MultiVersus‘ much-anticipated Season 1 update is finally here. While there’s a good chance that you’ve already tried the platform fighting game via its recent trial periods, everybody who dives into the official launch version of the game will likely be left asking the same question “Who is the best fighter in MultiVersus?”
Thanks to a massive MultiVersus Season 1 patch, the game’s meta is far different than it was just a handful of days ago. While the earliest days of the game’s launch will ultimately reveal how the game’s roster of (mostly) licensed characters is shaping up, it’s good to go into the game with some idea of where the various MultiVersus fighters stand.
Before we get into that, though, here are a few things to consider.
- These rankings are based on the idea that you don’t currently have a favorite MultiVersus character or a character you’ve mastered. In other words, these rankings are intended to represent the perspective of a new player as closely as possible.
- That said, it is absolutely possible to be great with any MultiVersus character. At the moment, there are just some that arguably have more to offer to more players than others.
- These rankings are designed to reflect a fighter’s position in the 2 vs. 2 “meta.” However, there are times when a character’s ability to handle themselves in a 1 vs. 1 scenario was the determining factor for their specific ranking. While we will be talking about the best MultiVersus teams at another time, consider this a look at the characters that you should consider learning and mastering if you haven’t done so already.
- Finally, these rankings are based on the current version of MultiVersus that is available at the time of this writing. We will update this article as new characters are added and substantial MultiVersus updates occur in the future.
With that out of the way, here’s every character in MultiVersus ranked worst to best.
17. Steven Universe
Steven Universe’s unique kit allows him to conjure a series of shields and platforms that can easily help a teammate out of a bad situation. Sadly, for as fun and cool as those abilities are, they’re just not as strong as they need to be.
You can certainly be great with Steven Universe, but there are just other Support characters that have more to offer out of the gate and arguably in the long run as well. Steven struggles to hold his own and isn’t quite as dynamic or impactful as his closest competitors. Until he is able to withstand or deal more damage on his own, I feel like Steven is best thought of as an elaborate power-up that can really boost a teammate’s overall damage during brief windows.
16. Iron Giant
Recently, Iron Giant managed to climb out of the meta basement thanks to a series of combos/strategies that made the most out of his brawny nature. Sadly, some recent nerfs seem to have brought him back down to Earth.
Simply put, the Iron Giant hits hard and can take a beating better than just about any other character. Sadly, his massive hitbox makes him an easy target, which typically means that all of those extra defenses don’t really amount to much. While Iron Giant might be a favorite amongst those who prefer big bruiser characters in other platform fighters, the latest MultiVersus patch makes it clear that the team is worried about his high-end potential. That means his ceiling is currently quite low.
15. Garnet
It is impossible to deny Garnet’s strength or the overwhelming power of her combos. The big problem with Garnet is that everything she does just feels a little slower than it should be.
Right now, Garnet’s longer “wind-up” abilities, generally slower movement speed, and combo-heavy strategies make her too easy of a target for many of the quick and ranged characters in MultiVersus. She is devastating in the right hands and in the right situations. Since that is true of every character in MultiVersus, though, Garnet’s lack of flexibility knocks her down a few spots on this list.
14. Reindog
I really don’t know what to make of Reindog. In theory, I understand that Reindog’s tether ability is a life-saving tool that also offers some extra damage potential. In theory, I also understand that Reindog’s ranged attacks make him (at the very least) incredibly annoying to deal with.
However, Reindog still feels just a bit too gimmicky. That tether ability is nice, but there are times when you’d rather have a teammate that is actively contributing more to a battle than a safety net. Meanwhile, getting the most out of his ranged attacks really requires you to work with a partner who specializes in keeping opponents occupied.
13. Taz
There was a time when I was convinced that Taz would end up being the most devastating character in MultiVersus. Unfortunately, the game’s developers clearly felt the same, as evidenced by the numerous nerfs Taz received in some of MultiVersus earliest updates. Now, Taz has been relegated to a kind of “meta purgatory.”
To be clear, Taz is still an incredibly annoying character (in a good way). He’s fast, he packs a surprising punch, and it can be really tough to throw him off his rhythm. However, it’s clear that Taz’s tornado ability is the key to his overall power level, and it’s clear that the developers are never going to let it be nearly as devastating as it once was. I think there’s a happy middle spot for Taz, but I’m not sure if he’s quite there yet.
12. LeBron James
My heart tells me to put LeBron James higher on this list. His devastating projectiles are some of the best in the game, and few other fighters come close to topping (or matching) the power of his best combos. There is a lot to love about this character and his power potential.
LeBron’s consistency is a problem, though. When he doesn’t have a basketball in his hands (which can be often), he loses access to his best abilities and tends to feel a bit helpless. Generally speaking, I’m a little more down on characters that require more set-up and resources to operate at their very best, and that’s the kind of fighter that LeBron James ultimately is, despite his various advantages.
11. Wonder Woman
If it weren’t for her recent buffs, I would definitely have Wonder Woman a spot or two lower on this list. Such as it is, though, I’m encouraged by the subtle changes made to her weight and key ability cooldowns.
Wonder Woman is tough, fairly simple to learn, and excels in 2 vs. 2 scenarios due to her surprising support abilities. At the moment, though, I see her more as a “high floor, low ceiling” kind of character. She is solid in so many scenarios, but I’m not convinced she has more to offer than other fairly consistent characters with slightly more high-end potential.
10. Arya Stark
I’ll tell you right now that Arya Stark is the hardest character in MultiVersus to properly rank.
