VALORANT Characters Guide: All Agents & Abilities

Want to earn Riot Points, gaming hardware, and more? Buff is a loyalty program for gamers that runs in the background while you play VALORANT. The more you play, the more Buff Coins you earn, which you can redeem for gift cards, games, and more. Buff is 100% free to use, so there’s no reason not to start getting buffed today.

Agent Release Order in VALORANT

• Brimstone // Controller // United States // Beta
• Viper // Controller // United States // Beta
• Omen // Controller // Unknown // Beta
• Cypher // Sentinel // Morocco // Beta
• Sova // Initiator // Russia // Beta
• Sage // Sentinel // China // Beta
• Phoenix // Duelist // United Kingdom // Beta
• Jett // Duelist // South Korea // Beta
• Raze // Duelist // Brazil // Beta
• Breach // Initiator // Sweden // Beta
• Reyna // Duelist // Mexico // 1.0
• Killjoy // Sentinel // Germany // 1.05
• Skye // Initiator // Australia // 1.11
• Yoru // Duelist // Japan // 2.0
• Astra // Controller // Ghana // 2.04
• KAY/O // Initiator // Unknown // 3.0
• Chamber // Sentinel // France // 3.10
• Neon // Duelist // Phillipines // 4.0
• Fade // Initiator // Turkey // 4.08
• Harbor // Controller // India // 5.08
• Gekko // Initiator // United States // 6.04

All VALORANT Agents (Newest First)

Gekko

Passive – Globules

When Wingman, Dizzy, and Thrash expire they revert into a dormant globule. INTERACT to reclaim the globule and gain another charge after a short cooldown. Thrash can only be reclaimed once.

Basic – Mosh Pit: 250 Credits/1 Charge

EQUIP Mosh. FIRE to throw Mosh like a grenade. ALT FIRE to throw underhand. Upon landing Mosh duplicates across a large area then after a short delay explodes.

Basic – Wingman: 300 Credits/1 Charge/10s Cooldown when Reclaimed

EQUIP Wingman. FIRE to send Wingman forward seeking enemies. Wingman unleashes a Concussive blast toward the first enemy he sees. ALT FIRE when targeting a Spike site or planted Spike to have Wingman defuse or plant the Spike. To plant, Gekko must have the Spike in his inventory.

Signature – Dizzy: Free/1 Charge/10s Cooldown when Reclaimed

EQUIP Dizzy. FIRE to send Dizzy soaring forward through the air. Dizzy charges then unleashes plasma blasts at enemies in line of sight. Enemies hit by her plasma are Blinded.

Ultimate – Thrash: 7 Points/10s Cooldown when Reclaimed

EQUIP Thrash. FIRE to link with Thrash’s mind and steer her through enemy territory. ACTIVATE to lunge forward and explode, Detaining any players in a small radius.

Gekko is a supportive utility-based Initiator Agent who specializes in using waves of abilities. While some Initiators like KAY/O or Skye can make plays off their own flashes, Gekko is keen to sit back and throw his little buddies for his teammates. Dizzy is a slow moving but effective space clearing tool. Wingman has several uses that all set Gekko’s team up. Mosh Pit is your standard Molotov-esque ability that excels at serving up kills. Thrash allows Gekko to lock down one or more targets for free kills in the right situation.

When playing Gekko, it’s important to note that making plays yourself is not the path to victory. Being able to set up a push for your teammates, then Reclaim your Globules to do it again is what makes Gekko special. Here are some ways that Gekko can splatter the competition.

• Dizzy is very easy for opponents to shoot down if you throw it right in their faces. Line up your toss at an off-angle. Going high, low, or at a different spot from where your push is coming from will net a much higher blind rate.
• Thrash only has 200 HP, so even a single aware opponent can take it down before you get a chance to detonate it. Use Thrash in combination with abilities and/or a push from your teammates to ensure that it can make it to its target.
• Using Wingman to plant or defuse the Spike can be incredibly strong, as it allows your team to have one extra gun watching for enemies. Make sure that you take the Spike every round on attack and try to stay alive for retakes on defense.

Choose another Agent.

Harbor

Basic – Cascade: 150 Credits/2 Charges

EQUIP a wave of water. FIRE to send the wave rolling forward and through walls. RE-USE to stop the wave. Players hit are Slowed by 30 percent.

Basic – Cove: 350 Credits/1 Charge

EQUIP a sphere of shielding water. FIRE to throw. ALT FIRE to underhand throw. Upon impacting the ground, spawn a destructible water shield that blocks bullets.

Signature – High Tide: Free/1 Charge/40s Cooldown

EQUIP a wall of water. FIRE to send the water forward along the ground. HOLD FIRE to guide the water in the direction of your crosshair, passing through the world, spawning a wall along the water’s path. ALT FIRE while bending to stop the water early. Players hit are Slowed by 30 percent.

Ultimate – Reckoning: 7 Points

EQUIP the full power of your Artifact. FIRE to summon a geyser pool on the ground. Enemy players in the area are targeted by successive geyser strikes. Players caught within a strike are Concussed.

Harbor has one of, if not the highest ceiling among the Controller VALORANT Agents. The free-flowing nature of his High Tide allows for some very creative area control. Cascade is an effective space-taking tool that provides moving cover which can be stopped at any point. Cove can function like a smoke when thrown, or as direct cover for his teammates. Harbor’s Reckoning is perfect for uprooting a setup, allowing his team’s site takes and retakes to get moving without fear.

