Marvel Rivals: How To Play Black Widow (Abilities, Ultimate, Tips & Tricks)

Black Widow is a Duelist in Marvel Rivals, which means she has a good mix of ranged and close combat abilities. She's not just a tank or damage dealer; she's good at adapting her playstyle and moving strategically. While she can be a melee fighter, she's a lot better used with range. If you can aim precisely and position yourself well, you can dominate the game. She's got the requirements to be a force on her own.

While one of her main advantages is her quick ability to switch from using her sniper rifle for long-range attacks to her electric batons for close combat, it's not recommended. She's not built to take a lot of damage, so you must be proficient at dodging and using her speed to avoid being hit. By making well-placed shots and moving strategically, Black Widow can be a strong addition to any team, and this is why she's one of the best characters to pick in Marvel Rivals.

All Black Widow Abilities

Every Ability for Black Widow

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Black Widow is effective in Marvel Rivals when adapting to the battle situation. Start by using the Red Room Rifle from a distance to take out important targets like enemy duelists or strategists. The rifle does a lot of damage, especially with the Straight Shooter ability, letting you quickly eliminate enemies and disrupt their plans. Use the Aim Down Sights (ADS) feature to maximize damage and activate the Straight Shooter. However, don't just focus on ranged attacks; use her Widow's Bite Batons for close fights or to finish off injured enemies.

Ability Name Input Type Description Widow's Bite Baton LMB Normal Attack Strike with enhanced electric batons. (Press 1 to switch to them first) Red Room Rifle LMB Ability Attack with the Red Room Rifle. (Press 2 to switch to them first) Straight Shooter RMB Ability You can switch the Red Room Rifle to Sniper mode to fire high-energy rounds. The sniper rifle shares the same magazine as the Red Room Rifle. Fleet Foot Shift Ability Dash forward and enable a powerful jump. Edge Dancer E Ability Unleash a spinning kick to launch enemies airborne. A successful hit allows a grappling hook to zip to the target for a second kick. Electro-Plasma Explosion Q Ultimate Ability Switch the Red Room Rifle to Destruction mode and unleash an electro-plasma blast, damaging enemies and leaving a slowing plasma field. Supersensory Hunt C Team-Up Ability Hawkeye shares his Hunter's Sight, allowing Black Widow to see and damage enemy afterimages.

The secret to Black Widow’s agility is her mobility tools. Fleet Foot gives her great escape options and helps her reposition after shooting or engaging in melee. Her jump ability lets her reach higher ground, improving her rifle's range and accuracy. Edge Dancer can be used both offensively and defensively. The spinning kick can create distance and set up a follow-up attack with her grappling hook, helping to secure a kill or make a quick escape. This tactic works especially well against rush-heavy opponents.

How To Use Black Widow's Ultimate

The Best Way To Use Black Widow's Ultimate Ability

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Black Widow’s ultimate ability in Marvel Rivals, the Electro-Plasma Explosion, is a strong area attack that works well with her other skills and needs careful timing to be most effective. It’s not just something you can use without thinking; it requires smart positioning and an understanding of enemy movements. Use Q to activate it. When activated, her Red Room Rifle becomes a plasma cannon that fires a powerful blast, dealing significant damage in an area that ranges from 5.6 to 8 meters, depending on how long it's charged.

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After the blast, it leaves behind plasma globs that slow down enemies by 80% for 10 seconds, which is important for creating chances to follow up with more attacks. To use this ability effectively, you should charge it strategically. A fully charged shot does the most damage (170) and produces the highest number of plasma globs (20), making it very useful. However, charging takes time and makes Black Widow vulnerable, so sometimes a quicker, partially charged shot is better, especially in high-stress situations.

If Black Widow is too simple, switch to Squirrel Girl. She is much harder to master.

Use Black Widow's agility to get to a good spot with a clear view of a group of enemies. Start charging the ability, and when ready, shoot the blasts. At this point, you should take advantage of the slowed enemies by hitting them with the rifle or using close-range strikes with batons. Remember, the effectiveness of the ultimate isn’t just about getting kills; it's about setting up the enemy for follow-up attacks.

Best Team Composition For Black Widow

Who Matches Black Widow The Best?

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To build the best team for Black Widow in Marvel Rivals, combining her strengths in long-range attacks and quick close combat with heroes that complement her abilities is important. A balanced team of two vanguards, two duelists, and two strategists works best. However, some players find it more fun to min-max, so adjust if needed.

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For the vanguards, pairing Captain America and Thor is a great choice. Their teamwork, called Voltaic Union, enhances their damage, making them a strong frontline. Captain America can control crowds, while Thor deals powerful hits. This setup helps create space for Black Widow to use her long-range skills. Another option is pairing a good Venom build in Marvel Rivals with Hulk; Hulk can absorb damage for Venom, allowing him to unleash heavy attacks. Wolverine teaming up with Hulk adds even more striking power.

Don't worry too much about this; having the best team-ups and character combinations in Marvel Rivals can make a big difference. However, you can't always control what other players choose, so just do your best with Black Widow.

As a second duelist, Iron Fist is a fantastic option. He can quickly dive into fights, causing disruption and creating chances for Black Widow to strike. His speed also helps against teams that try to dive in on them. Spider-Man can be an alternative with his ability to swing around quickly for dodging and repositioning. For the strategists, Adam Warlock and Mantis make a solid backline. Mantis can heal and put enemies to sleep for protection, while Adam Warlock has strong healing and can bring teammates back when they fall, keeping the team alive.

Best Tips, Tricks, and Strategies For Winning With Black Widow

Best Strategy For Black Widow

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You will need to balance Black Widow's ranged and close-combat skills to play her well in Marvel Rivals. Focus on getting to the high ground since it gives a tactical advantage. Use her mobility skills, Fleet Foot and Edge Dancer, to help her reach and hold these spots. From above, her Red Room Rifle can deal high damage, especially with headshots, so it targets important enemies like Duelists and Strategists, especially those with low health.

Keep in mind that the Red Room Rifle's damage decreases over long distances, so you should adjust your position accordingly. The Widow's Bite Batons are not just a backup but are great for close fights. The Edge Dancer ability, which combines a spinning kick with a grappling hook pull, is extremely useful. Black Widow can use it to start fights, get away from danger, or set up for a headshot.

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You should work with their your to create opportunities, like funneling enemies into tight spaces or concentrating on one target, to make Black Widow's ultimate more effective. Lastly, remember to use Supersensory Hunt in combination with Hawkeye to target enemy afterimages. Black Widow is a great character to play, but she's no tank, so keeping her away from the front line is important. If you use her well, she can become an easy favorite in Marvel Rivals.