The buzz around Marvel Rivals Season 2 is building, promising an influx of exciting content including new heroes like the formidable Emma Frost and the menacing Ultron, fresh maps, and innovative Team-up abilities. Here at Digital Tech Explorer, we’re always keen to see how such updates shift the meta, and Season 2 of Marvel Rivals is no exception. Amidst the expected hero adjustments—like a nerf for Winter Soldier and a small buff for Loki—one change is generating considerable excitement: Rocket Raccoon’s ultimate ability is evolving to include healing. TechTalesLeo here, and I’m diving deep into what this means for everyone’s favorite genetically engineered raccoon.
Essential Marvel Rivals Guides and Resources
- Marvel Rivals tier list: Best characters for each role
- Marvel Rivals characters: Current and confirmed roster
- Marvel Rivals ranks: How to climb in competitive
- Marvel Rivals codes: Grab free gear and more
- Marvel Rivals crosshairs: The best custom reticles
Understanding Rocket Raccoon’s Original Ultimate: Impact and Player Tactics
Previously, Rocket Raccoon’s ultimate, C.Y.A., offered a straightforward damage boost to teammates. This was a departure from typical Strategist ultimates in Marvel Rivals, which usually focus on healing. However, its practical application often fell short, largely due to how players deployed it. It became a common sight—and something of a community meme—to see a Rocket trigger his ult defensively when his team was caught in a Groot onslaught or being shredded by Psylocke. This was a reflexive but ultimately ineffective move, as C.Y.A. offered no survivability. The optimal, yet often missed, strategy was to use the ultimate offensively, capitalizing on the damage surge to clinch a team fight victory, rather than treating it as a last-ditch save like other Strategist abilities.
Developer Insights: The Rationale Behind Rocket Raccoon’s Reworked Ultimate
While decent when used correctly, it appears the developers felt a change was needed to enhance Rocket’s supportive capabilities. The official Marvel Rivals patch notes detail the adjustment: “Rocket’s healing abilities will see some adjustments to enhance team survivability. Reduce C.Y.A. (Ultimate Ability) damage boost from 40% to 25%, but add a new effect: during the ability’s duration, linked allies will receive an additional 100 Bonus Health points per second, capping at 150. After breaking the link, this bonus starts to fall off after 1 second at a rate of 75 per/s. Additionally, increase the energy cost from 3700 to 4000.”
Community Buzz and How the Enhanced Ultimate Stacks Up
When compared to other Strategist ultimates—such as Luna Snow’s Fate of Both Worlds (200 healing on cast, then 250/s), Cloak and Dagger’s Eternal Bond (250/s), or even Invisible Woman’s Invisible Boundary (165/s)—Rocket’s 100 Health/s (capping at 150 bonus health) might seem modest. However, the addition of any healing to his kit is being viewed as a significant boon, with players already voicing their approval ahead of Season 2.
“Rocket Raccoon is now the goat healer with his ultimate change,” user redditdugmonsta commented. “Finally, Raccoon won’t be looked down upon as much as before with his ultimate now giving some type of health to his allies!”
What This Means for Rocket Raccoon’s Future in Marvel Rivals
While the patch notes provide the numbers, the true test of this reworked ultimate will be on the live servers. How it impacts Rocket Raccoon’s overall performance, his win rate, and his presence in team compositions is something we’ll be watching keenly as Season 2 unfolds. It will likely take players some time to adapt to this new dynamic. However, from my perspective as TechTalesLeo, this enhancement to C.Y.A. is a smart move. It not only addresses how many players intuitively tried to use the ability but also promises to make Rocket a more versatile and valued Strategist. The community’s early positive buzz suggests many are eager to see this trash panda heal his way to victory.