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In the fast-paced Marvel Rivals universe, where Duelists deal damage and Vanguards soak it for the team, the Strategists are the unsung heroes who really control the outcome. While these support heroes are easy to forget about, they bring a variety of benefits, including healing, buffs, and ultimates that can change the tide of the game in an instant.
Adam Warlock stands out as a brilliant character among this exclusive group. In Marvel Rivals, Warlock redefines the Strategist archetype with his Quantum Magic and soul-binding skills. His hybrid powerhouse status has been enhanced with recent buffs as he can now sustain teammates and punish opponents equally.
The Strategist has received a couple of changes with the release of Marvel Rivals Season 2, as NetEase nerfed his Soul Bound, but made his ultimate ability more effective. If you’re looking to play as Adam Warlock, here are some best tips and his abilities.
Adam Warlock abilities in Rivals
Some backstory on Adam Warlock. Image by VideoGamer.
Adam Warlock’s ability kit in Marvel Rivals. Image by VideoGamer.
Adam Warlock is a slow-moving three-star difficulty healer, and carries massive damage-dealing capabilities, thanks to his Cosmic Cluster in Marvel Rivals. When you use his healing abilities, he can heal an entire group of allies in one go and even revive them when they’re eliminated. All of his abilities are listed below:
Adam Warlock’s ability kit
| Abilities | Description |
|---|---|
| Quantum Magic | Launch quantum energy to deal damage. |
| Karmic Revival (Ult) | Awaken the karma of allies to revive them. Allies are revived at 30% of maximum health and enjoy a brief period of invincibility. |
| Soul Bond | Unite the souls of allies in a bond, granting them healing over time and distributing damage taken across the bond. |
| Avatar Life Stream | Target an ally for a bouncing stream of healing energy, which also heals himself upon casting; self-targets if no ally is selected. |
| Cosmic Cluster | Gather quantum energy into a cluster and then swiftly launch it at the enemy. |
| Regenerative Cocoon (Passive) | Once his body perishes, Adam can freely move as a soul and reforge his body at a chosen spot. |
| Soul Perseverance (Team-Up Ability) | Adam Warlock enhances the rebirth power of Star-Lord and Mantis, granting them the power of cocooned revival. |
How to use Adam Warlock in Marvel Rivals
Adam Warlock is a cosmic strategist in Marvel Rivals. With a kit that combines healing, damage, and the ability to save the squad, he can be a powerful force if played correctly. Since he isn’t particularly good at moving about, mastering his abilities will be a challenge. Quantum Magic is your starting weapon and it deals 60 damage every shot (120 damage on headshots after Season 1.5).
Forming a Soul Bond with allies before the match. Image by VideoGamer.
Quantum Magic attack deals light damage to enemies. Image by VideoGamer.
Using Cosmic Cluster attack to deal heavy damage to enemies. Image by VideoGamer.
Healing teammates in the heat of battle. Image by VideoGamer.
Reviving himself by transforming into a cocoon. Image by VideoGamer.
Using Ult to revive teammates. Image by VideoGamer.
To chip away at Vanguards or pressure Duelists, use it mercilessly from mid-range to poke enemies, aiming for heads. To do burst damage, charge Cosmic Cluster if you see a group of enemies or a predictable push as it can fire up to five projectiles. While hiding behind cover, hold down the charge, then peek and fire, using a combination of left and right clicks to weave in quantum charge. This covert DPS boost can quickly destroy opponents with 250 HP.
You can use Avatar Life Stream as a burst heal in team battles and when your team’s health drops below half, launch it and let it bounce between them. It recharges every six seconds, so you can store both charges for when it’s really needed. If you use it in combo with Soul Bond, which connects teammates to divide damage and restore 15 health per second, you can use it early on in battles against enemy ultimates like Iron Man’s Pulse Cannon to deal more damage and then use Life Stream to recover when the bond wears out.
You need to be prepared to cast Karmic Revival from a safe location (such as a wall or high ground) to prevent interruptions and have Life Stream available to replenish your team’s low revival health, as revived teammates will return at 30% of their maximum HP. This ultimate ability will transform the game in the middle of a fight after an opponent wipe.
To be safe, position yourself near Vanguards and to get good sightlines, snag high ground in order to avoid getting punished by flankers like Spider-Man if you overextend. Increase your chances of a clutch by teaming up with Mantis and Star-Lord for triple-rez mayhem. Before reviving, make sure you’re in a secure place as using Regenerative Cocoon carelessly could lead to you getting involved in a losing battle. Keep your team alive first, but don’t neglect offense and use Quantum Magic to poke when heals are cooldown. Count on your allies and use Warlock’s golden glow to your advantage.
If you’re looking for more such heroes you can play, check out our full meta tier list and the best team comps in Marvel Rivals.
About the Author
Marvel Rivals
- Platform(s): macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): Fighting, Shooter
