In late March, I spent three days at Valorant at the invitation of Riot Games. We were given unlimited access to a client in which there were two cards and nine characters. When the developers first showed the abilities of local agents, this caused controversy in the community – in this article I will talk about how bad the fireballs are, how they are painted.
Source: Riot Games
At the start of the game, ten operatives will be available, but one of them was not shown to us. Many of the abilities were already known to those who closely followed the news about Valorant in our section. However, I managed to test them all in battle and at the same time communicate with the developers, so I will try to highlight those skills that really turned out to be strong.
All abilities in Valorant are divided into three types: signature, ultimate and additional. Each hero has the first ones by default, they are free and available from the start of the round. Ultimates must be accumulated – they cost 6-7 units. local energy. You get this resource for killing rivals and winning rounds, or you simply pick it up on the map – albeit in very dangerous places. You need to buy additional skills charges – their cost is approximately equivalent to grenades in CS: GO, so you can use them in every round if you wish.
Phoenix
Phoenix is a very selfish character, his skills practically leave no room for interaction with the team. And therefore, taking it, you actually take off the burden of responsibility.
The Phoenix signature ability is a fireball throw that acts on the same principle as the regular Molotov. The only difference is that Phoenix itself restores health in this fire (about 50%). For this purpose, the participants in the playtest used this skill – it is rather difficult to use it in combat conditions.
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The first additional ability is the installation of a fire wall, which can also cure Phoenix. All characters can pass through it, while taking minor damage. This ability has tactical potential – Phoenix alone can divide a plant into two parts. However, the wall cannot be installed remotely (through textures), and therefore most players ignored this skill or took it exclusively as a first-aid kit.
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The second additional ability is the usual “flash drive”, which the hero can throw along the L-shaped path. It explodes very quickly and practically does not leave the opponent a chance to react. It is for her sake that the character is most often taken – such abilities in Valorant are in short supply.
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Ultimate Phoenix allows him to save his current location and start a timer, after which the character will return to this point with his previous health reserve. At this time, Phoenix can move, shoot opponents and die – this will not prevent him from returning to life after a timer.
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The ability seems strong, but it should be understood: it lasts about seven seconds – during this time it is impossible to get on the “shift” behind the back of the opponents. Yes, once or twice a match, the skill can allow you to run to the point and find out the positions of the enemies, but after that they will clearly know where the Phoenix attack will come from – a very mixed advantage. It seemed to me really imbalanced only during situations 1v1, in which Phoenix managed to plant a bomb. The character can “survive” and simply run out to the opponent – he will have to stop demining.
Sage
Sage’s signature ability allows you to heal yourself or your allies – the effect lasts for several seconds and can be interrupted by any damage received. The skill has no charges, but there is a long cooldown that rarely allows Sage to heal more than one hero per round. But, playing with Sage on the point, you can not be afraid to get a random lumbago – the character will fix everything.
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The second ability of Sage is the installation of an impenetrable ice wall, which is guaranteed to close even the widest passage. Opponents (and allies) can destroy the obstacle, but for this they will need to release an entire store from her local counterpart AK-47 – I want to believe that the release ability will be slightly nerfed. In addition, the wall can be spawned directly under the hero, thus “dropping” it to previously inaccessible points.
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Another additional skill, Sage, allows her to throw a projectile twice a round, which temporarily covers an area on the ground with crystals. They do not cause damage, but greatly slow down the movement of characters, and also make their steps very loud – even if opponents sneak “on the shift”. This also affects the allies, so throwing such a bomb on a point is not a good idea.
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Ultimate Sage gives her the opportunity to resurrect an ally with a full supply of health. On paper, it may seem like a completely broken skill, but in reality it doesn’t really affect the game so much. Using it in rounds in which your team wins is a futile exercise. And in 1v4 situations, a resurrected teammate is unlikely to save the situation. Often I saw how the players on Sage kept the ultimate until the end of the map in anticipation of a key round, but how to find out which round to consider as such is a big mystery.
