Marvel Rivals, a super hero team-based PVP shooter, is making waves in the hero shooter genre, and Cloak & Dagger stands out as one of the most fascinating and versatile hero combinations. As a Strategist-class duo, they bring a unique dynamic to the battlefield, blending shadow-based disruption with light-infused healing. This guide explores their role, abilities, strategies, and lore to help you harness their power and dominate the arena.
Cloak & Dagger are a distinctive part of the Marvel Rivals roster, embodying the perfect team-up dynamic between light and dark. They function as two characters with distinct strengths that seamlessly combine to create a unique gameplay experience. Whether you want to play Cloak as a disruptor using dark teleportation or focus on Dagger's healing light capabilities, this duo provides endless strategic opportunities. But mastering their mechanics requires careful timing, strategic thinking, and an understanding of how their powers fit into the broader team dynamic.
In Marvel Rivals, Cloak & Dagger epitomize the Strategist role, supporting teammates while undermining enemies. Cloak disrupts opponents by blinding them with Shadow Burst and controlling zones with Void Shroud. Meanwhile, Dagger excels as a hybrid healer, offering Healing Radiance and Aura Shield to protect and heal teammates. Their synergy shines in both offense and defense, whether you switch to Cloak for disruption or use Dagger's abilities to heal teammates during critical moments.
What sets them apart is their synergy. Cloak’s shadow-based abilities can neutralize key threats, while Dagger’s light abilities sustain allies during intense encounters. This balance of offense and support makes them indispensable in both casual skirmishes and competitive play.
Cloak unleashes a burst of shadow energy called Shadow Burst that blinds enemies caught within its radius, leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks. As part of his dark teleportation repertoire, Cloak also uses Shadow Burst to reposition tactically and disorient enemies in team fights. Its moderate cooldown makes timing critical to maximize impact.
Void Shroud, or Cloak’s veil of darkforce, creates a protective zone of shadows that obscures enemy vision while enshrouding nearby allies. This grants teammates untargetable and invisible status, alongside a movement boost. It’s an essential ability for map control or safe retreating under fire.
Cloak siphons health from nearby enemies, dealing damage while healing himself. This ability is crucial for sustaining Cloak during prolonged fights.
A devastating shadow explosion that deals massive damage to enemies in its radius while creating an area of blindness. This ability is a game-changer in team fights, disrupting enemies and turning the tide in your favour.
Passive Ability: Cloak regenerates health while standing in shadowed areas, encouraging smart use of Void Shroud for positioning and sustain.
Cloak’s toolkit revolves around disrupting enemies and controlling the battlefield. His Shadow Burst blinds opponents, reducing their vision and leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks. The Void Shroud creates an area of shadow that limits enemy awareness, providing cover for your team’s movements. Life Drain is a short-range attack that steals health from enemies, while his ultimate, Umbra Storm, delivers a devastating area-of-effect blast that combines damage and disruption.
Passive Ability: Cloak’s passive allows him to regenerate health when in shadowed areas, encouraging tactical positioning to maximize survivability.
Dagger throws daggers of pure light, called Light Strike, which heal teammates and damage enemies. This primary attack is excellent for hitting enemies at range while sustaining nearby allies, maintaining team momentum in high-pressure situations. Combining Light Strike with movement boosts or teleportation abilities can help your team secure key objectives.
Dagger creates an aura of light called Healing Radiance that heals nearby allies over time, ensuring your team remains sustained during prolonged fights. This ability pairs exceptionally well with Cloak’s Void Shroud, allowing your whole team to reposition safely while receiving healing and support.
Dagger grants allies a temporary shield that absorbs incoming damage. This ability is excellent for initiating fights or protecting vulnerable teammates.
Dagger releases a surge of healing energy, restoring significant health to all teammates in range. This ultimate can turn the tide of battle, especially during intense engagements.
Passive Ability: Dagger’s healing output increases when near allies with low health, enabling clutch saves during high-pressure scenarios.
