This is exactly how the Marvel Rivals ban system works

Hannan Mundia Published 22/02/2025

Many players may not know much about the ban system in Marvel Rivals because it only applies to the higher ranks, so it can be helpful to refresh on exactly how it works.

Marvel Rivals has taken the world by storm with its unique approach to the typical hero shooter formula. While the game has an expanding competitive community with popular esports organizations including Sentinels jumping into the fray, developer NetEase Games ensures things aren’t too tough for most players. This includes not having restrictive role queues and letting friends play together regardless of rank or platform.

One of the more controversial features in Marvel Rivals is the ban system. While the game lets players ban certain playable characters, the system is only present in the higher ranks. Additionally, the way it works can get confusing as it doesn’t take the typical approach to a character ban system.

What ranks have hero bans in Marvel Rivals?

Only players who reach diamond rank and above can ban a hero in Marvel Rivals during the character selection phase.

Unlike most competitive games that let players of every rank ban playable characters during competitive play, Marvel Rivals does things differently. The banning phase only pops up when playing in a competitive lobby that’s of diamond rank or higher.

Marvel Rivals ban phase

While this requirement ensures lower-ranked players don’t have to worry about their favorite characters being banned, it’s still fairly controversial. Many argue the banning phase should be present at every rank so players can ban characters they deem overpowered. Fortunately, players can set the ban system in Marvel Rivals custom games if they play on a map in that mode.

How does the ban phase in Marvel Rivals work?

The Marvel Rivals ban phase lets both teams ban two heroes each through a voting system.

Instead of a majority system, Marvel Rivals uses a probability system to determine which character gets banned. For example, if three players on a team vote to ban Spider-Man and the other three vote for Peni Parker, there will be a 50/50 chance the game will ban either. Similarly, if only one player votes to ban Spider-Man, four players vote for Peni Parker, and the last player doesn’t vote, there will still be a 20% chance that Spider-Man will get banned.

Both teams have 20 seconds to cast their votes simultaneously. A five-second cooldown period starts after the first banning phase, after which the second phase begins which determines the second characters both teams ban. There’s an option to request a certain character to be banned. This feature is similar to when requesting teammates to pick a character for a team-up.

Four playable characters are usually banned as long as both teams vote. Simultaneous voting means both teams can ban the same character too. Players also choose the Marvel Rivals hero or villain they want to play before the banning phase to ensure that one’s teammates don’t ban them.

Hannan Mundia

About Hannan Mundia

Hannan Mundia is a lifelong gamer. Don’t believe us? Just ask him. But don’t ask how many hours he’s spent playing. He’s been gaming since the age of three, and much of his live revolves around video games and the video game industry. Whether it’s a classic Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, the newest Bethesda RPG, or something else entirely, you can bet that Hannan is ready and willing to play it.

View full profile