Hela is a ranged Duelist hero in Marvel Rivals, and one that can make the difference in a fierce and closely contested match.
She may not have the high fire rate of The Punisher or the one-shot potential of Hawkeye, but she’s undoubtedly one of the best heroes in the game. Her sustained damage, precise aim, and devastating ultimate make her a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
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Our Marvel Rivals guide for Hela will run down her abilities, offer tips and tricks, and help you dominate the battlefield.
Hela Abilities
Hela seems unassuming at first look, especially given her reputation during the beta. However, after some balance updates and a seasonal damage bonus, she’s established herself as one of the premier Duelists in the game.
Her in-game difficulty is listed at three out of five stars in Marvel Rivals, making her not overly accessible for beginners but not too complex either. The key to Hela is to have good aim, patience, and a strong team.
Let’s run down her abilities:
|
Ability |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Nightsword Thorn |
Normal Attack. Deals 70 damage, with falloff starting at 18 meters, decreasing to 70% at 30 meters. Fire rate is 2 rounds per second, holds 8 ammo. |
|
Goddess of Death |
Ultimate ability. Soar into the sky and unleash Nastrond Crows from each hand at will. Lasts for 10 seconds. Gains 1000 health, fire rate of 1.79 seconds. Deals 125 explosion damage in a 6 meter spherical radius. |
|
Astral Flock |
Transform into a Nastrond Crow to become invincible and glide forth, press again to undo the transformation. Dash speed of 15 meters a second up to a distance of 18 meters. Cooldown: 12 seconds. |
|
Soul Drainer |
Project an explosive Hel sphere to Stun nearby enemies. Projectile moves at a speed of 40 meters a second. The stun duration is 0.3 seconds in a 3-meter spherical radius. Cooldown: 12 seconds. |
|
Piercing Night |
Fire multiple Nightsword thorns that detonate after a delay. Projectile moves at a speed of 80 meters a second, dealing 10 projectile damage and 30 spell field damage power round. Cooldown: 8 seconds. |
|
Nastrond Crowstorm |
Passive ability. Defeating an enemy will generate a Nastrond Crow, exploding after a duration. Deals 80 damage in a 5 meter spherical radius after a 1.8 second delay. |
|
Hel’s Descent |
Hold Space to fall slowly |
|
Queen of Hel |
Team-Up ability. When Hela lands a final hit in defeating an enemy, she can instantly resurrect Loki and Thor in the respawn phase, or grant them Bonus Health if they are still alive. Team-Up Bonus is a 20% damage boost. |
Hela Offensive Strategies
While other ranged Duelists excel at staying on your backline, Hela’s Astral Flock allows her to be up close and personal, giving her an excellent escape option.
The key to playing Hela well is to always be in perfect position. Obviously, this is way easier said than done, but learning the limits of your character is how you get there.
- Soul Drainer is an excellent opener to stun enemies and set them up for a quick succession of your normal attacks.
- Keep the momentum with Nastrond Crowstorm and keep the pressure on enemies to do persistent damage.
- Astral Flock isn’t just for getting out of harm’s way. Use it to access advantageous vantage points or for setting up your ultimate.
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Hela Defensive Strategies
This is where learning positioning comes in handy. You don’t have to be a ghost, but making sure you’re not going to get picked off is key to playing Hela.
- Astral Flock makes you invincible; use this to your advantage.
- You’re not a sniper, so don’t play like one. You actively want to use your Soul Drainer to stun enemies and set up sustained damage.
- Stay by your healers. You’re best when you can combo your stun into damage and keep the momentum rolling, so don’t outkick the coverage here.
- I know it can be tempting to start the party, but let the Vanguards initiate combat.
Hela Team-Up Abilities
|
Team-Up |
Heroes Needed |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Queen of Hel |
Thor, Loki |
Team-Up ability. When Hela lands a final hit in defeating an enemy, she can instantly resurrect Loki and Thor in the respawn phase, or grant them Bonus Health if they are still alive. Also gives a 20% passive damage boost. |
Hela’s Marvel Rivals Team-Up Ability is super simple: if you deal the death blow on an enemy, you can revive Loki or Thor if they’re dead. If they’re alive, they’ll get bonus health.
Oh, and you get some extra damage, which is super nice.
Hela Counters & How to Deal with Them
As a Duelist, Hela is unfortunately a little squishy, and her playstyle suits her to be at a medium range instead of the back line. You’re not able to go toe-to-toe with snipers like Hawkeye or Black Widow, though you can absolutely deal with The Punisher.
Divers like Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Iron Fist will also fare well against you should you be caught alone and out of position.
Star-Lord can be an excellent counter, too, given his speed.
Best Team Comps With Hela
Ideally, you will want Thor or Loki on your team so he can unlock your Team-Up ability. Given their place in the meta, I’d prefer Loki every time. Sorry, not sorry; I’m not a fan of Thor.
Beyond that, you’ll want a strong healer to keep you healthy. Luna Storm and Cloak & Dagger are excellent options here.
The latter can deal out impressive AOE heals while also dealing damage, making it easier for you to finish them off. I’ll also never be upset to have a Mantis healer with me.
Speaking of dealing damage, having a strong Duelist alongside you is a great way to proc your Team-Up ability. Winter Soldier, Black Panther, Hawkeye, Psylocke, and The Punisher are all excellent options here.
I’ll never be upset to see a Venom on my team, but for Vanguards, Magneto, and Doctor Strange can disrupt the enemy while dishing out damage, allowing you to clean up.
