Earning yourself a win in Valorant can be incredibly challenging and often frustrating, especially when you’re matched against more experienced players. Even though the game is only out for closed beta right now, Valorant enthusiasts have already put on their grinding pants.
Valorant has both MOBA and FPS elements, and players unfamiliar with either of the two genres might struggle in the game. It’s important to understand the intricacies of Valorant and how one can improve at the game. Here are ten solid tips that will not only help beginners but will also help experienced players to get better at the game.
10 Adjust Your Crosshair Placement
Crosshair placement and positioning have been bugging a lot of players since the game’s release. Players who are from FPS background and have played a game like CS:GO before generally tend to place their crosshair towards the ground. This might be viable in other FPS games where players can’t usually jump high, but in Valorant where players can jump really high and literally fly at times, placing crosshair towards the ground is not recommended. Flicking from ground level to head level will take unnecessary time, and the enemy might capitalize on it by killing you before you kill the enemy. Keeping the crosshair near the head level is more effective and will net players some clean headshots. However, it’s recommended that players try out different crosshair placements and stick to what suits them best.
9 Learn Different Guns And Their Recoil Patterns
Valorant boasts a variety of guns, all bringing something unique to the table. Every gun has a fixed recoil pattern, and it’s important to know them to generate more success in the game. Learning the recoil patterns can be very beneficial and will eventually turn players into killing machines once mastered. Simply hop into practice mode and test different weapons. This will not only help players with recoil but will also give them a good idea about different weapon damage.
8 Get Familiar With Different Maps
Understanding different maps in Valorant will significantly improve a player’s performance in the game. Haven, Bind, and Split are the three maps available in the game, and all three of them possess different attributes.
To enhance your overall competence and develop into a complete player, it’s vital to understand the maps one at a time. Eventually, you‘ll comprehend every one of them and turn into a valuable asset to almost any team.
7 Make The Most Of Your Abilities
Players often than not struggle with using abilities properly and efficiently. It’s important to use abilities and utilities at opportune moments and not spam them unnecessarily. Valorant is a tactical-shooter, which means both the shooting part and the ability part are important elements of the game. More often than not, players usually resort to just shooting instead of combining it with abilities. Using abilities efficiently and properly will net players more success when compared to players that just rely on their shooting skills.
6 Track Enemy Ultimates
Keeping a track of opponents' abilities and Ultimates is very important, especially when players move up the ladder. Playing around these Ultimates and maneuvering your playstyle accordingly are key aspects of doing good in the game. Agent’s such as Raze and Brimstone boast powerful Ultimates, and can potentially turn the tide of the game if not dealt properly. Keeping a track of Ultimates will also give players a general idea of when to play defensive and when to take the charge.
5 Switch Between Knife And Gun For Better Mobility
Switching between the knife and gun is one of the most common traits found in any CS:GO player. This isn’t just a showboating trick but a very useful skill that affects the game immensely. Running with your knife increases the movement speed and helps in making rotations quickly.
It also helps in retreating from a fight quickly or regrouping if needed. However, switching should only be done when it is required as constant switching might lead to unnecessary death.
4 Remember To Buy/Rebuy Shields
Light Shields and Heavy Shields are the two types of Shields available in Valorant. These Shields add extra health to your health bar depending upon the Shields you buy. Light Shields add extra 25 health whereas Heavy Shields add extra 50 health. Only a few guns are capable of taking down an Agent with Heavy Shields in one bullet, making it an essential buy in every round. Keep in mind, Once damaged, players need to replenish the Light or Heavy Shields by buying a new one.
3 Bombs Can Be Defused Halfway
Unlike CS:GO, Bombs in Valorant can be defused in parts. Most players don’t utilize this feature properly or are unaware of it altogether. It takes 7.5 seconds to completely defuse a Bomb and instead of doing it all in one-go, players can essentially do it in parts. Fake defusing is a very effective way of luring out enemies that are under covers. However, players need to at least reach halfway(3.75 seconds) to defuse the bomb in parts.
2 Use Shift Walking/ Crouch Walking
Player footsteps are very clear and audible in Valorant. To minimize the footstep noise, players can Shift walk or Crouch walk. It’s much better to Shift Walk/Crouch walk and not give out your position instead of barging in and dying immediately. It’s not necessary to use either of the techniques all the time, but near tight corners or checkpoints, it’s highly recommended to do so. Both Shift Walking and Crouch walking are relatively easy techniques to pick up and learn.
1 Manage The Budget Properly
Players get a variable amount of credits before the start of every round in a Valorant game. This budget can be used to buy guns, shields, or utilities if needed. Knowing when to save credits or when to go for a big buy is very crucial in Valorant. Buying the most expensive weapons every round is not feasible and will often leave players in dismay. Team coordination is also very important as you can’t be the only player in your team with a powerful gun while the rest of your teammates are rocking a pistol.