Let's be real for a second. If you’re still clinging to a 2023 tier list to decide who gets your precious T6B and T3A catalysts, you are basically setting your roster on fire. The game has changed. Hard. We are deep into the era of 7-star Rank 3s and 4s, and the old "God Tier" logic just doesn't apply when you're staring down the barrel of Act 9 or a high-tier Battlegrounds circuit.
It's not just about who hits the hardest anymore. It's about who survives the nonsense.
The Marvel Contest of Champions tier list has shifted from a "damage is king" meta to a "utility or die" environment. Honestly, if a champion doesn't have a way to bypass Unstoppable, ignore Falter, or mitigate massive chip damage, they’re probably riding the bench.
The Absolute Apex: Beyond God Tier (For Real This Time)
There are characters who break the game. Then there are characters who just ignore the rules entirely.
Hercules is still that guy. Even in 2026, his immortality mechanic is the ultimate safety net. If you mess up—and we all do—Herc just refuses to die for a few seconds while you finish the fight. But he isn't alone at the top anymore. Cosmic Ghost Rider remains the speed-run king. If you can handle the rotation (DEX, Parry, M-L-L-L-M, Heavy, SP2), you can melt almost anything in the game in under 30 seconds.
Then we have the new-school royalty. Hulkling is arguably more consistent than Herc in high-tier wars because his shape-shifting buffs make him incredibly annoying to defend against and even easier to quest with. He just ignores blocks. It’s kinda ridiculous.
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The Science Class Supremacy
Science is arguably the strongest class in the game right now.
- Scorpion: You can pick your poison. Literally. His ability to swap between Sting, Rupture, or Petroify based on the defender makes him a Swiss Army knife.
- Titania: She’s a tank. She’s Unstoppable. She hits like a freight train. In Battlegrounds, she’s a nightmare.
- Photon: If you aren't using her, you're missing out. Her "Pure Light" form is a death sentence for most defenders who rely on missing or dodging.
- Rhino (The 2026 Surprise): Yeah, you read that right. After the recent buffs and the arrival of his 7-star version, Rhino has become a defensive wall that requires very specific counters like Bullseye or Kate Bishop.
The Battlegrounds Meta: Defenders That Will Make You Quit
Battlegrounds has completely warped how we look at a Marvel Contest of Champions tier list. A champion might be "C-Tier" for questing but "S-Tier" here because they waste 45 seconds of your opponent's time.
The Serpent is the current king of frustration. His death realm mechanics and the way he forces you to play around his Cul-de-Sac buffs make him a mandatory ban in high Diamond and Vibranium tiers. If you don't have a Wiccan or a high-sig Doctor Doom ready to go, just give up on that round.
Onslaught is another one. The neuroshocks? The mental barriers? It’s a lot to manage. He’s one of those champions where if you don't have the "right" counter (think Viv Vision or Nimrod), you’re just going to die to passive damage.
Why Skill is Struggling (Sorta)
Skill used to be the "Nick Fury and everyone else" class. While Nick Fury is still essential for his Life Model Decoy, the class feels a bit thin compared to the explosive growth of Science and Cosmic. Kate Bishop is the shining star here. Her trick arrows provide so much utility that she’s basically required for the newest Necropolis paths. If you can’t time her perfect releases, though, her value drops significantly.
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The "Value" Picks: 6-Star vs 7-Star
We need to talk about the 7-star elephant in the room. As of early 2026, the gap between a Maxed 6-star and a Rank 3 7-star is widening.
Some champions like Quake and Magik are still stuck in 5-star or 6-star limbo because their mechanics are too broken for the 7-star pool. If you have a 6-star Magik, she is still a goddess for power control. But in Act 9, her health pool is starting to look a little squishy.
Doctor Doom is the perfect example of a champion who transcends tiers. Whether he's a 6-star or eventually a 7-star, his "Doom Cycle" (SP3, SP1, SP2) is the most reliable way to control a fight. He is the floor and the ceiling of the Mystic class.
The Most Underrated Champions Right Now
Not everyone can be a 7-star Hulkling. Sometimes you have to work with what the crystals give you.
- Spider-Ham: People treat him like a joke, but his Power Stings do more damage than most SP3s. Against high-power-gain nodes, he's a monster.
- America Chavez: Since her buff, she has become a Dimensional powerhouse. Her heavy attack can bypass so many annoying defensive layers.
- J. Jonah Jameson: The newest addition to the Science roster. His "Austere Armor" makes him immune to Nullify and Stagger, which is a massive middle finger to the entire Mystic class. Plus, the whip sound effects are hilarious.
- Werewolf by Night: If you like aggressive play, he’s your guy. His Rupture damage is insane once you get the timing down on his transformations.
Stop Following "Generic" Tier Lists
The biggest mistake you can make is following a general list without looking at your own progress. If you are pushing for Valiant title, your tier list looks very different from someone just starting Act 6.
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For Act 9 completion, you need specific counters for the Deathless Thanos boss fights. This isn't just about "who is good," it's about "who has the specific immunity required for this 10-million-health-pool boss."
Red Guardian has seen a massive resurgence lately because of his "Trauma" debuffs and perfect block mechanics. He’s a "Slow" specialist, meaning he stops all that annoying Unstoppable and Evade nonsense that Kabam loves to put on every new boss.
Practical Steps for Your Roster
Don't just rank up the "Top 5" because a YouTuber said so. Check your Masteries first. If you aren't running Suicides (Liquid Courage/Double Edge), a champion like Omega Red or Corvus Glaive loses half their value.
If you're focusing on Battlegrounds, prioritize Bullseye and Maestro. They are your ticket to easy wins because they punish mistakes so heavily.
For those of you still grinding through the Necropolis, focus everything on Aegon (if you have the revives) or Kate Bishop (if you have the skill). These are the champions that actually clear the hardest content in the game.
Look at your 7-star pulls. Even a "mid" 7-star like Venom the Duck can outperform a 6-star God Tier champion simply because of the Stat Equilibrium and the Adrenaline mechanic. The raw health and attack of 7-stars are becoming the new baseline for the game.
The meta will shift again by next month, but for now, keep your eyes on Science and Cosmic. They are the classes carrying the game into 2026.