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Fliers inMarvel Rivalspose a unique set of problems, and seem to usually have fewer soft counters than most other characters in the game. They require characters who are capable of very specific things in order to take down, otherwise they’re going to sow havoc in your team throughout the match.
The Human Torchis no exception to this rule, and in fact, can be even more of a problem in certain ways than other fliers, like Iron Man and Storm. The Human Torch is capable of some impressive speed and maneuverability, putting him in a league of his own when it comes to landing meaningful damage on him.
How To Counter The Human Torch
Theprimary concernwhen it comes to countering The Human Torchis the fact that he’s a flier, but that’s not the only part of his ability set that’s important. He’s also capable of spreading around a shocking amount of area-of-effect (AoE) damage, locking down small areas with ease. It forces enemies to find new locations, or convinces them to stand still rather than advance.
But the Human Torch isn’t invincible; in fact,he’s one of the squishiest characters in the game. With a little bit of focused effort, he can be taken out of the sky the moment he shows his flaming face, rendering him more or less irrelevant to a team that’s dedicated to keeping him under wraps.
How To Counter The Human Torch As A Duelist
As with all fliers, and particularly Human Torch,you’ll need a character that’s capable of dealing damage at range. And not just any character with ranged attacks; these are going to need to be fast-moving attacks that track in a more-or-less flat arc.
This rules out Duelists like Squirrel Girl and Moon Knight. It’s not that it’s impossible to take him down with these characters, it’s just that it’s going to prove a much higher degree of difficulty to do so.
But, there are still a fewDuelistswho can get the job done:
It can be difficult to hit fliers with the slower-moving Tainted Voltage, but any chance to knock a flier out of the sky is worth the shot.
How To Counter The Human Torch As A Vanguard
Countering the Human Torch witha Vanguardcan be a little more complicated. In general,Vanguards can have a particular problem with fliers. Fliers generally stay at a healthy range, which is usually outside the area that a Vanguard can effectively play.
Vanguards can’t usually close this gap, or at least not for any meaningful amount of time. Both Venom and Thor can get to fliers semi-regularly, but they don’t often stay in the sky long enough to deal lethal damage.
If Human Torch tries to escape from Doctor Strange, Strange will not have the speed to keep the pressure on. Using this ability as a finishing move on a lower-health Human Torch can yield good results, or else as a way to force him to move from a good position.
How To Counter The Human Torch As A Strategist
Strategistsdon’t necessarily have as difficult a time dealing with the Human Torch as Vanguards do, but it’s no walk in the park for them, either. For one,Strategists are going to usually have a difficult time consistently hitting the flier, just due to their weaponry and abilities.
For another, the Human Torch’s ability to create pockets of significant AoE damage means that Strategists who are often attached at the hip to a friendly Vanguard might need to reconsider. One well-placed Blazing Blast or Pyro-Prison from Human Torch, and both you and the Vanguard are going to be cooked.
But the situation isn’t hopeless.Certain Strategists can be incredibly difficult targets for the Human Torch to hit, among some interesting offensive capabilities coming from them, too.
Maneuvering Invisible Woman into position for this can be tough; making good use of her ability to turn invisible can go a long way toward making this possible, alone with forcing Johnny to come in closer with her Invisible Boundary ultimate ability.
