Reyna Abilities
Reyna has one Basic ability, two Signature abilities, and one Ultimate ability. In addition to that, she also has a passive ability to harvest Soul Orbs. The biggest downside of playing Reyna in VALORANT is that she can’t use any of her Signature abilities unless there is a Soul Orb available for harvesting.This Agent may seem complicated at first, but once you understand how Soul Harvesting works, using her abilities becomes instinctive.
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.
Being able to see and harvest Soul Orbs is Reyna’s passive ability. Every time Reyna gets a kill, the enemy drops a Soul Orb that lasts for three seconds. In those three seconds, she needs to decide whether to use Devour or Dismiss. In the v2.03 update, this ability was buffed, and Reyna does not have to get a kill or assist; having done any damage to a slain enemy in the last three seconds is enough.
C – 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.
Video Credit: Riot Games
Her signature ability is a flash that is unlike any other flash in this game. The flash itself is a destructible eye that only affects enemy players. Because of this, it is safe to use it in every situation without thinking too much.
When using Leer, make sure to throw the Orb high in the sky or at the foot level. Don’t throw it near head level, as enemies can easily spray transfer and shoot you after destroying the eye. The ability itself can be used through any wall, so it is ideal for surprising pushes. However, if the enemy looks away or destroys the Leer eye, they won’t be flashed, as it does not have any lasting effect. It also does not work so well over long distances. If the enemies are too far away, they can look directly at Leer and it won’t do anything to them. Our suggestion is to avoid playing Reyna on large VALORANT maps like Breeze, as the flash from Leer becomes useless.
Q – Devour Cost 200 Credits, 2 Charges (shared with Dismiss)
- 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 Soul Orb.
Video Credit: Riot Games
Devour is one of two Signature abilities that requires harvesting a Soul Orb in order to be used. This ability allows Reyna to heal quickly, and it even allows her to overheal up to 150 HP. Keep in mind that the HP above 100 will decay over time.
The biggest issue with Devour is that you need to maintain visual contact with the Soul Orb. It’s also not like Sage’s healing; if someone shoots you, the healing process will automatically stop. Even a tick from a Molotov is enough to stop the healing.
Due to this, you shouldn’t stand in the open when using Devour; try to maintain a line of sight with Soul Orb while hiding in a position where you are not open to a bunch of angles for enemies to shoot you. But even then, don’t just hide and think you are in a safe position; the healing line will show enemies exactly where you are. You are a duelist after all, so ensure you act like one.
E – Dismiss: Cost 200 Credits, 2 Charges (shared with Devour)
- INSTANTLY consume a nearby Soul Orb, becoming intangible for a short duration. If Empress is active, also become invisible.
Video Credit: Riot Games
Reyna’s second signature ability is Dismiss. This ability can be used in multiple ways, but it is mostly used to escape from dangerous situations, just like Jett’s dash before the 4.08 update. It also requires a Soul Orb, and is usually used in the middle of or after a gunfight. If you see a Soul Orb available and multiple enemies are there to get you, and there is just no way to win that gun fight, just press E. You will instantly become indestructible and able to escape behind cover unharmed. Enemies will be able to see you, but they won’t be able to deal any damage to you for a couple of seconds. Similarly, it can be used for repositioning between two pieces of cover. Another way to use it is to peek safely and gather information about enemies’ whereabouts. Whichever way you decide to use it, keep in mind that you won’t be able to shoot or switch between weapons during the indestructible period.
X – Empress: 6 Ultimate Points
- INSTANTLY enter a frenzy, increasing firing, equip and reload speed dramatically. Grants infinite charges of Soul Harvest abilities. When an enemy dies to Reyna, or dies within 3 seconds of taking damage from Reyna, the duration is renewed.
Video Credit: Riot Games
The Ultimate ability Empress turns Reyna into a war machine. She has increased fire rate, faster reload speed, and can harvest Soul Orbs infinitely. Every Soul Orb will automatically heal Reyna to 150 HP, while using Dismiss is optional. During the Ultimate, the Dismiss ability allows Reyna to become completely invisible. Use it to reposition and surprise enemies from behind. Empress lasts for 30 seconds, and the timer resets every time Reyna gets access to a new Soul Orb. Don’t activate this Ultimate unless you are ready to storm into the site or are certain that the enemies are about to attack. Also, don’t use it in 1v1 and similar situations. Make sure you are in a position where you can get multiple kills and get the most out of it.
Playstyle for Reyna in VALORANT
You don’t have to worry about executing any complex strategies while playing as Reyna. Truth be told, there is not much you can do except for a completely aggressive playstyle. Any other playstyle is not recommended for Reyna. That’s both good and bad. Let’s look at how to play Reyna and how to play against her.
How to Play as Reyna in VALORANT?
As already mentioned, the only right way to play Reyna in VALORANT is aggressively. However, playing aggressively does not mean you can just run through the map without any care in the world.
While attacking, the only ability you can use without a Soul Orb is Leer. So, your job will be to flash and jump straight into the fight. Reyna is perfect for fast entries as her flash does not blind her teammates; she is the perfect entry fragger. Be that as it may, you need to be unpredictable. Try to switch your gameplay every few rounds and play as a lurker or even take an Operator. The point is to be unpredictable and surprise your enemies.
On the other hand, Reyna is pretty much useless as a defender. She just isn’t made for passive gameplay, and can’t do anything to stop the enemies besides killing them. No access to smoke or Molotov means you will have to play aggressively, even while defending.
Here are a few tips for excelling in VALORANT with Reyna:
- Prioritize buying both charges of Leer as much as possible, provided you’re not behind on weapons and can afford to do so. Committing both charges and changing up your placement, like throwing the first one high and the second one low, can mix up your enemies and create better kill opportunities for your team.
- Dismiss can be canceled out of, so you can effectively choose when you’d like to start fighting again. If you’ve gotten a good angle and want to surprise enemies, or you’ve baited out opposing players and have found yourself behind cover, canceling Dismiss early will allow you to take advantage of the situation. Dismiss is also a great tool for information gathering and scouting, as you can swing or jump peek for info so long as you’re behind cover when the ability duration ends.
- While Empress enables very aggressive entrying, it can also be useful post-plant. The ability’s duration is 30 seconds, whereas the Spike timer is 45 seconds. Securing just one kill during this phase can ensure that the ultimate stays up for the Spike’s entire countdown. If you’re entering a round as attacker with 4 or 5 Ultimate Points, grab or ask for the Spike so you can try and ensure you can activate Empress for the post-plant.
How to Counter Reyna in VALORANT?
When playing against Reyna you are almost certain that the opponent is highly skilled and dangerous. The best Agent to counter her is definitely KAY/O. The thing is, she can’t use her abilities at will, as she needs a Soul Orb. So, if KAY/O is around on the site and uses his abilities properly, even if Reyna gets a kill and access to a Soul Orb, she can’t do anything with it.
But there are numerous ways to counter Reyna with any other Agent. Try to play safely around Reyna, and if one of your teammates dies, try to trade him and attack as soon as possible. If she is healing, just follow the line from the Soul Orb and you will know her exact location. In case she uses Dismiss, you can safely follow her as she won’t be able to shoot at you. In addition to that, there is also a little delay after Dismiss ends which will give you an edge and secure a kill.
VALORANT’s Reyna is the ultimate duelist. This Agent isn’t afraid of any head-to-head duels. If she wins the duel, she can always overheal and be at 150 HP again, ready for the next duel. Therefore, if you play as Reyna, make sure to always isolate and create 1v1 situations. If you play against her, don’t attack alone. Play in pairs and trade each other.
