buffs of Infinite Ammo and Faster Firing.

How to play as The Punisher in Marvel Rivals?

Mobility

Marvel Rivals The Punisher Vantage Connection ability (Image via NetEase Games)

The Punisher in Marvel Rivals has average mobility. He can traverse short distances with his Vantage Connection ability, but that is all he has working for him in terms of being mobile.

This ability allows The Punisher to take unusual angles and play with some amount of verticality, but he is easily outclassed by a lot of other heroes, like Spiderman, Scarlet Witch, Hela, and many others.

Additionally, his Culling Turret grounds him, which means it makes him stationary. This ability summons a giant turret that The Punisher himself has to control, and it can deal a massive amount of damage. The downside is that he cannot move while using it, which often makes him an easy target for other heroes.

Playstyle

Being a duelist, The Punisher in Marvel Rivals has an excellent damage output. Ideally, you should try to take long-range fights with your Automatic Rifle and target pesky flying units, like Iron Man, Storm, or Scarlet Witch. It is important that you strategically position yourself; taking the high ground is not always safe since your teammates won't be able to help you.

Marvel Rivals The Punisher Culling Turret ability (Image via NetEase Games)

If you spot an opportune moment, pop out your Culling Turret and shred opponents to allow your team to take control of the point. In case a tank like Venom or Hulk dives at you, swap to your shotgun and blast them to oblivion. If survival is still a problem, utilize your smoke grenade to block their vision and also jump backward.

This strategy is also advantageous because the smoke grenade will activate your passive, and you will be able to see your opponent's silhouette while they are blocked in smoke. You can easily shoot some bullets at them to secure a kill or force them back, saving yourself successfully.

Ultimate

The Punisher's ultimate has a lot of firepower, so much that you cannot possibly out-heal the damage. The Punisher wields two Gatling Guns and a missile launcher that hurls a flurry of ammo at your opponent to deal a devastating amount of damage. The missile launcher fires automatically, and it deals AoE damage in a small radius, with the maximum damage being at the point of contact.

This ability is arguably one of the most powerful ultimates offered in the game, and when executed right, it can easily earn Punisher an easy team wipe. You can also pair this ability with the damage-boosting abilities of Strategist class heroes for better results.

Best team-ups for The Punisher in Marvel Rivals

1) Winter Soldier (Duelist)

Winter Soldier is a great duo for Marvel Rivals The Punisher (Image via NetEase Games)

Rocket Raccoon, Winter Soldier, and The Punisher form the incredibly destructive team-up called Ammo Overload. The Punisher receives the Infinite Punishment ability out of this team-up.

When all three of these heroes are on the battlefield, Rocket Raccoon can throw an Ammo Overload device that can be used by The Punisher to receive infinite ammo and faster firing.

2) Captain America (Vanguard)

Captain America is a great duo for Marvel Rivals The Punisher (Image via NetEase Games)

The Punisher can dish out heavy damage in mere seconds. However, he is vulnerable to incoming damage owing to his low health which is where he needs the help of a Vanguard. Captain America is excellent for this role.

Captain America can block and deflect incoming damage with his Liberty Rush and Living Legend abilities. Moreover, his ultimate, Freedom Charge, not only blocks damage but also grants bonus health and movement boosts to his allies which is extremely advantageous for The Punisher when in combat.

Best Marvel Rivals The Punisher counters

1) Black Widow (Duelist)

Black Widow is a counter to Marvel Rivals The Punisher (Image via NetEase Games)

The Punisher is a long-range combatant which is a direct rival of Black Widow. However, Widow out-damages The Punisher in a 1v1 fight and is therefore a direct counter to him. Widow’s Red Room Rifle can potentially two show The Punisher making it extremely difficult for him to take the fight against Widow without help from his team.

2) Spider-Man (Duelist)

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

The Punisher is weak in close-range combat which is where Spider-Man shines. Spidey’s Get Over Here! and Amazing Combo are difficult for The Punisher to deal with single-handedly.

Moreover, The Punisher struggles to keep up with Spider-Man’s movement making it difficult for him to deal consistent damage against the web-slinger. Additionally, Spider-Man’s ultimate, Spectacular Spin, can easily stun The Punisher making him an easy target for Spidey.

Marvel Rivals The Punisher Lore

With the character's abilities out of the way, let's focus on his backstory to know him better:

"Caught in the crossfire of a mob hit that killed his family, Frank Castle clung to life through sheer force of will and his unquenchable thirst for vengeance. Unwilling to let more innocents suffer at the hands of criminals, Castle took the law into his own hands as the Punisher. Thanks to an experimental serum that vastly extended his lifespan, the Punisher's war has continued into the far-flung future. As a member of the New Marvel Knights, his impressive arsenal has become a vital part of Black Widow' crusade against Doom 2099."

That's all you need to know about The Punisher in Marvel Rivals. If you're interested, you can also check out our other Hero guides:

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh