MVCI Tier List: Meta Characters Ranked [2023]

Given the number of people playing the Marvel vs. Capcom franchise online and offline, numerous concerns exist regarding properly organizing the game’s characters. We know this might confuse newer players, so we created an extensive MVCI tier list that ranks every current meta character. 

And will do our best to provide justification for our choices as we go. When determining a hero’s tier, their abilities’ power, and flexibility are considered. Various other aspects will be considered, and the article will also offer a general summary of the best to worst characters. We provide the list in the hopes that it may assist you in narrowing down your choices. It may seem like a lot of effort, but trust me when I say it’ll be worth it. Let’s dive in.

---

Key Points

• There are a total of 22 characters in this tier list.
• We have ranked them according to their abilities, powers, and flexibility.
• Among the highest-ranking characters, there are Dante, Ryu, and Chun-Li.
• The lowest-ranked ones include the likes of Black Panther and Arthur.

---

Here we will quickly rank all the current meta characters in the game.

S Tier	A Tier	B Tier	C Tier	D Tier
Dante	Spencer	Firebrand	Thanos	Black Panther
Ryu	Nova	Sigma	Morrigan	Arthur
Chun-Li	Spider-Man	Ghost Rider	Chris
	Doctor Strange	Strider Hiryu	Hulk
		Thor	Haggar
			Frank West
			Hawkeye
			Rocket Raccoon

S Tier

This highest tier is reserved for characters that excel in every possible way. Therefore, only the absolute best make it here. With so many options, these heroes can easily defeat any opponent. Characters of this rank usually enter combat with a heavy arsenal and rapidly establish themselves as the decisive force. According to the game’s current meta, they are the most powerful and synergistic.  

Recently Published: Ultra League Tier List

Dante

Dante is a formidable opponent with more command coordinates and special attacks than any other fighter in the series. He has above-average health and damage output for the time being. Still, his move set provides him with a potent rush-down game with many combos, cross-ups, mixups, and pressures, making him a character who thrives well in almost any field as a beefed-up Jack-of-all-Trades character.

His specials let him stretch his combos substantially even when not using his hyper combos, making him a potent battery fighter (or on-point altogether). The range of his normals is impressive, and the crouching L is a devastating low poke.

In the hands of experts or a novice, Dante may not always need to depend on his full move-set, even though his attacks only inflict average damage, and he can be just as effective with a few of his tools. Players should be wary of his high damage scaling and the low conversion rate of its throws. As a result, he will be placed in the S tier of the MVCI stone Tier List.

Classification	Devil Hunter
Special Attack	Multi-Lock

Ryu

Capable of dodging gunshots like they’re nothing demonstrates incredible agility. Some passable acrobatic abilities complement his martial arts training. Sometimes uses his qi/ki/chi to unleash devastating attacks, like the added height gained in Shouryuuken or the dizzying spin achieved in Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku. Hadouken, an energy projectile, is the most well-known form of assault.

Ryu is the definitive Jack among All Stats character, designed for novices and professionals, thanks to his intuitive arsenal of punches, kicks, and simple, special moves in fighting games. Due to his ease of use, most new players feel comfortable picking him as their first traditional fighter in previous games.

Ryu’s mobility and health are often pretty mediocre. Yet, he has had several improvements in recent releases and later games that have made him more powerful and less overshadowed over time.

Classification	Martial Artist
Special Attack	Hadouken

Chun-Li

Players adore her for her quickness and agility on the field. Interestingly, several other female characters in early arcade fighting games followed Chun-lead Li and played similarly fast. Prior versions (Street Fighter 2 in particular) used her primarily as a charge character alongside Guile and E. Honda; later games.

However, it gave her a much more technical feel while granting the player access to her distinctive “speed.” Her regular attacks have been tweaked in games like Street Fighter IV & III: Third Strike. Her primary attack tools have often needed restudying in each game she appears in.

In addition to using a wide range of command normals, her metagame & combo system were often subtly modified from one appearance to the next, even if several of her staple techniques made frequent appearances. Consequently, she will be placed in the S tier.

