Winter Soldier is a powerful Hybrid Duelist with a kit designed for aggressive play, chasing, and crowd control. He excels at eliminating priority targets and wiping out teams with his execution-focused ultimate, Kraken Impact. Here’s a detailed guide to mastering him:
Abilities Overview
- Roterstern (Primary Attack)
- Description: Fires a revolver dealing strong mid-range (40 m) damage. Precision shots (headshots) are possible. The magazine reloads automatically after three shots or whenever Winter Soldier uses an ability (thanks to his Ceaseless Charge passive).
- Tip: Prioritize precision shots for high damage, and weave abilities between shots to maintain ammo without manual reloading.
- Kraken Impact (Ultimate)
- Description: Leaps into the air and slams the ground, dealing AoE damage. Marks enemies with Culling, allowing execution at ≤20% HP. Kills on marked enemies reset the ability, enabling repeated usage.
- Tip: Use Kraken Impact strategically to engage clustered enemies, ensuring kills to chain resets and dominate fights.
- Trooper’s Fist (Skill)
- Description: Dashes forward, pushing back enemies and knocking them into the air, leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks.
- Tip: Use this to isolate high-priority enemies or initiate combos on grouped targets.
- Tainted Voltage (Skill)
- Description: Fires an electric orb that slows enemies and disables flying characters, forcing them to the ground.
- Tip: Target mobile heroes like Iron Man or Storm to neutralize their mobility and make them easier to eliminate.
- Bionic Hook (Skill)
- Description: Launches a grappling hook in a straight line, pulling enemies (even behind others) toward Winter Soldier.
- Tip: Excellent for singling out fragile enemies hiding behind their allies, such as Scarlet Witch or Hawkeye.
- Ceaseless Charge (Passive)
- Description: Grants bonus health and reloads Roterstern every time an ability is used.
- Tip: This encourages an aggressive, combo-heavy playstyle to sustain health and ammo.
- Infinite Grit (Team-Up Passive)
- Description: When paired with Rocket Raccoon, his power-up station boosts Roterstern’s fire rate and provides infinite ammo within its AoE.
- Tip: Stick close to Rocket Raccoon during fights for maximum damage output.
Playstyle and Combos
Basic Combos
- Combo 1:
- Two Shots → Tainted Voltage → Trooper’s Fist → Two Shots.
- Use this to deal quick, consistent damage to a single target.
- Combo 2:
- Two Shots → Bionic Hook → Two Shots → Tainted Voltage.
- Effective against multiple enemies, pulling them into range and slowing them.
- Combo 3:
- Shot → Trooper’s Fist → Shot x3 → Tainted Voltage → Shot → Bionic Hook → Shot x2.
- Ideal for extended engagements with high damage output.
Ultimate Combom Composition
- Pair Winter Soldier with heroes that benefit from his crowd control:
- Hawkeye and Black Widow: Their precision damage thrives with his CC setup.
- Rocket Raccoon: His power-up station dramatically increases Winter Soldier’s DPS.
- Tanky Heroes: Shielding heroes can allow Winter Soldier to focus on executing his combos.
Tips to Counter Winter Soldier
- Stay Mobile: Avoid clustering, making it harder for him to chain Kraken Impact resets.
- Disrupt His Combos: Use stuns, slows, or silences to prevent ability chaining.
- Prioritize Ranged Damage: Heroes like Doctor Strange or Storm can out-range and pressure him from a distance.
Final Thoughts
Winter Soldier is a game-changing Duelist in Marvel Rivals. His aggressive, combo-heavy playstyle makes him a deadly threat when mastered. Use his abilities strategically to disrupt, isolate, and execute key targets. Focus on perfecting his combos and timing Kraken Impact resets to dominate the battlefield!