Dagger brings healing and ranged damage to the table. Her Light Strike throws daggers that heal allies and harm enemies simultaneously, maintaining team momentum. Healing Radiance casts an area-of-effect healing aura, ideal for sustaining your team during critical moments. The Aura Shield ability grants a protective barrier to allies, absorbing damage during intense exchanges. Dagger’s ultimate, Luminary Surge, unleashes a surge of healing energy that can revive a failing push or secure victory in a defensive stand.
The ability to switch between Cloak and Dagger during gameplay adds a layer of complexity. Effective players must know when to disrupt enemies with Cloak’s shadows and when to bolster allies with Dagger’s light. This dynamic ensures that Cloak & Dagger can adapt to any situation, provided their player understands the flow of the match.
Cloak & Dagger excel when paired with teammates who enhance their synergy, such as Scarlet Witch for area control or Moon Knight for high mobility. Their team-up abilities shine in any composition, whether you rely on Cloak’s darkforce cloak to blind enemies or Dagger’s Healing Radiance to sustain your team. Together, they embody one of the strongest team-up dynamics in Marvel Rivals.
Knowing when to switch between Cloak and Dagger is essential for success. During defensive situations, Cloak’s Void Shroud and Shadow Burst can disorient enemies and buy your team valuable time to regroup. On the offensive, transitioning to Dagger allows you to heal allies and maintain the momentum of your push.
Cloak & Dagger are best utilized from the midline, where they can effectively disrupt enemies and provide support to teammates. Staying at this range ensures that Cloak’s abilities can reach opponents while Dagger’s healing remains accessible to allies. Avoid the frontline unless coordinated with your team.
Effective communication can elevate your gameplay. Alert your teammates when you’re switching roles and coordinate the use of your abilities with their actions. This synergy can maximize the impact of Cloak’s disruptions and Dagger’s healing.
Mastering Cloak & Dagger requires a deep understanding of timing and positioning. Knowing when to swap between Cloak and Dagger is critical. For example, during an enemy’s offensive push, Cloak’s Void Shroud and Shadow Burst can buy your team valuable seconds to regroup. Conversely, when your team is on the attack, Dagger’s Healing Radiance ensures sustained pressure.
Positioning is another key factor. Cloak & Dagger are most effective when played from the midline, where they can safely support teammates while maintaining access to enemies within range of Cloak’s disruptions. Keep an eye on your teammates’ health and adjust your role accordingly. Effective communication with your team can maximize their impact, whether by coordinating a push or defending against a concerted enemy assault.
Understanding the map’s layout is critical. Utilize Cloak’s Void Shroud to control key choke points or cut off enemy retreat paths, creating opportunities for your team to capitalize on. Keep track of enemy movements and adjust your positioning accordingly.
Cloak & Dagger thrive when paired with tanky heroes like Thor or Hulk. These allies can draw enemy fire and provide a frontline presence, allowing you to focus on support and disruption without being overwhelmed.
Coordinate your abilities with your team to create devastating combos. For instance, using Cloak’s Shadow Burst to blind enemies while a damage dealer follows up can secure kills. Similarly, timing Dagger’s Healing Radiance during a team push can sustain momentum and lead to decisive victories.
Map awareness is crucial for Cloak & Dagger players. Use Cloak’s abilities to control choke points or cut off escape routes, forcing enemies into predictable patterns. Pairing them with a durable tank like Thor or Hulk ensures better survivability, allowing them to focus on their supportive and disruptive roles without being overwhelmed. Practicing coordination with teammates will also help you leverage Cloak & Dagger’s unique abilities to their fullest potential.
While Cloak’s abilities are potent, they are not designed for direct confrontations. Avoid rushing into the frontline without adequate backup, as this often leaves you vulnerable to focused attacks.
Dagger’s role is critical in maintaining team survivability. Failing to monitor your allies’ health can lead to preventable deaths, especially during high-stakes moments. Always prioritize healing when your team’s health bars are low.
Saving ultimates for the right moments can turn the tide of battle. Avoid deploying Umbra Storm or Luminary Surge during non-critical situations, as their potential impact is best realized in pivotal team fights or to counter enemy ultimates.