Jett
Jett is my favorite character in Valorant. It is perfect for those who like to play aggressively and feel the timings well. When the ultimate is activated, Jett changes the main weapon to five throwing knives: they inflict fatal damage when hit in the head, and when throwing into the body they can kill any target in two blows. The charges of the knives are restored if the character manages to make a fragment with their help.
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However, the entire character tsimes is not in an ultimite. The signature skill is much more interesting – a jerk that allows Jett to instantly cover a couple of meters once per round.
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Due to the jerk, Jett can knock down opponents all timings, before they reach key positions – in CS: GO a similar effect can be achieved with a very successful banihope. Often, I managed to catch opponents without weapons in my hands or get valuable information for the team at the very beginning of the round, which allowed me to change tactics in time. Jett can also take off several meters up to climb into positions inaccessible to other heroes, as well as throw smoke grenades. All this makes the character extremely useful in both attack and defense. But jerks, of course, are not as spectacular as fireballs or death rays.
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Sova
Sova is a Russian intelligence officer whom Valorant’s creators for some reason armed with a bow. During the playtest, this character was a regular guest in my matches, as his abilities allow him to receive information and fight, while maintaining a safe distance.
The signature ability of Sova is an arrow-sonar, which, when hit in the wall three times, launches a wave that “shines through” the enemies in the area of effect. If at that moment the rivals do not have time to hide around the corner or break the arrow with an accurate shot, then Sova and his teammates will be able to see their silhouettes through the walls. A good half of the players on this hero used arrows at the very beginning to determine the direction of attack of the opponent, but there was not much benefit from this.
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But at the end of the rounds such arrows can be extremely useful – if the opponent is in the zone of its action, then he will have to give out his position with a shot. If you already knew the location of the opponent, then the arrow can be used to go out on him with a prefer. Great spell!
Additional devices Sova – flying reconnaissance drone and arrows with exploding tips. The drone “lives” for about seven seconds, but it can once shoot a dart at the enemy, highlighting its silhouette for a short time. Exploding arrows are just ordinary grenades from CS: GO. It is impossible to kill anyone with one such shot, but to inflict damage and make future skirmishes more profitable – no problem.
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Ultimate Sova is arguably the strongest in the game. The character gets the opportunity to alternately release three energy rays that pierce the entire card through and apply 50 units. damage to everyone in the area. When preparing a shot, enemies can see where Sova is aiming, but often this moment is not enough to dodge the beam. If you combine the ability with a scanning arrow, you can destroy one or two enemies without even going to a point. However, in 20 matches I have seen a truly successful ultimate only once.
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Omen
Omen is the best agent for those who want to forget about their abilities and just shoot. The character’s signature skill is an ordinary smoke grenade, which Omen can throw anywhere on the map, even directly on the enemy’s spawn. You can use it once per round. Additional spells are a short-range teleport with a loud sound effect and a monstrously long cast animation that leaves the hero unarmed, as well as a kind of “flash drive” that Omen can throw through walls. The shell does not explode, but when in contact with the enemy for several seconds limits its field of view to an area of a couple of meters. However, the charge flies very slowly, so dodging it is not difficult.
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Ultimate agent – teleport to anywhere on the map. It can be combined with Omen smoke grenade – the size of the cloud allows you to hide a teleportable character in it. Using the skill, you can bypass opponents and stab them in the back. The only problem is that they are likely to be ready for this. When teleporting, Omen makes a very loud sound at the place of arrival, which allows opponents to prepare for a meeting with him. In addition, during the animation of the teleport, the mini-map of the enemies is covered with a peculiar shadow effect – it is impossible to miss the use of this “ult”.
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Viper
Viper is an amazing character. During the presentation of the game, the participants in the playtest decided that this agent is too strong, but almost only I played directly in the matches. Viper is the only Valorant operative that has its own resource, the toxin. The character spends it to use skills.
