Valorant is still a fairly new game, but that doesn’t mean that people haven’t learned the best ways to play it. The game has been booming, and most Valorant enthusiasts have already started their grind. It’s fair to say that Valorant is destined for success.
A tactical-shooter by nature, Valorant comprises both FPS and MOBA nature. Although the game is easy to pick up and play, there is a lot to learn and understand in Valorant. It’s not just a plain shooting game, and there are a lot of intricate concepts apart from shooting that determines one’s success in the game. New players often fall for the simplicity of Valorant and often commit small mistakes that ultimately hamper their success in the game. Here are 5 mistakes that most new players make in Valorant and how to effectively deal with them.
10 Random Crosshair Placement (Mistake)
Proper crosshair placement is one of the most basic concepts mandatory in any FPS game and is something most new players struggle with. New players usually don’t place their crosshair properly, which often leads to them losing the trade or an unwanted death in some cases. Aiming down towards the ground doesn't work as well as it does in CS: GO. Counter Staffing, which actually is a much-needed skill in most FPS games, is hardly required in Valorant.
9 Try And Find The Perfect Crosshair Placement In Practice Mode (Fix)
At pretty much all times in Valorant, the crosshair of a gun should be placed in such a way that if an enemy walks into your line of sight, his head should be directly placed on the crosshair. This will net players easy headshots and will significantly reduce the time to eliminate the opposing player. Players can find the perfect crosshair placement for them by trying out different guns in the practice mode. It's also important to note that crosshair placement should be flexible as there are different maps in Valorant, all with different landscapes and terrains.
8 Running And Gunning (Mistake)
Another quirk that a lot of new players develop while playing Valorant is shooting while moving. Players coming from Overwatch might fall for running and gunning, and while it can work in Valorant, it doesn’t most of the time.
Running while shooting will make the spray less accurate and much harder to control. Bullets become hard to land, and the spray becomes more sporadic. This also applies to players who shoot while jumping or dashing.
7 Stop, Aim, And Shoot (Fix)
Even though the spray becomes a lot more controllable while crouch walking or just walking, it’s still very inaccurate compared to shooting while standing still. It’s better to stop, aim, and shoot instead of recklessly spraying while moving. This will significantly improve the chances of landing all the bullets on the desired spot and eventually eliminating the enemy. Getting the headstart on enemies will often net you clutch kills and could be the deciding factor of the round.
6 Running Recklessly To Defuse The Spike (Mistake)
Even though defusing the Spike (bomb) is the principal objective for the team playing defense, it’s not always smart to do so. There will be cases when the Spike plant will be on the complete opposite side of where you are on the map, and instead of walking across the whole map in hopes of that miracle defuse, it’s better to accept defeat to move to next round. By running head-on to defuse the Spike, you are giving enemies an easy target to shoot.
5 Rethink And Strategize (Fix)
There is no map in the game where you will get to the bomb site in time by walking across the map. Even if you do reach the bomb site, you still have to face the remaining enemies, which will consume even more time. It’s better to give up the round in these situations and instead focus on the upcoming round. Instead of dying unnecessarily in an already lost match, it’s better to set yourself up for the victory in the next round.
4 Not Using Abilities And Utilities (Mistake)
Many players who have come to Valorant from a pure FPS background, playing games such as CS:GO and Call of Duty, often struggle with proper usage of abilities and utilities. Valorant is not just a shooting game, which means players need to use abilities to their maximum potential to get the best possible results.
Beginners often shy away from using abilities and utilities available in the game due to a lack of experience and game knowledge.
3 Understand Each Ability Before Diving Into Competitive Mode (Fix)
It’s better to understand the abilities of all the Agents before attempting the ranked mode. Even though players may main a small pool of Agent, it's still important to learn every Agent in the game. Resorting to only shooting skills in Valorant won’t always net you the victory, and it’s very crucial to use abilities and utilities in tandem to get better results. It may work in the lower elo, but as you move up the ladder, using abilities becomes a necessity.
2 ​Buying All The Time (Mistake)
Each player in Valorant is given a fixed amount of budget at the start of any match. This budget then updates each round depending on various factors such as kills and assists secured in the prior round. Although the idea of buying the most expensive weapons and utilities every round is tempting, it’s not possible. It’s important to identify when to save and when to go all out. New players often fall into this trap and buy any weapon without putting any thought.
1 Eco Rounds (Fix)
A great way to set yourself for success while saving credits is doing Eco Rounds. It's a concept where you don’t buy anything major in the active round in order to reach the armor and assault rifle threshold next round. Eco Rounds usually come into play when your team is struggling and is low on budget. It is essentially a deal where you sabotage the active round to get yourself in a better position for the upcoming rounds. This is a very efficient tactic that is also quite popular in CS:GO.