The tower went red and the music cut out — my HUD blinked Ultron: Boss Incoming. I had Iron Man, one upgrade slot, and a decision that would decide the next five waves. You will find yourself making the same split-second calls.
On my couch at 2 a.m., with the TV choking on static: All Marvel Rivals Avengers: Age of Ultron Mode Characters Ranked From Best to Worst
I spent hours in Marvel Rivals’ new Avengers: Age of Ultron mode, testing every kit, upgrade combo, and choke point on the map. Season 9 tweaks let you pick two upgrades between waves, and those choices swing fights like belt-fed artillery or a calming medkit. I’ll tell you which heroes let you bulldoze through Sentry bots and which ones force you to play babysitter in boss fights.
Which characters beat Ultron fastest?
If your goal is speed-clear and survival, prioritize sustained ranged damage and crowd control. I found that characters who can shred groups from a distance and reposition quickly clear waves fastest. Below I rank the seven playable Avengers from most efficient at melting Ultron’s army to the ones that need team support in boss encounters.
Iron Man
- Best Upgrades: Aerial Assault, Full Payload, Long Range Lethality, Extended Payload, Renewable Missiles, Adrenaline Rush
Iron Man sits at the top for a reason. His Micro Missile Barrage and Hyper Velocity Rockets let you control space and survive harassment from the small drones. With the right builds he becomes a meteor shower across the battlefield, raining calibrated damage without needing to close the gap. Use Long Range Lethality and Renewable Missiles to sit back and chip while teammates juggle Ultron directly. His Invincible Pulse Cannon can end waves before they finish spawning — priceless for speed runs.
How should I build Iron Man for Age of Ultron mode?
Pick mobility plus sustained ranged damage. Start with Hyper Velocity Rockets upgrades to dodge heavy fire, then stack missile-related upgrades for raw output. If you play solo or with randoms on Discord or a squad on Google Play, prioritize Full Payload and Renewable Missiles so you don’t run out of options mid-boss.
Hulk
- Best Upgrades: The Beast Within, Infinite Fury, Bowling Club, Gamma Quake, Full Auto
Hulk is durability and sustained chaos. With Infinite Fury he can stay hulking after each kill, which means you can chain-stomp waves without swapping forms constantly. Hulk is a freight train in close quarters — he clears crowds and soaks up damage like a living bulwark. His weakness is boss mobility: Ultron phases and flies, and Hulk has to chase. Play him as a crowd manager for teammates who can chew through the boss from range.
Hawkeye
- Best Upgrades: Skewer, Fatal Flaw, Rapid Fire, Three Birds One Arrow, Aero-Barrier
Hawkeye surprises you once you stack the right upgrades. Rapid Fire plus Three Birds One Arrow turns him into a short-burst area denial machine; he trades single-target finesse for sheer explosive crowd control. The Aero-Barrier gives breathing room when the bots rush you. If you like playing glassy DPS with a safety net, Hawkeye is a satisfying pick.
Scarlet Witch
- Best Upgrades: Magic for All, Long-Range Lethality, The More the Merrier, Multitasking, Call to Assemble
Wanda’s changes give her significantly longer reach and better team utility. Multitasking lets you swap Chthonian Burst for Sorcerer Supreme, so you can run a constant team-up pressure while peppering bots with primary attacks. Mystic Projection helps with positioning when Ultron’s minions overrun your spot. Her Reality Erasure ultimate is powerful versus machines but needs precise timing to avoid cancellation.
Captain America
- Best Upgrades: Triple Shield, Kinetic Recovery, Infinite Shield, Charged Impact
Cap is the classic crowd-control anchor. His Super-Soldier Slam with Kinetic Charges pushes back swarms and gives your team windows to apply damage. He struggles in boss mobility fights; chasing Ultron is a chore and landing steady hits on a flying boss isn’t Cap’s strength. Use him to stabilize waves and let your ranged teammates handle the boss DPS.
Thor
- Best Upgrades: Chain Lightning, Smite of the Gods, Danger Zone, Broad Smite, Full Auto
Thor retains his signature kit, but in this mode he needs more support to stay effective. Lightning Realm and Awakening Rune are where he gets meaningful damage, and his ultimate can clear groups when the positioning is right. He’s a middling pick unless you’re guaranteed teammates who can cover the aerial fights against elite Sentries and Ultron.
Black Widow
- Best Upgrades: Wide Net, Armor Up, Lethal Aftermath
Black Widow’s Season 9 rework pushed her up in PvP tier lists, but Age of Ultron PvE exposes limits. Her Red Room Rifle gives solid single-target and short-range burst, but she struggles to make the same impact when mobs close in and cancel her assassin windows. She’s playable, but you’ll often feel like you’re a support clicking for openings rather than driving the tempo.
One late-night observation before you queue: what to prioritize
Play with the upgrade loop in mind: mobility, ranged sustain, and a single hard-clear tool (ultimate or wide AoE). If you’re grinding on mobile via Google Play or the App Store, pick characters that let you tolerate latency and inconsistent teammates. If you’re streaming on YouTube or testing builds with friends on Discord, Iron Man and Hulk consistently deliver the most forgiving results.
I spent hours in matches on NetEase Games’ servers and watching patch notes roll through community channels — the conclusion was simple: pick the hero that matches your role. Will you be the ranged executioner, the crowd-clearing juggernaut, or the shield of a messy team?
Which pick surprised you most — Iron Man’s meteor shower or Hulk’s freight-train stomp — and where would you place them in your squad?