Overcommitting as Cloak is a common pitfall. While his abilities like Shadow Burst and Void Shroud are powerful, Cloak is not a tank and should avoid direct engagements. Neglecting to monitor your team’s health as Dagger can also lead to preventable losses, especially during critical skirmishes. Misusing ultimates, such as deploying Umbra Storm or Luminary Surge without a clear strategy, wastes valuable cooldown timers that could turn the tide of the fight.
Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen are Marvel’s iconic duo, also known as Cloak and Dagger. Representing the forces of light and dark, they stand as a testament to resilience and teamwork. Cloak wields dark teleportation and the ability to control the darkforce dimension, while Dagger heals allies and damages enemies using lightforce. Together, they are like two sides of the same coin, balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses in battle.
Their story is one of survival and transformation. After being exposed to experimental synthetic drugs, Tyrone and Tandy developed their respective powers, forever altering their lives. The trauma they endured forged an unbreakable bond, making them inseparable both as individuals and as heroes. Their origins as street-level vigilantes reflect a grounded fight for justice, resonating deeply with fans of Marvel’s rich storytelling tradition.
Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen’s story is one of survival and transformation. After being exposed to experimental synthetic drugs, they developed their respective powers: Cloak’s ability to summon a dimension of darkness and Dagger’s control over healing light. The trauma they endured forged an unbreakable bond, making them inseparable both as individuals and as heroes. Cloak represents the shadows, absorbing and neutralizing threats, while Dagger symbolizes hope, healing wounds and guiding allies to victory. Their origins as street-level vigilantes and their enduring fight for justice resonate deeply with fans of Marvel’s rich storytelling tradition.#
The back alleys of New York City had never been safe. Back when Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen were just teenage runaways, they'd found themselves fighting to survive the cruel realities of living on the streets. When they gained their superpowers, becoming the crime fighting duo known as Cloak and Dagger, they vowed to shed a little light — and darkness — on the most dangerous corners of the city so that no one else would ever have to live in fear again.
But now, fear had taken over — not just in the alleys, but across the entire island of Manhattan. Dracula, the Lord of the Vampires, had come to town, and had somehow managed to lock the Big Apple in a state of eternal night. His bloodsucking minions were on a rampage, and there were only a few heroes left to protect the innocent citizens of NYC from being involuntarily drafted into the vampire army's ranks.
"Watch out, Ty!" Dagger yelled. "On your left!"
"I see 'em, Tandy." Cloak replied, turning to face three vampires that were rushing toward him, their teeth bared in a bloodthirsty frenzy.
Cloak opened his billowing cape, revealing the pure darkness shrouded within.
"Chew on this, boys," Cloak said as three ebony tendrils reached out from the void and ensnared the unsuspecting vamps. They struggled to break free, but to no avail. The vampires were pulled into the living portal to the Darkforce Dimension that was where Cloak's body should have been. As they disappeared into the pitch black, Cloak smiled, knowing what went in rarely came back out.
"You let them off easy... again," Dagger said, her voice echoing in Cloak's mind. "You do know vampires thrive in the dark, right?"
"Sorry," Cloak said, growing annoyed by Dagger's constant critiquing. "Fresh out of light. Maybe if you were here, you could've finished 'em off, like you do. But tonight's my night, remember?"
"Yeah..." Dagger replied, with a deep sadness that Cloak could feel in his own soul. "How could I forget...?"
Cloak breathed a heavy sigh. His partner wasn't the only one who was struggling with their current status quo.
Shortly before the creatures of the night had seized the city, Cloak and Dagger were on a routine mission busting some smugglers on the Lower East Side when the world turned upside down — or more accurately, in their case, inside out.
Normally, a few petty criminals would never have stood a chance against a pair of seasoned super heroes like Cloak and Dagger, but during the fight something strange happened. A burst of light appeared in the sky, brighter than anything Dagger had ever conjured up with her Lightforce powers. As it washed over the city, Dagger instinctively leapt into Cloak's portal and the two teleported away to safety, as they had done countless times before.
Cloak reemerged shortly after, safe and sound. But when he opened the folds of his cape, Dagger didn't follow. Cloak feared that his partner had become lost in the Darkforce Dimension, but those fears were quickly negated when he heard Tandy's voice in his head as clear as day. She was there with him... but at the same time she wasn't.
