Groot is a Vanguard in Marvel Rivals who takes control of fights by building walls, trapping enemies, and supporting teammates with zone pressure. This Season 3 guide explains how to place walls, combo your tools, and use Groot’s ultimate to dominate close-quarters battles.

He is not a typical shield tank. Groot wins fights by forcing enemies into bad spots and locking them there.

Groot Overview

Groot uses medium-range attacks, explosive spores, and two types of barriers to shape the map. His passive makes walls stronger when he is nearby. His ultimate stuns grouped enemies and leaves them vulnerable to team follow-up.

He plays best near objectives or corners where his walls have maximum value. If you learn the map and place walls correctly, Groot can trap enemies with no way out.

Groot Abilities

Vine Strike

Whips forward with a ranged vine lash. Technically a projectile, not melee. Use it to poke or finish targets.

Spore Bomb

Throws a large spore that splits on impact. Deals area damage over time. Great for chokepoints or combo setups.

Thornlash Wall

Creates a green barrier. When allies damage enemies near it, the wall lashes out with bonus damage. You can place more than one.

Ironwood Wall

Summons a red barrier with high health. When triggered, Groot receives healing. Only one Ironwood Wall can be active at any time.

Furious Flora

A three-hit melee combo. The third hit knocks enemies upward. Useful for interrupts or combo chains.

Flora Colossus (Passive)

Walls become enhanced when Groot is close. Thornlash deals more damage. Ironwood heals Groot when activated.

Strangling Prison (Ultimate)

Launches a root cluster that pulls enemies inward, stuns them, and deals damage over time. Ideal for teamfight initiations or trapping key targets.

How to Play Groot in Marvel Rivals

Groot should stay near objectives and use his barriers to divide or trap enemies. Thornlash is best used behind enemy lines. Ironwood should go in front of your team to offer healing and cover.

Use Spore Bomb to punish grouped enemies or control corners. Open with Furious Flora if enemies are nearby, then use Vine Strike or Spore Bomb for finishers.

Strangling Prison is a team tool. Let your allies know before you use it. A well-timed ultimate can catch three or more targets and create a full wipe.

Groot Ability Combos

Wall Lock Combo

Place Thornlash Wall behind target → Vine Strike → Spore Bomb → Furious Flora

Sustain Fight Combo

Place Ironwood Wall near fight → Stay close and keep striking → Heal from wall triggers

Interrupt Chain

Start with Furious Flora → Launch enemy on third hit → Follow with Vine Strike or Spore Bomb

Ultimate Setup

Use Strangling Prison → Drop Thornlash Wall → Place Spore Bomb on top → Team finishes the fight

Wall Placement Tips

Never block teammates with a wall
Place Thornlash behind enemies to prevent escape
Keep Ironwood near fights to get healing value
Replace Ironwood only when it is no longer helping
Stay within range of your walls to keep passive active

Groot Weaknesses

Very slow movement
No vertical mobility
Needs walls to get full value
Easy to punish if walls are misused
Struggles against mobile targets

Stick with your team. Never chase alone. Always keep one barrier between you and danger.

Best Team Comps for Groot

Groot pairs well with:

Scarlet Witch or Iron Man for big follow-up damage
Rocket Raccoon for special team-up bonus
Jeff the Land Shark for frontline synergy
Mantis or Luna Snow for healing and sustain
Magik or Wolverine for cleanup dives
Storm or Namor to finish stunned targets

Let your walls set the fight. Let your team do the rest.

How to Counter Groot

Avoid grouping and move vertically to escape traps. Save movement abilities for his wall setups. Punish him when his walls are down.

Top counters:

Thor deals constant area damage and is hard to trap
Loki tricks Groot into wasting cooldowns
The Thing cannot be pushed and survives brawls easily
Iron Fist and Wolverine shred high health targets fast
Black Panther can slip through walls and finish Groot solo

If you see Groot setting up, rotate early or force him to overcommit.

Best Groot Settings

Use medium sensitivity to control ability placement. Groot relies on clean angles and proper setup.

Recommended settings:

Sensitivity: 3 or 4
Acceleration: Off
Smoothing: Off
Show cooldowns: On
Health bars: On

Clean setup wins fights. Bad aim loses walls.

Best Groot Crosshair Code

Use a crosshair that helps line up Vine Strike and Spore Bomb clearly.

Crosshair Code:
1;0.0;10.0,0.0,0.0,16.0;100.0,0.0,60.0,100.0;50.0,24.0,0.0,50.0;100.0,100.0,100.0,100.0;0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0;33.0,84.0,100.0,33.0;13.0;100.0,0.0,50.0,100.0;0.0;5,5,2,1;1.0,1.0,1.0

Adjust color or size based on map lighting and visibility.

Final Blurb

This Marvel Rivals Groot guide (Season 3) teaches you how to control space, trap key enemies, and hold ground with barriers and root effects. Groot wins fights by keeping enemies stuck and allies safe.

You are not here to soak damage. You are here to decide where the fight happens.