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Marvel Rivals
The countdown is on: on August 7, 2026, Marvel Rivals drops its Season 9.5 mid-season update and, with it, the game's 53rd hero — The Hood. Revealed alongside Jubilee in the Season 9 trailer, this comic-book villain joins the roster as a Vanguard. Heads up: every ability below comes from leaks and previews, so it is provisional until NetEase publishes the official kit. Follow the official announcements for final confirmation.
The essentials: what we know about The Hood
The Hood isn't a classic shield-first tank. Previews describe an aggressive frontliner who leans on dark magic and confusion rather than raw damage soaking — a mobile Vanguard sitting somewhere between a tank and a duelist.
- Release: August 7, 2026, with the Season 9.5 (mid-season) update.
- Announced role: Vanguard (offensive tank), the game's 53rd hero.
- Weapon: twin pistols with an overheat and cooling system.
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S — crossplay enabled.
Leaked kit (to be confirmed)
According to leaks relayed by several outlets, The Hood's kit would revolve around managing his overheat and projecting clones. Treat all of this as unconfirmed:
- Pistols (overheat): sustained fire heats the weapon; cooling is reportedly tied to his shield gauge, forcing you to alternate aggression and retreat.
- Shield: a defensive ability that absorbs a set amount of damage — unclear whether it's a fixed wall (Doctor Strange/Magneto style) or a mobile shield (Invisible Woman style).
- Clone projection: he would deploy clones across the map Loki-style, controllable and detonatable for heavy area damage.
- Ultimate (demon transformation): he would morph into a demon, likely gaining health and damage to protect his team and take space.
How to prepare for and counter The Hood in ranked
Even before launch, two jobs: anticipate his ban/pick in ranked and line up your counters. Here are the logical angles given his leaked kit.
Skins, meta and the console angle
Season 9.5 will land with its wave of skins and additional balance tweaks. On console (PS5, Xbox), a mobile Vanguard that alternates firing and retreating will demand careful controller settings: aim sensitivity, aim assist and bumpers to chain shield and clone detonation. Plan to re-test your settings the moment the hero drops.
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