Lore & Loadout: Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals
Take aim and discover the exciting comic book history of Hawkeye, the devastating Duelist of Marvel Rivals.
When you pick Hawkeye, you’re signing up for the purest skill-shot fantasy in Marvel Rivals. One fully-charged Piercing Arrow can delete a 275-HP Duelist from 40 m away; a well-timed Hypersonic Arrow cracks shield comps; and his Hunter’s Sight ultimate snowballs fights by letting you damage enemies through their own movement.
Hawkeye plays like a glass-cannon hitscan: park on off-angles, pre-charge shots, and let Archer’s Focus one-shot priority targets before they ever see the bowstring tighten.
Who Is Hawkeye?
Hawkeye debuted in Tales of Suspense #57 (1964), created by Stan Lee and Don Heck. Clint Barton was orphaned at a young age and raised in a traveling circus, where he trained under the Swordsman and Trick Shot, developing his archery skills to near-superhuman levels.
After a misunderstanding with the law during his early days as a vigilante, Clint eventually joined the Avengers, becoming a core member and often providing a grounded, tactical perspective within the superpowered team.
Clint’s appeal lies not in powers but in personality—sarcastic, loyal, stubborn, and determined to protect others no matter the odds. He’s the guy who stands up when gods fall down, and fans love him for it.
Hawkeye Strengths & Weaknesses in Marvel Rivals
Strengths
- True one-shot potential – full Focus headshot hits 300 dmg.
- High-ground freedom – 6 s double-jump (Skyward Leap) to claim angles.
Weaknesses
- No real escape—12 s Crescent Slash is his only peel.
- Struggles vs. divers—Spider-Man, Wolverine, & Magik feast up close.
- Shield-blocked ultimate—physical shields nullify Hunter’s Sight afterimages.
Hawkeye’s Powers and Abilities in Marvel Rivals
| Ability | Input (PC) | Cooldown / Energy | Key Effects & Pro Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piercing Arrow | LMB | — | Charged shot (0.9 s) deals 80 + up to +75 Focus dmg, unlimited ammo. One-shot squishies on crit. |
| Blast Arrow | RMB | 3 charges, 0.5 s recharge | Fires a 3-arrow cone (15 × 3 proj + 32 AoE each). Great for brawls & finishing behind cover. |
| Crescent Slash | Shift | 12 s | 40 dmg sword swipe that launches and deflects direct projectiles—use as panic peel. |
| Hypersonic Arrow | E | 12 s | Piercing projectile, 55 × 2 dmg, 40 % slow, knocks flyers to ground—ideal opener vs. shield tanks. |
| Hunter’s Sight | Q | 3100 energy | 10 s: enemies leave afterimages; damage either image or body for full dmg; Archer’s Focus charges 50 % faster. |
Passive — Archer’s Focus: aim at a target for 0.9 s to add up to 75 bonus damage to the next Piercing Arrow.
Mobility — Skyward Leap: 6 s double-jump on landing; claim rooftops, then drop to reset CD.
Hawkeye’s Combos & Tech
| Combo | Sequence (narrative) | PC | Xbox | PlayStation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullseye One-Shot | Focus → full-charge Piercing headshot | Hold RMB 0.9 s → LMB | LT hold → RT | L2 hold → R2 |
| Shield Buster | Hypersonic pierce → instant Focus half-charge shot | E → brief aim → LMB | RB → aim → RT | R1 → aim → R2 |
| Panic Peel | Crescent Slash launch → Skyward Leap escape | Shift → Space | LB → A | L1 → X |
Hawkeye’s Match-Ups & Counters
Strongest Against
- Cloak & Dagger – stationary healing orb makes an easy headshot.
- Doctor Strange – pierce his shield with Hypersonic Arrow.
Synergizes With
- Mantis – Damage boost greatly elevates Hawkeye's one-shot potential
- Doctor Strange – Shield provides solid cover for aiming down the main line.
Weakest Against
- Spider-Man – constant web-zips dodge arrows.
- Magik – double-blink gaps Hawkeye before he can swap to Blast Arrows.
Map Strategy for Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals
Positioning & Routes
Anchor on high ground or off-angle windows. Pre-aim popular flank doors; hold shot until Focus peaks, then head-tap supports.
Team Strategy
Call Hypersonic Arrow timings so Vanguards dump shields; follow with ally burst. Save Hunter’s Sight for fight cleanup or overtime stall.
Objective Play
Double-jump to payload scaffolds; spam Blast Arrows into clustered defenders, or ult to clear contesting enemies through smoke.
Hawkeye’s Story in Marvel Rivals
Though once distancing himself from the Avengers to become the masked vigilante Ronin, Clint returned to the fold older, wiser, and tempered by the dark decisions of his past. Now back in action, he uses both his precision and his conscience to walk the line between hero and weapon, often questioning where he belongs among gods and supersoldiers.
On a solo mission to Erebus Base in Antarctica, Hawkeye is tasked with rescuing Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, who vanished during an infiltration of a Hydra stronghold. As Clint prepares for the operation, he reflects on his Ronin days and the need for the moral clarity the Avengers provide. With intel suggesting occult experiments and buried ancient ruins beneath the base, Clint readies himself not only for a fight against Hydra but potentially darker forces. No matter what lies ahead, he’s determined to bring Bucky home — and prove to himself that Hawkeye still stands for something
Essential Hawkeye Comics
- Hawkeye (2012-2015) #1-22 – Fraction & Aja’s definitive street-level take.
- Hawkeye (1983) #1-4 – first solo outing and Trick Arrow showcase.
- Hawkeye: Freefall (2020) – modern Ronin redemption saga.
- West Coast Avengers (1984) #1 – Clint steps up as team leader.
- Avengers: “Kree/Skrull War” (1971) – classic Avenger heroics.
Hawkeye in Marvel Rivals TL;DR
- Charge Focus for 300-dmg headshots—accuracy is king.
- Hypersonic Arrow pierces shields & slows for follow-up burst.
- Stay mobile with double-jump; any diver that closes distance spells trouble.