Storm has rapidly ascended to become the powerhouse character of Marvel Rivals’ first season. Thanks to a recent series of enhancements, she has gone from being one of the game’s less impressive damage dealers to a formidable force in every level of the ranked mode for the hero shooter.
Based on data gathered by RivalsMeta, a stats tracking site that uses the game’s comprehensive API, Storm now boasts the highest win rate among all 35 heroes. Sitting at roughly 57%, she has come a long way from her previous standing at 51% last season. Back then, she was often overlooked in favor of heavy hitters like Hela, Hawkeye, and Psylocke. The game-changing difference? A modest boost to her damage and survivability, particularly during her hurricane ultimate, has made all the difference.
What makes Storm so effective isn’t just her ability to dominate the skies without touching down; it’s her knack for enhancing her team’s overall damage output. Essentially, she’s a support character in disguise, turning any squad into a deadly force. Given the popularity of support heroes with bonus damage capabilities—like Mantis—when paired together, these teams become nearly unbeatable.
In matches involving top-tier players, Storm’s presence significantly boosts the performance of heroes like Magik and Wolverine. Both of these characters thrive on getting up close and personal in combat, and the additional damage allows them to engage more safely—much to the dismay of support players everywhere. Even heroes such as Black Widow, who once struggled to secure kills, are now slowly climbing the ranks, thanks to this shift.
This illustrates how a few well-placed buffs can drastically reshape the game’s meta, even if they seem minor at first glance. While no one’s clamoring for Storm to be nerfed just yet, I anticipate those calls will come as more players realize the advantage of a high-flying hero with team-wide perks. Game director Guangyun Chen recently shared with Metro that they aim to give players freedom in choosing their heroes, without restricting roles on a team. If this means they’re holding off on further adjustments this season, now might be the perfect time to master this wind-controlling powerhouse.