7 Massive 'The Thing' Edits In Marvel Rivals That Changed The Meta (Season 3 Update)
The Thing, Ben Grimm of the Fantastic Four, has cemented his place as one of the most durable and impactful Vanguard-class heroes in Marvel Rivals. As of the latest updates in late 2025, players are scrambling to master the newest "edits" and balance changes that have significantly shifted his role on the battlefield. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything new, from his devastating ability tweaks to the most talked-about cosmetic "edit" in the game's history.
The game's developers, NetEase, have been proactive in refining their hero roster, and The Thing has received several crucial adjustments in Season 3 and subsequent patches. Whether you’re a seasoned tank main or a new player looking to "Clobberin' Time" your way to victory, understanding these fresh changes is essential to dominating the ever-evolving Marvel Rivals meta.
The Thing (Ben Grimm) Biography and Roster Profile
Ben Grimm, affectionately known as The Thing, is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. His transformation occurred after a cosmic ray storm bombarded the crew's experimental spaceship, turning him into a large, orange, rock-like creature with immense strength and durability. Despite his gruff exterior, he possesses a strong moral compass and a deep loyalty to his friends.
- Full Name: Benjamin "Ben" Jacob Grimm
- Alias: The Thing
- Team Affiliation: Fantastic Four
- Role in Marvel Rivals: Vanguard (Tank)
- Primary Focus: Initiating combat, protecting teammates, and soaking up damage.
- Base of Operations: Baxter Building, New York City
- First Comic Appearance: The Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961)
- Iconic Catchphrase: "It's Clobberin' Time!"
- Key Allies in Marvel Rivals: Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Doctor Strange, Black Panther.
- Rival in Marvel Rivals: Doctor Doom
- Unique Feature: High-HP pool and powerful crowd-control abilities.
The 5 Crucial Gameplay Edits & Season 3 Balance Changes
The term "edit" in the community often refers to significant balance changes or new mechanics introduced by the developers. The Season 3 update brought several key adjustments that have redefined The Thing’s viability and playstyle, making him a more formidable presence in the current meta. These changes are crucial for any player aiming for competitive play.
1. The 'Embattled Leap' Mobility Buff
One of the most requested changes was an adjustment to The Thing’s mobility, a common weakness for a Vanguard. The recent patch saw a significant reduction in the cooldown for his Embattled Leap ability, particularly when used to initiate a fight or escape a dangerous zone.
- The Edit: Cooldown reduced by 1.5 seconds at max rank.
- Impact: This allows The Thing to engage and disengage more frequently, increasing his tactical flexibility and survivability. It’s now easier to jump into a backline to disrupt a Strategist or Support hero and get out alive.
2. 'Rocky Jab' Primary Fire Consistency
The Thing's primary attack, Rocky Jab, is a series of powerful punches. The new edit focuses on improving the consistency of its hit registration, especially against smaller, faster targets like Spider-Man or Black Widow.
- The Edit: Adjusted hit-box size and tracking on the final punch combo.
- Impact: Players can now rely more heavily on his primary damage output, making him less reliant on his cooldown abilities for securing eliminations. This is a subtle but powerful quality-of-life improvement.
3. The 'Yancy Street Charge' Crowd Control Tweak
The Yancy Street Charge is The Thing's primary initiation tool, allowing him to charge forward and create a seismic zone. The Season 3 edit has increased the duration of the enemy's displacement effect, giving his team more time to follow up on the stun.
- The Edit: Increased knock-back and stagger duration by 0.25 seconds.
- Impact: This minor duration increase is massive in competitive play, creating a longer window for heroes like Iron Man or Magneto to unleash their high-damage abilities, effectively turning the charge into a guaranteed kill setup.
4. The 'Clobberin' Time' Ultimate Synergy
His ultimate ability, Clobberin' Time, remains a devastating area-of-effect (AoE) attack. The latest edit focuses on how quickly he gains Ultimate charge when taking damage, reinforcing his role as a damage sponge.
