Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals

Doctor Strange

Vanguard roleMarvel Rivals Vanguard · Season 10.5

Updated

Doctor Strange is a Vanguard hero in Marvel Rivals with 650 health and a 2/5 difficulty rating. Doctor Strange joined the game in Season 0 on December 6, 2024. In Season 10.5 ranked, Doctor Strange has a 51.6% win rate (B tier, #14 of 54) and is picked by 24.0% of teams. Doctor Strange's team-ups are Gamma Maelstrom (with Hulk) and Psionic Vortex (with Invisible Woman). The ultimate is Eye of Agamotto.

Difficulty
2/5
Role
Vanguard
Attack Type
Projectile
Health
650
Movement Speed
6 m/s
Ultimate
Eye of Agamotto
Released
Season 0 (Dec 6, 2024)
Last Balance Change
Season 10 (Sep 11, 2026)

How to Play Doctor Strange

  • Utilize Shield of the Seraphim Wisely: Position your shield to protect teammates and control enemy movement. Use it to absorb up to 1450 damage, far exceeding your base health of 650. Combine with Cloak of Levitation for aerial defense.
  • Perfect Portal Placement: Practice using Pentagram of Farallah in the Practice Mode to create game-changing portals. Use them for quick escapes, surprise attacks, or to reposition your team strategically.
  • Coordinate Ultimate Timing: Use Eye of Agamotto from unexpected angles or high ground to catch enemies off guard. Communicate with your team to maximize its 20-meter wide, 3-second stun effect.
  • Balance Offense and Defense: While primarily a defensive hero, Doctor Strange can deal significant damage. Chain abilities for 250-damage combos, but remember to prioritize team protection and positioning over personal eliminations.
  • Master Dark Magic Management: Build up Dark Magic with Daggers of Denak, but release it strategically using Maelstrom of Madness before reaching anti-heal status. This allows you to maximize damage output while avoiding the healing penalty.

Doctor Strange Combos

  1. Charge and release: fire Daggers of Denak (Left Click) until Dark Magic is close to 100, about six bursts that fully hit, then step in and use Maelstrom of Madness (E) for up to 130 damage in 8 m before the 3-second Anti-Heal timer ends.
  2. Soul combo: Eye of Agamotto (Q) to stun every enemy within 10 m for 3 seconds, then Maelstrom of Madness (E) and daggers on the stuck targets while the team joins in, since damage on souls carries to the bodies.
  3. Portal flank: open Pentagram of Farallah (F) toward the enemy's side, send the team through, and follow with Eye of Agamotto (Q) from an angle they are not watching.
  4. High ground: Cloak of Levitation (Shift) to rise 8 m and fly for 6 seconds, throwing Daggers of Denak (Left Click) from above to fill Dark Magic, then drop into the group with Maelstrom of Madness (E).

Strengths

  • Shield of the Seraphim absorbs 850 damage, regenerates 60 per second after 1 second of rest and returns 3 seconds after breaking, so he can cover his team for most of a fight.
  • Maelstrom of Madness turns a full 100-point Dark Magic meter into 130 damage on every enemy within 8 m, and it is ready again after 6 seconds.
  • Eye of Agamotto stuns everyone within 10 m for 3 seconds, and damage on their souls passes to their bodies, which sets up easy kills for his team.
  • Pentagram of Farallah opens two portals for 20 seconds that his whole team can use for a flank or a fast way back to the fight.

Weaknesses

  • Sitting at 100 Dark Magic for 3 seconds gives him 2 seconds of Anti-Heal and drains the meter, so a late Maelstrom of Madness can leave him unable to be healed.
  • Daggers of Denak lose damage past 10 m, down to 80% at 20 m, and cannot land critical hits, so he does little from long range.
  • Pentagram of Farallah has a 180-second cooldown, enemies can walk through the portals too, and crowd control while he places them puts the ability on cooldown.

Doctor Strange Abilities

Daggers of Denak ability icon

Daggers of Denak

Daggers of Denak input

His primary fire throws a five-dagger burst at 18 damage per dagger, using 1 of 12 ammo per cast. Each hit also feeds Dark Magic, so keep firing to charge Maelstrom of Madness.

