It's only been a couple weeks since Sersi and Ikaris, two members of the Eternals that featured prominently in the new film, became unlockable in Marvel Strike Force. As soon as the update dropped and players began adding them to their rosters, it became clear that they were going to shake up the meta in some major ways. As such, they have quickly become popular characters (particularly in the Arena and Dark Dimension) that hardcore and casual players alike have been scrambling to place on their team. Sersi and Ikaris are both powerful characters in their own right, but their kits are really built on the synergies between the two of them, and pairing them together makes for an absolute powerhouse duo, even taking down some of the game's Marvel Strike Force's best Real-Time Arena Teams.
Despite the popularity of the of the characters in the game's current meta, developer Scopely has not released any news as to whether any of the other members of the Eternals will be added to round out the team. A team in Marvel Strike Force is typically comprised of five characters, all filling different roles and synergizing with other characters that share their same tags. Tags are often used in role-playing games to help define character traits, and in Marvel Strike Force, this is no different. If the Eternals followed the same trajectory as other teams that have been added in the past, Scopely will likely be releasing at least three more Eternals, with the possibility of more alternates releasing over time. Ikaris and Sersi came to Contest of Champions as well, but more Eternals would be welcome to both games.
Considering that the Eternals all feature starkly different power sets, their individual abilities make them a perfect fit to fill these different class roles within the team. With the popularity of the recently released Eternals film and the successful kits of the two Eternals that have been added already, it would seem that more Eternals will be on the way sooner rather than later. Looking at the individual characters and their abilities, it's possible to see what roles the other Eternals could fill and how their powers can be incorporated into the game.
Ajak's Healing Powers Make Her The Perfect Marvel Strike Force Support
In the Eternals film, Ajak serves as the leader of the Eternals. She is the only one with the ability to communicate directly with the Celestial, Arishem, and it is her job to keep the team together and focused on the task from protecting humanity from the Deviants. In terms of powers, she also functions as the team's healer. With a touch, she can heal even the most serious of wounds. These aspects make her a perfect Support unit in Marvel Strike Force. Supports are Marvel Strike Force's version of the healer class that appears in almost every MMO or class-based game. Using her healing powers, she can provide massive, targeted heals for injured members of the Eternals team, and even place stacks of regeneration on teammates to keep them healed up. Her leadership abilities can also be brought into play through the application of teamwide buffs, like inspiring teammates with Offense Up or rallying them with Defense Up.
Gilgamesh & Makkari's Strength Would Make Them Great Marvel Strike Force Brawlers
Gilgamesh is often referred to as the strongest Eternal, with superhuman strength and durability that surpassed even that of Ikaris. In the Eternals film, Gilgamesh is shown using primarily hand to hand combat, with cosmic exoskeleton manifestations covering his hands and wrists, increasing his strength. With his focus on melee combat, Gilgamesh slots well into Marvel Strike Force's Brawler category. Much like The Thing, Gilgamesh's kit can revolve around his high health and heavy, punishing attacks. As the close partner of Thena and the one who watches over her as she battles her mad weary, Gilgamesh can have a passive that gives him taunt when Thena falls below half-health. Gilgamesh has already made his way into Marvel Future Revolution's expansive cast of non-playable characters
Looking at characters who are already in the game, Makkari's powers most closely resemble those of Yo-Yo. However, while Yo-Yo's powers (which snap her back to her point of origin after a few moments) have typically been shown being used to protect her allies, Makkari tends to use her powers to go on the offensive, proving herself to be one of the Eternals most capable fighters. Makkari may not possess the same inherent strength that Gilgamesh does, but her superhuman speed easily makes up for that by giving her hits with the same momentum that allows her to travel the distance of the entire Earth in only a few minutes, rivaling even the speed of DC's The Flash. In Marvel Strike Force, Makkari's powers could be utilized for high damage, area of effect attacks where she can zip around the enemy team, striking multiple foes with every attack. In addition, Makkari could use her powers to quickly move other Eternals, so she could possess the ability to provide Speed Up to allies adjacent to her.
