Unveiling our comprehensive Valorant Tier List for climbing ranked. Crafted in collaboration with high ELO experts from NA, EU, and OCE, this list is designed to assist both solo and team players.
Explore the rankings, strategies, and insights for coordinated teamplay, providing an edge in your journey to the top of Valorant's competitive ladder.
In this comprehensive guide, we are excited to unveil a carefully crafted Valorant Tier List that will serve as your ultimate companion on your journey to the top of the ranked ladder. Designed in collaboration with high ELO experts hailing from NA, EU, and OCE, this list is a culmination of their extensive knowledge and experience.
Whether you prefer to go it alone or thrive in a coordinated team environment, this Valorant Tier List is designed to cater to your needs. No matter your playstyle or skill level, the goal is to empower you with the knowledge and strategies needed to climb the ranked ladder with confidence. From understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each agent to leveraging team synergies, this guide will equip you with the tools necessary to excel in Valorant's competitive scene.
This comprehensive list is designed to be beneficial for both solo players and squads, with a focus on coordinated teamplay rather than solo carrying.
Gain valuable insights into the reasoning behind our tier placements for each agent. We provide detailed explanations that shed light on why certain agents have been positioned in their respective tiers.
Jett
Jett excels in both offensive and defensive roles. Her versatility allows her to create space for the team on offense and be a formidable Operator user or aggressive pusher on defense. Despite recent nerfs to the duration of her smokes and dash, her kit enables her to carry games. For those seeking to maximize Jett's potential, check out Stryda's detailed Jett guide for expert tips and strategies.
Omen
Omen, the controller, possesses a kit tailored for making individual plays. His abilities, including near-sight, can also contribute to team play. Additionally, Omen has the advantage of being able to hold angles that may not be cleared or flushed out with utility in less coordinated environments.
Reyna
Reyna, known as the "smurf agent," is designed to be selfish and excel at playing for herself. This makes her the ultimate agent for Solo Queue Ranked. In less coordinated play, where swings off teammate's contact may be slower or non-existent, Reyna's abilities, such as Dismiss and healing, provide a significant advantage.
Skye
Skye's kit requires extensive communication and teamwork to maximize its value. However, her abilities are incredibly potent for gaining information, setting up teammates, healing others, and even setting herself up for success.
Killjoy
Considered the strongest Sentinel and potentially the most powerful agent in VALORANT currently, Killjoy is a must-pick on all maps, or at the very least, a strong choice. Her abilities provide exceptional utility and control over the battlefield.
Raze
Raze, the duelist, stands out as the only agent capable of obtaining information independently, creating space, and excelling defensively. With her blast packs, she can make numerous solo plays. Following the Jett nerfs, Raze arguably becomes the top duelist due to her substantial AoE damage potential and high mobility.
Sova
Sova continues to provide significant value across most maps in rotation. The changes to Cypher's Trapwires have made them more challenging to deal with, and Sova's Shock Darts serve as an effective counter to these new traps.
Viper
Considered a must-pick on certain maps, Viper has the potential to take over a game when her team successfully plants the spike. Her post-plant utility poses a significant challenge for teams with slower retakes, and she can farm ultimates, leading to nearly guaranteed round wins.
Chamber
With his range buffs and Jett's nerfs, Chamber emerges as a much more viable choice as the primary Operator agent. Additionally, the addition of the Sunset map further enhances Chamber's effectiveness as an excellent option for that particular map.
Iso
Iso, a more ranked-focused duelist, shares some snowballing aspects of his kit with Reyna through the double tap ability. While Jett and Raze outshine him in terms of movement in ranked play, Iso still offers solid options due to the unique uses of his kit and the team value provided by his Undercut ability.
Cypher
Patch 7.09 brought significant buffs to Cypher's Trapwires, making him more effective in anchoring down pushes from multiple enemies. His traps re-arm if not destroyed, and they are more challenging to break with certain utility abilities, such as Raze's, Skye's, and Fade's. These changes position Cypher as a worthy contender to Killjoy for the top Sentinel spot. While his kit requires more effort to maximize value, his global range and improved stalling capabilities make him a worthwhile pick on almost any map.
Brimstone
Brimstone's ease of play and ability to provide team support through smokes while focusing on gunplay make him an invaluable asset. Additionally, his ultimate and molly make him a formidable force in post-plant situations, particularly in less coordinated games where retakes tend to be slower, amplifying the strength of his utility in denying defuses.
Phoenix
Phoenix's buffs have made him a stronger agent overall, suitable for various environments. While his kit leans towards individual plays and possesses some selfish aspects, his overall potential is limited due to the lack of space-making abilities seen in the S-tier duelists.
Astra
Astra demands extensive coordination with the team and is one of the most challenging agents to make individual plays with. Her effectiveness improves significantly at higher ranks where teamwork and communication are more prevalent.
Breach
Breach is a potent agent but relies heavily on coordination to achieve maximum impact. As the rank increases, his effectiveness grows, making him a more formidable choice.
Deadlock
Despite having a relatively weaker kit, Deadlock surprisingly boasts a high win rate. She proves to be a decent pick in lower ranks where 5-man rushes are common strategies, as her abilities excel at stalling group pushes.
