Marvel Rivals Phoenix guide: Abilities, ultimate, tips, more

Marvel Rivals’ latest hero, Phoenix, is Season 3‘s primary addition, and she’s already an absolute menace.

If you like characters that reward smart positioning, good aim, and blow up grouped enemies like popcorn, Phoenix is going to be your new favorite DPS pick.

She brings self-sustain, insane area control, and a genuinely busted ultimate that counters many of the strongest picks in the game. So if you’re wondering how to play Phoenix in Marvel Rivals, here’s everything you need to know.

Phoenix’s weapon in Marvel Rivals

Phoenix’s basic attack is all about building Sparks. Every body shot applies 1 Spark, and every headshot applies 2 Sparks.

When an enemy hits 3 Sparks, they explode, taking big damage and giving Phoenix some health back. It’s a snowball effect: land your shots, get healing, and keep pressuring.

Primary: Flame Vector

A mid-range energy weapon that applies Sparks with each hit.

Body shots apply 1, headshots apply 2.
When a target reaches 3 Sparks, they explode, damaging them and healing Phoenix.
Sparks can chain between enemies if they’re close together.

Marvel Rivals: Phoenix’s abilities and Ultimate

Phoenix is all about poking from weird angles, setting up chain reactions, and getting out when things get hot.

Her kit encourages flanking, comboing abilities, and staying mobile. If you like fast-paced glass cannons, this is it.

Abilities

Cosmic Flame:

[Right Click] to fire a projectile that stuns on first hit and apply Sparks. Later hits slow enemies. Can be used to disrupt abilities or start chain explosions when enemies are grouped up.

Psychic Shift

Press [Shift] to perform a short dash that explodes behind Phoenix, applying a Spark to nearby enemies. It can be aimed in any direction and is great for finishing combos or escaping dives. 12s cooldown.

Phoenix Force

Press [E] to activate flight mode for a short time. While flying, Phoenix regenerates ammo over time. She can shoot and reposition, but cannot use other abilities during flight.

Passive

Every time a target explodes from Sparks, Phoenix heals slightly and applies a new Spark to nearby enemies, creating potential chain reactions.

Ultimate

You Are Nothing

Phoenix transforms into a flaming bird and becomes untargetable. While in this form, she can fly freely and crash down in a massive explosion that:

Her Ultimate deals huge AoE damage, breaks all shields, summons, and bonus HP in range, and applies Sparks to anyone caught in the blast. After landing, Phoenix is fully healed and returned to her original position. The explosion has a 60m range and ignores walls.

Team up

Claw and Flame

When teamed with Wolverine, Phoenix gains a unique combo bonus. Exact effect not confirmed yet, but rumored to enhance chaining potential.

Tips to play Phoenix in Marvel Rivals

Phoenix plays best when she’s flanking, poking, and being a general menace from off angles. Think of her like a mix between Tracer and Junkrat, with more brains and a flaming bird.

Open fights by getting 1 to 2 Sparks on multiple enemies. If they’re stacked, the first explosion can set off a chain reaction. Use Cosmic Flame to trigger explosions or lock down squishies trying to escape.

If you’re getting dived, land a quick body shot or headshot, then immediately dash (Shift) to trigger an explosion and escape. It’s a surprisingly strong defensive combo.

Your melee also applies a Spark, meaning that if someone gets too close, a headshot melee combo can cause an instant explosion.

Use flight (E) not just to escape, but to reposition and recharge ammo. Poke, fly up, regain ammo, and come back in when the cooldowns are back up.

The ultimate is your nuke. Use it when you see grouped enemies with bonus health or defensive abilities. It deletes shields, kills summons, and counters nearly every defensive ult in the game. Just beware: Phoenix has only 400 HP in this form, so don’t hover too long or you’ll get shot down.

You return to your original spot after ulting, so don’t try to use it to escape a bad position. Use it mid-fight to turn the tide or punish grouped enemies.

Phoenix is one of the most explosive DPS heroes in Marvel Rivals. Mastering her Spark combos, positioning, and ult timing can turn you into an unstoppable force. Just don’t forget: you are nothing until you explode.