Experts Guide on- How to become a Valorant Pro

Valorant has been released as Open Beta, so anyone can play Valorant almost from all the regions around the world. It is proving itself as a Riot Game’s gem by having a phenomenal amount of players and also a huge number of viewers base on Twitch.tv and YouTube live streams. Now when Valorant has become hot among many of the competitive gamers, many of them are trying hard to become a pro player at the game.

As we know the gameplay style of Valorant is hugely based on Counter-Strike, so the experienced pro players of that are having an edge over other players. Where new players are still thriving to becoming a better one.

In this article, we are going to discuss the tips and tricks on how to improve your Valorant gameplay. Just like we discussed previously for DOTA 2 (beginner guide), Fortnite, and PUBG Mobile, this time we are going to talk about the different aspects of Valorant’s gameplay according to my experience and understanding. So read this article in full, and I hope it would prove to be helpful.

Valorant Agent Class and Tier

To understand the gameplay of Valorant deeply, you need to understand the classes of each agent and their abilities at first. There are four classes of Valorant agents namely Duelist, Sentinel, Initiator, Controller. We are going to discuss all these classes & their usages along with the unique abilities of each agent for perfect defensive and offensive situations. Here is the table of all agents divided into four classes underneath.

Duelist	Phoenix, Jett, Raze, Reyna
Sentinel	Sage, Cypher
Initiator	Sova, Breach
Controller	Viper, Brimstone, Omen

 

To understand which agent is how much powerful? we have given a table below. Though there is no official such list from the game or from Riot Games, this list based mainly on pro players’ opinions and on online polls. But here is our list according to my experience and most of the online polls.

S Tier (Most powerful)	Sage (Top agent on all the list)
A Tier	Cypher, Brimstone, Breach, Sova
B Tier	Raze, Omen, Phoenix
C Tier	Viper, Jett, Reyna

 

But do not let the tier lists fool you, as the actual effectiveness of any agents depends on how you use them and their abilities. Also having a good combination in the team is needed, so do not hesitate before selecting a lower-tier agent, as with good teamwork, skill & strategy, you might be able to take down multiple high tier players.

See: Valorant vs CSGO Head to Head Comparison Which one is Better?

Let’s talk about the classes in detail:

Duelist

Though you can see all the Duelist agents are from the lower tier rankings, but the truth is they are the most offensive agents. The Duelists are often considered as the first line of offense in Valorant. The unique abilities of the Duelists agents (Phoenix, Jett, Raze, Reyna) are also quite offensive and directly damage inflicting. So, in the face to face combat situations, such agents do have multiple abilities and options which they can use.

• Duelists are the agents who initiate the fights and keep pressing enemies behind with high firepower and the use of their unique abilities. Jett possesses an ability to move at very high speed so that enemies miss their shots and get confused, while Phoenix is a skillful Pyromancer with various kinds of damaging abilities. Raze is a specialist in explosive weapons that inflicts high damage to the opponents. The latest agent Reyna also has the ability to become Intangible for a short period of time, where she can keep damaging her enemies.
• So, if you love playing attacking and aggressive, then the Duelist agents should be your choice. Where Jett and Phoenix are great at a closing distance with enemies and in close-quarter fights. If you like using Shotguns then you must use either Jett or Phoenix. Learning the use of Raze and Reyna is a little difficult, as you have to play aggressively while being defensive with these agents. But Raze can inflict very high damage due to the explosive abilities and Reyna can become an untouchable fighter if timed the abilities correctly.

Sentinel

Just the opposite of Duelists, Sentinels are the defensive agents of Valorant. If used properly the Sentinel agents are the backbone of the defensive approach in Valorant gameplay. It can play alongside their teammates and can protect them from incoming enemy attacks. Sentinels often have abilities related to locking down on point of interest or important corners. Sentinels also can break the enemy offensive forces.

• Cypher cannot put a physical block in front of enemies but can use traps and remote cameras to detect can inform teammates about the enemy position and movement. So, Cypher is very good for virtual defenses and Sage is very good for physical defense. Sage can deploy solid walls, which can block incoming enemy fire also can block enemy paths, in order to protect teammates or important position. It also can use the area-of-effect field which would slow down the enemy movements and attacks.
• If a team is using both the Sentinels in the team, then all the other three players are quite safe from enemy attacks if played strategically. Though for good defensive advantage, good communication is utterly necessary. If you are playing in mute in a random squad then such Defensive agents may not be great to use. Like Cypher can detect enemies and inform the others, but would need backup firepower to save himself in a fight.
• You can think of Sage as a defensive bunker and Cypher as a counter-intelligence defensive mechanism according to the terms of the Art of War. Also Sage can use his healing abilities to heal nearby teammates, so you can get a chance of retaliation.

Initiator

Initiators are good for planning and launching deep attacks, to get a first kill advantage over the enemy team. Initiators are balanced aggressive agents, who should be used tactically so that your team can secure one or two quick kill without getting any damage, which will put the opponent team under pressure. Also, Initiators are good for breaking opponents’ defense lines, so every team should have one Initiator in the team for putting up a good fight. They are very good for Sniping from the back-line.

