If you’ve spent any time battling in Marvel Rivals, you know that enemy shields can be a major roadblock to landing your combos and turning the tide of a fight. Shield breaks are crucial for keeping pressure, but breaking through flinch—the brief stagger your opponent experiences when hit—is an art in itself. Over the course of my matches, I’ve experimented with various builds to maximize flinch-breaking potential, and today I want to share 10 of the best setups that help you pierce through even the toughest defenses.

Why Focus on Flinch-Breaking Builds?

When an opponent blocks, you want to maintain momentum and avoid losing your attack rhythm. A build focused on flinch-breaking increases your chances of staggering the enemy’s shield, leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks or heavy combos. This approach is especially useful in high-level play, where shield-timing is precise and patience runs thin.

1. Power Surge + Shield Breaker

This classic combination is effective because Power Surge boosts your attack damage significantly, while Shield Breaker adds a direct bonus to shield damage. Together, they allow characters to chip away at defenses much faster than usual. If you’ve recently considered whether to buy Marvel Rivals bundles, builds like this make the investment worthwhile since some bundles include these crucial mods.

2. Heavy Hitter + Flinch Force

Heavy Hitter naturally increases the damage of your heavy attacks, which are your primary tools for breaking shields. When paired with Flinch Force, which amplifies the flinch effect on enemies, your heavy strikes become a serious threat to shielded foes. This combo is ideal for players who like to mix up attack speeds.

3. Guard Cracker + Precision Strike

Guard Cracker is straightforward—it increases shield damage directly. When combined with Precision Strike, which improves your chance to hit critical spots, you increase your likelihood of staggering the enemy. This build is particularly effective when paired with characters that have precise, fast attacks.

4. Breakthrough + Steady Hands

Breakthrough focuses on increasing the raw amount of shield damage you deal, and Steady Hands reduces recoil from blocked attacks. This means you can keep pushing through the enemy’s defense without risking counterattacks due to flinch on your end.

5. Unstoppable Force + Armor Piercer

For those who prefer an aggressive playstyle, Unstoppable Force prevents your attacks from being interrupted, and Armor Piercer helps bypass some of the shield’s damage reduction. Together, they make for a relentless assault that keeps your opponent on the back foot.

6. Shield Smasher + Adrenaline Rush

Shield Smasher directly improves your shield damage output, while Adrenaline Rush temporarily boosts your attack speed after breaking an enemy shield. This synergy not only breaks shields faster but also allows you to capitalize immediately with follow-up combos.

7. Flinch Enhancer + Combo Master

Flinch Enhancer amplifies the flinch duration your attacks cause, giving you a wider window to chain hits. Combo Master increases combo damage, so this build is excellent for players who like to string together multiple moves once a shield is broken.

8. Impact Specialist + Quick Recovery

Impact Specialist focuses on increasing the impact your attacks have on shields, causing more stagger. Quick Recovery reduces your vulnerability after breaking through a shield, letting you stay on the offensive longer without worrying about retaliation.

9. Precision Timing + Hard Strike

Precision Timing improves the effectiveness of perfectly timed attacks, which is crucial when trying to break shields at the right moment. Hard Strike increases the damage of your strongest attacks, so this build rewards skillful timing with high shield damage.

10. Flinch Breaker + Shield Shredder

Flinch Breaker reduces the flinch your attacks cause on enemies, allowing you to maintain your attack combos without interruption. Shield Shredder, on the other hand, increases the rate at which shields deteriorate under pressure. This duo is excellent for consistent shield breaking without losing offensive flow.

Experimenting with these builds can significantly improve your ability to pressure and break through enemy shields in Marvel Rivals. Don’t hesitate to mix and match mods according to your playstyle or the character you’re focusing on. Also, if you’re looking to expand your options, checking out the available Marvel Rivals skins and considering whether to buy Marvel Rivals bundles can provide some useful tools and visual flair to complement your builds.

Mastering flinch-breaking is less about brute force and more about timing, strategy, and the right setup. Try these builds out in your next matches and see which one best fits your approach to controlling the battlefield.