Nova

Nova – Unleash the Power of the Nova Force

Champion Breakdown

About Nova

Character Class: Cosmic

Brief Overview: Richard Rider, also known as Nova, is a New York high-school student transformed into a superhero by the Nova Corps, a space-faring peacekeeping force. In Marvel Contest of Champions, Nova shines as a mobile and resilient defender, armed with gravimetric energy beams, protective shields, and flight capabilities, which are powered by his connection to the mystical Nova Force.

Nova Origin: Originating from the Marvel Comics, Nova's addition to Marvel Contest of Champions adds a fascinating cosmic dimension. He embodies the spirit of law and order from the cosmos, bringing quintessential interstellar capabilities to the battleground.

Lore Background

Nova History: After the assault and annihilation of planet Xandar by the menacing Zorr, the last standing member of the elite Nova Corps, Rhomann Dey, transfers his powers and responsibilities to Richard Rider. As Nova, Rider utilizes his newfound abilities to protect Earth and the universe, often siding with notable superheroes such as Spider-Man and Thor.

Personality Traits: Nova's personality is driven by a strong sense of justice and duty, often portrayed as a courageous and sometimes impetuous young hero. These traits reflect in his aggressive playstyle in the game, where he is constantly on the move, gathering power and responding swiftly to threats.

Nova's Gameplay Mechanics

Basic Abilities: Fury, Auto-Block, Nova Force, Unblockable, Energize

Nova's primary mode of attack includes light, medium, and heavy attacks:

  • Light Attacks: Quick and effective for building up Nova Charges.
  • Medium Attacks: These are key, as they don't make contact but emit powerful energy blasts that deal significant damage.
  • Heavy Attacks: Slow but powerful, they play a crucial role in managing and maximizing Nova Charges for strategic advantage.

Passive and Active Basic Abilities:

  • Fury: Increases Nova’s attack power.
  • Auto-Block: Automatically blocks incoming attacks when certain conditions are met, safeguarding him against combos.
  • Nova Force: Enhances various combat abilities, becoming pivotal at higher charge levels.
  • Unblockable: Makes Nova's attacks impossible to block when fully charged.
  • Energize: Increases the rate at which Nova gains power, allowing for quicker access to his special attacks.

Special Attacks:

  1. Special 1: Centurion Tackle - Pauses Fury Buffs and grants an Energize Buff, enhancing power rate. With enough charges, it can enable True Strike, ignoring defenses.
  2. Special 2: Gravimetric Cannon - This is a high-damage move that scales with Nova Charges, serving as a main damage output source.
  3. Special 3: Gravimetric Hold - Consumes all Nova Charges to deal massive burst damage based on the charges consumed, also reactivating his Fury Buff if it was on cooldown.

Signature Ability:

  • The Human Rocket: Enhances medium attack damage based on dash distance and enables Auto-Block to trigger Parry, profoundly impacting both offensive strategies and defensive setups in Alliance Wars.

Strategy and Playstyle

General Strategy: Utilize Nova's mobility to generate and manage Nova Charges while keeping pressure on opponents. Optimize the use of medium attacks and special abilities based on the situation to maximize damage and defensive benefits.

Advanced Techniques: Timing Nova’s dashes to either escape enemy attacks or close in for quick strikes is crucial. Managing the Nova Charges to precisely unleash powerful special attacks will distinguish novice players from masters.

Mastery Tips

Skill Mastery: Mastery of Nova involves understanding the balance between aggressive maneuvers and charge management to optimize both attack and defense during matches.

Team Composition: Nova synergizes well with characters that can benefit from or supplement his charge and energy management abilities.

Synergies:

  1. New Warrior Blood: Night Thrasher, Darkhawk - Enhances abilities related to Nova Charges and defensive power.
  2. Maximum Output: Bishop, Havok - Focuses on improving energy handling capabilities.
  3. Phalanx Feud: Gamora, Drax - Boosts Fury potency, enhancing overall damage output.

Countering Nova

Counter Tactics: Effective strategies include using characters capable of bypassing Auto-Block or dealing with energy damage effectively.

Nova Counters:

  1. Symbiote Supreme: Expert at handling buffs like Nova’s Fury with debuffs.
  2. Proxima Midnight: Her True Accuracy negates Nova’s Auto-Block efficiently.

Conclusion

Nova stands out as a unique blend of speed, power, and resilience in Marvel Contest of Champions. His ability to manage and utilize Nova Charges effectively makes him a formidable opponent on any battlefield.

Encouragement to Experiment: Each player might discover unique strategies and synergies with Nova, making him a versatile and exciting character to master and include in diverse team setups. Experiment with different approaches to tap into the full potential of The Human Rocket.