KAY/O should be familiar to CS:GO players with his frag and flash grenades. He can fill multiple roles with ease and is likely a new requirement for any successful team composition. KAY/O has a relatively low learning curve and is an excellent choice for veteran players or newcomers just diving into VALORANT. He will likely become one of the most important agents in the game at all skill levels and is worth learning to play. Players must also learn how to counter KAY/O if they want to survive.
FRAG/ment
KAY/O’s FRAG/ment ability allows him to throw an explosive fragment, which is a frag grenade that most players have experienced in other FPS titles. This ability sticks to the floor and explodes multiple times, damaging any player caught in the blast. The center of the explosion deals significant damage and can almost kill a fully armored player.
The FRAG/ment ability is an excellent choice for clearing positions before pushing a site. Players can lob the grenade in to soften up enemy players before engaging them. It can also finish off hiding enemies or flush them out of their positions.
The grenade can also cut off enemies from an area for a few seconds as it explodes for four seconds. This can buy a team a little extra time as they push into a site or confuse an area. Using this ability in tandem with other agent abilities can be devastating and easily turn the tides of a round.
FLASH/drive
The FLASH/drive ability allows KAY/O to throw a flash grenade that blinds anyone in a direct line of sight. There are two different ways to throw the flash grenade that are each effective in various situations.
Players can throw the grenade normally with a left-click, which cooks in 1.6 seconds. This allows players to throw the flash longer distances before it explodes. It also allows players to bounce the grenade as needed as it does not flash instantly.
The short flash cook time also allows KAY/O to flash himself into sites or areas in some instances. Just remember to turn around or stand behind a wall before throwing unless you want to give the enemy team a free kill.
The right-click allows players to throw a charged flash, which detonates in one second. This is perfect for surprising enemies as they will have less time to look away from the blinding light. Just remember to warn your teammates before using this ability in any scenario, as it can also devastate them.
ZERO/point
KAY/O’s ZERO/point ability is one of his most devastating abilities. This ability allows him to throw a suppression blade that sticks to the surface it hits. After the blade charges, it suppresses enemies caught in its blast radius. This prevents them from using any abilities, which can significantly disrupt a team’s defenses.
The blade can also suppress traps or equipment and open a clear lane for teams pushing a site. This negates annoying traps like Cypher’s Trapwire or Killjoy’s Alarm Bot. Defending players will have to rely on gun skill to survive, which is tough against a coordinated attack.
KAY/O’s team will still have their abilities and have an advantage over the other team. Using the ZERO/point ability alongside quick agents like Jett or Yoru can catch the enemy off guard and secure a few easy kills.
This ability is also an excellent deterrent for post-plant lineups. If the final team is attempting to cover the bomb with a post-plant lineup, KAY/O can prevent them from doing so with his suppression blade.
NULL/cmd
KAY/O’s NULL/cmd ultimate is easily one of the best ultimate abilities in VALORANT. When KAY/O uses his ultimate, he instantly overloads with Radianite energy and pulses energy from his body. Enemies hit by the pulse are surprised. Other abilities or traps are also suppressed and will remain suppressed if KAY/O stays in range.
KAY/O also receives a Combat Stim when he uses this ability. This buff increases his rate of fire, reload speed, and recoil recovery speed. This is similar to Reyna’s ultimate, except enemies cannot counter with their abilities. The NULL/cmd ability also allows KAY/O to go into a down but not out state when killed. His teammates can revive him for a short period, allowing players to jump back into the round.
This ultimate ability allows KAY/O to suppress enemy abilities and carve a path for his teammates. He can also entry frag, and his teammates can trade his kill and get him back into the game with ease. Be careful when reviving KAY/O as it takes a few seconds and can leave you vulnerable. Smart players can also bait enemies into picking by fake reviving KAY/O.
This ability is also an excellent way to counter post-plant lineups. KAY/O can push the enemy hiding off-site and prevent them from using their abilities to buy his teammates time to defuse. Post-plant lineups are a significant part of the VALORANT meta, and KAY/O is one of the best countermeasures available.
KAY/O is easily one of the best agents in VALORANT and an excellent choice for support players or entry fraggers. Every agent player must adapt when KAY/O suppresses their abilities, which emphasizes gunplay. If you rely on abilities to survive, try to avoid KAY/O at all costs.
