Summary
In the mid-Season 1 update ofMarvel Rivals, players were introduced to the Thing, also known as Ben Grimm, as a vanguard character. This blue-eyed rock golem is a cherished member of The Fantastic Four and possesses impressive strength and abilities that allow him to hold his own. However, since Marvel Rivals is a hero shooter, it’s best to team up with a partner.
Across the Marvel Rivals roster, some characters have abilities and gameplay styles that mesh with the Thing, whether they are a strategist, fellow vanguard, or a duelist. They can keep his combat going strong by enhancing him or providing him with extra health, but Ben can help them as well with his abilities, such as shielding or providing a distraction.
7Storm
She Can Help Ben Get Back To The Fight Faster
Aside from his Yancy Street Charge, the Thing’s rocky anatomy makes him one of the slowest characters inMarvel Rivals. Fortunately for him, he can get a boost fromStormwhen she is in the Tornado mode of her Weather Control ability, granting her allies extra movement. She can use this to help Ben get to the frontlines much faster.
Storm can also swap to her Thunder mode to increase the damage output of her allies, which is also helpful for a powerful character like Ben. It’s not just one-sided, however, as Ben can help her out too.Being a flying charactermeans that Storm can be exposed and vulnerable, but thanks to the Thing’s Embattled Leap, he can provide damage reduction for a few seconds.
6Rocket Raccoon
The Deadliest Furball Is Also The Most Helpful
Although the Thing boasts one of the highest health pools inMarvel Rivals, he is not indestructible andrequires a skilled strategistto keep him alive. This is whereRocket Raccoonproves invaluable; his healing orbs and resurrecting relay are essential when Ben is surrounded by enemies and in need of constant healing.
Rocket is also one of the fastest strategists in the game thanks to his jetpack, allowing him to keep up with Ben as he charges into battle. Additionally, Rocket can heal and provide extra damage not only with his own attacks, but also with his ultimate ability, which can duff Ben’s already powerful attacks.
5Spider-Man
Fast Attacks Make Up For Thing’s Slow Pace
The Thing has devastating damage but with one major detriment: his attacks are slow. For the most part, it’s a nice balance, but having a faster duelist like Spider-Man at his side can help. Ben can diminish most of an enemy’s health bar, but many are fast enough to run away from Ben, which can be when Spider-Man swings in to finish them off.
The different webbing abilities of Spider-Man can also be the ideal start for a fight, pulling an enemy to Spider-Man for some damage while Ben finishes it off with one of his Stone Haymakers. Similar to Storm, Spider-Man doesn’t have much health, so Ben’s Embattled Leap ability will help Peter out too, especially during his ultimate attack.
4Hulk
Can’t Go Wrong With Two Super Brutes
The Thing has a rivalry with theHulkin the comics, being the two giant monsters that they are, especially withHulk being a raging beast. However, when they work together, most villains do not stand a chance and that continues to be the case inMarvel Rivals. Since most matches are better off with two vanguards on a team.
On top of both Hulk and Ben being massive vanguards who can deplete a health bar in seconds, they have abilities that can work well off each other. Hulk can stun an enemy with his Radioactive Lockdown, opening an enemy up for the Thing’s Stone Haymaker. Both characters can also shield themselves and their allies; if they activate both on each other, even the best Duelists will struggle against them.
3Wolverine
Ben Can Give Logan A Needed Lift
Similar to how Rocket and Jeff share the same team-up ability with Groot, Wolverine shares the same team-up ability with Hulk and The Thing. Ben can lift and throw Wolverine to enhance his leap, which makes them ideal for taking out aerial enemies such as the Human Torch or Iron Man.
As a nice bonus, Wolverine and Thing also have similar tough guys with hearts-of-gold attitudes, which leads to some funny banter between the two before and during matches. Similar to Spider-Man,Logan is a DPS characterand can also provide Ben with backup damage to help take down troublesome opponents.
2Human Torch
Bickering Brothers Make For Perfect Partners
The Thing and theHuman Torchteaming up is ideal because of their brotherly relationship, just likeinThe Fantastic Fourcomics. Most of the time, Ben and Johnny can’t stand each other with plenty of insults and other playful banter, but they still care for each other and when they work together, they always prove to be a dynamic duo.
InMarvel Rivals, they are total opposites in terms of gameplay, but they complement each other. Ben is a mountain of a man and when he charges into battle, he hogs all the attention of the other team, especially since he’s immovable. While the opposing teams are distracted, Johnny can fly high into the sky and rain fire down on the battlefield.
1Invisible Woman
Susan Richards Is Always There For Her Family
Invisible Woman provides the same perk she does for all other Fantastic Four members, an extra bit of shielding via a force field as a Team-Up ability. Ben is a Vanguard with a ridiculous amount of health to begin with, but having a shield to go along with his health makes him a force to be reckoned with.
Susan Richards is an all-rounder, able to dish out a lot ofdamage as a flanking character, protect her allies with shielding, and heal them. Since she can do all three for Ben, the pairing results in one of the better duos in the game, especially when she uses her ultimate ability to slow down foes and constantly heal allies inside its radius. Trapping foes inside with Ben allows him to clobber every enemy.