Harbor requires precise usage of all his abilities. His walls can easily become detriments to his team if not used to cut off the correct lines of sight. In the same vein, Harbor needs his team to play around his utility to get the most out of his kit. Here are some tips on how Harbor can turn the tides in his favor.

• Learn the lineups and start-spots for High Tide. Much like Viper’s Toxic Screen, High Tide has certain locations and angles that will provide your team with the perfect cover for taking space. Understand what your goal is when throwing it out, and make sure that it blocks what you need it to.
• Cove can be used to provide crucial cover for Spike plants and defuses. On attack, you can throw it out more easily to take the site in the first place. On defense however, saving Cove for the retake can put lots of pressure on the attackers to either break it or push it.
• Slowed targets are easy targets. Throwing Cascades towards enemy positions is a great way to take space. They must either respect the cover and back off, or take a disadvantaged fight.

Choose another Agent.

Fade

Basic – Prowler: 250 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a Prowler. FIRE will send the Prowler out, causing it to travel in a straight line. The Prowler will lock onto any enemies or trails in their frontal vision cone and chase them, nearsighting them if it reaches them. HOLD the FIRE button to steer the Prowler in the direction of your crosshair.

Basic – Seize: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP an orb of nightmare ink. FIRE to throw the orb which will plummet to the ground after a set amount of time. Upon hitting the ground, the ink will explode and create a zone in which enemies who are caught in it cannot escape the zone by normal means. RE-USE the ability to drop the projectile early in-flight.

Signature – Haunt: Free/1 Charge/40s Cooldown

• EQUIP a nightmarish entity. FIRE to throw the orb which will plummet to the ground after a set amount of time. Upon hitting the ground, the orb will turn into a nightmarish entity that will reveal the location of enemies caught in its line of sight. Enemies can destroy this entity. RE-USE the ability to drop the projectile early in-flight.

Ultimate – Nightfall: 7 Points

• EQUIP the power of Fear. FIRE to send out a wave of nightmare energy that can traverse through walls. The energy creates a trail to the opponent as well as deafens and decays them.

Fade is a nightmare wielding Initiator with a versatile move set. All of her abilities apply Terror Trails to enemies they hit. Prowler sends out a floating orb that will track down enemies and Trails. Seize creates a zone that traps all enemies it lands near. Haunt is a recon ability that can find all enemies with line of sight. Fade’s ultimate combines all of her utility into a massive wave of energy that deafens, decays, and seeks out all enemies hit with Terror Trails.

Fade’s abilities all have the potential to heavily impact a round. That said, they can be difficult to use optimally when enemies know they are coming. Here are some ways you can make sure your nightmares hit home:

• Don’t use Prowler in isolation. It only has 100 HP and can be focused down if enemies have nothing else to look for. Save them for when one of your other abilities hits first or when teammates are pushing with it. 
• Haunt is a great way to find all enemies in a large area, but it only has a single hit point and has limited throwing range. Make sure that you have a solid spot to land it on, or else you run the risk of it being destroyed before activating.
• Pay attention to your Terror Trails. Since all enemies you tag with your abilities get marked, you can track and relay their locations precisely for easy kills.

Choose another Agent.

Neon

Basic – Fast Lane: 300 Credits/1 Charge

• FIRE two energy lines forward on the ground that extend a short distance or until they hit a surface. The lines rise into walls of static electricity that block vision and damage enemies passing through them.

Basic – Relay Bolt: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• INSTANTLY throw an energy bolt that bounces once. Upon hitting each surface, the bolt electrifies the ground below with a concussive blast.

Signature – High Gear: Free/1 Charge/2 Kill Recharge

• INSTANTLY channel Neon’s power for increased speed. When charged, ALT FIRE to trigger an electric slide. Slide charge resets every two kills.

Ultimate – Overdrive: 7 Credits

• Unleash Neon’s full power and speed for a short duration. FIRE to channel the power into a deadly lightning beam with high movement accuracy. The duration resets on each kill.

Neon is a speedy Duelist who can run through the competition with ease. High Gear allows Neon to run at high speeds and kick into an evasive slide. Fast Lane provides some useful cover to help get your team in. Relay Bolt is a quick burst of concussive blasts that can zone multiple angles. Overdrive gives Neon a high-accuracy lightning beam that can deal up to 22 damage per tick, as well as a large movement speed increase to melt enemies down on the fly.

Neon has heavier emphasis on skill than other VALORANT Agents. Movement is key on Neon, so here are some tips to get the most out of her:

• Neon is very good at fly peeking with guns like the Shorty or Stinger. Abuse her elusive movement to catch enemies off guard and take them down quickly.
• Fast Lane will travel until the point where your crosshair collides with a solid surface. If you want it to go far, make sure your crosshair doesn’t overlap with walls or floors.
• While in Overdrive, keep moving constantly. The extra movement speed makes Neon incredibly hard to hit. Neon can also cast abilities while in Overdrive (and High Gear), so you can still use Fast Lane or throw Relay Bolt.

Choose another Agent.

Chamber

Basic – Trademark: 150 Credits/2 Charges

• PLACE a trap that scans for enemies. When a visible enemy comes in range, the trap counts down and then destabilizes the terrain around them, creating a lingering field that slows players caught inside of it.

Basic – Headhunter: 100 Credits per Bullet/8 Max

• ACTIVATE to equip a heavy pistol. ALT FIRE with the pistol equipped to aim down sights.

Signature – Rendezvous: Free/1 Charge/20s Cooldown

• PLACE two teleport anchors. While on the ground and in range of an anchor, REACTIVATE to quickly teleport to the other anchor. Anchors can be picked up to be REDEPLOYED.

