Marvel Rivals Jeff and Thor Receive Reworks in Mid-Season Update

NetEase reworked both Jeff and Thor in the season 2.5 update – the rework increases both heroes’ viability in the meta. Thor received a change to his Awakening Rune, which now allows him to rapidly cycle between Hammer Throw and Mjolnir as well. As for Jeff, his Joyful Splash now pierces enemies and allies, allowing for faster ultimate charge. 

The full changes are listed below, according to Marvel Rivals’ official YouTube channel:

Marvel Rivals Thor Rework

With Hammer Throw removed from the shared ability pool and now recovering Lightning Energy on hit, Thor can rapidly cycle through Awakening Rune → Hammer Throw → Mjolnir Bash to quickly build up energy and maintain Awakening Rune for longer durations. 

Additionally, Thor can now utilize Hammer Throw’s long-range energy recovery to his advantage—first repositioning with Storm Surge to high ground or flanks, then following up with Hammer Throw + Awakening Rune for strong ranged damage output. 

Marvel Rivals Jeff Rework 

As for Jeff, the initial balance update mistakenly showed a non-final version of his changes—we’ve now corrected the announcement. We’ve also improved the feel of Joyful Splash, increasing its water flow speed for smoother control. 

In the updated version, Joyful Splash now pierces both allies and enemies, healing teammates while damaging opponents. With this change, Jeff now charges his ultimate faster, making combos like the Sharknado with Storm or solo initiations more effective than ever! 

Marvel Rivals swimsuit costumes are being teased in Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes & Rivals #1, a comic that releases on July 9, 2025. Research by NewZoo states that 45% of Overwatch 2 players who stopped playing in December 2024 switched to Marvel Rivals.