Cloak opened himself up again, straining with all of his might as he tried to summon Dagger's physical form through the portal within him. Suddenly, beams of pure Lightforce erupted from Cloak's body. He let out an anguished scream and, where he had just stood, Dagger had taken his place. But now, Cloak was gone. And yet, he wasn't. If he had been thrust back into the Darkforce Dimension, he could have easily navigated his way back out. Btu this was something else entirely. It was as if Cloak was looking at the world through Dagger's eyes.
Baffled by what had happened to them, Dagger sought out the help of a trusted friend — Reed Richards, the brilliant scientist and super hero known as Mister Fantastic. Reed told them that the bright light they had seen in the sky was caused by a massive disruption to the fabric of space and time itself, an event that he was calling the Timestream Entanglement. The cosmic disturbance had cascaded across multiple dimensions, leading to all sorts of unusual effects, such as causing some alternate realities to merge together into one.
He surmised that, since Cloak and Dagger happened to be traveling between dimensions together when the Timestream Entanglement struck their reality, they themselves had somehow become entangled with one another on a molecular level. Now, they seemed to exist in the same material space, and only one of them could occupy it at any given time. Curiously, even when one of them was physically absent, their consciousness remained fully present within the mind of the predominant partner.
Reed ran a number of tests, in hopes of finding a solution to the duo's dilemma, but nothing seemed to work. He promised the young heroes that he wouldn't give up... but for now, they would have to make the best of their new situation.
Cloak mused that Dagger had always been the angel on his shoulder over the many years they had been partners. The fact that she was now quite literally a voice inside of his head and nothing more was going to take some time to get used to. Unfortunately, even more change was on the horizon than he had initially realized.
When the vampires took control of Manhattan, the heroes tried to go about business as usual. At first, Dagger wanted nothing more than to use her Lightforce energy to heal those who had been infected by Dracula's curse. Meanwhile, Cloak wasn't nearly as forgiving to the sinister creatures that had overrun his city. But as time went by, Dagger became more aggressive in her attacks against the vampires, while Cloak had a tendency to show more mercy to the poor people who had fallen under Dracula's sway. Their traditional roles were reversing, giving Cloak reason for concern.
To make matters worse, there was a rift growing between their fellow heroes as well. Reed Richards was determined to cure the city of Dracula's curse with as little collateral damage as possible. He knew that many of the vampires stalking the streets had been innocent civilians when this all began, and he wanted to do whatever it took to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. But Tony Stark and his ally Moon Knight had learned of a more permanent means of removing the vampire threat in one fell swoop. Cloak could feel that Dagger was beginning to lean towards that more extreme option, and it scared him to see her once-unwavering light beginning to flicker.
"Tandy..." Cloak said, finally working up the courage to confront his partner about her descent toward the darkness. "We've gotta talk."
"No," Dagger replied. "We've gotta fight. We don't have the time to worry about feelings, Ty. This is war. When are you gonna finally man up and act like it?"
Cloak paused, trying to keep his temper in check. He had known Tandy for so long, but it was almost like he didn't know her at all anymore. Was this his fault, he wondered? Could her shift in demeanor have been caused by prolonged exposure to the Darkforce energies that Cloak himself had barely learned to control, even after all these years? Dagger's light had always been the force that guided them. What if it was finally snuffed out and he was to blame?
Cloak's concerns would have to wait. He had just received a message from Reed Richards, asking him to come back to the Baxter Building — which the heroes had been using as a stronghold since the vampiric invasion. In a blink, Cloak teleported away.
Moments later, Dagger materialized in the Baxter Building. During the teleportation process, Tandy had exerted her will and had taken control of their shared physical form for herself. Cloak was less than thrilled, but he chose to remain silent and to observe... for now.
"What's the deal, Reed?" Dagger asked, showing a touch of impatience. "You know we're way more help out on the streets than here in your lab, right?"
"Indeed," Reed said. "You are needed on the front lines. But I think we both can agree that it would be better if there were two of you fighting this fight instead of just one."
"What're you saying...?" Dagger asked, a glimmer of hope returning to her eyes.