Casting
Five-round delayed hit projectiles
Damage
18 per hit
Damage Falloff
Begins at 10m, decreasing to 80% at 20m
Fire Rate
5.56 rounds/s (0.03s interval between every two rounds)
Projectile Speed
80m/s
Ammo
12 (1 per cast)
Critical Hit
No
Eye of Agamotto ability icon

Eye of Agamotto

Eye of Agamotto input

His ultimate pulls the souls out of enemies within 10 m, dealing 60 damage and stunning them for 3 seconds. Hits on a soul carry over to its body, so have the team focus the souls while they are stuck.

Casting
Spell field that surrounds the caster
Energy Cost
3100
Damage
60
Stun Range
10m spherical radius
Stun Duration
3s
Shield of the Seraphim ability icon

Shield of the Seraphim

Shield of the Seraphim input

A held barrier with 850 health that starts regenerating 60 health per second once he stops using it for 1 second. If it breaks there is only a 3-second cooldown, so he can drop it to recover and raise it again.

Casting
Channeled
Cooldown
3s (destroyed)
Shield Health
850
Shield Health Recovery
Begins recovering 60 HP/s after 1s
Cloak of Levitation ability icon

Cloak of Levitation

Cloak of Levitation input

Lifts him 8 m up and lets him fly for 6 seconds, on a 12-second cooldown. Use it to get over a choke, reach high ground or rain daggers on a team from above.

Casting
Instant Cast
Cooldown
12s
Duration
6s
Ascension Height
8m
Maelstrom of Madness ability icon

Maelstrom of Madness

Maelstrom of Madness input

Releases stored Dark Magic around him for 1.3 damage per point within 8 m, on a 6-second cooldown. Fire it when he is near full Dark Magic and standing among enemies, and before the meter has sat at the top for too long.

Casting
Spell field that surrounds the caster
Damage
Deal 1.3 damage per point of Dark Magic
Cooldown
6s
Spell Field Range
8m spherical radius
Pentagram of Farallah ability icon

Pentagram of Farallah

Pentagram of Farallah input

Places two linked portals that stay open for 20 seconds and carry anyone through, allies and enemies alike. With a 180-second cooldown, plan a flank or a quick return to the fight before using it.

Casting
Multi-Cast
Cooldown
180s
Portal Duration
20s
Price of Magic ability icon

Price of Magic

His passive resource: each dagger hit adds 3.5 Dark Magic and a melee hit adds 10. Sitting at 100 for 3 seconds gives him 2 seconds of Anti-Heal, so spend it with Maelstrom of Madness before then.

Dark Magic Generation
Daggers of Denak: 3.5 per hit Quick Melee: 10
Anti-heal Delay
3s (begins when reaching 100 Dark Magic)
Anti-heal Duration
2s

Ability stats from the Marvel Rivals Wiki (Fandom), licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Doctor Strange crosshair code and settings

Doctor Strange Team-Ups and Best Teammates

Doctor Strange has 2 team-up loadouts. Pick one before the match: it always works, and its enhanced effect turns on when the partner hero is on your team.

Gamma Maelstrom team-up icon

Gamma Maelstrom

Partner: Hulk

Gamma Maelstrom input

Replaces Maelstrom of Madness (E) with Gamma Maelstrom, which charges Dark Magic much faster, reaches 10 m instead of 8 and removes the Anti-Heal curse. With Hulk on the team he keeps up to 50 Dark Magic after each release and the meter stops decaying; pick it for frequent blasts.

Ranked win rate with Hulk: 58.9% (+7.4 vs Doctor Strange's 51.6% overall, 19,059 matches)

Damage
Deal 1.3 damage per point of Dark Magic
Cooldown
6s
Spell Field Range
10m spherical radius
Enhanced Effect
Max Dark Energy Retained
50
Psionic Vortex team-up icon

Psionic Vortex

Partner: Invisible Woman

Psionic Vortex input

Turns Maelstrom of Madness into Psionic Vortex, which pulls enemies within 8 m toward him, and raises Shield of the Seraphim to 1,000 health. With Invisible Woman on the team, Vortex damage gives bonus health, 50% to him and 30% to allies, up to 150; pick it against divers.