Fade
Fade's kit is robust and allows teammates to play off her abilities even with minimal communication and coordination. Each aspect of her kit provides value, and she does not require the same level of precision as Sova to scan an area effectively.
Sage
Sage, often seen as a glorified duelist, can be utilized to counter 5-man rushes. Her ability to self-heal without restrictions is invaluable, and her wall opens up opportunities for heroic plays.
Harbor
In professional play, Harbor shines when paired with another Controller in coordinated strategies. However, in ranked play, coordinating with two Controllers becomes significantly more challenging, and Harbor's kit, primarily consisting of vision-blocking utility outside of his ultimate, hinders his ability to make individual plays.
Kay/O
While KAY/O possesses a strong overall kit and can make individual plays with his flash, it has been subject to notable nerfs. His utility is more focused on setting up others, making him less effective in solo queue environments.
Yoru
Yoru's kit offers merits, but it often leaves him vulnerable unless perfectly set up by teammates with information and initiator utility. This level of coordination is challenging to achieve, and other duelists with more flexible movement abilities have an easier time capitalizing on teammates' utility.
Gekko
Gekko's kit lacks the necessary elements to justify choosing him over other Initiators. The only notable benefits are passive planting and defusing of the spike, along with shorter cooldowns for his utility.
Neon
As a duelist, Neon heavily relies on resources from teammates and struggles to take advantage of most maps, except for Fracture and Pearl. Other duelists perform better individually and offer greater flexibility, providing a larger margin for error when capitalizing on teammates' utility.
Ascent:
Sova, Omen, Killjoy, Jett, KAY/O
Sunset:
Raze, Skye, Omen, Viper, Chamber
Haven:
Sova, Killjoy, Omen, Jett, Breach
Bind:
Brimstone, Raze, Skye, Chamber, Viper
Breeze:
Viper, Omen, Sova, Jett, Cypher
Lotus:
Killjoy, Viper, Raze, Omen, Skye
Split:
Skye, Viper, Cypher, Raze, Omen
These team compositions have proven to be powerful on various Valorant maps. However, feel free to modify them based on your agent pool and strategic preferences. It's crucial to make wise decisions when substituting agents. For example, if replacing Omen, consider including Brimstone or other suitable alternatives.
The tier ratings provided follow a specific set of criteria to evaluate the strength and viability of agents in the current meta.
S-tier:
S-tier agents represent the optimal choices for the current meta. They possess versatility, fitting seamlessly into various team compositions and are expected to be present in almost every team comp on nearly all maps.
A-tier:
A-tier agents are highly competent but may lack the same level of consistency as S-tier picks. They can adapt well to most team compositions and perform effectively on the majority of maps. However, there may be a few exceptions where other agent choices might be more advantageous.
B-tier:
B-tier agents are comparatively weaker than their counterparts in terms of power level. They might exhibit inconsistent performance, being prone to periods of great success or struggles. They might also heavily rely on specific maps or team compositions to achieve success.
C-tier:
C-tier agents are generally considered weaker picks, lacking significant advantages over other agents in their category. While they may not be the worst choices in the meta, they fall behind in terms of overall effectiveness and may require adjustments or improvements to become more viable.
The following ratings are particularly relevant for newer players in the Iron, Bronze, and Silver ranks, indicating the amount of time and experience required to contribute effectively to the team compared to other agents.
Here are examples for each:
Brimstone (Easy):
Brimstone serves as an excellent choice for beginners, as his abilities are straightforward and easy to comprehend. They can be safely utilized from behind cover, proving useful even when playing from a disadvantaged position.
Cypher (Average):
Cypher's abilities demand a broader understanding of macro gameplay compared to Brimstone. Placing gadgets strategically, managing camera usage, and utilizing gadgets in combination require careful consideration. Defending can be more forgiving for beginners, but mastering offensive strategies such as lurking and predicting flank routes becomes crucial for maximizing Trapwire effectiveness. Additionally, Cypher's ultimate presents a higher level of difficulty to activate compared to Brimstone.
Sova (Hard):
Becoming a proficient Sova player necessitates dedicated time in custom games to practice ability lineups, particularly with arrows. Failing to do so can easily lead to missed Shock Darts, and Recon Bolt placements that offer little value. Due to the significant time commitment and the potential for mistakes in executing his abilities, Sova proves to be a challenging agent for beginners to master in comparison to other agents.
In conclusion, understanding the strengths and challenges of each agent in Valorant is crucial for creating effective team compositions and maximizing their potential on different maps. The tier ratings provide valuable insights into the current meta, with S-tier agents standing out as optimal choices that can fit into any team comp and excel across various maps. A-tier agents offer versatility but may require more careful consideration depending on specific scenarios. B-tier agents, while underpowered or inconsistent compared to their peers, can still find success with the right map or team composition. C-tier agents, though weaker picks, should not be dismissed entirely, as adjustments and improvements can potentially enhance their viability.
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Credit: https://mobalytics.gg/blog/valorant/valorant-agent-tier-list/
