These three are strong picks but didn't make the final four in this creator's ranking — treat them as flexible backups rather than must-picks.
## Hela is still the top pick in the marvel rivals duelist tier list  Hela returns from the Season 9 list and keeps her spot at the top. Her Namor team-up (Deep Wrath) took a damage nerf to its Undead Monstro projectiles, but it's still the stronger of her two team-ups for pure damage output; the Venom team-up survives as a solid survivability alternative. Combined with a change letting her barrage attack fire in all directions, Hela remains one of the best dps marvel rivals has for picking off backline targets. Elsa fits close-range, long-range poke, dive, anti-dive, and hitscan comps alike — her flexibility is part of why she stays S-tier even after the trap nerf.
## Black Cat remains the best duelist to climb with in lower ranks  Black Cat didn't receive a single change in the Season 9.5 patch notes, and she's arguably one of the most oppressive duelists in the game right now. Her kit answers almost every threat, and her Fortune-based Claw Strike deals percentage damage — meaning she can shred tanks, including the new hero The Hood, in a straight 1v1. This is a subjective read on how oppressive Black Cat feels in ranked, not an official balance rating — treat "best duelist to climb" as this creator's opinion based on current lobbies.
## Wolverine: the tank-buster pick for the marvel rivals dps guide  Wolverine rounds out the list thanks to a buff to his passive, which now builds up faster and holds for slightly longer when he's inactive. Combined with a meta that's likely to see more double-tank comps for a while, Wolverine's tank-busting kit and kidnap tool make him one of the best dps marvel rivals has for shutting down enemy front lines. The creator flags Magneto as one of the few tanks with enough buffs to resist an easy Wolverine kidnap — most others in the current tank pool can still be grabbed and isolated.
## How this guide was fact-checked Hero existence and Duelist role classification for Hela, Elsa Bloodstone, Black Cat, Wolverine, Phoenix, Black Widow, and Magik were confirmed against the Marvel Rivals Fandom wiki. Elsa Bloodstone's trap ability and Deadpool team-up, and Black Cat's Fortune-based percentage-damage Claw Strike ability, were also confirmed against wiki hero pages. The Hela/Namor team-up nerf was cross-checked against third-party Season 9.5 patch note summaries, which specify the nerf targets Undead Monstro projectile damage (reduced from 15 to 10) — the video's more casual "squids dealing slightly less damage" description refers to the same change. Frame-level claims (hero portraits, on-screen ability icons, UI text) were verified directly against the normalized video frames used in this guide. The "best duelist" and "S-tier" rankings themselves are this creator's opinion based on the current Season 9.5 meta and are not an official Marvel Rivals balance designation — other creators and the in-game community may rank these heroes differently. --- ## FAQ ### Who are the best duelist marvel rivals players should pick in Season 9.5? According to this Season 9.5 breakdown, the top four are Hela, Elsa Bloodstone, Black Cat, and Wolverine, with Phoenix, Black Widow, and Magik as honorable mentions. ### Is Hela still the best dps marvel rivals has after the Season 9.5 patch? Yes. Even though her Namor team-up took a nerf to Undead Monstro's projectile damage, Hela remains one of the strongest duelists thanks to her all-direction barrage attack and strong off-angle poke damage. ### Why is Black Cat considered the best duelist to climb with in ranked? Black Cat received no nerfs in the Season 9.5 patch and her Fortune-based percentage damage lets her threaten tanks and squishies alike. She is especially strong in lower and mid ELO games where teams struggle to coordinate an answer to her dive. ### What team-up should I use on Wolverine in this marvel rivals dps guide? The video's creator recommends the Gambit team-up over the Cyclops blade team-up, since Gambit's bonus damage and movement speed buff work better with an aggressive, dive-focused Wolverine playstyle. ### Is this marvel rivals duelist tier list an official balance ranking? No. This is one content creator's opinion on the current Season 9.5 meta based on hands-on testing, not an official Marvel Rivals tier list. Hero roles and abilities referenced were cross-checked against the Marvel Rivals wiki, but tier placements reflect the creator's own read of the meta.