The Best Agents in Valorant | Unlocking Your First Character

Valorant has become one of the best FPS games in the industry today, with its realistic gameplay and picturesque maps.

The game blew up on global charts even before the launch date, giving you an idea of how popular it is now.

Other than the nine different maps and skins that you get on Valorant, what sells it is the agents you can play. You can choose five auto-unlocked agents as you come fresh into the game, categorized into different gameplay styles: Duelists, Sentinels, Controller, and Initiator.

This guide will give you a breakdown of each agent and which one you should unlock based on your specific gameplay style.

Your First Five Agents

Valorant currently boasts a full roster with more than 20 agents (with more introduced every few months), but only five of them are unlocked for beginner gamers:

• Brimstone (Controller)

• Sage (Sentinel)

• Phoenix (Duelist)

• Jett (Duelist)

• Sova (Initiator)

It might be confusing to understand what the categories mean. However, you can eventually find your gameplay preference by trying out each agent in low-stake scenes such as Spike Rush or Unrated.

The last act also introduced Swiftplay, which allows gamers to enjoy a short 5v5 match on lower stakes but with a more diversified economy per round.

Agent Category Breakdown

You can read about what each category entails during the agent selection round before a match, but here’s a quick rundown to refresh your memory:

• Sentinels

This style is best for those who like to play passively. Sentinels are experts in locking down sites and planting for their teammates. If this sounds ideal for you, try playing Sage. You can unlock other Sentinels like Chamber, Killjoy, and Cypher.

• Duelists

Do you like rushing and taking point for your team? Give duelists a try if you like to put pressure on your opponents by getting the first kill. Unlock the other duelist agents on the roster if you liked playing Jett or Phoenix.

Reyna is a favorite for many new players because of her dominating personality and quite overpowered abilities. On the other hand, Raze, Yoru, and Neon are also amazing picks.

• Initiators

This play style is best if you like to set your team up for success by retrieving information first. Initiators like Sova and Kay/O are pretty difficult to master, but the info they provide is vital in high-stake ranked matches.

You can also try playing the other initiators on the roster, namely Fade, Skye, Gekko, and Breach.

• Controllers

Liked smoking the plant site with Brimstone in your first match as a beginner? Controllers are dependable for slicing up the map by carefully blocking enemy vision. Take control of the map by playing other agents such as Omen, Viper, Harbor, or Astra.

The Best Controller to Unlock

Omen is a favorite among many gamers for his shy and misunderstood personality. His Dark Cover (E) is best on smaller maps, given the ability has a limited range.

The other abilities, such as Shrouded Step (C) and Paranoia (Q), are great for confusing and blinding opponents.

Lastly, use his ultimate, “From the Shadows (X),” to clutch rounds by teleporting to the plant site with the bomb.

The Best Sentinel to Unlock

The French agent, Chamber, is still one of the most played agents in the Valorant roster. His signature ability, Trademark (C), is unparalleled for blocking off chokepoints.

On the other hand, Headhunter (Q) is a golden gun with incredible firepower. Use Rendezvous (E) and Tour De Force (X) to assist your teammates with planting.

The Best Initiator to Unlock

Kay/O is all about his utilities. Suppress and detect your opponents by using Zero/Point (E). Use Fragment (C) and Flash/Drive (Q) to blind your enemies when pushing. His ultimate Null/CMD allows you to revive Kay/O and suppresses all enemy abilities in a large range when he’s alive.

The Best Duelist to Unlock

Play aggressively with Valorants’ most dominating agents to boost your rank. Reyna’s Devour (Q) lets her replenish lost health by consuming soul orbs.

Alternately, use Dismiss (E) on a soul orb to become invisible temporarily. You can also use Leer (C) to blind any opponent within range of the purple eye.

Lastly, equip her ultimate, Empress (X), to go on a frenzy and vanish entirely after every kill. Her health bar also increases to a maximum with every dismissal.

Conclusion

Each Valorant agent has unique skills and play styles that can quickly turn the tide of battle. With its exciting play modes and innovative strategies, dominate the game with an agent of your choice. Master your favorite character and start winning competitive matches today!