Ultimate – Tour de Force: 7 Points/5 Bullets

• ACTIVATE to summon a powerful, custom sniper rifle that will kill an enemy with any direct hit. Killing an enemy creates a lingering field that slows players caught inside of it.

No VALORANT character brings more style and firepower than Chamber. While his only traditional Sentinel ability is Trademark, which is a decent security system with two charges, he makes up for it by enhancing his own gunplay. Rendezvous allows Chamber to instantly teleport from anchor to anchor, letting him make multiple aggressive moves. Headhunter and Tour de Force provide Chamber with powerful weapons that are more effective than their shop equivalents.

Since Chamber’s kit puts the burden of work on his own skills, he can be a step up in difficulty from other Sentinel Agents. Still, mastering the aggression that Chamber allows for will turn you into an elusive killing machine:

• Chamber can use the Operator (and consequently Tour de Force) much more effectively than other Agents. He can take aggressive angles with it, shoot, then Rendezvous to an anchor positioned safely.
• Chamber can purchase Headhunter bullets instead of a Ghost or Sheriff on pistol/save rounds. Since having a full Headhunter can be better than a teammate having a Sheriff, you can buy them a rifle when team economy is low. The same can be done with Tour de Force.
• Trademark is visible to all Agents and destroyable as a result. Since it is your only defensive utility, try and place them in spots that don’t normally get looked at.

Choose another Agent.

KAY/O

Basic – FRAG/MENT: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP an explosive fragment. FIRE to throw. The fragment sticks to the floor and explodes multiple times, dealing near lethal damage at the center with each explosion.

Basic – FLASH/DRIVE: 250 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a flash grenade. FIRE to throw. The flash grenade explodes after a short fuse, blinding anyone in line of sight.

Signature – ZERO/POINT: Free/1 Charge/40s Cooldown

• EQUIP a suppression blade. FIRE to throw. The blade sticks to the first surface it hits, winds up, and suppresses anyone in the radius of the explosion.

Ultimate – NULL/CMD: 7 Points

• INSTANTLY overload with polarized radianite energy that empowers KAY/O and causes large energy pulses to emit from his location. Enemies hit with these pulses are suppressed for a short duration. While overloaded, KAY/O gains combat stim and can be re-stabilized if downed.

KAY/O is one of the strongest VALORANT characters in terms of raw entry-fragging power. FLASH/DRIVE a powerful pop flashbang that is easily capitalized on. FRAG/MENT deals tons of damage and zones enemies for four seconds. KAY/O also has a unique mechanic called Suppression that disables the abilities of all enemies hit by it. ZERO/POINT and NULL/CMD both apply Suppression, with the latter also allowing KAY/O to be revived by a teammate if dealt normally fatal damage.

For those who want to be the front man in the operation, KAY/O is the VALORANT Agent for you. Here are some ways to maximize your fragging potential:

• FLASH/DRIVE is most effective when you or a teammate is ready to immediately peek off of it. The fuse is very short compared to other flashes, so get close to your entry point before using it.
• Combining a teammate’s crowd control ability with FRAG/MENT can guarantee massive damage and even kills. Since the center deals more damage than the outside, practice the throwing arc to land it exactly where you want.
• KAY/O should always be first in while using NULL/CMD. FLASH/DRIVE your way in and look for early kills. Don’t go too far forward however, as it could make it difficult for a teammate to revive you.

How to Play KAY/O. // Choose another Agent.

Astra

Basic – Gravity Well: 1 Charge/25s Cooldown

• ACTIVATE a Star to form a Gravity Well. Players in the area are pulled toward the center before it explodes, making all players still trapped inside fragile.

Basic – Nova Pulse: 1 Charge/45s Cooldown

• ACTIVATE a Star to detonate a Nova Pulse. The Nova Pulse charges briefly then strikes, concussing all players in its area.

Basic – Nebula/Dissipate: 2 Charges/25s Cooldown

• ACTIVATE a Star to transform it into a Nebula (smoke). Use (F) on a Star to Dissipate it, returning the star to be placed in a new location after a delay. Dissipate briefly forms a fake Nebula at the Star’s location before returning.

Signature – Astral Form: 150 Credits/4 Stars

• ACTIVATE to enter Astral Form where you can place Stars with PRIMARY FIRE. Stars can be reactivated later, transforming them into a Nova Pulse, Nebula, or Gravity Well.

Ultimate – Cosmic Divide: 7 points

• When Cosmic Divide is charged, use SECONDARY FIRE in Astral Form to begin aiming it, then PRIMARY FIRE to select two locations. An infinite Cosmic Divide connects the two points you select. Cosmic Divide blocks bullets and heavily dampens audio.

Astra is one of the most unique VALORANT characters. Her kit centers on using Stars in her Astral Form to place utility anywhere on the map. These Stars can be turned into smokes with Nebula, a concussion blast with Nova Pulse, or a player vacuum with Gravity Well. When she has Cosmic Divide charged, Astra can then cast Cosmic Divide from Astral Form to split the battlefield.

Astra can be a bit overwhelming for those new to her. Despite the flashiness of her Astal Form, Astra is actually quite straightforward once you get the hang of her. Here are some tricks you can implement in your Astra game:

• Using Dissipate to fake a Nebula going down can be a great way to use quick cover or catch enemies off guard. By conditioning them to think a smoke will be placed there, they won’t expect when it’s a fake.
• While bullets won’t penetrate Cosmic Divide, abilities will. Be careful of enemies going through it with flashbangs or dashes and surprising you.
• Don’t pre-place all of your Stars. Saving one for a clutch Nova Pulse can be round-winning if used to stun players on or near the Spike.