Thena Could Be Marvel Strike Force's Ultimate Protector
Thena is the Goddess of War, and one of the Eternals most skilled combatants. Her powers give her the ability to summon celestial manifested weapons, which typically include a spear and a shield. With the ability to use her shield to protect her allies, Thena could hold a strong presence in the Protector category. Thena also possesses a confidant and aggressive personality when it comes to combat, and in Marvel Strike Force, she could use this attitude to taunt enemies away from her allies. Her passive could provide Defense Up at the start of every battle in Alliance War, similar to that of Heimdall on the Asgardian team, which would give players an even better chance to win Marvel Strike Force's Alliance War, where some of the best rewards in the game are currently obtainable. Using her Shield, she could stack Deflect buffs on herself to brush off damage and stay in the fight. Thena is also an excellent offensive fighter, so her spear could inflict devastating piercing attacks.
Phastos & Sprite Control The Battlefield As Marvel Strike Force Controllers
Phastos is the Eternals' technology expert. He has control over the battlefield in a way that makes him perfectly situated to fill in as one of the team's Controllers. In the film, Phastos uses his ability to create snares that can be used in Marvel Strike Force to inflict stun on an enemy opponent, keeping them from being able to attack on their next turn. Not only is he well versed in just about every aspect of technological development, he also has the ability to manifest technological marvels that rival Guardians of the Galaxy tech. Phastos also uses his ability to help create a device that can link the Eternals to the Uni-Mind. In Marvel Strike Force this can help rally his fellow Eternals teammates and provide them with a Barrier equal to twenty percent of Phastos' own health.
On the outset, Sprite's powers of illusion may not seem as well-equipped for fighting as her Eternals companion. However, as Sprite proves in the film, even the ability to play visual tricks on her opponents can be used to turn the tide of battle in the Eternals' favor. In Marvel Strike Force, Sprite's illusions can help her inflict damage as another one of the team's Controllers, as well as providing much needed protection to herself and allies. One of Sprite abilities could allow her to give herself the Invisibility buff, along with providing invisibility to the lowest health ally. Sprite also shows her prowess with martial weapons, including knives, which can be used to give stacks of the Bleed debuff to unsuspecting opponents.
Kingo's Flashy Blasts Make Him Marvel Strike Force's Most Stylish Blaster
When it comes to finding the perfect Blaster for the Eternals team, it doesn't get more obvious than the Eternal who can shoot celestial blasts from his hands. While fans will likely remember Kingo best for his undeniable charm (thanks in large part to outstanding performance from Kumail Nanjiani), Kingo also holds an important place on the team's offensive side. His celestial blasts give him the ability to inflict damage from afar, and are instrumental in keeping the deviants at bay. In Marvel Strike Force, Kingo's quick blasts could allow him to Bonus Attack after other Eternals take turns. In addition, Kingo could also charge up his blasts to unleash a powerful attack capable of obliterating opponents. In Marvel Strike Force, Kingo should be able to use his charged blast to inflict massive damage to an opponent and all adjacent enemies. Kingo actor Kumail Nanjiani is a fan of video games, and might enjoy seeing his likeness in one, adding to the many reasons why Kingo should join Sersi and Ikaris in Marvel Strike Force.
Druig Has The Power To Be The Eternals' Legendary Controller
Most teams that remain in Marvel Strike Force's meta for an extended period of time feature a Legendary character. Legendary characters are characters that must be unlocked through playing a limited time Legendary Campaign, which usually requires five specific Marvel Strike Force characters to be ranked up to a certain star level. In the case of the Eternals, the perfect fit for that legendary character is Druig. Unlike most of the Eternals, whose powers are fit for either protecting or fighting for humanity, Druig's powers let him take direct control of humans through mind control. In Marvel Strike Force, Druig could use his mind control powers to remove positive effects and stack negative effects on his opponents. Much like Scientist Supreme, he could flip any positive effects into their corresponding negative effects (such as Defense Up into Defense Down), as well as putting Disrupted on enemies to ensure that they can't get any new positive effects for at least one turn. He could also use his abilities to force an enemy to attack one of their teammates, adding extra damage to the attack. This would punish teams for bringing high damage characters into the battle.
While the Eternals team has received some backlash for having too many characters all sharing screen time in the film, the breadth of characters, personalities, and powers give the Eternals the perfect variety to make a well-rounded and interesting team in Marvel Strike Force. The characters have even begun making their way into other Marvel mobile games, making their appearance in Marvel Strike Force all the more inevitable. While every Eternal might not make their way into the game, it is likely only a matter of time before Scopely begins rounding out the team with the addition of at least some of these characters. Either way, judging by the two that have already been released, the powerful Eternals will undoubtedly hold a place in Marvel Strike Force's meta for some time.