Fliers in Marvel Rivals present distinct challenges, often having fewer soft counters compared to most other characters in the game. To effectively take down these aerial combatants, you need characters that can perform very specific actions; otherwise, they can wreak havoc on your team throughout the match.
The Human Torch exemplifies this issue. He can be particularly troublesome when matched against other fliers like Iron Man and Storm due to his remarkable speed and agility, making it difficult to inflict significant damage on him during a fight.
Strategies to Counter the Human Torch
The major concern when countering the Human Torch is that he’s a flier, but that’s not his only threat. He can inflict a significant amount of area-of-effect (AoE) damage, controlling small areas effortlessly. This ability compels adversaries to either reposition or remain stationary instead of advancing.
Despite his power, the Human Torch is one of the more fragile characters in the game. With focused effort, he can be brought down quickly, especially when he’s out in the open, making him a far less important factor for teams that strategize to keep him contained.
How to Counter the Human Torch as a Duelist
To effectively counter the Human Torch as a duelist, you need a character who can deal damage from a distance. However, it’s not enough to just have any ranged attacks; you’ll need fast-moving projectiles that can track effectively.
This rules out Duelists like Squirrel Girl and Moon Knight. While it’s not impossible to defeat him with these characters, it’s going to be significantly more challenging.
Fortunately, some Duelists can still take him down:
- Sniper characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye excel at dealing heavy damage from afar. They can quickly turn a healthy Human Torch into a defeated one if they can take the shot. Savvy Human Torch players will limit your angles, so you may need to get creative to find your line of fire.
- Hela is excellent for combating the Human Torch due to her hitscan primary attack, which reaches its target instantly. With precise aim, Hela can be a constant headache for any flier, including the Human Torch.
- While Winter Soldier may have a tougher time against the Human Torch compared to the previous options, his main attack can still bring the Human Torch down. Additionally, Winter Soldier’s Tainted Voltage ability can knock fliers out of the sky.
It may be challenging to hit fliers with Tainted Voltage because it moves somewhat slowly, but any opportunity to knock a flier from the sky is worth taking.
- Star-Lord is another choice for taking down the Human Torch, though perhaps a bit unconventional. He can close the vertical distance between himself and the Human Torch with relative ease, and his weapons dish out consistent damage. Given the Torch’s low health, he will struggle against Star-Lord’s attacks.
How to Counter the Human Torch as a Vanguard
Countering the Human Torch with a Vanguard can be more complex. Generally, Vanguards struggle against fliers as they usually operate at a range that keeps them out of a Vanguard’s effective reach.
Vanguards typically can’t bridge this gap for any meaningful amount of time. Characters like Venom and Thor can occasionally reach fliers, but they often don’t stick around long enough to deal significant damage.
- Doctor Strange stands out as an exception. He can hover in the air for a considerable duration; while his projectiles may be slow, getting close to the Human Torch can result in a tough duel for Johnny Storm.
If the Human Torch tries to escape from Doctor Strange, Strange likely won’t have the speed to maintain the pressure. Using this ability as a finisher on a lower-health Human Torch can be effective or to force him out of a favorable position.
- While Groot may not consistently damage the Human Torch, he can limit his options. Groot can create large walls in various locations, which forces the Human Torch to either find a new vantage point or waste time shooting at the wall instead of attacking you.
How to Counter the Human Torch as a Strategist
Strategists often have a somewhat easier time against the Human Torch than Vanguards but still face challenges. They usually struggle to hit an airborne opponent due to their weapons and abilities.
Moreover, the Human Torch’s capacity for generating substantial AoE damage means that Strategists, often closely positioned alongside a friendly Vanguard, may find themselves at risk. A well-placed Blazing Blast or Pyro-Prison from the Human Torch could spell disaster for both characters.
However, some Strategists can prove difficult for the Human Torch to hit and offer intriguing offensive capabilities:
- Rocket can become an almost impossible target from a distance, presenting challenges for the Human Torch. By skillfully using Rocket’s movement abilities, it might feel like the Human Torch is fighting against a phantom, while a competent Rocket can still fire healing spheres with ease.
- If Invisible Woman can get close enough to the Human Torch to land her Force Physics ability, she can pull Johnny Storm toward her. This tactic allows her to inflict significant damage before he might escape or gives nearby allies a chance to focus on him.
Positioning Invisible Woman for this tactic can be tricky, but leveraging her ability to become invisible can help tremendously, in combination with forcing the Human Torch to approach her using her Invisible Boundary ultimate ability.
- Both Mantis and Luna Snow can also bring the Human Torch down or keep him immobilized in their own unique ways. Mantis can induce sleep in Johnny with one of her Spores, simplifying the process of handling him. Luna Snow can freeze him, which is a surprisingly effective method to make him plummet from the sky like a falling icicle.
