Multiple compositions can be adjusted for your team’s personal preference, but there are general guidelines teams should follow when building their composition. Using a proper mix of Agents, abilities, and tactics can make any composition successful.
Understanding Agent Roles
Yoru is one of the newest Duelists in VALORANT and can take on enemies with ease. (Image via Riot Games)
In VALORANT, there are currently four Agent roles: Duelists, Sentinels, Controllers, and Initiators.
Duelists
Duelists are “self-sufficient fraggers” equipped with abilities to win gunfights and head-on engagements. These Agents are usually the first person into sites or areas and are excellent choices for aggressive players.
Sentinels
Sentinels are defensive characters capable of locking down sites and covering the flank for their teammates. This role is not typically aggressive and focuses on helping their team hold and secure essential parts of the map.
Controllers
Controller Agents are “experts in slicing up dangerous territory” to protect their team or cut-off opponents. Every Controller has a smoke ability that can cover an area for a short period to protect their team or prevent enemies from tracking movement.
Initiators
Initiators help their team push into “contested ground” by hindering enemies. These Agents can blind, concuss, and damage hiding enemies and help their team get easy kills.
Assembling the Team
Most successful compositions typically have one of each Agent and will double-up on specific roles. But some aggressive teams prefer more Duelists instead of a Sentinel, while others are passive and utilize Agents that can lockdown sites.
It is helpful for players to learn one Agent from each role so they can plug themselves into any composition they encounter. When selecting Agents, communicate with your team to ensure you choose an Agent you are comfortable with and enjoy playing.
Remember that each Agent is designed for a specific role or strategy and should be used accordingly. There is no need for a Sentinel to be the first into a site if two Duelists are available. Use the Agents in the situations they thrive in to capitalize on their abilities.
New Agents are continuously added to VALORANT which can help improve team compositions. Take the time to learn new Agents and consider using them if they provide a competitive edge.
Utility is Key
Use abilties to take or defend sites. (Image via Riot Games)
The VALORANT meta currently allows teams to use unique compositions without one specific composition dominating the competition. However, most compositions do have similar themes involving particular abilities that are needed to be successful.
Each Agent has a unique ability set that helps them fill their specific role. For example, Omen can smoke areas to cover his teammates as they push into a site or to make it harder for advancing enemies. Phoenix can flash into sites and clear a path for his team or flash while another player enters the area.
Having a diverse selection of Agents in different roles is an essential part of being successful in VALORANT. You could run a whole team of Duelists in theory, but you would have trouble on defense without smokes or other defensive abilities.
It is more important to make sure your team composition has the appropriate abilities needed for every scenario. Most teams need at least one Duelist to enter sites, a Sentinel to watch the flank, and a Controller to help provide cover or stall enemies.
Many teams will have two Duelists to make it easier to take key parts of the map. Some teams prefer multiple Sentinels to cover multiple bombsites. As long as your team has a solid mix of abilities, it is possible to be successful.
Experiment
These guidelines are helpful for building well-rounded team compositions, but feel free to experiment with your choices. Sometimes running a team of Duelists is fun and successful if a team works together. Other times having multiple Controllers makes it easy to control enemy movement and cut off their lines of sight.
Maps Matter
Every Agent is viable in the right hands and the right situations. But certain Agents do better on specific maps. For example, many teams avoid using Sova on Split as the Agents abilities are less effective on the cramped map.
Consider the map when selecting your Agent before a match. If you know more lineups with Brimstone on Bind, consider using him instead of Omen. Is your team going to push B site on Icebox? Sage’s wall can provide excellent protection and help get an easy plant.
Sometimes one particular Agent excels in its role on a certain map, or players know how to use their abilities more effectively. Do not be afraid to change your composition for each map to help improve your team’s performance. Remember to keep track of your teams economy to ensure abilities are readily available and you do not enter a situation without the proper tools.
Adapt and Learn
Being flexible and aware of your team comp at all times is vital. (Image via Riot Games)
Teams with a balanced composition will still encounter situations where they will need to make adjustments. Sometimes your Duelist will die early in a round, which means your team has no flashes. Other times your Controller will not smoke or cover your push, and you will have to rely on different strategies.
Remember to keep a mental note of your teammates and what abilities they have available. Teams can still protect or attack sites without specific Agents, but it will require adjusted strategies or plans.
Sometimes team compositions just don’t work for teams, and that’s okay. If your team tries and composition and cannot win matches, go back to the drawing board and experiment with new Agents.
If you are solo queuing and your team does not select a solid mix of Agents, try to build off what the composition excels in. However, there are no set rules on using abilities, and sometimes pick-up compositions can create unique synergies.
Agents can also fill multiple roles like support or anchors. Try to identify any weaknesses in your composition and prepare for the enemy team to exploit them. Learn how to remove or adapt to these weaknesses to prevent them from causing significant problems.
Understand the Enemy Composition
At the beginning of each match, players can see their opponent’s Agent selection and composition. This gives an excellent look at what the team might be planning or how they will approach engagements. If you see multiple Duelists and Initiators, expect an aggressive playstyle. Do you see several Sentinels and Controllers? It might be tough to take sites or important areas of the map.
Once you understand the strength and weaknesses of each Agent and how they fit into compositions, it is easier to prepare for attacking or defending against them. Keep track of the enemy setup each round and try to use your composition to counter or overpower the enemy.
Team composition is an essential part of VALORANT, but even the best compositions can fall apart. Work together with your team, use your abilities effectively, and learn how to counter enemy compositions to become an excellent player.
