Gambit’s arrival in Marvel Rivals Season 5 has already made waves, bringing a dynamic mix of healing, crowd control, and offensive burst that sets him apart from other Strategists. As of November 2025, players have had time to experiment and optimize his toolkit, making now the perfect moment for an in-depth Marvel Rivals ultimate gambit guide that covers his abilities, synergies, and essential tips for dominating the battlefield.

Gambit Overview & Role

Gambit is officially classified as a Strategist, but don’t let the support label fool you — his kit is uniquely complex, rewarding those who master resource management and quick decision-making. With a health pool of 275 and a 4-star difficulty rating, Gambit is not the easiest hero to pick up, but his ceiling for playmaking is sky-high. He excels as a hybrid DPS-support, able to flex between healing teammates and disrupting enemies with just a flick of his kinetic-charged cards.

Abilities Breakdown

Kinetic Cards (LMB)

Gambit’s bread-and-butter ability, Kinetic Cards, lets him launch three explosive cards in an arc. These not only damage enemies but heal allies on impact. While their long-range impact is limited, their wide spread makes them very effective at close to medium range — ideal for charging Ultimate quickly and topping off teammates in a brawl.

Healing Hearts & Bridge Boost (E)

Switching to the Hearts deck (E) consumes a Sleight of Hand stack and enables potent healing:

• Bridge Boost: Throws a card that bounces between allies, healing them and granting a temporary healing boost. Use this when grouped for maximum value — isolated allies get minimal benefit.

• Purifying Pick-Up: Acts as a mass cleanse, instantly removing debuffs and stuns (such as Doctor Strange’s Eye of Agamotto). This is a game-changing tool in tightly contested fights.

Breaking Spades & Crowd Control (F)

Switching to Spades (F) also costs a Sleight of Hand stack and turns Gambit into a crowd control threat:

• Bidding Barrage: Scatters cards in all directions, damaging and knocking enemies airborne. Great for peeling divers or disrupting grouped foes.

• Explosive Trick: Fires a deck of cards forward, dealing damage and applying anti-heal, which can cripple enemy sustain. This rare debuff makes Gambit a must-have for countering heavy healing comps.

Bayou Bash (RMB) & Cajun Charge (Shift)

Bayou Bash is a kinetic staff slam that heals allies and damages enemies. Pair it with Cajun Charge for the "Big Easy Impact" combo — a quick dash and triple-explosion attack that can burst down 250HP heroes or escape danger. Always keep a dash charge in reserve to avoid getting picked off.

Ultimate: Ragin’ Royal Flush (Q)

This ultimate locks onto a teammate, unleashing healing Aces that grant:

• Burst healing on activation

• Continued health regen

• Increased movement and jump speed

• Attack buffs and faster Ultimate charge

Timing this ult for team pushes or defensive stands can swing entire fights. It’s not the strongest pure defensive ult, but its mobility and offensive power can set up game-winning plays.

Tips and Combos

• Resource Management: Gambit has four Sleight of Hand charges. Each ability activation (Hearts or Spades) consumes one, and you’ll need another to use the follow-up skill. Watch your stacks to avoid getting stranded mid-fight.

• Combo for 250HP Kills: Prime Breaking Spades, then: Primary Fire > Big Easy Impact > Bidding Barrage > Primary Fire. This chain will down squishier enemies fast.

• Aggressive Positioning: Don’t be afraid to play up-close or off-angle; Gambit’s mobility and burst potential let him threaten the enemy backline and peel for allies alike.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths	Weaknesses
Cleanse & burst heal	Complex kit
High survivability	Reliant on resources
Carry potential	Mostly short-range

Strengths:

• Cleansing and burst healing are among the best in class.

• Able to self-sustain and peel for the team with strong knockback and mobility.

• Carries games with well-timed combos and disruptive play.

Weaknesses:

• Takes time to master — each ability has a distinct purpose and range.

• Requires careful tracking of Sleight of Hand and cooldowns.

• Must play closer to the fight than most supports, risking overextension.

Best Team Compositions

Gambit pairs best with aggressive duelists and vanguards who benefit from his anti-heal and offensive buffs. Ideal teammates include:

• Vanguards: Emma Frost, Venom

• Duelists: Daredevil, Psylocke

• Strategists: Jeff the Land Shark (synergistic for team-up plays)

His team-up with Magneto, "Explosive Entanglement," adds huge burst potential — Magneto’s greatsword gains extra kinetic detonation for devastating combos.

How to Counter Gambit

• Focus fire and stuns: Burst heroes like Magik or Blade can punish Gambit’s low health if caught alone.

• Wait out his dashes: He’s hard to pin down with both charges, but once burned, he’s vulnerable.

• Use hard counters: Jeff the Land Shark’s ultimate can cancel Gambit’s ult, while Hulk’s Gamma Stun interrupts his combos.

Final Thoughts

Gambit is a rewarding but demanding Strategist in Marvel Rivals, capable of swinging fights with a well-timed cleanse or explosive combo. Mastering his resource management, learning when to heal versus disrupt, and coordinating with aggressive teammates are all keys to success. For those ready to invest the time, there’s no better hero to showcase clutch playmaking in Season 5 and beyond.