- The Edit: Ultimate charge rate increased by 10% when The Thing is below 50% HP.
- Impact: This encourages aggressive tanking. The more damage he soaks up, the faster he can unleash his ultimate, creating a high-risk, high-reward playstyle where a near-death Thing can quickly turn the tide of a team fight.
5. Human Torch Team-Up Ability Enhancement
The unique Team-Up ability, a core mechanic of Marvel Rivals, between The Thing and Human Torch (Johnny Storm) received an indirect buff. The ability, which involves Human Torch lifting The Thing for a powerful area slam, now has a slightly larger area of effect.
- The Edit: Increased the radius of the resulting mobility-disabling zone.
- Impact: This makes the Fantastic Four duo a much more potent combo, as the larger zone can lock down more enemies, preventing their escape or counter-attack. It's a key strategy for disrupting clustered enemy formations.
The Most Controversial Cosmetic 'Edit': The Thing's "Thong" Skin
Beyond the balance sheets and ability tweaks, the most talked-about "edit" for Ben Grimm is a new cosmetic skin that has taken the community by storm. In an unexpected move, NetEase released a highly-publicized new look for the Vanguard hero.
The skin, colloquially dubbed the "Thong" skin by the player base, is a humorous and revealing alternate costume for The Thing. It features Ben Grimm in a significantly smaller piece of swimwear than his usual blue trunks, maximizing the visibility of his rocky physique.
This "edit" is a perfect example of the developers leaning into the lighter, more humorous side of the Marvel Universe, generating massive buzz and curiosity among players and non-players alike. It proves that even a simple cosmetic change can be a major talking point and a significant "edit" to a character's presentation. While purely cosmetic, its viral nature has made it a must-have for many players and a symbol of the game's willingness to embrace fun and fan-service.
Mastering The Thing in the Current Marvel Rivals Meta
With these recent edits, The Thing is positioned as a top-tier Vanguard, excelling at controlling the flow of battle and punishing out-of-position enemies. To maximize his potential, focus on these key strategies:
- Aggressive Initiation: Use Yancy Street Charge or Embattled Leap to quickly close the gap and disrupt the enemy's formation. Always communicate this move to your team so they can follow up with damage.
- Peel for Your DPS: Don't always chase kills. Use The Thing's high HP and crowd control (CC) to protect your squishier damage-per-second (DPS) heroes like Star-Lord or Magneto from flankers.
- Ultimate Timing: Save Clobberin' Time for objective control. Deploy it on a capture point or during a decisive team fight to force enemies out of an area or secure multiple eliminations.
- Fantastic Four Synergy: Prioritize teaming up with Human Torch. The combined Team-Up ability is one of the strongest CC and damage tools in the game, capable of neutralizing key enemy threats instantly.
The continuous flow of balance patches and new content, exemplified by the Season 3 updates and the controversial "Thong" skin, ensures that The Thing remains a dynamic and exciting character to play. Mastering his new edits is the key to climbing the competitive ranks in the ever-expanding universe of Marvel Rivals.
Detail Author:
- Name : Tyshawn Block III
- Username : wcrona
- Email : alycia77@hickle.com
- Birthdate : 1978-08-03
- Address : 6572 Reilly Knoll Schusterberg, IN 95667-3357
- Phone : +1 (574) 478-2331
- Company : West, McGlynn and Buckridge
- Job : Health Services Manager
- Bio : Est laudantium voluptatem culpa dolores distinctio. Dolores similique non sed qui aut a voluptate. Et rerum eum incidunt est occaecati dolorem. Eos ab rerum et explicabo provident sapiente aut.
Socials
twitter:
- url : https://twitter.com/gunner.mayert
- username : gunner.mayert
- bio : Assumenda non deleniti et. Unde sed et consectetur suscipit odio aut voluptatem eos.
- followers : 1291
- following : 255
facebook:
- url : https://facebook.com/gunnermayert
- username : gunnermayert
- bio : Beatae aut molestias eos impedit. Aut ullam repudiandae numquam nihil.
- followers : 3871
- following : 353
