{"id":7417,"date":"2026-08-08T06:54:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/marvel-rivals-season-9-5-the-hood-vanguard-august-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:54:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:54:01","slug":"marvel-rivals-season-9-5-the-hood-vanguard-august-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/marvel-rivals-season-9-5-the-hood-vanguard-august-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 Is Live \u2014 The Hood Enters as a Vanguard and PC Players Save 40GB"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n

Marvel Rivals Season 9.5: The Mystery of Thebes went live on 7 August at 09:00 UTC, bringing the game’s latest Vanguard \u2014 Parker Robbins, The Hood<\/strong> \u2014 into the roster alongside a sweeping texture compression update that frees up 40GB on PC and 15GB on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. If you’ve been holding off on installing, now is a good time to reconsider.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Marvel
Image courtesy of Marvel \/ NetEase Games<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Who Is The Hood?<\/h2>\n\n

Parker Robbins has been a thorn in Marvel’s side since he found a mystical crimson cloak and a pair of enchanted boots \u2014 tools that turned a small-time Brooklyn crook into a significant underworld threat. He’s led the Hood’s Crime Syndicate, brokered power with the Cabal, and gone toe-to-toe with heroes and villains alike. He’s an unusual pick for a hero-shooter roster, which makes him interesting: less icon, more dangerous wild card.<\/p>\n\n

In Marvel Rivals he’s voiced by Damian Priest<\/strong> \u2014 yes, that Damian Priest, the WWE SmackDown heavyweight \u2014 which gives him an unmistakable presence in the trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"The
Image courtesy of Marvel \/ NetEase Games<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

The Hood’s Kit<\/h2>\n\n

The Hood plays as a Vanguard<\/strong> \u2014 the game’s tank-support class \u2014 which is an interesting fit for a gunslinger villain. His playstyle runs on the tension between his two states:<\/p>\n\n

    \n
  • Human form:<\/strong> relentless dual pistol fire providing consistent frontal pressure<\/li>\n
  • Demon form:<\/strong> pistols become assault rifles; the mystical cloak channels the energy of Oblivion, letting him manifest protective barriers for teammates and hurl dark magic orbs that warp into damage-absorbing shields on impact<\/li>\n
  • Ultimate \u2014 Full Demon State (Gun Demon):<\/strong> high-impact piercing rounds that punch straight through shields and enemy bodies, while radiating dark energy that grants bonus HP to all nearby teammates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    The switching between forms is the mechanical core \u2014 he can hold a line and protect allies while applying damage, rather than purely absorbing it like a classical tank.<\/p>\n\n

    Character Reveal Trailer<\/h2>\n\n