Important scope: The two creator videos are personal recommendations, not official rankings. Treat the names below as starting candidates, then test startup, blockstun, hitstun, screen coverage, and the tag conversion with your own team.
Start with the problem, not the character name
For each assist candidate, run four tests:
- Approach: Can the point character move behind the call or force the zoner to block?
- Conversion: Does a stray hit leave enough time for a grounded or aerial pickup?
- Pressure: Does the call keep the opponent in blockstun long enough for a low, overhead, throw, or tag?
- Defense: Does the call cover the jump angle or create space when the point is cornered?
Keep a call when it solves a problem your point character actually has. A famous assist that duplicates your point's strongest tool may be less valuable than a less popular call that fixes a losing interaction.
Magik: portal offense needs time and a confirm
Magik already has strong mid-range buttons, Demon Fire, Rising Soul, and Dark Portal side-switch routes. The assist should help her establish the portal or make the teleport branch hard to challenge.
The latest Magik assist video recommends these candidates as a shortlist, not a final ranking:
- Loki: unpredictable Assault utility and a ground bounce that can support a follow-up.
- Carnage: delayed pressure that can hold the opponent in place while Magik prepares a portal decision.
- Green Goblin, Magneto, Iron Man, or Captain America: projectile, tracking, or general screen coverage that gives Magik time to set her portal.
- Blade: a useful conversion option when Magik wants a reliable follow-up rather than a pure setup.
- Spider-Man: the creator's preferred conversion call for a forgiving hit confirm and an easier way to extend after Magik connects.
The creator also lists Ms. Marvel, Peni Parker, Captain America, and Carnage as defensive candidates. Because this is a personal opinion rather than a tested universal ranking, record each call against a jump-in, a projectile, and a blocked portal before replacing your team.
Ghost Rider: help the big normals enter the screen
Ghost Rider's identity is huge mid-range normals plus the Vengeance Gauge. His main problem is reaching characters who can keep him out, then converting a long button into a route before the gauge overheats.
The Ghost Rider assist guide suggests three practical roles:
- Multi-projectile Assault: Blade, Star-Lord, Spider-Man, Green Goblin, and Wolverine are named as candidates that can challenge projectile space and help Ghost Rider approach.
- Anti-air: The creator prefers Ms. Marvel for range, while describing several other vertical calls as usable. Test the actual angle and hitstun rather than treating the preference as a tier list.
- Conversion call: Spider-Man can pull the opponent back toward Ghost Rider; Blade may not pull as far but still gives a follow-up route. These calls are especially useful after a long normal or a chain sequence.
Ghost Rider does not need an assist that makes every pressure sequence plus. He needs one that lets the point character reach mid-range, stabilize a hit, and manage Vengeance without giving the opponent a free projectile reset.
A 20-minute assist lab
| Time | Test |
|---|---|
| 0–5 min | Call each candidate in neutral against a projectile and a jump |
| 5–10 min | Hit with the point's longest normal and confirm with the call |
| 10–15 min | Block a recorded string, call the assist, and test low/throw/overhead/tag |
| 15–20 min | Reverse the team order and check which character enters after the call |
Write down the answer as a sentence: “I call this assist when ___ because it ___.” If the sentence is only “the video says it is best,” the test is not finished.
Do not include unverified characters from creator footage in the launch-roster shortlist. The Magik video mentions “Champion,” but the site’s verified launch roster contains 20 characters and excludes that unconfirmed entry.
Video sources and verification
- Hidden Juice Village — Best Assists for Magik — August 11 creator recommendations for Magik’s Assault, defensive, and conversion roles.
- Hidden Juice Village — Best Assist for Ghost Rider — August 9 recommendations for multi-projectile, anti-air, and conversion support.
- LordKnight — Beginner’s Guide to Building a Team — assist-slot roles and the principle of choosing support around a leader’s needs.
- Team Building and Assist Roles — site guide for shooting, vertical, assault, Rush, air assists, and team order.