It’s easy for newer Valorant players to feel intimidated when the likes of Iso threatens the meta with a moving impenetrable wall, a Vulnerable projectile, and even an Ultimate that forces a one-on-one duel. However, newcomers to the acclaimed FPS don’t necessarily need to dash into a fight with the new Duelist recklessly, especially if they start learning how to use the game’s more accessible Agents.

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Learning how to use their abilities properly can help players rise through the ranks, eventually mastering key gameplay styles that will eventually aid them to use more specialized Agents such as controlled flashes with Skye, more aggressive bombing with Raze, and map mastery with Omen. Among Valorant’s easiest Agents to learn include the game’s resident firestarter, an acclaimed engineer, an infamous archer, and even a popular lurker.

Updated on March 31, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Update 8.05 of Valorant hailing the arrival of the new Controller, Clove, fans of the ability-based FPS title might be wondering exactly how they can adjust both their team comps and their Agent’s playstyle to fit or fight her self-reviving ways. For beginners who are still working their way toward acquiring this new Controller, fans may want to try newcomer-friendly Agents to make their Valorant training experience much smoother. Some Agent recommendations for newcomers include the game’s iconic multi-weapon specialist, a hooded smoker, a flasher with healing capabilities, a killer robot with detection skills, and the resident grenadier, all of which have been added to this list in its latest update.

15 Chamber

There’s A Weapon For Every Occasion

Among Agents players can encounter in their Valorant gameplay, Chamber has become iconic, not just for his toolkit, but his sheer infamy. In the hands of the right player, his Tour De Force (Ultimate) rifle can one-shot anyone he can get his sights on, while his Headhunter (Basic 2) can easily substitute for a Sheriff with its 159/55/46 (Head/Body/Legs) damage calculation. Such are the balance implications of his kit that he’s among the most nerfed Agents in the game.

This isn’t to say that Chamber is too OP to use, however, as his Sentinel kit is rather lacking in terms of hard defense. Instead, Chamber trains players to keep an eye on a base’s integral spots. His Trademark (Basic 1) allows him to secure flanks and rat spots by slowing players inside its range, allowing Chamber to immediately identify locations to reinforce. Lastly, his Rendezvous (Signature) lets him instantly teleport to safety on a trigger, giving players breathing room to reload or confuse enemies before taking another shot at them.

14 Omen

The Ultimate Trick Smoker

Befitting his rather edgy appearance as a Valorant Agent, Omen is also the resident representative of Controllers in the game. Of the FPS title’s combat roles, Omen secures control over the battlefield by setting smokes in any part of the map, giving his team breathing room to prepare for insertion. Key parts of his kit are his Dark Cover (Signature) that opens a 3D version of the map and allows him to set up large globules of smoke. In the hands of a trained player, Omen can set these smokes to float just a few feet off the ground, giving him full view of the feet of opponents trying to sneak inside.

The rest of his kit incentivizes ratty plays from users who become more familiar with the map. His Paranoia (Basic 2) lets him release a smoke wave that blinds anyone he hits, while Shrouded Step lets him teleport to a specific location he can see - both of which allow him to outmaneuver foes even in sketchy situations. Lastly, his From The Shadows (Ultimate) can teleport him anywhere on the map, conveniently letting him steal the Spike or even attack from the rear of opponents.

13 Skye

Tactical Flasher With Bonus Heals

Tournament play has consistently seen team comps utilize Skye due to her flexibility as an Initiator. She can identify the enemy’s presence through her Guiding Light (Signature), releasing a bird she can control and manually trigger to flash unsuspecting opponents. This is also among the few abilities that declare enemy detection upon being flashed. Another detection ability in her arsenal is Trailblazer (Basic 2), a spectral hound she can control that can see enemies and even stun those that it hits.

Upon gathering enough points, her Seekers (Ultimate) releases three missiles that track enemies down, blinding them on hit unless they destroy them first - making this ability perfect for aggressive play. Outside these abilities, Skye also doubles as a healer with Regrowth (Basic 1), providing limited area-wide healing. This allows her to either substitute as a healer, or become a dedicated Sage healer so the latter can focus on supporting everyone else.

12 KAY/O

Killer Bot With A Mean Knife And A Killer Flash

Abilities form a crucial part of a team’s capabilities in Valorant, making the presence of KAY/O a threat on any side - especially if players begin to learn how to line up his ZERO/point (Signature) knife to hit spots where it can detect the most enemies without being shot. When ZERO/point detects enemies, not only are they declared on the HUD of all the player's teammates, but they also get their abilities disabled for a short time.

Even if ZERO/point has a hefty recharge time, the rest of KAY/O’s kit makes him a beast on the battlefield. The slow-recovery nature of his FLASH/drive (Basic 2) makes this one of the best sources of flash-peeks in the game, while FRAG/ment (Basic 1) is a deadly burst molly when aimed properly. Lastly, KAY/O packs a punch with NULL/cmd that releases a constant ability-nullifier around him unless he’s killed. Even then, allies can revive him should they reach him on time, giving KAY/O another chance to fight.