Ranked win rate with Invisible Woman: 53.9% (+2.3 vs Doctor Strange's 51.6% overall, 62,294 matches)

Damage
Deal 1.3 damage per point of Dark Magic
Cooldown
6s
Spell Field Range
8m spherical radius
Shield Of The Seraphim Health
1000
Enhanced Effect
Damage-bonus Health Conversion
Self: 50%, Ally: 30%
Max Bonus Health
150
  • Hulk: pick Gamma Maelstrom so Dark Magic fills much faster, Maelstrom of Madness reaches 10 m and the Anti-Heal curse is gone. With Hulk on the team he also keeps part of his meter after each release, so he can fire Maelstrom far more often.
  • Invisible Woman: pick Psionic Vortex to make Maelstrom of Madness pull enemies toward him and to raise his barrier to 1,000 health. With Invisible Woman on the team the Vortex's damage also becomes bonus health for him and his allies.
  • Scarlet Witch: her Sorcerers Supreme loadout has Strange as its partner, so with him on the team she can switch between Chthonian Burst and the rapid Mystic Burst whenever she wants.

Doctor Strange Counters

Doctor Strange can hold his 850-health barrier for a long time, but it only regenerates after he stops using it for 1 second, so keep steady damage on it and punish him whenever he lowers it to attack. Divers who get behind the barrier, like Magik, do well against him, and staying more than 10 m away while his ultimate is ready keeps you out of the 3-second Eye of Agamotto stun. His portals carry enemies too, and crowd control on him while he places them sends Pentagram of Farallah on its 180-second cooldown.

Doctor Strange matchup stats against every hero

Is Doctor Strange Good Right Now?

Tier (Season 10.5 ranked)B
Win rate51.57% (#14 of 54 heroes)
Pick rate24.0% of teams (#4 of 54)
Ban rate0.9% of teams (#31 most banned)
Win rate in Season 1051.17%
Ranked matches474,042

Full Marvel Rivals tier listWin, pick & ban rates for every hero

Doctor Strange Patch History: Buffs and Nerfs

Doctor Strange Win Rate by Season

Ranked, all ranks. A dot marks a season with an official balance change to Doctor Strange.

Official Balance Changes (13)

  1. BuffSeason 10Faster dagger projectiles and fire rate; Hulk team-up loses falloff.v20260911
  2. BuffSeason 9.5More dagger damage and charges; faster Hulk team-up cooldown.v20260807
  3. MixedSeason 9More health and shield; anchor bonus health removed.v20260710
  4. NerfSeason 7Shield of the Seraphim value lowered.v20260320
  5. MixedSeason 6.5Slower shield regeneration; new Psionic Vortex team-up with Invisible Woman.v20260213
  6. BuffSeason 6Stronger Maelstrom conversion and more control while levitating.v20260116
  7. MixedSeason 4Shorter Maelstrom cooldown but base health lowered to 575.v20250912
  8. BuffSeason 3.5More dagger charges and shorter Cloak of Levitation cooldown.v20250808
  9. BuffSeason 2.5Daggers keep more damage at range; Maelstrom falloff removed.v20250530
  10. BuffSeason 2Eye of Agamotto ultimate costs less energy.v20250430
  11. NerfSeason 2Less dagger damage and weaker Dark Magic conversion for Maelstrom.v20250411
  12. NerfSeason 1.5Base health cut from 650 to 600.v20250221
  13. NerfSeason 1Maelstrom gains distance falloff; Seraphim shield regenerates slower.v20250110

Summaries of the official balance posts. Every patch is on the patch notes page.

Season 10

  • BuffDaggers of Denak: Projectile speed increased from 60 m/s to 80 m/s.
  • BuffDaggers of Denak: Casting interval reduced from 0.9s to 0.8s.
  • BuffHulk / Gamma Maelstrom: No longer has damage falloff.

Season 9.5

  • BuffDaggers of Denak: Damage increased from 16 to 18 per projectile.
  • BuffDaggers of Denak: Ammo capacity increased from 10 to 12.
  • BuffHulk / Gamma Maelstrom: Cooldown reduced from 8s to 6s.