Classification	Martial Artist
Special Attack	Kikoken

A Tier

Once the best characters in the S-Tier have been identified, we’ll move on to the A-Tier. Characters of this tier are adaptable and can collaborate well with other characters of both lower and higher tiers. As these heroes make up the bulk of the current meta, you should expect to see many players who are well-versed in using their tools. Characters in A tier are exceptional in general areas but lack in one or two aspects. These characters may be deficient in certain ways, but their strengths make up for it and allow them to hold their own against anyone else.

You Might Like: Last Cloudia Ark Tier List

Spencer

Spencer’s biggest ability is to attract his opponent to himself and vice versa. Because he can stretch many combinations, his wire grapple is a vital strategy for winning the match against him.

His health is respectable, though not on par with Hulk or Thor. When linked together, his blanket assaults can cause significant damage. His modest pace and lacklustre assists make him a good support player.

Classification	Bionic Human
Special Attack	Wire Grapple

Nova

While his primary allegiance is to the Guardians of the Galaxy, he also has ties to the New Warriors, Defenders, and Secret Avengers of the Heroic Age, in addition to being the current Nova Prime and commander of the Nova Corps.

The capability to surrender red health to raise the damage of particular attacks sets Nova apart from other rush-down characters. Nova’s fastest air dash sets him apart as a powerful character for aerial combos and strategic manoeuvres.

Classification	Nova Prime
Special Attack	Gravimetric Pulse

Spider-Man

It’s no secret that Spider-Man can move quickly. His crouching position in combat improves upon his already low combat stance, making it easier for him to avoid harm.

Because of this, he may string together many movements to make his assaults last long. Although the allocation in MVC2 help, his combos still tend to have a high execution time. Spider-Man may also wall-cling before launching into a vertical or inverted triangle jump. Even though it only works in one direction, he can air dash. Therefore, he will be placed in the A tier.

Classification	Mutated Human
Special Attack	Spider Sting

Doctor Strange

Although Doctor Strange is a clumsy and lumbering character, he makes up for his shortcomings with many abilities. He has magical abilities of various kinds, knowledge of supernatural phenomena, and even the skills of a medical practitioner. He is also in possession of the Vishanti Book, a compendium of the most potent and mysterious spells in existence. 

He possesses several tracking teleports and can terminate his wave dash under normal circumstances. Doctor Strange’s Hyper attacks have excellent range, but his major strength is his ability to effectively switch between different zoning strategies.

Classification	Sorcerer
Special Attack	Flames of the Faltine

B Tier

We place average characters in the B tier of the MVCI tier list. These characters are competent overall but lack any particular strengths in the game. Compared to the aforementioned characters, these individuals often make far less of an impact. They are ordinary, but they have a lot of promise in the right setting. Do not feel ashamed about considering these characters as alternatives or a last resort.

Firebrand

Firebrand can control fire, fly with its wings, and transform into White Form (called Stone Form) for enhanced strength and speed in combat. Firebrand’s claws and teeth are razor-sharp. He is an agile character whose assaults propel him ahead at a rapid pace. He is also a real monster in the air using his Hell Spitfire and his ability to extend combos.

Assists also work nicely with him. Firebrand’s augmenting Hyper permits him to gain meters while active, enabling him to make great use of his Hyper Combos, and he is one of the few of the game’s characters to have this ability.

Classification	Red Arremer
Special Attack	Hell Spitfire

Sigma

Sigma combines his extraordinary quickness and teleportation with deadly sword combos, and he appears to like sabers and beam swords. He erects protective energy barriers around himself whenever he comes under attack.

Sigma effectively uses his energy sword, commanding the fight by generating persistent space rifts that restrict his opponent’s motion range. He does have the command hold and reverses teleportation at his disposal to counteract teams that are too eager to capitalize on his slower yet threatening attacks.