How to Play Astra. // Choose another Agent.

Yoru

Basic – Fakeout: 100 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP an echo that transforms into a mirror image of Yoru when activated. FIRE to instantly activate the mirror image and send it forward. ALT FIRE to place an inactive echo. USE to transform an inactive echo into a mirror image and send it forward. Mirror images explode in a blinding flash when destroyed by enemies.

Basic – Blindside: 250 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP to rip an unstable dimensional fragment from reality. FIRE to throw the fragment, activating a flash that winds up once it collides with a hard surface in world.

Signature – Gatecrash: 200 Credits/2 Charges/2 Kill Recharge

• EQUIP a rift tether. FIRE to send the tether forward. ALT FIRE to place a stationary tether. ACTIVATE to teleport to the tether’s location. USE to trigger a fake teleport.

Ultimate – Dimensional Drift: 7 Points

• EQUIP a mask that can see between dimensions. FIRE to drift into Yoru’s dimension, unable to be affected or seen by enemies from the outside.

Yoru’s deception-based kit makes him a very interesting Duelist. Fakeout is a great scouting tool that has multiple uses. Gatecrash allows Yoru to threaten a huge flank from behind while keeping enemies unsure of his location. Yoru’s Dimensional Drift allows him to move around the fight at will, phasing in and out of reality while using Blindside and other abilities to keep enemies on the back foot. 

Yoru takes quite a lot of practice to play. Since all of his abilities have an extra layer of depth to them, there are many ways to engage in trickery against the enemy team:

• Fakeout will instantly turn to face any enemy that shoots it and flashes ahead in a cone after a second. Because of this, you can follow Yoru’s clone without fear of it blinding you.
• The threat of a flank can be just as oppressive as an actual flank. Faking a Gatecrash teleport means that enemies will need to confirm whether or not Yoru took it, giving your team more space to move up.
• Blindside can be tricky to get right, since it only activates after hitting a hard surface. Practice different throwing angles to get the most efficient “pop” flashes that enemies can’t react to.

How to Play Yoru. // Choose another Agent.

Skye

Basic – Regrowth: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a healing trinket. HOLD FIRE to channel, healing allies in range and line of sight. Can be reused until her healing pool is depleted. Skye cannot heal herself.

Basic – Trailblazer: 250 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a Tasmanian tiger trinket. FIRE to send out and take control of the predator. While in control, FIRE to leap forward, exploding in a concussive blast and damaging directly hit enemies.

Signature – Guiding Light: 250 Credits/2 Charges/40s Cooldown

• EQUIP a hawk trinket. FIRE to send it forward. HOLD FIRE to guide the hawk in the direction of your crosshair. RE-USE while the hawk is in flight to transform it into a flash that plays a hit confirm if an enemy was within range and line of sight.

Ultimate – Seekers: 7 Points

• EQUIP a Seeker trinket. FIRE to send out three Seekers to track down the three closest enemies. If a Seeker reaches its target, it nearsights them.

Skye is an all-around Initiator with a very versatile kit. Regrowth provides some healing and sustain for her team. Trailblazer is fantastic for gaining information and hunting down a single target. Guiding Light is a very fancy flashbang that is reliable for entry. Skye’s Seekers double down on the information side of her kit, allowing her to track the locations of up to three enemies.

Skye is a versatile character that can do a number of things. While she may not be the best at a single job, you can get a lot done with her. Here are some ways to make Skye shine:

• Guiding Light lasts for 2.5 seconds before it explodes, but you can detonate it early. Your goal is to guide the hawk to a location that will blind multiple angles before it detonates
• Enemies can shoot both your Guiding Light and Trailblazer trinkets mid-use. Still, this can be helpful. Pay close attention to where they get shot from and relay this information to your team.
• While waiting for your Seekers to reach an enemy can be useful, pushing alongside them is a great way to use them as a distraction. Enemies can destroy Seekers as well, but they have a high HP pool of 150. This gives you time to gain ground and look for the kill.

How to Play Skye. // Choose another Agent.

Killjoy

Basic – Nanoswarm: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a Nanoswarm grenade. FIRE to throw the grenade. Upon landing, the Nanoswarm goes covert. ACTIVATE the Nanoswarm to deploy a damaging swarm of nanobots.

Basic – Alarmbot: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a covert Alarmbot. FIRE to deploy a bot that hunts down enemies that get in range. After reaching its target, the bot explodes, applying Vulnerable. HOLD EQUIP to recall a deployed bot.

Signature – Turret: Free/45s Cooldown (Destroyed)/20s Cooldown (Recalled)

• EQUIP a Turret. FIRE to deploy a turret that fires at enemies in a 180-degree cone. HOLD EQUIP to recall the deployed turret.

Ultimate – Lockdown: 7 Points

• EQUIP the Lockdown device. FIRE to deploy the device. After a long windup, the device Detains all enemies caught in the radius. The device can be destroyed by enemies.

Killjoy is a Sentinel that uses her wide array of machines to output map control. Alarmbot allows Killjoy and her team to keep tabs on a key point of entry. Turret can keep watch over a wide area and is a great distraction. Nanoswarm is essentially an activatable Incendiary grenade that zones very well. Lastly, Lockdown is a powerful ultimate that forces all enemies to vacate a large area or be rendered helpless.

