Marvel Rivals Fans Are Already Anxious About Rogue’s Upcoming Release

Rogue has long been a standout character for me, thanks to her portrayal in the animated series and the films I grew up with (justice for Anna Paquin!). With her arrival in Marvel Rivals, I was eager to see how the game would handle a hero with such vast potential in a competitive setting. Now that we’ve seen her in action, it’s evident that she’s been crafted into a comic-accurate powerhouse, and her power-siphoning abilities have players both excited and apprehensive.

For those unfamiliar with the X-Men lore, Rogue is a mutant who can absorb memories, personalities, and powers through mere touch. This process often inflicts significant pain on the person being affected, and if she holds on long enough, she can even kill through skin contact. In Marvel Rivals, this ability is woven into her gameplay, allowing her to absorb powers from nearly every character in the game. This flexibility means she can adapt her playstyle on the fly; for example, she might take Doctor Strange’s shield to bolster her team’s defenses or replicate Invisible Woman’s crowd-control bubbles to manipulate enemy positioning.

Playing as Rogue requires adaptability, as she can only copy abilities from enemies currently on the battlefield, rather than selecting from the entire roster at will. This mechanic is somewhat reminiscent of Echo from Overwatch 2, who can mimic an enemy or ally’s form and abilities, but Rogue retains her own cooldowns and skills when she siphons an ability. Even without borrowing powers, she stands out as a formidable tank. Her basic attacks are straightforward, featuring punches, kicks, and the ability to toss enemies around effortlessly. She also has a block move that reduces damage while charging up for a more powerful strike.

Rogue excels at leading the charge and controlling crowds, especially with her Ultimate, which creates an area-of-effect that siphons health, ultimate charge, and other resources from nearby heroes. This grants her impressive survivability while draining resources from opponents, with some effects seemingly tied to the enemy classes present. Early gameplay footage shows her absorbing base health from other Vanguards. The ability to absorb ultimate charge is particularly advantageous, potentially disrupting opponents before they can unleash their game-changing abilities. As expected, players are both eager to wield this powerhouse and wary of facing her on the opposing team.

Rogue is here, and she’s an absolute force as a Vanguard.

That said, some fans speculate she might have a vulnerability when she drops on December 12. Based on the footage we’ve seen, it appears that heroes without superpowers may be immune to her ability siphon. For instance, Punisher, who relies on firearms, doesn’t seem to have the icon indicating that Rogue can steal a power from him. This suggests that her counters might actually be regular humans who shoot at superheroes, like Hawkeye and Black Widow. We’ll find out for sure when she launches on Friday.