Classification	Maverick
Special Attack	Arc Divide

Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider is unafraid to remain stationary and rely on the destructive force of his chain to harm his foes. His combinations that begin in the center of the screen do more damage than his close-ranged combos. His standard and special attacks have limited range.

Therefore he requires allies who can extend their reach to pose a threat from any distance. Ghost Rider can only traverse the stage using his hyper armor and the Spirit of Vengeance hyper, which enables him to drive for a limited duration. His whip-like attacks have been compared to those of Omega Red, another character that uses a whip-like weapon to deliver surprise attacks on his opponents. As a result, he will be placed in the B tier.

Classification	Demon-Bound Human
Special Attack	Hellfire

Strider Hiryu

Strider Hiryu is a top contender for the title’s quickest, deadliest, and most adaptable character. He has a wide variety of projectiles at his disposal and can fire them at high rates. Still, their durability is minimal, making them vulnerable to zoning strikes from other characters. Though he lacks mixup (because of no grounded overheads), he makes up for it with powerful and fantastic pressure with his projectiles and mind tricks with his teleports, making him a pretty efficient cross-up Rushdown character thanks to his mobility and melee attacks.

His abilities are vast and formidable and he is a master at fighting with and without weapons. Also, he is a master of the plasma energy tonfa sword Cypher. Tank armor is no match for the Cypher’s cutting power. He had incredible quickness, almost as if he could replicate himself.

Classification	Human
Special Attack	Gram

Thor

Thor can dodge bullets using his hammer since he has superhuman strength, agility, and reflexes. In terms of strength, Thor is unrivaled. Although he is slow on the ground, he makes up for it with devastating air combinations and excellent mobility in the air.

Powerful and based in the air, he has the second-highest Stamina in the game behind Nemesis and incredible strength on par with the Hulk. To further annoy their opponents and extend their humiliation at the end of a game, some players mimic his infamously lengthy “Taunt of the Mighty” after the game. Consequently, he will be placed in the B tier of the MVCI stone Tier List.

Classification	Asgardian
Special Attack	Mighty Spark

C Tier

These characters are average in speed and strength, but their complex move inputs and combo possibilities make up for it. While it’s true that the lower levels have a less subtle design, the same can be said about the middle tiers, which may have been rebalanced in subsequent games. There is minimal benefit to using these symbols.

We advise going with a higher tier on your initial pick unless doing so will be detrimental to the makeup of your composition. These characters aren’t remarkable, but they could be useful under the right conditions. At this level, it’s all a matter of taste.

Thanos

In addition to being able to deflect psychic assaults, he can also release bursts of cosmic energy through both eyes and hands. Thanos was the game’s final boss and most potent character. To make him more controllable, many of his attacks were either nerfed or downgraded in Capcom 2 vs. Marvel: New Age of Heroes. Moreover, Thanos isn’t all that powerful in Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

Since then, he hasn’t had anything that could change the game in his favor. In addition, he is unable to do aerial throws. Thanos isn’t all bad, either. He has a sequence of combo magic moves that allow him to land all six hits while jumping or super jumping. Even his mild crouching punch is a “mini-launcher” due to his arsenal of three distinct launchers.

Thanos’s move-set was drastically altered in Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite due to his lack of the Infinite Gems. While most of his fundamental attacks and lone special move, Titan Crush/Titan Charge remained the same, he picked up some new specials, hyper combos, and original moves.

Classification	Cosmic Warlord
Special Attack	Titan Crush

Morrigan

Most of Morrigan’s moves are based on those used by Ryu and Ken in Street Fighter. The button push arrangement (LP, LP, F, LK, HP), now frequently linked with the Shun Goku Satsu, was initially used in Morrigan’s Darkness Illusion. Morrigan develops a new, unique combat technique in Marvel versus Capcom 3. She can outrun Ryu and Ken and has more aerial options than either.

The fact that she has used the same sprite set from the original Darkstalkers game to Capcom vs. SNK 2 (2001) is a source of much fan humor and criticism (1994). In the Capcom vs. SNK games, her sprites stand out because they get a black border around them. Morrigan, of course, has a brand-new 3D character model in Marvel than by Capcom 3.