Killjoy excels in situations where she can use her abilities as a sort of bait. All of her machines can be destroyed by enemies, so leaving them alone isn’t optimal. Here are some tips for utilizing Killjoy’s abilities:

• Alarmbot and Turret require Killjoy to be within 40 meters to stay activated. If she exits this range, these machines will not respond to enemies at all. 
• Use Turret to force enemies to look away from you and your teammates. If they have to look left to shoot it down, be ready to peek them from a different spot.
• Lockdown requires proper planning from your team to use it correctly. Enemies will have a lot of time to relocate before the Detain lands, so try mixing up the timings that you aggress off of it, either for defending a site or taking and re-taking one.

How to Play Killjoy. // Choose another Agent.

Reyna

Passive – Soul Harvest

• Enemies that die to Reyna, or die within 3 seconds of taking damage from Reyna, leave behind Soul Orbs that last 3 seconds.

Basic – Leer: 250 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP an ethereal destructible eye. ACTIVATE to cast the eye a short distance forward. The eye will Nearsight all enemies who look at it.

Signature – Devour: 200 Credits (Shared with Dismiss)/2 Charges

• Enemies killed by Reyna leave behind Soul Orbs that last 3 seconds. INSTANTLY consume a nearby soul orb, rapidly healing for a short duration. Health gained through this skill exceeding 100 will decay over time. If EMPRESS is active, this skill will automatically cast and not consume the orb.

Signature – Dismiss: 200 Credits (Shared with Devour)/2 Charges

• INSTANTLY consume a nearby soul orb, becoming intangible for a short duration. If EMPRESS is active, also become invisible.

Ultimate – Empress: 6 Points

• INSTANTLY enter a frenzy, increasing firing speed, equip and reload speed dramatically. Scoring a kill renews the duration.

Reyna is a self-sustaining Duelist who has the ability to solo her way through a game. Leer is an amazing blind ability, as it forces enemies to shoot it or be unable to peek for two seconds. Reyna’s kit revolves around Soul Orbs, which allow her to use Devour and Dismiss. Upon scoring a kill or quick assist, Reyna gains access to either a 100 HP heal or two seconds of invulnerability.

Reyna’s reset potential gives her the ability to take multiple consecutive fights, even if she took damage during them. There are few to no VALORANT characters able to crush a game like she can. Here is how you can get the most out of her abilities:

• All enemies with a line-of-sight on Leer will be blinded by it. Throw it in locations that cover multiple angles, so when enemies inevitably shoot it, you’ll know their location. 
• Reyna can swing more aggressively than most Agents thanks to Dismiss. If you’re worried about getting traded after a kill, you can instantly Dismiss to fall back to safety. If the fight was a pure 1v1, healing to full with Devour is your best bet.
• When in Empress, Reyna can 1v5 better than any of the VALORANT Agents. Be ready to instantly Dismiss after a kill, then use the invisibility to relocate for the next one.

How to Play Reyna. // Choose another Agent.

Breach

Basic – Aftershock: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a fusion charge. FIRE the charge to set a slow-acting burst through the wall. The burst does heavy damage to anyone caught in its area.

Basic – Flashpoint: 250 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a blinding charge. FIRE the charge to set fast-acting burst through the wall. The charge detonates to blind all players looking at it.

Signature – Fault Line: Free/1 Charge/40s Recharge

• EQUIP a seismic blast. HOLD FIRE to increase the distance. RELEASE to set off the quake, dazing all players in its zone and in a line up to the zone.

Ultimate – Rolling Thunder: 7 Points

• EQUIP a seismic charge. FIRE to send a cascading quake through all terrain in a large cone. The quake dazes and knocks up anyone caught in it.

Breach is a utility focused Initiator Agent who brings many useful abilities to the table. Flashpoint is a solid flashbang that goes through a wall to blind the other side. Fault Line is a reliable way to stun enemies playing common positions. Aftershock can be used to check corners and cubbies that are difficult to clear. Finally, Rolling Thunder is a very impactful ultimate that enables a full push to ensue.

With so many tools in his belt, it can be hard to understand exactly when and how to use them. Here are some ways to optimally use Breach’s abilities:

• Fault Line can be used to stun enemies on a single position that you want to clear for your team. Combining this with a quick push from a friendly mobility Agent like Jett is an easy way to entry a site.
• Flashpoint has an indicator that shows enemies where it will blind them briefly before it does. Try to hide this indicator by placing it at different heights, as putting it at eye level makes it easier to react to.
• Aftershock is a surefire way to clear enemies out of known positions. You can combine it with Fault Line or even Rolling Thunder to get a guaranteed kill on cornered targets.

How to Play Breach. // Choose another Agent.

Raze

Basic – Boom Bot: 300 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a Boom Bot. FIRE will deploy the bot, causing it to travel in a straight line on the ground, bouncing off walls. The Boom Bot will lock on to any enemies in its frontal cone and chase them, exploding for heavy damage if it reaches them.

Basic – Blast Pack: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• INSTANTLY throw a Blast Pack that will stick to surfaces. RE-USE the ability after deployment to detonate, damaging and moving anything hit. Raze isn’t damaged by this ability, but will still take fall damage if launched up far enough.

Signature – Paint Shells: Free/1 Charge/2 Kill Recharge

• EQUIP a cluster grenade. FIRE to throw the grenade, which does damage and creates sub-munitions, each doing damage to anyone in their range.

Ultimate – Showstopper: 8 Points

• EQUIP a rocket launcher. FIRE shoots a rocket that does massive area damage on contact with anything.

Raze is a Duelist with the capability for mass destruction. Boom Bot is a very useful tool for clearing out a large area. Paint Shells and Blast Pack are great at flushing enemies out of cover and dealing significant damage. Raze can also take advantageous vertical positions with Blast Pack jumping. Combined with Showstopper, Raze is a very potent entry-fragging VALORANT character.

