Last week we walked through some of the basics of Valorant. However, a few key things were left out— the characters. Each character has a unique set of abilities (and ultimates) they can buy at the beginning of each round. Ultimates are not bought, but built up over multiple rounds through kills, bomb plants, or defusal.
There are currently four classes and 13 characters in Valorant. The flashiest of the classes, duelists, are often the first to initiate a fight (the entry fragger). As such, this is where our eyes, as observers, usually land. This class excels in their ability to take space. Their current description says, “Initiators challenge angles by setting up their team to enter contested ground and push defenders away.” Currently, there are four duelists teams can choose from and more than one can be on a team at any given time.
Jett
The most mobile agent in Valorant. Her abilities allow her to dash forward and up super quickly. This movement allows her to get to vantage points the other team wouldn’t expect. Though many characters come with a flashbang, Jett has three smokes she can use to block off doorways and corners. Her ultimate is a set of five super fast needle-like knives which are extremely deadly. In a team she is often used to peek aggressive angles since she can get in and out quickly without being punished.
Phoenix
Phoenix is one of the more commonly used characters because of his diverse range of utility and valuable ultimate. Equipped with a flash bang, flame wall, and molotov (that heals himself, but injures everyone else), he is exceptional for taking and controlling space. His ultimate creates a second version of himself for eight seconds. If his ultimate is shot or the time runs out, he teleports back to his actual body at full health. If used well, this ultimate can often win a round by itself.
Raze
Raze is different from other duelists in the sense that her abilities help her clear out space. She deals with explosives, many of which deal extreme damage. She also has one ability called a “satchel” that she can use to propel herself through the air, making her another very mobile character. Her ultimate is a rocket fuse she has 10 seconds to fire. It will one shot kill, so most players completely back off a site whenever they hear her ultimate voice line. This, coupled with her other explosives, makes her a lethal opponent.
Reyna
The last, but by no means the least. Reyna has quickly become one of the most used duelists. She resembles Jett in her ability to get in, get a kill, then get out. The vampire of the game, whenever Reyna gets a kill she can consume their soul to heal herself, turn intangible, and even turn invisible during her ultimate. If that wasn’t scary enough, she also has a flash that will blind anyone who looks at it. She is considered one of the top picks right now because of her movement, flash, and ability to heal herself.
Three other classes exist, which we will go over in the coming weeks. Until then, you can watch these agents in action on our Twitch channel, or join in the conversation on our Discord.