Season 9

  • NerfDamage to ultimate charge conversion reduced from 70% to 55%.
  • NerfMax health anchor bonus removed.
  • BuffMax health increased from 575 to 650.
  • BuffShield of the Seraphim: Shield health increased from 700 to 850.
  • ChangeHulk / TEAM-UP (E): Gamma Maelstrom: No longer applies Anti-Heal when staying at max dark energy for too long.
  • ChangeHulk / TEAM-UP (E): Gamma Maelstrom: Dark energy gained from landing attacks is also increased.
  • ChangeHulk / TEAM-UP (E): Gamma Maelstrom: Enhanced: Maelstrom of Madness retains a portion of dark energy when used. Dark energy also no longer decays over time.
  • ChangeInvisible Woman / TEAM-UP (E): Psionic Vortex: Maelstrom of Madness is charged with psionic energy to pull in nearby enemies.
  • ChangeInvisible Woman / TEAM-UP (E): Psionic Vortex: Enhanced: Gain bonus health based on damage dealt.
  • ChangeInvisible Woman / TEAM-UP (E): Psionic Vortex: Shield of the Seraphim: Shield health increased from 850 to 1000.
Show 11 older patches

Season 7

  • NerfDamage to ultimate charge conversion reduced from 90% to 70%.
  • NerfPassive ultimate charge gain reduced from 12/s to 11/s.
  • NerfShield of the Seraphim: Shield health reduced from 800 to 700.

Season 6.5

  • NerfShield of the Seraphim: Shield health regeneration rate reduced from 70 HP/s to 60 HP/s.
  • ChangeTEAM-UP (E): Psionic Vortex: Invisible Woman empowers Doctor Strange's Maelstrom of Madness with psionic energy to pull in nearby enemies.
  • ChangeTEAM-UP (E): Psionic Vortex: Grants bonus health to self and nearby allies based on damage dealt.

Season 6

  • BuffCloak of Levitation: Can now be canceled while ascending to preserve movement speed.
  • BuffMaelstrom of Madness: Dark energy to damage ratio increased from 1.2 to 1.3.

Season 4

  • NerfMax health reduced from 600 to 575.
  • BuffMaelstrom of Madness: Cooldown reduced from 8s to 6s.

Season 3.5

  • BuffDaggers of Denak: Ammo capacity increased from 8 to 10.
  • BuffCloak of Levitation: Cooldown reduced from 15s to 12s.

Season 2.5

  • BuffDaggers of Denak: Damage falloff at 20m rescaled from 62.5% to 80%.
  • BuffMaelstrom of Madness: Damage falloff has been removed.

Balance Patch

  • BuffEye of Agamotto: Ultimate cost reduced from 3400 to 3100.

Season 2

  • NerfDaggers of Denak: Damage decreased from 18 to 16 per projectile.
  • NerfMaelstrom of Madness: Dark energy to damage ratio reduced from 1.3 to 1.2.
  • ChangeGamma Maelstrom: Removed.
  • ChangeTEAM-UP (PASSIVE): Enchanted Enhancement: Doctor Strange grants Scarlet Witch the ability to temporarily replace her Chthonian Burst with a barrage of mystical projectiles.
  • ChangeTEAM-UP (PASSIVE): Enchanted Enhancement: Anchor Bonus: +100 Max Health

Season 1.5

  • NerfMax health reduced from 650 to 600.

Season 1

  • NerfShield of the Seraphim: Shield health regeneration rate reduced from 80 HP/s to 70 HP/s.
  • NerfMaelstrom of Madness: Now has damage falloff, beginning at 5m and reducing to 70% at 8m.

