The undead have arrived in Marvel Rivals! The Marvel Zombies PvE Mode introduces the first-ever co-op experience in Rivals history. Four heroes, endless hordes, and the Queen of the Dead herself — it’s time to fight through the apocalypse.
Marvel Zombies is a limited-time event mode where up to four players battle waves of undead enemies across the streets of Midtown. Players fight progressively stronger hordes and two main bosses — Zombie Namor and The Queen of the Dead (Wanda).
Marvel Rivals Zombie Mode Guide – Best Heroes, Builds
Your objective is simple: survive through escalating waves, defeat both bosses, and clear the final arena before time runs out.
Event Rewards
- Blade – Blade Knight Costume (Free)
- Peni Parker – Floral Frights Costume
- Titles: Undead Nightmare, Zombies’ End, Queenslayer
- Units, Sprays, and Lanterns for the Voyage to Astonish event.
Playable Heroes
The following heroes are available, each featuring unique traits and ability sets tailored for PvE combat:
| Hero | Type | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Blade | Melee / Lifesteal | Massive sustain and burst potential |
| The Punisher | Ranged DPS | Extreme weapon scaling and safety |
| Magik | Hybrid / AoE | Excellent horde control and dash offense |
| Thor | Area Damage | Devastating AoE with Awakening Rune build |
| Jeff the Land Shark | Mobility / Defense | Collision-based, evasive combat style |
Duplicate heroes are allowed in all team compositions.
Best Heroes for Zombie Mode
While all five heroes can clear Nightmare IV, some stand out for efficiency:
- The Punisher – Safest and highest overall damage output.
- Blade – Best melee option with unmatched lifesteal.
- Thor – Best AoE and wave control when built for runes.
Hero Build Strategies
Blade – Vampire King of PvE
Weapon Focus: Sword only
Traits: Full Red Tree (damage + lifesteal)
Blessings Priority:
- Attack Speed & Damage
- Sword Range (AoE)
- Moon Knight’s Ankhs for sustain
Avoid: Ult Upgrades (lifesteal makes them unnecessary)
Stay close, keep slashing, and let lifesteal carry you through. Blade’s Red build allows near-immortality in prolonged fights.
Jeff the Land Shark – The Blue Bruiser
Abilities: Hydro Grenade, Vitality Bubble, and It’s Jeff!
Traits: Full Blue
Blessings: Fin-marked Blue upgrades for mobility and shield.
Focus: Collision Damage and staying submerged.
Constantly dive and ram enemies. His “Hide and Seek” playstyle is safer than it looks once mastered.
The Punisher – The True MVP
Weapon Choice: Assault Rifle (Adjudication), not Shotgun.
Traits: Red Tree, Green Abilities.
Blessings Priority:
- Rifle Damage
- Life Steal
- Reload Speed
Best Perk: Smartlocking (beam-like accuracy for headshots).
Playstyle Tip: Never turret-camp. Stay mobile, drop decoy grenades, and dominate bosses from range. Punisher’s rifle melts both Namor and Wanda effortlessly.
Magik – The Sorceress of Slaughter
Build Options:
- Mortal Will: Permanent human form, best for final boss.
- Dark Child: Demon mode, ideal for crowd control.
Blessings Priority: Red Tree + Phantom Edge.
Focus: Attack Speed, Damage, and Piercing Dash.
Playstyle Tip: Go all-in on one form — not both. Magik excels at clearing hordes with piercing AoE dashes.
Thor – God of AoE
Build Type: Awakening Rune
Traits & Blessings: Full Blue across both trees.
Core Upgrades: Endstorm + Rune Recycle (legendary).
Playstyle Tip: Once runes activate, Thor becomes a living storm. The entire battlefield bends to his lightning chain destruction.
Enemies
Standard Zombies
| Enemy | Description |
|---|---|
| Rotten Undead | Basic walkers; attack in packs |
| Berserk Undead | Leapers; highly aggressive |
| Explosive Undead | Throw grenades that detonate on impact |
| Plague Undead | Create poison zones causing DoT |
| Decayed Undead | Crawlers that slow heroes |
| Exploding Undead | Detonate upon death |
| Undead Sentinel | Armored brutes with AoE stomp attacks |
Bosses
Zombie Namor
Starts invulnerable while summoning Monstros (frozen, gamma, undead types).
Throws trident spears and creates water zones.
At low HP, summons Gigantos, flooding the map with Monstros.
Tip: Focus on squids during Phase 1; burst Namor in Phase 2.
Queen of the Dead (Wanda)
Fires chaos waves, teleports, and summons control zones.
Has a Reality Erasure Bar under her HP.
If filled, she unleashes a full-map wipe.
Tip: Constant DPS and crystal destruction prevent her ultimate.
Melee heroes suffer here due to Dark Seals causing repeated stuns. Use ranged characters for consistent uptime.
Difficulty Tiers
| Tier | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Beginner | Easy, unlosable tutorial stage |
| Hard | Intermediate | Requires basic build setup |
| Extreme | Advanced | Demands optimized upgrades |
| Nightmare I–IV | Endgame | True challenge; boss-heavy combat |
Progression through difficulties is linear — clear one to unlock the next.
Missions & Rewards
| Mission | Reward |
|---|---|
| Log in daily | 3 Holy Ankhs |
| First Clear: Normal | 40 Spray + 100 Units |
| First Clear: Hard | 100 Units |
| First Clear: Extreme | 100 Units |
| First Clear: Nightmare I | 100 Units |
| First Clear: Nightmare II | Undead Nightmare Title + Lantern |
| First Clear: Nightmare III | Zombies’ End Title + Lantern |
| First Clear: Nightmare IV | Queenslayer Title + Lantern |
Holy Ankhs: Used to revive after total party wipes.
Lanterns: Used for the Voyage to Astonish event.
Marvel Rivals’ Zombie Mode is a bold step into PvE territory — fast-paced, replayable, and full of customization depth. Whether you’re slashing as Blade or raining thunder with Thor, each run feels uniquely rewarding.