• A breach can use his unique abilities to break the enemy’s defense line and can damage them even if they are hiding behind a wall or solid cover. While you can use Sova for detecting enemies from far or can use him as a Reckoning expert to reveal enemy positions, and also can attack than from distance with various Bow & Arrow based abilities.
• If you like to lead the team, then try playing with such Initiator class agents, as you would be reckoning the battlefield, gathering the info and planning the offensive and defensive approaches according to enemy’s approach. Sova is very good for tactical advancements and pushing off the enemy’s from their position, with good team support of course, while Breach is good tearing down enemy strongholds and making a way for his team.

Controller

Controller class agents are purely supporting types of agents who can provide good support both in attacking and defensive approaches. While moving for the attack, there the Controller class players can provide supporting fire, and can provide blockage on enemy’s line of sight, also can provide teammate a various kind of covers so that they can move to safety.

• Brimstone can use his abilities to provide area cover by calling Smoke covers and also can devastatingly damage enemies with an orbital strike. While you can use Omen to block the line of sight of enemies by using his abilities. Omen can provide cover to his teammates so that they can flank upon the enemy. Viper also can do the same by using his venomous cloud abilities. It can slow down enemy movement with his area-of-effect ability, and also can block line of sight so that the allies can take cover or flank the enemies. Also, Viper can launch a devastating are attack upon the enemies.
• Controllers are good for both attacking and defending approaches, so Controller class agents are a must to be on the team. If you like playing as a Controller class agent, then at the early game be at the choke points or stiff corners, where you can use your abilities tactically to corner the enemies. Also in late-game try to be on the Spike site, so that you can provide defensive cover to your fellow teammates by blocking or slowing down the enemies.

Customize In-Game Settings

Valorant is not just an FPS game, but also a competitive game where you would be facing real players as you opponents, so every edge counts. As apart from the shooting stuff, Valorant also has some unique abilities for each agent, and which are very crucial to use in order to win the round, you must use them properly and timed them properly. To ensure that you should edit the control layout, according to your comfort. If you are a CS GO pro then you must have an edge on shooting stuff on Valorant, but might be facing difficulties when it comes to using the abilities due to different button config.

• So, edit your controls according to your comfort and practice with them. Do not change the controls very often, because that way your muscles won’t be able to memorize the buttons.
• Also tune the Audio settings to the finest, so that you do not miss any incoming sounds. Using a 7.1 surround sound headphone is recommended, else use a good quality gaming earphones. Music Earphones are not good for gaming, due to high Bass and low Crisp, so avoid them. Playing any PvP game on speakers, home theater, or even without headphones is a foolish thing to be done.
• Tuning the Mouse Sensitivity is also a very important aspect as in a fast-paced FPS game, your mouse is your gun, the mouse is your camera, and the mouse is your trigger. In short, Mouse counts the most, so tuning the sensitivity perfectly is very important. Do not copy from any other player’s settings or sensitivity, as your hand shape is different, your mouse is different, the mousepad is different and also your muscle movements are different, so the perfect mouse sensitivity for one player can be proved to be the worst sensitivity for you. So, do not just copy sensi settings from famous players or streamers.
• Tune the game for a decent FPS count, though Valorant is a very low-end spec requiring game. Try to get at least 100+ FPS in order to have a lag-free experience. Remember Valorant as a game may require very low-end CPU, GPU, and very less amount of RAM, but the players who are playing the game are mostly advanced gamers. So, they are playing the game in a very high FPS, with a very good quality Headphone, Keyboard, Mouse, and Internet connection, so that they can get the slightest extra edges over players like you. So, you also have to do the same f you are going to face such players.

Accuracy Training

If you have played Valorant, then you must have noticed the awesome training system in the game. Use that system to train yourself. If you are new at FPS PvP games, then play on the Training mode continuously for at least a month. The more you practice, the more accurate and fast you become. Try doing the speed shooting training modes thousands of times, so that you can become formidable opponents while it comes to shooting down someone. Even after becoming a regular Valorant player, spend 30-40 minutes daily in the training mode so warp up and to hone your skills even more. Without spending ample quantity time in the training mode may lead to bad gameplay due to lack of muscle memory. So, use the training mode every day before you join a live match.

Watch Live Streams on YouTube & Twitch

Valorant already has become one of the most popular games to watch on popular live-streaming platforms like Twitch.tv and YouTube Gaming. So, watch a lot of live streams when you have to so that you spend more time within the game environment. Also remember one thing, that never tries to copy someone playing style, but try to create your own playing style. Watch the streams mainly to get more familiarize with the game, and to learn how to use the agents’ abilities even more perfectly and more precisely in different kinds of situations, and also try to learn how to play cool headedly even when your team is loosing.

Practice, Practice, Practice…as simple as that.

Let your mind and muscles play the game automatically so that you do not have to think and decide but your muscles automatically decide the right moves for you, and to achieve that you have to spend a lot of time in the game. Actually it would take more effort than it took to master games like PUBG or APEX. Especially if you are a player from Battle Royal games’ background it will gonna take more time for you.

Wrapping Up

Try to play with all the class of the agent and also do use all tiers of characters. Do not hurry in choosing you, favorite class, or agent. Also do not try to be lead on every game, if there is someone who is a better player or experienced player than you, let him/her lead, as leading always do not take you to victory but good teamwork will.

So, always choose the agent and the class depending upon your team and other players’ choice and roles. If you become a hard supportive player in the game and manage to only damage opponents with no kills at all, there is nothing to be ashamed of as you are assuring those kills for your teammates, and that is one of the most important roles in any PvP fighting strategy. So keep practicing and enjoying Valorant.