Raze is a very popular Duelist, as she is able to play extremely aggressively and rack up kills quickly. There are many ways to utilize her explosive skills to gain the upper hand:

• Raze can chain two Blast Pack jumps in a row to gain massive forward momentum. It is extremely hard to track her during this movement, so jumping through smokes (potentially with Showstopper) is a good entry method.
• Blast Pack deals increased damage to placed objects like Sage’s Barrier Orb and trap abilities. You can use Blast Pack to check for Trapwires or other placeable utility. 
• Boom Bot will keep moving forward, bouncing off of walls for 10 seconds. Sending it down a deep corridor or into an open area is a great way to clear most of the angles ahead.

How to Play Raze. // Choose another Agent.

Jett

Passive – Drift

• Holding the jump button while falling allows you to glide through the air.

Basic – Cloudburst: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• INSTANTLY throw a projectile that expands into a brief vision-blocking cloud on impact with a surface. HOLD the ability key to curve the smoke in the direction of your crosshair.

Basic – Updraft: 150 Credits/2 Charges

• INSTANTLY propel Jett high into the air.

Signature – Tailwind: Free/1 Charge/2 Kill Recharge

• INSTANTLY propel Jett in the direction she is moving. If Jett is standing still, she will propel forward.

Ultimate – Blade Storm: 7 Points

• EQUIP a set of highly accurate knives that recharge on killing an opponent. FIRE to throw a single knife at your target. ALTERNATE FIRE to throw all remaining daggers at your target.

Jett is one of the flashiest VALORANT characters. Her mobility-focused kit combined with her high skill ceiling ultimate draws in a very skillful player base. Jett can use Drift, Updraft, Tailwind, or any combo of the three to traverse maps and get to unexpected angles. Cloudburst is also a very strong smoke ability that provides some decent team support.

Jett can take over a game better than almost any other VALORANT Agent. There are tons of plays you can make as Jett that you can’t on any other character. Here are some ways that Jett can utilize her kit:

• Tailwind allows Jett to be one of the best VALORANT Agents at using the Operator. She can easily post up on any angle, take her one shot kill, then get out of dodge immediately by dashing.
• Jett can throw both Cloudburst smokes back-to-back, allowing her to make a tunnel of sorts for her to dash through. Winning your exchange on the other side is all about speed.
• Blade Storm’s Kunai have perfect accuracy, even when airborne. Jett can Updraft and Drift over cover to try and find a quick one shot kill. You’re better off only using the left click and trying for headshots, as the right click leaves a lot to be desired.

How to Play Jett. // Choose another Agent.

Phoenix

Basic – Blaze: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a flame wall. FIRE to create a line of flame that moves forward, creating a wall of fire that blocks vision and damages players passing through it. HOLD FIRE to bend the wall in the direction of your crosshair.

Basic – Curveball: 250 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a flare orb that takes a curving path and detonates shortly after throwing. FIRE to curve the flare orb to the left, detonating and blinding any player who sees the orb. ALTERNATE FIRE to curve the flare orb to the right.

Signature – Hot Hands: Free/1 Charge/2 Kill Recharge

• EQUIP a fireball. FIRE to throw a fireball that explodes after a set amount of time or upon hitting the ground, creating a lingering fire zone that damages enemies.

Ultimate – Run it Back: 6 Points

• INSTANTLY place a marker at Phoenix’s location. While this ability is active, dying or allowing the timer to expire will end this ability and bring Phoenix back to this location with full health.

Phoenix is a reliable, cookie-cutter Duelist. His abilities may not be the strongest, but they can get the job done. Curveball is an easy-to-use flashbang that helps Phoenix take space. Blaze and Hot Hands provide standard zoning utility. The main gimmick of his kit is that Phoenix heals from standing in his Blaze wall and Hot Hands fireball. 

Phoenix’s ability to heal from engagements and go for any fight with Run it Back makes him one of the more aggressive VALORANT characters. Here are some tips to help you burn down your opposition:

• Curveball has many potential angles to be thrown at. Looking up makes it curve over cover, while looking down makes it stick to the floor. You can also throw it from looking in the opposite direction for a faster “pop” flash.
• Hot Hands’s fireball can bounce off a wall, but it will fall to the ground and detonate quickly. You can use this to sneak it into some tight, hard to clear angles.
• Have a game plan in mind when using Run it Back. Don’t just run into a site; decide which angles and positions you want to aim to clear beforehand. Otherwise, you might get sent back instantly without even getting information.

How to Play Phoenix. // Choose another Agent.

Sage

Basic – Barrier Orb: 400 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a barrier orb. FIRE places a solid wall. ALT FIRE rotates the targeter.

Basic – Slow Orb: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a slowing orb. FIRE to throw a slowing orb forward that detonates upon landing, creating a lingering field that slows players caught inside of it.

Signature – Healing Orb: Free/1 Charge/45s Cooldown

• EQUIP a healing orb. FIRE with your crosshairs over a damaged ally to activate a heal-over-time on them. ALT FIRE while Sage is damaged to activate a self heal-over-time.

Ultimate – Resurrection: 8 Points

• EQUIP a resurrection ability. FIRE with your crosshairs placed over a dead ally to begin resurrecting them. After a brief channel, the ally will be brought back to life with full health.

Sage stands out among the VALORANT characters as the healer extraordinaire. That said, the Sentinel provides much more than just a heal. Barrier Orb and Slow Orb are some of the strongest abilities in the game when used optimally. Resurrection can also save a round as well as a life due to the power of the numbers advantage in tactical shooters.

