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Lore & Loadout: Magneto in Marvel Rivals

Learn more about Magneto, Master of Magnetism, through the stories that made him one of the most iconic characters in Marvel Rivals.

Magneto Marvel Rivals
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By: William AndersonMay 14, 2025, 1:58 PM

Master of magnetism and momentum-breaker extraordinaire, Magneto dominates lanes with long-range metal projectiles, clutch pulls, and shifting cover. Metallic Burst primary volleys pierce shields, while Polarize Grip drags clumped foes into easy AoE focus. Pop Magnetic Barrier to spool a rotating scrap shield—then detonate it for point-blank burst—or retreat with Reverse Polarity Dash. His ultimate, Metal Storm, rips up the battlefield with a tornado of steel shards that shreds objectives and anyone lurking nearby.

Magneto shines on payload defense and area denial—but watch your cooldown rhythm: without Barrier or Dash, the Master of Magnetism is surprisingly fragile.


Who Is Magneto?

Magneto, aka Erik Lehnsherr, made his debut in X-Men #1 (1963), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. A Holocaust survivor, Erik’s traumatic past shaped his worldview—one in which mutants must fight for their survival in a world that fears and hates them. Initially introduced as the X-Men’s greatest adversary, Magneto’s character evolved over time, revealing a depth beyond simple villainy. His methods may be extreme, but his goal—securing the future of mutantkind—is one that many mutants agree with. His complicated morality, immense power, and strategic genius make him one of the most respected and feared figures in the Marvel Universe.

X-Men #1 (1963) cover


Magneto Strengths & Weaknesses in Marvel Rivals

Strengths

  • Solo tank potential – Magneto's collection of defensive abilities makes him incredibly durable even without constant support.
  • Burst damage potentialMag-Cannon can be chained to deal solid damage against squishies.
  • On-demand coverMetallic Curtain blocks sightlines and all incoming damage effectively

Weaknesses

  • Large hitbox – easy for snipers to tag when Barrier is down.
  • Limited mobility
  • Resource-intensive – Barrier → Grip → Burst chain depletes energy fast.

Magneto’s Powers and Abilities in Marvel Rivals

Primary – Iron Volley

Damage: 40

Notes: Shots have a slight blast area of 3m with a 50% damage fall off

Tips: Burst-fire around shields; tap-burst to manage bloom.

Secondary – Mag-Cannon

Damage: 40, 65, and 90, depending on the iron ring charge

Cooldown: Dependent on Iron Ring charge

Effect: Single-cast projectile with delayed impact

Tips: You can chain Mag-Cannon shots by building Iron Ring charges quickly through Iron/Metal Bulwark

Utility – Metallic Curtain

Effect: Cast shield in front of Magneto to block all incoming damage.

Cooldown: 3 secs

Tips: Be wary of its energy level when casting the curtain

Utility – Iron/Metal Bulwark

Effect: Cast a 300 hp shield either on yourself or a teammate

Cooldown: 12 secs

Tips: Turn on ally health bars to know better when to bubble teammates

Ultimate – Meteor M

Damage: 100-300 depending on the charge

Energy: 3100

Tips: Use this to soak up damage from offensive ults like Star-Lord or The Punisher

Fatal Attractions (1993) cover

Magneto's Combos & Tech in Marvel Rivals

ComboSequencePCXboxPlayStation
Graviton CrusherGrip → Barrier (deploy) → Burst ×3 → Barrier (explode)RMB → E → LMB×3 → ELT → RB → RT×3 → RBL2 → R1 → R2×3 → R1
Wombo SetupGrip → Metal Storm → Burst spamRMB → Q → LMB×∞LT → LS+RS → RT×∞L2 → L3+R3 → R2×∞
Peel & KiteBarrier → Dash backward → Burst ×2E → Shift → LMB×2RB → LB → RT×2R1 → L1 → R2×2
Drive-By PullDash → Grip mid-slide → Dash cancelShift → RMB → ShiftLB → LT → LBL1 → L2 → L1

Bindings reflect defaults; customize as needed.


Magneto's Match-Ups & Counters in Marvel Rivals

Strongest Against

  • Bunker comps: Hulk, Punisher
  • Stationary supports: Luna Snow, Cloak & Dagger.

Synergizes With

  • Psylocke – pull feeds her Shuriken recall burst.
  • Storm – Tornado + Metal Storm = double-whirlwind artillery.
  • Emma Frost – shields compensate for Magneto’s large model.

Weakest Against

  • High-mobility assassins (Spider-Man, Black Panther)
  • Hitscan snipers (Hawkeye, Iron Man) scoping Barrier gaps.

House of M (2005) cover

Ideal Maps for Magneto in Marvel Rivals

Map Bullets

  • Midtown – Empire of Eternal Night – narrow streets maximise Grip cone.
  • Krakoa Payload – moving Barrier shields escort; Storm combo at bridges.
  • Tokyo 2099 – choke alleys for Metal Storm zone control.

Positioning & Routes

Anchor near cover; lead fights with Barrier forward, peek from its edge. Flank only with Dash off cooldown—else you’re lunch for snipers.

Team Strategy

Time Polarize Grip calls—teammates prep bursts, Psylocke dashes in, Storm queues Tornado. Keep ultimate as fight-starter or objective stall.

Objective Play

Drop Barrier on payload corner; detonate once enemy commits. Use Grip to pull defenders off point seconds before capture.


Magneto’s Story in Marvel Rivals

Following Krakoa’s unexpected arrival in 2099, Magneto took it upon himself to gather lost Mutants and bring them to the sentient island, ensuring their survival in an uncertain future. As he stood contemplating their new reality, Storm and Wolverine arrived, bringing Magik with them. Though she was not the Illyana Rasputin he once knew, but a battle-hardened version from another timeline. Their reunion was soon interrupted by an unexpected visitor: Wanda Maximoff. This Scarlet Witch hailed from an alternate reality, where she had spent years holding her universe together by sheer will. She urged Magneto to consider the bigger picture—that the battles of the Multiverse were connected and only by standing together could they preserve their worlds.

Moved by Wanda’s words, Magneto abandoned his isolationist stance and embraced a new mission: uniting lost Mutants across space and time. Using metal fragments buried in Krakoa’s sands, he forged a new version of Cerebro, enhanced by Wanda’s magic to detect Mutants beyond their dimension. As he donned the helmet, visions of powerful Mutants scattered across realities filled his mind—each one yearning for a place to belong. With Krakoa’s gates open to all, Magneto declared his next great cause: assembling an army of Mutants from across the Multiverse. 


Essential Magneto Comics

  • X-Men #1 (1963) – debut.
  • X-Men: Magneto Testament (2008) – origin in WWII.
  • House of M (2005) – Magneto’s alternate-reality reign.
  • Magneto (2014) #1-21 – solo anti-hero crusade.
  • Uncanny X-Men (2016) “UXM by Bunn” – Magneto-led black-ops team.

House of M (2005) variant cover


Magneto in Marvel Rivals TL;DR

  • Lane dominator with piercing burst & crowd-pull.
  • Polarize Grip into teammate AoE = fight win.
  • Magnetic Barrier is life—deploy often, explode for burst.
  • Dash is only escape; track its cooldown.
  • Snipers & agile divers hard-counter you—play near cover.
  • Best on choke-heavy maps/payload defense; less value on wide-open arenas.
  • Ultimate shreds grouped foes & stalls objectives—coordinate usage.
  • Pair with Psylocke/Storm for lethal wombo combos.
TAGGED: Marvel Rivals, Marvel Comics, Marvel
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