Marvel Rivals’ Blade Could Be Its Answer to Overwatch 2’s Ana

The Marvel Rivals rumor mill about Blade allegedly becoming playable is getting stronger. With the release of Season 3 just mere weeks away, many leaks are pointing to Blade and Phoenix as the two new characters coming to Marvel Rivals. In particular, there’s been a lot of anticipation for Blade because he’s been teased since the game’s first season, and he also appeared as a sleeping NPC in the second season.

There’s been a lot of speculation about Blade’s possible abilities, with many fans taking into consideration the fact that he’s half vampire, which could bring about some interesting combat. Well, it’s possible that they’re not far off because a recent Marvel Rivals leak revealed Blade’s rumored kit, which includes an anti-healing effect similar to that of Ana’s skill in Overwatch 2.

If Marvel Rivals’ Season 3’s Big Leak Proves True, Players Have to Start Paying Closer Attention to One Feature

Marvel Rivals’ third season is only a couple of weeks away, and recent updates to the game may be hinting at who the next playable characters will be.

Blade’s Rumored Anti-Healing Skill Could Be a Game-Changer in Marvel Rivals

According to a leak reported by RivalsInfo, Blade can allegedly switch between a sword and a hunting shotgun that fires explosive shrapnel. His Shift Ability is said to be called Step and Chop, which has two different effects on opponents depending on the active weapon. If Blade is holding his gun, he can allegedly shoot enemies and apply an effect that reduces healing. It’s similar to Ana’s Biotic Grenade in Overwatch 2, which increases healing on allies and also prevents enemies from healing for a short period of time. Likewise, if Blade is wielding his sword, he can slash at enemies and reduce their movement speed.

Step and Chop (Shift Ability): Reduces enemy’s healing and movement speed, depending on Blade’s active weapon.

If the information is reliable, then Blade’s anti-healing ability might change up Marvel Rivals‘ meta in a big way. A standard Marvel Rivals team usually has at least one Strategist, who is in charge of healing their allies while also chipping away at enemies’ HP. With Blade’s anti-heal effect, players might need to rethink their strategies and deploy more Vanguards to protect their teammates. This is especially useful because many Vanguards’ shields can block out nearly all negative effects, which can be beneficial if Blade shoots while using his Step and Chop ability.

How Overwatch 2 Could Guide Marvel Rivals Players in Countering Blade

In Overwatch 2, many of the heroes that can counter Ana’s Biotic Grenade have abilities that nullify her anti-healing. For example, Kiriko’s Protection Suzu can cancel the effects of Biotic Grenade, and also wake allies who have been hit by Ana’s Sleep Dart. Overwatch 2‘s dive heroes like Genji and Sombra are also helpful, since Ana lacks mobility, and can be eliminated if enough enemies jump on her.

While Vanguards could aid in countering Blade, Marvel Rivals Duelists with aggressive dive abilities, like Wolverine, Iron Fist, and Spider-man, could also work in immobilizing the half-vampire if done at the right time. It’s still unknown if Blade has good mobility, but it’s possible that he has an aggressive offense because of his rumored E Ability, Blood Liberation, which lets him self-heal by inflicting damage. So, there’s definitely merit to using Duelists that could stop Blade in his tracks.

Blood Liberation (E Ability): Activates vampiric bloodline, turning all blood into Dracula’s blood to gain stronger senses and the ability to restore health by inflicting damage.

Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals players could still use Strategists against a Blade team composition, but healers might need to pay extra attention to which allies aren’t hit with the anti-healing effect to save on resources. This could also be the perfect time for Marvel Rivals to come out with a Strategist that can cleanse negative effects from allies, which is a logical move to make if it’s coming out with more heroes with similar abilities to Blade.