Riot surprised the gaming world with the announcement and subsequent release of the team-based FPS Valorant in June 2020. Most notable for the MOBA League of Legends, Riot was sailing into the unknown developing its first-ever shooter. During the early beta phase in April 2020, Valorant surged to the top spot on Twitch for average viewers (it’s still among the top five most-watched Twitch categories, according to SullyGnome).
While knowing how to properly aim and shoot are necessary skills for success (as Valorant meme-makers will attest), Valorant adds another wrinkle to its gameplay: abilities. Out of the possible 15 agents, each possesses their own unique skills. They can disorient the enemy, heal teammates or even create black holes that consume the surrounding gravity. They all have their utility, but some skills separate themselves as the true cream of the crop.
10 Shock Bolt: Sova
The archer role has forever been a staple in pop culture. How about an electric arrow for some pizzazz? Sova’s Shock Bolt allows the Russian marksman to fire an arrow that electrifies an area upon impact.
Sova can adjust the arrow to either detonate immediately on the first impact or ricochet up to two times from walls. The Shock Bolt is most effective in targeting enemies around corners, or for that last-ditch attempt if the enemies are defusing the bomb. Having the ability to alter how the arrow will explode adds versatility to Sova, but certain Agents’ skills have yet more potential.
9 Incendiary: Brimstone
Brimstone doesn’t care about flashy abilities like shooting fireballs from his hands. The grizzled old warrior fires a grenade that leaves a pool of fire behind, to roast any unsuspecting enemy agents.
Brimstone’s Incendiary grenade can bounce off walls, but unlike Sova’s Shock Bolt, the explosion cannot be formatted to detonate on immediate impact. The grenade will bounce twice before detonating (walls notwithstanding). Beware, though: the Incendiary grenade will also burn teammates, so more caution is required than with some other powerful skills.
8 Trip Wire: Cypher
Valorant agents specialize in four key roles: Duelist, Initiator, Controller, and Sentinel. Cypher falls under the Sentinel category, making him a defensive character. He can place a almost translucent tripwire that’s easily missed. Once triggered, the wire keeps the dazed enemy agent tethered for a few seconds.
Trip Wire is most effective from a defensive standpoint, as Cypher can position the wire at either bomb site before the round. If the opposing attackers elect to rush Site A, but Cypher’s Trip Wire is set at Site B, the Moroccan spy can pick up the wire and re-position it in a more advantageous area. It’s versatile and deadly, but cautious opponents can play around it.
7 Fault Line: Breach
Certain agents operate better with certain playstyles. In Breach’s case, aggressiveness maximizes his effectiveness, especially when it comes to his Fault Line ability. Breach launches a seismic blast that generates an earthquake to daze enemies in its path. The length of the blast can be adjusted to cover more distance.
Breach can fire Fault Line through walls or objects, so hiding around a corner will be fruitless. Being able to fire through walls adds tremendous flexibility, which makes Fault Line a stronger offensive ability than Sova’s Shock Bolt or Brimstone’s Incendiary.
6 Gravity Well: Astra
Valorant’s newest agent is already turning heads. Released on March 2 alongside the new Act 2, Astra possesses quite the ability in Gravity Well. By utilizing her cosmic powers, Astra enters her Astral Form and places up to five stars across the map. She can then activate a star to essentially become a black hole, consuming the gravity around it and thus trappign enemy agents in its center. Enemies sucked into the Gravity Well will also become vulnerable when it explodes.
If the enemy is foolish enough to group up, Astra’s Gravity Well can heavily punish that. However, users of the Ghanaian agent must have supreme map awareness in order to strategically place her stars and maximize the potential of this ability.
5 Shrouded Step: Omen
The only agent whose origins remain unknown, Omen’s Shrouded Step can cause major confusion for the enemy. Two major keys to success in Valorant are map location and cross-firing, which will surely make Omen a popular choice in the 2021 Champions Tour (coming to Reykjavik in May). Being in the right place at the right time makes all the difference in a match. To this end, Shrouded Step allows Omen to teleport a short distance without being seen, though he does make a distinct sound after it that could alert enemies.
If a foe is concentrating gunfire at a specific angle, Omen can teleport and be in the optimal position to take down advancing agents who have pinpointed his original location. The importance of being able to maneuver around the map in this way cannot be overstated, but careless use of Shrouded Step can also be costly.
4 Updraft/Tailwind: Jett
Updraft launches Jett up into the air, while Tailwind propels her in a given direction. Both skills have their benefits when used individually (Jett can use Tailwind to dash quickly to one side if being shot at). When used together, though, Updraft and Tailwind can prove deadly.
Most agents focus their attention on opponents approaching on the ground, not by air. By combining the two abilities, the South Korean agent can fly across defensive obstacles with ease to quickly establish base presence. On the other hand, the two abilities can act as a quick getaway if Jett’s overwhelmed. Regardless of how Jett utilizes her air-bending abilities, if something’s spotted in the air, don’t assume it’s a bird or a plane.
3 Leer: Reyna
The difference between Reyna’s Leer and the other vision-impairing abilities in the game is the fact that her ability can be canceled by the enemy. Reyna throws an eyeball (which can travel through walls) to blind her opponent. If the enemy chooses to target the eyeball, they leave themselves open to Reyna gunning them down.
Reyna takes advantage of Leer’s ‘weakness,’ the fact that the associated projectile can be shot down, by immediately charging in after throwing the eyeball to catch the enemy off guard. With clever use, this actually makes it one of the game’s best abilities.
2 Nanoswarm: Killjoy
While blasting the enemy team might be far more exciting, the true main objective in Valorant is to arm or disarm the bomb. Once the bomb has been armed, there’s no better defense than Killjoy’s Nanoswarm. With this ability, the German agent throws up to two grenades, which remain dormant and camouflaged until activation.
Once activated, the grenade erupts into a data pool of nanobots that damages the enemy. Nanoswarm has a duration of four seconds while dealing 45 damage per second, giving it potentially terrifying damage output. In other words, getting caught in the middle of her Nanoswarm won’t be a joy at all.
1 Devour: Reyna
On the surface, Reyna’s Devour ability can virtually be useless. To maximize this agent’s effectiveness, players must be extremely skilled at taking down enemies in a one-on-one setting. After disposing of her opponents, Reyna can absorb the Soul Orb they leave behind to regain health. Devour differs from other agent’s healing abilities (such as Sage’s and Sky’s) in crucial ways: not only can Reyna regain up to 100 health, but if she’s already near full health, the remainder will be added as an Overheal.
Overheal acts just like a normal shield. Essentially, even if Reyna sustains massive damage in a fight, she can return to full health as long as she absorbs an enemy’s Soul Orb within three seconds. In the right hands, Reyna’s Devour can make her near immortal. The empress of Mexico is a force to reckon with in Valorant, and this skill is a huge part of that. It doesn’t directly deal damage, but it’s perhaps the strongest ability in the game regardless.
NEXT: The 5 Best Things About Valorant (The 5 Worst)