"As you know, Tony and I have been designing technology that may be capable of repairing the timestream," Reed said. "This Timestream Reintegration Device could undo the damage caused by the Timestream Entanglement and restore this reality — and countless others — to its original state."
"Do you think it could do the same thing for me and Cloak?" Dagger asked, jumping straight to the point.
"In theory," Reed said. "The problem is, we haven't yet located an adequate source of Chronovium to power the TRD. And a failed trial run could set us back months, a risk that Tony is not willing to take. However..."
Reed stretched his elastic-like arm over to his workbench, about ten feet away. He grabbed hold of a small, high-tech device and retracted his limb back to its normal proportions. He held up the device for Dagger — and Cloak — to see.
"...this is a portable version of the TRD that I've been tinkering with," Reed continued. "It's not capable of realigning entire realities, but perhaps it could handle recalibrating something else that had become entangled. Something on a slightly smaller scale..."
"Tandy..." Cloak said hesitantly within the mind of his partner. "...I really don't wanna be the guinea pig in another experiment. I think we should wait and —"
"We're in," Dagger said, completely dismissing Cloak's concern.
"Good," Reed said, placing a small shard of Chronovium crystal into the handheld device. "Now, stay very still. And try not to scream too loud. Franklin and Valeria are sleeping upstairs."
As the device activated, it bathed Tandy in a crackling cascade of energy. She grimaced in pain, feeling as though she was being ripped in half. And in essence, she was. The device was extracting Cloak's molecules from her own, in hopes of allowing both young heroes to live as separate beings for the first time in ages. When the energy faded, Dagger still remained... and Cloak stood by her side!
"He did it!" Dagger exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her partner in glee.
"Yeah... great..." Cloak said, clearly less enthusiastic about the process. Part of it was because Dagger had gone against his direct wishes. But Cloak also had a deep fear that he would no longer be able to keep his partner's emerging darkness under check now that they were separated.
"Hmm..." Reed said, putting a hand to his chin as he studied the readings on his handheld TRD. "That's strange..."
"What's wrong," Dagger asked nervously. "It worked, didn't it?"
"Mostly," Reed replied, "but even though you once again exist simultaneously within the same physical plane, it seems as though your energy signatures are still deeply intertwined."
"What's that mean, Big Brain?" Cloak asked.
"it means the change may not be permanent," Reed said, dismayed. "If you were to activate the same conditions that triggered the initial molecular fusion, I'm afraid you're more than likely to revert into your shared state."
"So, no more teleporting then...?" Dagger asked. "Eh. Works for me."
"But... that's, like, my whole thing..." Cloak replied.
"Not anymore, partner," Dagger said. "You can do lots of other stuff with your Darkforce, right? Get creative!"
"I... guess I can figure somethin' out..." Cloak said, uncertain.
"It looks like you're going to have to figure it out much sooner than anticipated," Reed interrupted. "Ben just reported in from his transport mission, and he says he located a cluster of vampires attacking some citizens near Battery Park."
"No sweat. We'll be there in —" Cloak started to say, but then he paused as Dagger shot him a dirty look. He realized that they could no longer travel between locations in split seconds via the Darkforce DImension.
"Umm... could we borrow a Fantasti-Car?"
Soon, Cloak and Dagger landed their borrowed vehicle on the southern tip of Manhattan. The two heroes stepped off and began to scout the area for any sign of vampires.
"Now, this is more like it!" Dagger said. "Just like the old days."
"Yeah," Cloak agreed. "Except for that part..."
Dagger looked over at where Cloak was pointing to see a horde of vampires overtaking a ferry boat docked nearby.
"People must've been tryin' to use the ferry to get out of the city," Cloak said, "and now they've gone and got themselves trapped on board. Those vamps'll eat 'em alive. We've gotta help."
"Or..." Dagger said, "...we could just hit the throttle, send the whole thing to Staten Island, and call it a night."
Cloak looked over at Dagger in disbelief, uncertain whether his partner was joking or not. Either way he wasn't amused. Instead of dignifying her comment with a response, he rushed toward the ferry to confront the vampires.
"Keep up," he called back to Dagger. She shook her head and followed Cloak into action.