Sage is anything but just a healbot character. The way she times her utility is often the difference between winning or losing. Here are some ways you can look to better use her abilities:

• Sage is an extremely valuable character to have alive late in the round. Let your teammates do the early peeking and clearing so you can heal or revive them if needed.
• Barrier Orb takes three seconds to gain its max HP. If possible, try to use it during a time where enemies will not be able to immediately shoot it.
• Saving Barrier Orb or a Slow Orb for post-plant can be round-winning. These abilities can easily stall out the last few seconds needed to either deny a defuse or lock out the attackers.

How to Play Sage. // Choose another Agent.

Sova

Basic – Owl Drone: 400 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP an owl drone. FIRE to deploy and take control of movement of the drone. While in control of the drone, FIRE to shoot a marking dart. This dart will reveal the location of any player struck by the dart.

Basic – Shock Bolt: 150 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a bow with a shock bolt. FIRE to send the explosive forward, detonating upon collision and damaging players nearby. HOLD FIRE to extend the range of the projectile. ALTERNATE FIRE to add up to two bounces to this arrow.

Signature – Recon Bolt: Free/1 Charge/40s Cooldown

• EQUIP a bow with a recon bolt. FIRE to send the recon bolt forward, activating upon collision and revealing the location of nearby enemies caught in the line of sight of the bolt. HOLD FIRE to extend the range of the projectile. ALTERNATE FIRE to add up to two bounces to this arrow.

Ultimate – Hunter’s Fury: 8 Points

• EQUIP a bow with three long-range wall-piercing energy blasts. FIRE to release an energy blast in a line in front of Sova, dealing damage and revealing the location of enemies caught in the line. This ability can be RE-USED up to two more times while the ability timer is active.

Sova provides the most reconnaissance power of any of the VALORANT agents. Owl Drone and Recon Bolt were practically created to make getting info easier, allowing Sova to check large areas for enemies from complete safety. Shock Bolts provide some combat power and allow for lineup trickery. Lastly, Hunter’s Fury is a very powerful ultimate that can turn the tide of a round if aimed well.

Sova may not be the flashiest VALORANT character, but he still takes a lot of knowledge and preparation to get the most out of. Here are some things to learn before you jump in:

• Recon Bolt’s ability to be bounced off of walls means that Sova has lineups to get his arrows anywhere he wants on the map. Sova has the most potential lineups of all VALORANT characters, so get practicing!
• The same can be said about Shock Bolt. Sova mains have made lineups designed to nuke commonly played positions with two direct hit Shock Bolts. These setups can be incredibly rewarding if learned.
• The ability to mark targets with Owl Drone creates a combo with Hunter’s Fury. Sova can mark a target, then blast them with his ultimate for an easy entry pick. Keep in mind, enemies will be dodging for their lives.

How to Play Sova. // Choose another Agent.

Cypher

Basic – Trapwire: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a trapwire. FIRE to place a destructible and covert tripwire at the targeted location creating a line that spans between the placed location and the wall opposite. Enemy players who cross a tripwire will be tethered, revealed, and dazed after a short period if they do not destroy the device in time. This ability can be picked up to be REDEPLOYED.

Basic – Cyber Cage: 100 Credits/2 Charges

• INSTANTLY toss the cyber cage in front of Cypher. Activate to create a zone that blocks vision and slows enemies who pass through it.

Signature – Spycam: Free/15s Cooldown (Recalled)/45s Cooldown (Destroyed)

• EQUIP a spycam. FIRE to place the spycam at the targeted location. RE-USE this ability to take control of the camera’s view. While in control of the camera, FIRE to shoot a marking dart. This dart will reveal the location of any player struck by the dart.

Ultimate – Neural Theft: 6 Points

• INSTANTLY use on a dead enemy player in your crosshairs to reveal the location of all living enemy players.

Of the original cast of VALORANT characters, Cypher stood out as the best Agent at denying pushes and keeping enemies at bay with his Sentinel abilities. As the roster has grown, Cypher has had a hard time finding a place in modern team comps. However, his Trapwires and Spycam are still very useful in the right hands.

Cypher can lock down a site, catch enemy rotations, and give his team round-winning information with Spycam and Neural Theft. Here are some ways that you can utilize his arsenal to gain the upper hand:

• Cyber Cage can be used as a 7 second smoke for crossing open areas. There are also some one-way lineups that can give Cypher very advantageous angles.
• Make sure to place your Trapwires not too low and not too high. You want to avoid enemies being able to jump over or crouch under them, giving your team a false sense of security.
• Cypher can bring a lot of value on offense as well as defense. Trapwires can watch for flanks by the defense, Spycam can be used to peek angles without risking your life, and more. Be creative with his abilities!

How to Play Cypher. // Choose another Agent.

Omen

Basic – Shrouded Step: 100 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a shadow walk ability and see its range indicator. FIRE to begin a brief channel, then teleport to the marked location.

Basic – Paranoia: 300 Credits/1 Charge

• INSTANTLY fire a shadow projectile forward, briefly reducing the vision range of all players it touches. This projectile can pass straight through walls.

Signature – Dark Cover: 150 Credits/2 Charges/30s Cooldown

• EQUIP a shadow orb and see its range indicator. FIRE to throw the shadow orb to the marked location, creating a long-lasting shadow sphere that blocks vision. HOLD ALTERNATE FIRE while targeting to move the marker further away. HOLD the ability key with targeting to move the marker closer.

