Best Ways to Play Thor in Marvel Rivals

Summary

• Thor Odinson is one of the mightiest Vanguard heroes in the Marvel Rivals roster, with lightning abilities dominating the battlefield.
• Players can use his Storm Surge, Lightning Realm, and Awakening Rune to play proper defense. 
• Thor struggles against mobile and long-range heroes like Star Lord, Iron Man, and Psylocke.

Nothing beats being the best in the league with the Mightiest Avenger, Thor Odinson, in Marvel Rivals. This Vanguard hero dominates with his iconic hammer Mjolnir and lightning abilities as the God of Thunder. Here are some tips and tricks when playing Marvel Rivals Thor.

How Does Thor’s Abilities and Thorforce Mechanic Works 

Marvel Rivals Thor uses the Thorforce mechanic to dominate the battlefield. Below your crosshair, you’ll notice three hammer icons that represent your Thorforce charges. He gains 100 bonus health per Thorforce used in the game. Also, it grants a maximum bonus health of 200. 

To play better as Thor, you’ll need to understand both his primary and ultimate abilities first such as:

• Mjolnir Bash (Left Click): Thor’s standard attack, dealing 45 damage with a 0.6s attack interval. During his Awakened state, this transforms into a ranged lightning arc attack.
• Hammer Throw (Right Click): Thor throws Mjolnir forward (dealing 70 damage) which then returns (dealing 30 damage). This ability costs 1 Thorforce.
• Storm Surge (LShift): Hold to spin Mjolnir before dashing forward. Uncharged, it takes you 10 meters, while fully charged covers 20 meters. It knocks back enemies and costs 1 Thorforce.
• Lightning Realm (E): Summons lightning in a 5m radius, restoring Thorforce based on how many enemies are hit. Enemies crossing the boundary take 40 damage and are slowed by 30%.
• Awakening Rune (F): Consumes all 3 Thorforce charges to enter an Awakened state, granting 200 bonus health and enhancing Mjolnir Bash with ranged lightning attacks for 5 seconds.
• God of Thunder (Ultimate): Thor soars upward and smites the ground after charging, dealing up to 220 damage to enemies within range.

How to Play Thor

Once you’ve understood how the mechanics work alongside his abilities, take your time planning for your strategies.

1. Initiate combat with Hammer Throw followed by Mjolnir Bash. This combo grants you 100 bonus health from using Thorforce while the immediate Mjolnir Bash helps recover your Thorforce charge.
2. You can use Hammer Throw’s return damage. Even if you miss your initial throw, position yourself so enemies get hit as Mjolnir returns to you.
3. Isolate your enemies with Storm Surge. A fully charged Storm Surge can separate enemies from their team. This works best on stunned targets.
4. Optimize your ultimate, God of Thunder. Your ultimate is powerful but vulnerable to interruption. Use it from elevated positions to make it harder for enemies to cancel it.

How to Play Defense With Thor 

As Vanguard, you cannot solely rely on his tankiness to survive the entire match. You will need to plan carefully your position, resource, and movements. 

1. Master the distances for Storm Surge. Practice both uncharged (10m) and fully charged (20m) Storm Surge movements to ensure effective escapes.
2. Use your Awakening Rune defensively. When overwhelmed, activate Awakening Rune for the 200 bonus health to survive until your team arrives.
3. Keep in mind to use the Lightning Realm. When surrounded by enemies, use Lightning Realm to instantly recover all three Thorforce charges, then activate Awakening Rune for a health boost.
4. You can use a combo to emergency escape. When in danger, use Hammer Throw, followed by Mjolnir Bash, then Storm Surge to dash away. This gives you 200 bonus health while creating distance.

How To Counter Thor’s Weaknesses

With Thor’s limited attack range, he struggles when matched up against highly mobile enemies and long-range fighters. You’ll find him in a difficult position when fighting Iron Man, Psylocke, and Star-Lord. Besides, he’s also in a troublesome situation against Venom due to his health and mobility.

Here’s how you can counter these weaknesses:

1. Stall until your team can back you up
2. Use Awakening Rune against predictable flying enemies to gain ranged attacks
3. Utilize cover effectively and time your engagements

The recent update increased Thor’s base health to 600 and his movement speed to 650. This allows him to adjust against his agile opponents during matches. 

Conclusion

Marvel Rivals Thor is just one of the Vanguard heroes that offers you an extensive combat experience. You should take advantage of his lightning abilities to strike down his opponents and avoid unprepared encounters against mobile heroes. Just focus on practicing to be victorious while playing Thor.