When they boarded the ferry, the pair kicked into full hero mode, picking off the vampires with ease. Dagger manifested short blades of pure Lightforce that she mercilessly thrust into the hearts of the vampires. Cloak used his Darkforce tendrils to grab hold of their fanged foes and hurl them overboard.
As Cloak and Dagger fought side-by-side once more, they both began to remember how much they missed their partnership.. and perhaps how much they had taken it for granted. Just when they were starting to finally find their rhythm, though, they reached the ferry's control room and were met by a harsh reality. Inside, there were several human passengers, all huddled together. A group of vampires had them surrounded and looked ready to feast.
"I've got this," Dagger said, rushing toward the ship's bridge without hesitation.
"Careful, girl," Cloak said, grabbing a hold of Dagger's wrist for a moment to stop her from leaving. "You ask me, this looks like a trap."
"I didn't ask you, Ty," Dagger snapped back. "And if you don't stop babying me, I won't ask you anything ever again! Now let me go! I've got people to save."
Cloak released Dagger's wrist and watched as his partner entered the control room. He wanted so badly to protect her, but she was her own hero and she had to make her own choices... for better or for worse. He let out a frustrated sigh and began to follow Dagger into the bridge, but before he could enter, the heavy door that led into the room slammed shut and a vampire locked it from within. Just as Cloak had feared, the vamps had used the innocent passengers to lure the heroes in, and Dagger had taken the bait. There was no escape... No way out... Except for one...
"I'm comin' in, Tandy..." Cloak yelled, the fabric of his cape beginning to ripple in an otherworldly breeze.
"No! Don't do it," Dagger commanded. "I can handle this."
And it first, it looked as though she was right. Tandy fought for her life, hurling her light daggers at the vampires with furious sped. But there were just too many of them. Cloak could only watch through the window in horror as his partner found herself outnumbered, exhausted, and cornered along with the other terrified passengers in the bridge.
"You gave it your best," Cloak said, opening his cape and tapping into the full power of the Darkforce Dimension. "Now it's my turn."
"You can't!" Dagger yelled, desperately pushing back another hungry vampire. "Remember what Reed said!"
"I don't care what Reed said!" Cloak snapped back. "All I care about is you!"
"Well, if you teleport, you're gonna lose me," Dagger responded.
"And if I do nothin', I lose you too," Cloak said, knowing full well the gravity of the choice he was about to make.
Still, Cloak teleported into the room, mere moments before the vampires could sink their teeth into Dagger's flesh. He quickly wrapped his arms around her as the fabric of his cape encircled the other passengers. In a blink, they were all gone.
Moments later, Cloak appeared at the Baxter Building in a flash of darkness. With him, he brought a small group of relieved strangers who had been snatched from death's door at the last second. But even though the innocent civilians had been saved, someone else had been lost along the way.
Cloak looked around frantically. His heart dropped as his worst fears were confirmed.
"Don't worry, Ty," Dagger's voice said inside of his head. "I'm still here... Whether I like it or not..."
"I'd rather have you mad than dead," Cloak responded, trying not to show his joy that some part of Tandy had survived the encounter.
"Then you got what you wanted," Dagger sighed. After a long pause, she added, "Thanks... I guess..."
"I know the darkness has taken its toll on you," Cloak said, "but I'm always gonna be here to lead you through it. Just like you've always been there to guide me back to the light. That's why you and me are such a good team."
"We're a lot more than that..." Dagger said, her tone softening for the first time in ages. Ty wished he could look into her eyes and say what was really in his heart, but at that moment, just hearing her voice was enough. It would have to be.
With that, his cloak folded in on itself and he vanished from the Baxter Building. He was headed back into the night, ready to take on the forces of darkness by himself...
...but never alone.
Cloak & Dagger bring a unique and compelling gameplay experience to Marvel Rivals. Whether you're looking to use Cloak's darkforce cloak for disruption or Dagger’s Healing Radiance to aid teammates, knowing when to switch roles is vital. Their hybrid healer and DPS capabilities make them one of the strongest team-ups in Marvel Rivals. Step into the shadows and embrace the light—here’s how to play Cloak and Dagger effectively in this super hero team-based PVP shooter.