11 Raze

Chaotic Grenade Plays Fit Reckless Fun

A common trait among Duelists in Valorant is their penchant for fast-paced plays - something prominent especially to Raze. Serving as the game’s grenade specialist, players who want a bit of reckless fun can train their Duelist triggers as Raze. Key to her kit is her Blast Pack (Basic 2), or satchels that propel her in the air when aimed and jumped at properly. With the right training and satchel positioning, players can jump ridiculous distances vertically and horizontally to reach enemies for a quick Judge shot to the face.

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The rest of Raze’s kit elevates her explosive potential. Her Boom Bot (Basic 1) transitions her to a sub-Initiator role, as the Bot travels forward unless it spots anyone - after which it chases them and jumps for an explosion. Raze can even deter potential entries with Paint Shells (Signature) that release dangerously-strong fragments around themselves. Lastly, her Showstopper (Ultimate) is a powerful bazooka that can one-shot anyone in its path - perhaps leading players to unexpected aces.

10 Deadlock

Train Area Denial With Powerful Wall, Debuffing Traps

Despite the current low pick rate of Agent Deadlock among pro players, the Sentinel’s kit balances Sage’s area denial and Killjoy’s gadget utility. A key aspect of Deadlock’s skillset is her Barrier Mesh (Signature) that creates a heavily-fortified cross-shaped barrier that can fit most corners and let bullets (but not people) pass through.

Working in tandem with this wall is her suite of detection skills, with Sonic Sensor (Basic 2) activating a concussive AOE when enemies near it make sounds, while GravNet (Basic 1) detonates into an AOE that forces enemies to crouch-walk slowly. Lastly, her Annihilation (Ultimate) wraps an opponent it catches, insta-killing them should they reach the Ult’s origin point unless enemies destroy the cocoon.

9 Harbor

Dominate Wall Control With An Assortment Of Waves

Walling remains one of the most essential skills of a Valorant Agent, and is something that Harbor can teach with his wave-heavy kit. At its core, walls can block enemy sight from entries (and fake entries), allowing Harbor and his teammates to secure sites for entry and defense in a myriad of ways. Key to his arsenal is his High Tide (Signature), perhaps the most flexible wall in the game for its ability to both curve and adjust based on elevation. With the right aim, Harbor can have High Tide block either “hell” or a “heaven” in a location with vertical spaces.

Harbor can also rely on a “smaller” wall via Cascade (Basic 1) which moves in front of him and can be stopped at will, perfect for pushes and fake pushes. He can throw an orb with Cove (Basic 2) that surrounds an area in a temporarily bullet-proof dome, perfect for protecting planting and defusing allies, as well as becoming a pseudo-smoke. Lastly, his Reckoning (Ultimate) envelops an area with water that triggers a concussion in areas enemies are standing on, making it unadvisable for them to remain in the area.

8 Fade

Master Enemy Detection And Debuff Stacking To Punish Foes

Able to manipulate fear itself, Fade can deter enemy assaults with her skills, forcing them to push back into site with her Initiator kit that debuffs foes close to her. Crucial to her kit are her Terror Trails (Passive), which Mark enemies with dark mist should they get seen by her throwable Haunt (Signature). On top of Marking enemies, the Haunt is a nifty detection tool as it’s disabled when destroyed, which still detects opponents in the vicinity.

Should Fade players find the right setup for surprise Haunt throws, the rest of her kit can help the team punish opponents. While she can control the direction of her Prowler (Basic 1), it can automatically chase a Marked enemy and Nearsight them. She can also throw Seize (Basic 2) that not only temporarily stuns enemies but also make them Deafened and Decayed for 75 HP. Lastly, Nightfall (Ultimate) combines Prowler and Seize into a wave, Marking all enemies alongside inflicting Decay and Deafen.

7 Killjoy

Learn To Lockdown Sites With Deployable Robots

Possessing a kit perfect for defensive plays in Valorant gameplay, Killjoy and her robots can transform areas into death traps once enemies try to breach them. And while Killjoy’s static-heavy gameplay is made fun of in memes about opponents “never entering her site,” this setback will train players on planning setups for rotations. Ideally, Killjoy can leave her Turret (Signature) stationed in one site while she defends another, which is where the rest of her kit comes into play.

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Upon deployment, her Alarmbot (Basic 1) notifies her of enemy trespassers while making them take more damage via temporary Vulnerability. This works in tandem with her Nanoswarm (Basic 2) that transforms a surface into a damage-over-time radius that may kill opponents who stay there long enough. Lastly, Killjoy can deploy her Lockdown (Ultimate) at any point in the map, extending into a large radius that locks enemy in place for a while when caught.

6 Brimstone

Master Map Control With Smokes And Familiar FPS Tools

Fans of tool-heavy Call of Duty games get the closest approximation to a special forces soldier with Brimstone, leader of the Valorant Protocol. As the first Controller players have access to, Brimstone’s kit trains players in some of the most fundamental aspects of Valorant gameplay: angling mollies, smoke-based map control, and timing ally buffs. Brimstone being a Controller in particular emphasizes team guidance through Sky Smoke (Signature), arguably the most accessible mini-map smoking mechanic among members of the Role.