Season 0

  • ChangeDoctor Strange fends off the impending doom, joining Marvel Rivals as a Vanguard hero!
  • ChangeM1: Daggers of Denak: Fire a cluster of magic daggers, building dark energy on hit.
  • ChangeM2: Shield of the Seraphim: Raise a magic shield to block oncoming fire.
  • ChangeSHIFT: Cloak of Levitation: Quickly ascend upwards and enter free flight.
  • ChangeE: Maelstrom of Madness: Expel stored dark energy to damage nearby enemies.
  • ChangeE: Maelstrom of Madness: The more dark energy expelled, the greater the damage dealt.
  • ChangeF: Pentagram of Farallah: Create a gateway of portals to transport players.
  • ChangeQ: Eye of Agamotto: Release the souls of and stun nearby enemies.
  • ChangeQ: Eye of Agamotto: Damage dealt to souls corresponds to the enemy target.
  • ChangePASSIVE: Price of Magic: Gain dark energy by dealing damage with primary fire or quick melee.
  • ChangePASSIVE: Price of Magic: When at max energy, suffer from Anti-Heal if not depleted quickly enough.
  • ChangeTEAM-UP (E): Gamma Maelstrom: Hulk empowers Doctor Strange's Maelstrom of Madness with gamma radiation to deal extra damage.
  • ChangeTEAM-UP (E): Gamma Maelstrom: Also removes the anti-heal effect when reaching max dark energy.

Patch history from the Marvel Rivals Wiki (Fandom), licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Doctor Strange Video Guide

The Ultimate Dr. Strange Guide for Marvel Rivals · True Vanguard

Doctor Strange Release Date and Voice Actor

Release date
December 6, 2024 (Season 0)
Voice actor
Liam O'Brien
Gender
Male
Relatives
Eugene Strange (father), Beverly Strange (mother), Donna Strange (younger sister), Bats (ghostly pet)

Doctor Strange FAQ

When was Doctor Strange released in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange was released in Season 0 on December 6, 2024 and is playable now.

What role is Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange is a Vanguard in Marvel Rivals with a difficulty rating of 2 out of 5. Doctor Strange's main attack type is projectile.

Is Doctor Strange good right now?

In Season 10.5 ranked, Doctor Strange has a 51.6% win rate (B tier, #14 of 54) across 474,042 matches. That is about the same as 51.2% in Season 10. Doctor Strange is picked by 24.0% of teams (#4 of 54) and banned by 0.9% (#31).

Who counters Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange struggles against Devil Dinosaur, Rocket Raccoon and Iron Fist. Doctor Strange can hold his 850-health barrier for a long time, but it only regenerates after he stops using it for 1 second, so keep steady damage on it and punish him whenever he lowers it to attack. Divers who get behind the barrier, like Magik, do well against him, and staying more than 10 m away while his ultimate is ready keeps you out of the 3-second Eye of Agamotto stun. His portals carry enemies too, and crowd control on him while he places them sends Pentagram of Farallah on its 180-second cooldown.

How much health does Doctor Strange have in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange has 650 health in Season 10.5.

What is Doctor Strange's ultimate ability?

Doctor Strange's ultimate is Eye of Agamotto. His ultimate pulls the souls out of enemies within 10 m, dealing 60 damage and stunning them for 3 seconds. Hits on a soul carry over to its body, so have the team focus the souls while they are stuck.

Who voices Doctor Strange in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange is voiced by Liam O'Brien.

What are Doctor Strange's team-ups in Marvel Rivals?

Doctor Strange has 2 team-up loadouts: Gamma Maelstrom (with Hulk) and Psionic Vortex (with Invisible Woman). Pick one before the match; its enhanced effect turns on when the partner hero is on your team. In ranked, Doctor Strange wins 58.9% with Hulk on the team and 53.9% with Invisible Woman on the team, against 51.6% overall.

When was Doctor Strange last buffed or nerfed?

In Season 10 on September 11, 2026: 3 buffs. Every change is listed in the patch history on this page.

When was Doctor Strange last nerfed in Marvel Rivals?

In Season 7 (Version 20260320, March 20, 2026): Shield of the Seraphim value lowered.

When was Doctor Strange last buffed in Marvel Rivals?

In Season 10 (Version 20260911, September 11, 2026): Faster dagger projectiles and fire rate; Hulk team-up loses falloff.

What was Doctor Strange's best season in Marvel Rivals?

By ranked win rate, Season 6.5 at 52.3%. The lowest was Season 9 at 47.0%.

Other Vanguard Heroes

All Marvel Rivals characters