First off, Arya is one of the most difficult characters in MultiVersus to learn and master. To make matters worse, Arya isn’t an especially powerful solo character, and she is painfully susceptible to knockbacks and strong attacks. Trying to learn Arya is an exercise in frustration.
The payoff may be worth it, though. The best Arya players will be able to punish opponents for simply trying to play their characters as they were designed to be played. The best Arya players will also be one of the best non-Support teammates a player could possibly ask for. I think Arya’s recent buffs will offer more players more incentive to learn her. Still, I’m not convinced the learning curve is worth the reward quite yet.
9. Shaggy
Shaggy’s biggest advantage is the fact that he’s arguably the easiest character in MultiVersus to learn and master. He’s a pretty straightforward brawler who tends to get even better as you naturally gain momentum with him. Of course, his overall simplicity means that his high-end potential is somewhat limited.
Still, I don’t think that Shaggy should just be written off as a beginner’s best choice. There are times when you need a fighter who is going to focus on knocking out the opposition, and Shaggy does that extremely well. Take the time to get to know Shaggy, and you’ll probably feel comfortable in just about every situation.
8. Superman
I know that I’m more bullish about Superman than a lot of players tend to be. To be fair, I’m also more than aware of his many potential disadvantages. His predictability and large hitbox mean that he often leaves himself open to big combos. The more you fight against Superman, the easier it becomes to counter him.
However, I find it difficult to be down on a fighter that is strong, durable, and versatile. Superman can attack you from a lot of angles, and his absolute best moves and combos can end a match if you’re not constantly looking out for them. There are arguments against Superman, but I’m not convinced they are stronger than the arguments for him.
7. Velma
Not long ago, Velma would have been at the very top of this list. However, the latest MultiVersus patch features an almost hilarious number of significant Velma nerfs. You can almost feel how much the developers resented her reign of terror.
The question now is whether or not Velma’s nerfs knock her out of the conversation entirely. My gut says that Velma is still the best Support character in the game and will still be an invaluable ally in the right 2 vs. 2 situations. Still, Velma’s learning curve and general ineffectiveness in a 1 vs. 1 scenario may just be enough to force you to consider other options.
6. Finn
Much like Velma, Finn was recently impacted by a devastating series of nerfs that will undoubtedly make the character less consistent and less powerful overall. Specifically, the developers made it clear that they wanted Finn to feel less “safe” than before.
I think those nerfs will accomplish that goal, but I don’t think that means Finn is suddenly a terrible fighter. Finn is a KO artist whose amazing combos have a way of punishing so many strategies. Despite his Assassin tag, I find that Finn is one of the best close-range fighters in the game. Yes, he’s worse than he was before, but it seems like Finn simply went from “broken” to “very good.”
5. Bugs Bunny
Velma’s former partner in crime was also hit by the nerf hammer pretty hard recently. Before the latest MultiVersus patch, Bugs was an almost unstoppable force of nature whose various special moves had a way of dominating the average match. Now, Bugs is just a little less reliable than he once was.
Still, a slightly less reliable version of Bugs Bunny is still a pretty good MultiVersus fighter. Bugs isn’t quite the slam dunk option he once was, but there are few other characters in the game that can do as much as Bugs can. If you want an offensive-minded character who is so much more than a mere melee machine, Bugs is still an effective overall option.
4. Tom and Jerry
There’s no getting around the fact that Tom and Jerry are incredibly difficult to master. They’re basically an even more complicated (and strange) version of the Ice Climbers from Super Smash Bros. The first few times you play as them, you’ll be left wondering what you’re expected to do with these characters that seem more interested in fighting each other than your opponents. Honestly, it will probably take you dozens of matches to start to get a feel for Tom and Jerry.
In terms of payoff and potential, though, Tom and Jerry are hard to deny. Their projectiles are some of the strongest in the game, and there’s nothing more annoying than trying to face a Tom and Jerry player who knows what they’re doing. I doubt Tom and Jerry will be nerfed anytime soon simply because their playstyle is so strange and complicated. Of course, that might mean that now is a good time to master them.
3. Jake
Jake actually did get nerfed slightly in the latest MultiVersus update, but aside from an exploit fix and a small hit to his recovery time, he’s really not that different than he was before. That being the case, I think that Jake actually has a pretty good chance to find himself near the top of the MultiVersus meta.
Jake is a hard-hitting Bruiser who often gets a surprising amount of mileage out of his most basic attacks. He’s a lot like Shaggy in that regard. The big difference is that Jake boasts a series of special moves that allow him to shut down an opponent’s best moves and essentially deal projectile-based damage. He’s an absolute nightmare in the right hands.
2. Harley Quinn
I was actually surprised to see that Harley recently received a small buff to her character weight. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s interesting to think that Harley received any kind of buff given that she already indirectly benefited from many of MultiVersus’ recent nerfs.
Harley is capable of dealing a surprising amount of damage for an Assassin character. Of course, as an Assassin, she also has access to some annoying specials that perfectly compliment her more evasive nature. At the moment, I highly recommend taking the time to learn Harley’s playstyle. I think she’s about to become a menace.
1. Batman
Batman was already in the running for “best fighter in MultiVersus” honors before the game’s latest patch dealt some devastating blows to his closest competition. Now, the Dark Knight finds himself near the top of the meta.
Batman is an Assassin in Bruiser’s clothes. He’s as powerful as you expect a more melee fighter to be, but it’s the versatility of his kit that puts him on a different level. Good luck fighting a Batman player who knows how to grapple across the arena at will, and good luck fighting a Batman player who knows how to weave their Batarang ability into close-range beatdowns. At the moment, it’s hard to go wrong with Batman.