Like any other live service multiplayer game, Marvel Rivals is always changing things up with new updates and, most importantly, new characters. Two new heroes (or villains) are added to the roster every season, with a new set of powers in the mix to drastically alter the meta.
One of the most recent to be added is Cyclops, the iconic leader of the X-Men and husband to Jean Grey. His optic blasts, straight from the Punch Dimension, give him both offensive and defensive abilities that make Cyclops a particularly difficult foe in Marvel Rivals. To counter him, here are the best characters to choose and strategies to keep in mind.
Forcing Cyclops’ mobility
For a back-line character, Cyclops has a surprising amount of mobility. His optic blasts allow him to not only shoot backwards a considerable distance very fast, but also launch himself in the air. When facing off with Cyclops, or simply trying to remove him from the field after he’s taken down too many healers, the best strategy is to get very up close and personal.
Tip:Choose a dive character like Black Panther or Spider-Man to punish an enemy Cyclops.
Forcing Cyclops to use his mobility is half the battle, as after those abilities are used up, Cyclops is more or less a sitting duck. His running speed isn’t the fastest and most of his offensive blasts can’t do enough damage to save him in a fast-paced fight.
Since Cyclops is generally standing behind his allies, a dive character like Black Panther, Black Cat, or Spider-Man are best. Get in quick, force Cyclops to move, and then take him out.
Utilizing Tanks
The best scenario for a Cyclops in any match of Marvel Rivals are long, unbroken lines of sight and advantageous angles to ricochet his optic blasts off of. While his blasts are nothing to laugh at, they do take some time to fully finish characters off, which means he needs to sustain that line of sight for a while. To prevent this from happening, the best defense is exactly that–a strong defense.
Tip:Providing shields for teammates is the best way to defend against Cyclops’ optic blasts.
Avoiding the dreaded single tank team composition is the absolute best way to counter Cyclops. Having two tanks, especially one that can provide a shield for their teammates, is the solution. Since he thrives on being able to target more vulnerable, low-health characters, blocking those opportunities will force him closer to the front line, making him easier to take down.
Characters like Emma Frost, Dr. Strange, Devil Dinosaur, or Magneto can all provide shields with both their abilities or just their bodies (as tanks are meant to do) to styme any efforts of an enemy Cyclops.
With those characters in mind, being thoughtful about positioning and protecting strategists throughout the match are the best ways to win your matches of Marvel Rivals.