Meanwhile, Brimstone can also aid pre-entry with Stim Beacon (Basic 2) that boosts teammates’ speed (movement, equip, reload, recovery) and fire rate that can prove crucial in encounters. The Controller can also deal AOE in tight spots with his ricocheting Incendiary (Basic 1), or assume full control over an area with a large-scale Orbital Strike (Ultimate) that guarantees death to enemies who stay in its radius.

5 Phoenix

Train Walls, Flashes That Lead To Precision Kills

Players who want to master outplaying enemies in Valorant gameplay without relying on Jett’s movement-reliant kit should consider training with Phoenix. Thanks to his fire-based healing via Heating Up (Passive), his risk-heavy moveset is rewarded with survivability. Moreover, the direction-heavy nature of his kit can train players in both map control and precision-targeting for his utilities.

Phoenix’s nature as an offensive Duelist usually leads to two playstyles: a straightforward push with a visual-denying Blaze (Basic 1) wall that deals damage when passed through, or surprise Blinds with angling Curveballs (Basic 2) that take advantage of a player’s aim upon entry. The Duelist can further manipulate the battlefield with Hot Hands (Signature) that release a damaging fire pit, or go all-out with Run It Back (Ultimate) that is practically a timed second life for clutch plays.

4 Gekko

Master Molly Throws With Pokemon-Like Friends

Thanks to Gekko, Valorant gameplay bridges the gap between FPS and Pokemon games with his “buddies.” Gekko’s creatures become Globules (Passive) after usage, with the Agent capable of reclaiming them and using them another time after a short cooldown. The “rechargeable” nature of most of Gekko’s kit can be explained by their straightforward abilities, such as floating Dizzy (Signature) that temporary Blinds enemies that look at it with plasma blasts or Mosh Pit (Basic 1) that releases a toxic surface that deals damage over time before exploding.

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Where Gekko shines as an Initiator is Wingman (Basic 2) that can alternate between Concussing the first enemy he sees and planting or defusing the Spike. Gekko’s area control is improved even further with Thrash (Ultimate) that releases a beast he controls that can stuns all players (ally or enemy) in an area. Gekko’s nature as an Initiator-Sentinel hybrid makes him a worthwhile Agent to learn for newcomers who want to explore Agents that accommodate multiple roles.

3 Reyna

Independent Gameplay Perfect For Solo Lurkers

Infamously known as the game’s most “selfish” Agent, Reyna has a self-reliant kit that makes her one of the best Duelists to learn for players who don’t want the pressure of team play early on in their playthrough. Reyna’s Leer (Basic) alone provides a decisive advantage in duels, as looking at this floating eye won’t affect allies but will momentarily Nearsight enemies. Moreover, her Soul Harvest (Passive) lets her use the rest of her kit when she absorbs Soul Orbs from enemies she kills, encouraging hyper-aggressive roaming plays that are perfect for newcomers from other FPS like Counter-Strike 2 and Apex Legends.

Soul Orbs lasting only for a few seconds also forces players to train split-second decision-making, with her kills either healing her with Devour (Signature 1) or giving her a short Intangible float via Dismiss (Signature 2). Even Reyna’s Empress (Ultimate) encourages tactical aggression, with the skill forcing her into a “frenzy” that enhances her overall speed (equip, reload, healing), boosts firing rate, and offers unlimited charges of her Soul Harvest abilities.

2 Sage

Debilitate Enemy Teams With Heals, Slows, Area Control

Serving as the game’s token healer is Sage, whose reputation as the Balm of Shaanxi extends her efficiency as a “guaranteed safe” Sentinel for both newcomers and pros. Setting Sage apart from the rest of the FPS title is her Healing Orb (Signature) that can heal herself or her allies as well as the reviving Resurrection (Ultimate), with both abilities capable of turning the tide in a losing round.

Defining her flexibility as a Sentinel is the rest of her kit that experiment with the map’s offerings. Sage can delay with Slow Orb (Basic 2) and cut off entrances entirely with Barrier Orb (Basic 1), both serving as area-denial effects that can give the team precious seconds to plant, defuse, prepare for an attack, or simply delay the timer. More aggressive Sages can use her walls for offense, leaving inconspicuous segments open for surprise attacks or getting a better view by lifting themselves and allies upon activation.

1 Sova

Master Perfect Target Detection With Unexpected Ricochet Lineups

Hailing from Russia is perhaps the most skilled archer in Valorant gameplay, with Sova boasting a straightforward detection kit perfect for newcomers who want to learn an Initiator. Courtesy of the ricocheting Recon Bolt (Signature), Sova players can get creative where they want to line up enemy scans without the bolt being shot. They can also launch their Owl Drone (Basic 1) to scout nearby areas and “tag” opponents about to attempt entries and flanks.

When initiating combat, Sova can hit opponents from surprising angles through ricocheting Shock Bolts (Basic 2) that explode on the ground. Meanwhile, his Signature is best paired with his Hunter’s Fury (Ultimate) that releases up to three large wall-passing beams that can almost always obliterate foes on impact.

Valorant

Platform(s)

PC

Released

June 2, 2020

Developer(s)

Riot Games

Genre(s)

Shooter

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