The Thing is a Vanguard in Marvel Rivals. Part of the Fantastic Four, the character mainly relies on his raw strength, high health pool, and immunity to crowd-control effects to deal massive amounts of damage to his enemies—both close-ranged and AoE-based.
That being said, it’s not easy to play as The Thing, especially when he’s a Vanguard and has to be on the front lines ideally. For players to use the character efficiently, it’s vital to have a fundamental understanding of how he operates.
Below, we’ll be looking at how to play as The Thing in Marvel Rivals.
How to Play as The Thing in Marvel Rivals
First, we’ll discuss some general tips you can use while playing The Thing. Strategies and team-ups will follow afterward.
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+ 3General Tips
Since The Thing is a Vanguard, he is meant to be on the front lines, absorbing damage and disrupting enemy positions. His abilities focus on tanking incoming fire and dishing out heavy melee damage. However, his lack of ranged offense means that positioning is crucial.
To play The Thing effectively, staying close to your team and providing them with crowd-controlling tactics is crucial. His skills allow him to engage aggressively, break enemy formations, and keep threats away from weaker allies.
Finally, The Thing also possesses attributes that allow him to reposition quickly in case he’s surrounded or taking exceptional damage from the enemies. Understanding when to engage and when to retreat is key to making the most of his kit.
Using The Thing’s Abilities to Your Advantage
The Thing has a buffy build, utilizing his strengths to wreak havoc in close quarters. Below, we’ll see how to make the best use of his abilities.
1. Rocky Jab (Primary Attack)
Rocky Jab is the Primary Attack The Thing will go for when he encounters his enemies. Being able to deal damage with this, he can thoroughly off-put his opponents. That being said, it’s vital to initially close the gap between The Thing and his enemies for this offensive tactic to be fatal.
2. Stone Haymaker (Secondary Attack)
If you’ve watched the Fantastic Four movies, you know that The Thing typically relies on his punches and overall force. The Stone Haymaker is the same, where the character throws a damage-dealing charged punch to his enemies, being able to harm (and knock) them out. Generally, this is a great go-to to finish off your opponents.
3. Embattled Leap
As the name suggests, the Embattled Leap allows The Thing to quickly close in on gaps between him and his opponents to deal massive amounts of AoE (Area of Effect) damage. Typically, you’ll want to use this ability when trying to chase enemies, initiating fights—or even escaping one. The landing creates the AoE damage effect.
click to enlarge + 3The unique advantage of using the Embattled Leap is its ability to provide a brief damage reduction buff to his allies, providing both offensive and supportive nature.
4. Yancy Street Charge
The Thing reverts to Yancy Street Change to enhance his mobility, where he’s able to perform a powerful charging move that knocks up opponents and disrupts their formations. Being immune to enemy crowd-control effects during activation, the Yancy Street Charge is a potent go-to ability for The Thing.
5. Clobberin’ Time (Ultimate Ability)
Clobberin’ Time is The Thing’s Ultimate ability. As the name suggests, this ability is offensive, where the character slams the ground to create heavy AoE damage to send enemies flying. For the Ultimate to be potent, though, it’s best to use it when your opponents are close to each other.
6. Unyielding Will (Passive Ability)
Unyielding Will is the attribute that makes The Thing immune to enemy crowd-control abilities. With this trait active, players can ensure they’re not knocked down or stunned easily.
Best Strategies for Playing The Thing
When playing as The Thing, it’s best to initiate a battle by Embattled Leap. This way, you can quickly close the gap between you and your enemies. Afterward, follow up with a Yancy Street Charge to disrupt enemy positioning.
Once you’ve managed to do that, you can pick opponents to battle against, utilizing your punches and strength-based attributes to win the fight. Without ranged attacks, it’s particularly useful to be selective about the fights you pick. Finally, with your Ultimate available, wait for the correct time to strike.
The Thing Best Team-Ups in Marvel Rivals
Just like other characters in Marvel Rivals, The Thing performs best when paired with teammates who complement his strengths and cover his weaknesses. Here are some of the best heroes to pair him with:
1. Mister Fantastic
While The Thing excels in close combat, being able to deal damage—he’s weak with mobility. Here, Mister Fantastic can provide support. Through his ranged attacks and crowd-control abilities, he can assist The Thing in engaging with opponents who like to play at a distance.
2. Invisible Woman
The Thing is immune to crowd control, but not damage. Where he can charge into battle and disrupt enemy formations, he can equally be countered as well. In that case, the Invisible Woman serves as a potent ally. Through her ability to generate shields for The Thing, she can significantly enhance his lifeline, making him all the more dangerous against his enemies.
click to enlarge + 33. Human Torch
The Human Torch is a Duelist—that too, a ranged one. Where The Thing struggles with mobility and ranged attacks, Johnny can quickly make up for his weaknesses.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Marvel Rivals and Guides page.