Classification	Demon
Special Attack	Soul Fist

Chris

Chris has a diverse arsenal that includes, but is not limited to, Magnums, Flamethrowers, Handguns, and Missile Launchers, making him a powerful and adaptable keep-away player. Although he lacks range in close combat, his strength makes up for it. Moreover, he may need special cancel a large number of his attacks. He is a reliable keep-away character because of his extensive collection of weaponry and explosives. His trusty sub-machine pistol allows him to maintain a safe distance from the enemy while the gun stuns them and deals damage, making them easy targets for combos. In particular, you may quickly launch into the Grenade Launcher Super Combo from his sub-machine gun strike.

His mines and incendiary grenades are valuable as traps for ambushing arrogant rush-down characters. Chris’s deficiency of anti-air attacks is a significant flaw in his character. Those who specialize in aerial attacks can easily break through their defenses. Hence supporting characters with anti-air assistance are essential.

Classification	Human
Special Attack	Gunfire

Hulk

The Hulk matches the “Mighty Glacier” archetype because of his gigantic size, excellent health, and powerful attacks, but he is also relatively slow. His huge armor can negate single-hitting moves, and his move set is neither grapple- nor command-throw-heavy. He is a powerful punisher because of his massive ranged attacks, ruthless methods, and astonishing speed (Gamma Charge). In contrast, most of his attacks create massive hit stun and knockback, allowing for surprising combos. Even though the Hulk shouldn’t be hit often in the air, combination-oriented quick hitters may put him into hit stun more often.

Despite this, he is on par with the rest of the cast regarding Hyper Combos and attacks, and his Gamma Crush is among the most destructive in the series. As a consequence of everything, the Hulk is a frighteningly formidable individual.  For fear of retaliating against or punishment, most players will refrain from striking him.

Classification	Mutated Human
Special Attack	Gamma Wave

Haggar

Because he is not as speedy as the rush-down characters, Haggar is also a touch bruiser like the Hulk. His throws, on the other hand, are excellent for punishing and waking up in addition to dealing damage. So, it’s reasonable to think he’s more focused on combos. Despite that drawback, Haggar’s Double Lariat, which existed long before Zangief’s notoriety, is one of the best assists in the game, much the same as Maki’s Reppuukyaku (Gale Calf) from Capcom vs. SNK 2, in that it deals damage to Haggar himself as his Megacrash, much like the initial Final Fight series.

He needs to be wary of employing his crouching H/C, a drop kick that appears to count as an unteachable knockdown on Haggar himself. Haggar has a ground bounce on his standing H/C, and his other jumping normals (save for his j.S) continue to work until he lands.

Classification	Human
Special Attack	Violent Axe

Frank West

Frank is a melee character with additional tools, allowing him to rush down and play footsies. He can move quickly on the ground, perform a wide range of combos at close range, and use his Zombie-related abilities to control space or lengthen combos. He has above-average health, but he can’t fly and doesn’t have any projectiles that can cover more than half the screen.

Frank may lack any supernatural talents, but it doesn’t make him helpless. Frank possesses many talents, including turning various household items into weapons. Due to reporting wars, reporters get combat experience and guns skill. While passing through several no-go zones, I picked up various martial arts and fighting techniques.

Classification	Human
Special Attack	Giant Swing

Hawkeye

Hawkeye’s barrage of shots can fend off even the most powerful rush-down attacks. He is one of the finest zoners since he has many options, including slanted shoots, regular projectile attacks, and a tracking arrow hyper. His arrows are lightning-fast, yet they also have otherworldly characteristics.

His arrows have unique level effects, such as heavy hit stun or poison, setting him apart from other characters. His close combat features are also quite reliable. He’s dangerous from afar, yet he can combine with most of them up close. Therefore, he will be placed in the C tier of the MVCI Tier List 2022.

