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5 Things Marvel Rivals Players Get Wrong About Map-Locked Hero Challenges

The MAP Decides Our Heroes in Marvel Rivals

Video: The MAP Decides Our Heroes in Marvel Rivals

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· based on the channel Salty Phish

Key takeaways

  • Salty Phish's map-locked hero challenge requires players to pick heroes based on the random map they queue into.
  • Examples: Klyntar maps allow Venom; Asgardian maps allow Thor, Loki, Hela, and others.
  • The challenge was played in Marvel Rivals Season 9: The Mystery of Thebes, without the new hero The Hood.
  • Viewers pointed out lore oversights: Iron Man should count for Shin-Shibuya due to the Stark-Fujikawa building.
  • Devil Dinosaur is a New York character in Marvel lore, living with Moon Girl in NYC.

The Marvel Rivals map-locked hero challenge is a self-imposed ruleset where you must pick a hero based on the random map you queue into. For example, on a Klyntar map you play Venom, and on an Asgardian map you can choose Thor, Loki, or Hela. This challenge was featured in a video by Salty Phish, who played it in quickplay during Season 9: The Mystery of Thebes. You can watch Salty Phish live on Twitch for more casual gameplay and challenges.

How the Map-Locked Hero Challenge Works in Marvel Rivals

The core rule is simple: before each match, look at the map and select a hero that fits the map's theme or lore. This forces you to play a variety of heroes instead of sticking to your main. The challenge was played in quickplay, so the map is random each time. In the video, Salty Phish and his group applied this rule to every match, leading to unusual team compositions. The challenge was done during Season 9, which added new skins and battle pass content. The new hero The Hood was not used in this video, but a separate video about him is planned. To participate, follow these steps: 1) Queue for a quickplay match. 2) Note the map at the start. 3) Pick a hero that logically belongs to that map based on Marvel lore or in-game connections. 4) Play the match normally. 5) Repeat for each new map.

Map and Hero Associations Used in the Challenge

Several maps have clear hero associations based on Marvel lore. On Klyntar, the symbiote homeworld, Venom is the obvious pick. On Asgardian maps, heroes like Thor, Loki, and Hela are allowed. For Wakanda maps, Black Panther and other Wakandan characters fit. Shin-Shibuya, a futuristic Tokyo map, might allow heroes like Psylocke or Spider-Man 2099. However, the community pointed out that Iron Man should also count for Shin-Shibuya because of the Stark-Fujikawa building, which is a subsidiary of Stark Industries in the future. The map includes a building with the Stark-Fujikawa name, and Iron Man has dialogue referencing it. Similarly, for Spider-Islands (a 2099 map), some viewers argued that Punisher and Captain America should be allowed because they also exist in the 2099 universe. For the Wakanda Spaceport, viewers suggested that all Guardians of the Galaxy should count because in Rivals lore they are hired by Black Panther to stop symbiotes on Klyntar. The Milano, the Guardians' ship, can be seen leaving the Wakanda Spaceport in some map animations. Additionally, Bucky Barnes should count for Wakandan maps because in Rivals lore the Wakandans gave him his arm, as referenced in an interaction with Iron Man.

Common Mistakes and Lore Oversights

One common mistake is mixing up maps. For instance, Shin-Shibuya is not the same as Spider-Islands; Shin-Shibuya is a futuristic Tokyo map, while Spider-Islands is a 2099 New York map. Another oversight is ignoring characters who have connections to a location through lore rather than direct origin. Devil Dinosaur is a prime example: viewers pointed out that Devil Dinosaur lives in New York with Moon Girl, so he should count for Lower Manhattan maps. In the video, Salty Phish initially missed this. Also, for the Collector's museum map, viewers noted that Jeff the Land Shark, Psylocke, and Mantis were imprisoned there in the game's backstory, so they should be allowed. These oversights show that the challenge requires deep knowledge of Marvel Rivals lore. To avoid mistakes, research the map's backstory and character interactions before picking.

Viewer Questions and Community Debate

The challenge sparked debate about which heroes are valid for each map. Many viewers pointed out additional heroes that should count based on lore. For example, Iron Man for Shin-Shibuya due to Stark-Fujikawa, Punisher and Captain America for Spider-Islands because of the 2099 setting, and the Guardians of the Galaxy for Wakanda Spaceport because they were hired by Black Panther. Some viewers also suggested allowing specific skins, like the "Power Ranger" skins for Mantis, Hawkeye, and Captain America on Wakanda maps because those skins are linked to the Wakandan space empire. Others proposed variant challenges, such as an all-elemental team (water, fire, air, ice, nature, lightning) or an animal kingdom comp. The community also discussed whether Devil Dinosaur should count for New York maps, with most agreeing he should because he lives in NYC with Moon Girl. These discussions highlight the flexibility and creativity of the challenge.

Conclusion

The map-locked hero challenge is a fun way to explore Marvel Rivals' roster and learn more about the game's lore. It encourages players to think creatively and adapt to different maps. Salty Phish's video breakdown shows how the community engages with such challenges, pointing out lore connections and suggesting improvements. For more casual gameplay and challenges, watch Salty Phish live on Twitch at http://www.twitch.tv/saltyphish/.

Questions & answers

What is the map-locked hero challenge in Marvel Rivals?

It's a self-imposed ruleset where you must pick a hero based on the map you queue into. For example, on Klyntar you play Venom, and on Asgardian maps you can play Thor, Loki, or Hela. The challenge was popularized by streamers like Salty Phish.

Why should Iron Man count for Shin-Shibuya in Marvel Rivals?

Because the Shin-Shibuya map features the Stark-Fujikawa building, a future subsidiary of Stark Industries. Iron Man even has dialogue referencing it, so lore-wise he fits the map.

Should Devil Dinosaur be allowed on New York maps in Marvel Rivals?

Yes, Devil Dinosaur lives in New York City with Moon Girl in Marvel comics, so he is a New York character and should count for Lower Manhattan maps.

Which Guardians of the Galaxy heroes fit Wakanda Spaceport in Marvel Rivals?

All of them, because in Rivals lore the Guardians were hired by Black Panther to stop symbiotes on Klyntar. You can even see the Milano leaving the Wakanda Spaceport in map animations.

Source: The MAP Decides Our Heroes in Marvel Rivals · Markdown version