Ultimate – From The Shadows: 7 Points

• EQUIP a tactical map. FIRE to begin teleporting to the selected location. While teleporting, Omen will appear as a Shade that can be destroyed by an enemy to cancel his teleport.

Omen is an incredibly powerful Controller who brings tons of value to any team. Paranoia is one of the best flashbang abilities in the game, allowing Omen’s team to instantly take space. Shrouded Step provides Omen with vertical movement. Dark Cover are versatile smokes that can be cast from anywhere. Lastly, From the Shadows allows Omen to gain information and potential flank angles.

While he has a solid baseline no matter what, Omen can be pretty creative when it comes to using his abilities. Here are some tips on how to be as sneaky as possible:

• Omen’s Dark Cover smokes have full visibility when inside of them. Omen can easily play inside of these smokes and even Shadow Step into them from afar.
• Using Shadow Step causes an audio cue. If your position is known, you can Shadow Step on top of yourself to fake that you’ve gone somewhere else.
• From the Shadows can be cancelled mid-teleport. A common application of this ultimate is to use it to find enemy locations, then cancel before you go through.

How to Play Omen. // Choose another Agent.

Viper

Passive – Fuel

• Two of Viper’s abilities, Poison Cloud and Toxic Screen, are toggleable; having any of them active drains her fuel bar at a constant rate, but having both active drains her fuel bar 50% faster.

Passive – Toxin

• Abilities that apply Toxin cause affected enemies to have their maximum health instantly reduced. The longer they stay within the ability’s area of effect, the lower their health gets.

Basic – Snake Bite: 200 Credits/2 Charges

• EQUIP a chemical launcher. FIRE to launch a canister that shatters upon hitting the floor, creating a lingering chemical zone that damages and slows enemies.

Basic – Poison Cloud: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a gas emitter. FIRE to throw the emitter that perpetually remains throughout the round. RE-USE the ability to create a toxic gas cloud at the cost of fuel. This ability can be RE-USED more than once and can be picked up to be REDEPLOYED.

Signature – Toxic Screen: Free/1 Charge

• EQUIP a gas emitter launcher. FIRE to deploy a long line of gas emitters. RE-USE the ability to create a tall wall of toxic gas at the cost of fuel. This ability can be RE-USED more than once.

Ultimate – Viper’s Pit: 7 Points

• EQUIP a chemical sprayer. FIRE to spray a chemical cloud in all directions around Viper, creating a large cloud that reduces the vision range and maximum health of players inside of it.

Viper’s kit revolves around using her Fuel mechanic to keep her Controller utility up and running. Enemies are discouraged from pushing through Poison Cloud, Toxic Screen, and Viper’s Pit as they will reduce their HP due to Toxin. Snake Bite also functions as a very strong damage-over-time grenade that stalls pushes and denies Spike plants and defuses.

Viper is a complex Controller to play, but learning everything she has to offer is very rewarding. There are many intricacies to her kit, so here are some quick tips:

• Viper has many lineups for her abilities. Poison Cloud can be thrown on map geometry to form one-ways, while Toxic Screen can be deployed over walls. Study Viper’s lineups to get the most out of her Controller utility.
• Viper’s Pit allows Viper to hold down an entire site by herself. Use it when you need to stand your ground on defense, or in post-plant on offense. 
• While you will have the advantage on anyone entering Viper’s Pit, a single headshot will still take you down. You can move out of Viper’s Pit for up to 15 seconds before it dissipates. Use this time to relocate and catch enemies off guard if needed.

How to Play Viper. // Choose another Agent.

Brimstone

Basic – Stim Beacon: 200 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP a stim beacon. FIRE to toss the stim beacon in front of Brimstone. Upon landing, the stim beacon will create a field that grants players RapidFire.

Basic – Incendiary: 250 Credits/1 Charge

• EQUIP an incendiary grenade launcher. FIRE to launch a grenade that detonates as it comes to a rest on the floor, creating a lingering fire zone that damages players within the zone.

Signature – Sky Smoke: 100 Credits/3 Charges

• EQUIP a tactical map. FIRE to set locations where Brimstone’s smoke clouds will land. ALTERNATE FIRE to confirm, launching long-lasting smoke clouds that block vision in the selected area.

Ultimate – Orbital Strike: 7 Points

• EQUIP a tactical map. FIRE to launch a lingering orbital strike laser at the selected location, dealing high damage-over-time to players caught in the selected area.

Brimstone is your tried-and-true tactical shooter VALORANT Agent. His kit contains crucial smoke grenades with Sky Smoke, and tactical zoning and stalling with an Incendiary grenade. Stim Beacon is great at buffing your team up leading into their push, and Orbital Strike has tons of round-winning potential.

Overall, Brimstone is one of the more middling VALORANT characters. While he may at times be outclassed by picks like Omen and Astra, Brimstone is a great entry point for players looking for a simple yet impactful Agent. Here are some tips on how to maximize your Brimstone utility use:

• Sky Smokes last about 20 seconds each, making them the longest lasting smokes in VALORANT. Because of this, you can use them to deny a lot more info at key positions.
• Try to stay alive for post-plant as Brimstone. Incendiary works well to stop Spike defuses, as the fire lasts seven seconds and can be bounced off walls. You can also shoot it straight up while on the Spike. Incendiary will fall in a straight line, making it land on the Spike after a delay.
• Orbital Strike has many uses at all times. Offensively, it can be used to clear out a difficult part of the map and make space. Defensively, it can stall an opponent’s push, or even stop a Spike plant or defuse.

How to Play Brimstone. // Choose another Agent.