Marvel Rivals Hero balance changes in August 21 update

NetEase developers are scheduled to implement a few major Marvel Rivals Hero balance changes in the Hero Shooter's August 21 update. Starting from lifesteal boosts to significant cooldowns, players can witness some noteworthy changes while playing with some of their favorite characters. The balance update is expected to go live on August 21, 2025, at 9 AM UTC/ 2:30 PM IST.
Two Duelists (Blade and Human Torch) and one Strategist (Loki) are going to be the main attraction of this Marvel Rivals Hero Balance change update. As per the recent X post, there will be no server downtime. That said, this article will explain all the upcoming changes in the mid-season patch.

Marvel Rivals Hero Balance changes in the August 21 update

As discussed earlier, Duelist Blade and Human Torch, along with Strategist Loki, will receive significant tweaks after the August 21 patch goes live on the servers.

While some are getting notable buffs, the rest will face a notorious nerf hammer. That said, let's explain all the changes in the three Heroes from the ever-expanding roster of Marvel Rivals:

Duelist adjustments

Two Duelists, Blade and Human Torch, are getting balanced in this patch. Here are the changes:

Blade

The famous Daywalker from the Marvel Universe has received a slight resilience buff to increase his staying power for the midnight brawls.

• The Lifesteal gained during Bloodline Awakening is increased from 60% to 65%.
• The developers implemented a self-healing reduction from 40% to 35%.

Human Torch

Our favorite Pyro, Johnny Storm's flame, has been dialed back so that the ground heroes can catch their breath a little bit.

• The Damage Over Time from the Flame Field has been reduced from 25/s to 20/s.
• The Damage Over Time from the Pyro-Prison has been reduced from 50/s to 40/s.

Strategist adjustments

Our favorite God of Mischief, Loki, has received a few changes after the Marvel Rivals Hero Balance changes in the August 21 update:

Loki

Loki mains can now inflict less damage to opponents. However, his healing remained the same.

• The Mystical Missile damage dealt to the opponents by the God of Mischief and his illusions has been reduced from 30 to 25. On a good note, the healing to teammates remains unchanged.

As posted on the official Marvel Rivals X handle, there'll be no server downtime since the update will not be that big compared to major patch changes. However, considering the current meta, the significant balance changes of Blade, Human Torch, and Loki might affect the overall Hero picks.

Despite the balancing updates, some Heroes in the ever-expanding roster of Rivals remain overpowered post-Season 3.5 update. According to the official blog, the developers are expected to deliver more balancing changes based on the community feedback post August 21 update.
That's all related to the Marvel Rivals Hero Balance changes in the August 21 update. We'll make sure to update you in case NetEase implements any other changes post this update. So, what might be the impact on the current Hero meta after the August 21 update? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.