Classification	Human
Special Attack	Quick Shot

Rocket Raccoon

Zones are an integral part of Rocket’s gameplay. His opponents will have to be very cautious when navigating his traps. The Spitfire is not just a sluggish missile but also a barrier that may be used to impede the enemy’s progress. He also employs the Log Trap to keep his foe at bay.

If his opponent makes a mistake, Rocket Raccoon is fast to pounce and deal out punishment. He’s particularly effective against fast, bulky opponents (such as Nemesis, Sentinel, and Hulk). Rocket’s standard strikes are exceedingly rapid, allowing him to hold off by himself if his foes approach too close, although he is designed more to irritate than to kill.

Classification	Raccoon
Special Attack	Spitfire

D Tier

Characters of D tier are vastly outclassed by everyone else and have no chance against a strong player. Some of its characters may still be effective in certain situations, but they aren’t as strong as the ones placed higher above. Even as the experienced hero player, you will be severely disadvantaged if you choose to use any of these characters.

Black Panther

The Black Panther is an expert in close-quarters combat, winning with swift claw slashes. T’Challa can cling to and leap across walls at lightning speed, giving him a way to avoid danger while simultaneously positioning himself to attack from several different directions.

As one of Black Panther’s primary means of transportation, which might allow him to abort his one-of-a-kind air dash-like Walls Cling or the airborne variant of the special relocation Predator Arts. Panther may cancel into Wall Cling from Wild Arc at a considerably higher pace, allowing him to use combo extensions and avoid strikes. Hence, he will be placed in the D tier.

Classification	Enhanced Human
Special Attack	Praying Attacks

Arthur

Arthur possesses a tremendous arsenal of projectiles, and all of the animations for him are on those from Ghosts and Goblins, which has no link between the number of movements he makes and the distance he moves. Moreover, he lacks rapid or flashy movements. He always seems to do this in the same way when he leaps, gaining speed gradually before landing. Arthur’s ability to double jump is notable, as it allows him to reach higher heights than the bulk of characters with the same ability.

While his mobility makes it difficult to employ a comparative offensive approach, it enables excellent projectile-based fighting skills by providing ample opportunities to fire numerous attacks during the down and up phases of a jump and by allowing him to quickly catch opponents in midair if they attempt to close the gap.

Classification	Human
Special Attack	Dragger Toss

Comparison Table

Character	Rank	Classification	Special Attack
Dante	S	Devil Hunter	Multi-Lock
Ryu	S	Martial Artist	Hadouken
Chun-Li	S	Martial Artist	Kikoken
Spencer	A	Bionic Human	Wire Grapple
Nova	A	Nova Prime	Gravimetric Pulse
Spider-Man	A	Mutated Human	Spider Sting
Doctor Strange	A	Sorcerer	Flames of the Faltine
Firebrand	B	Red Arremer	Hell Spitfire
Sigma	B	Maverick	Arc Divide
Ghost Rider	B	Demon-Bound Human	Hellfire
Strider Hiryu	B	Human	Gram
Thor	B	Asgardian	Mighty Spark
Thanos	C	Cosmic Warlord	Titan Crush
Morrigan	C	Demon	Soul Fist
Chris	C	Human	Gunfire
Hulk	C	Mutated Human	Gamma Wave
Haggar	C	Human	Violent Axe
Frank West	C	Human	Giant Swing
Hawkeye	C	Human	Quick Shot
Rocket Raccoon	C	Raccoon	Spitfire
Black Panther	D	Enhanced Human	Praying Attacks
Arthur	D	Human	Dragger Toss

Verdict

That concludes our MVCI ranking, in which we attempted to do each character justice. We tried to compile a set that mirrored the current meta while accounting for our preferred play styles and I believe that the majority of our audience would agree with our selections. 

The ranking, however, may not reflect your personal tastes, because what I find enjoyable may not be the same thing you find enjoyable, and that’s OK. Please note that we believe the list is only useful for as much as the present meta remains in place. We’ll revise this page to reflect the updated standings when a new version comes out.

Coming Up Next: Dynasty Warriors Overlord Tier List