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Viper’s signature ability is a wall of poison that a character can activate and deactivate several times. You can only move the wall with the start of the next round. It closes the review to enemies, but does not interfere with their movement in any way – only causes small damage. The second ability that uses the toxin is a smoke grenade, which Viper can put on the ground and then turn on and off as desired. The toxin necessary for using devices is restored passively, and quite quickly.
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Another additional Viper ability is two Molotovs that do not burn, but spill acid on the floor. The effect is the same – periodic damage and no slowdown. The most interesting thing about the character is his ultimate. By charging the skill, Viper can create a huge cloud of gas that can fully cover a whole plant. It greatly limits the visibility of all participants in a poisonous party, and also quickly consumes their HP (but not with Viper).
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You cannot die from gas – it will leave you 1 unit. health. In addition, leaving the poisonous area will instantly restore your previous HP supply. You can see the enemy in the cloud only from a distance of a couple of meters. At the same time, Viper gets the effect of a thermal imager – the silhouettes of enemies that come too close for the agent will be highlighted. However, if Viper sees you, it means that you can see it too. The video below is an example.
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The ultimate effect lasts indefinitely, but only as long as Viper remains in its area of effect. The ability is difficult to use in defense – enemies can always turn around and go on business to another point. But in the attack after laying the bomb ultimate gives Viper a good chance to win the round.
Cypher
Cypher began to reveal closer to the end of the playtest. The task of this agent is to strengthen the point and not allow enemies to enter it. He can do this with a whole set of devices.
The signature skill allows Cypher to place an invisible stretch in any passage. You can notice it only if you get as close as possible. When the enemy activates the stretch, it marks its location and significantly reduces the speed of movement. If within the next two seconds he does not break the device, then it will self-destruct, practically dazzling the victim. Toward the end of the playtest, the Cypher players began to place these extensions at the floor level, in which case it became almost impossible to notice them – they were simply out of sight of most users. For a round Cypher can place two such devices, closing almost all approaches to the planet.
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Purchased Cypher devices are an invisible security camera that he can install on any wall and look at the world with her “eye”. When used, the camera becomes visible – at such moments, enemies can destroy it with an accurate shot. The third Cypher device is smoke grenades, which the character can place on the ground and activate as needed. When used, they create an opaque cylinder that slows down the movement of opponents.
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With the ultimate, Cypher can “interrogate” the killed enemy and see all his allies who survived. This action marks their silhouettes through the walls, but only for one second. Having killed the lurker, Cypher can thus reveal the opponent’s fake, but in the realities of the playtest, the ability looked frankly meaningless – people did not think about such difficult tactics.
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Brimstone
Brimstone is an excellent agent for those who at the beginning of all rounds in CS: GO offer teammates to arrange a “throwing” to point A. With the help of a signature skill this character can independently throw three smoke grenades at any point on the map without resorting to teammates.
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It’s only a pity that the additional abilities of Brimstone are perhaps the most boring in the game. One allows him to pick up a grenade launcher and release an ordinary incendiary grenade, albeit with rather serious damage. The second is to throw a booster on the ground, which slightly increases the attack speed of all players. In theory, this may help you in the shootings, but the effect of such a booster lasts only a couple of seconds if the player moves away from him more than a couple of meters.
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Ultimate Brimstone caused the most controversy in the community when Riot Games first introduced the character. With this ability, the hero can mark any point on the map and cause a deadly ray to burn out all living things in a second. Although this skill looks like something that does not have a place in a competitive shooter, in reality it is practically impossible to use it effectively.
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The beam requires a couple of seconds of charging, and during this time the enemies can easily get out of its coverage area – it is marked by a bright circle, which is hard to miss. For 20 matches, I have never seen a quality ultimate from Brimstone – probably this speaks of balance.
Breach
The developers did not show Breach before the playtest. My colleagues rarely used this character (and I fell in love with Jett and Viper too), but I am sure that the agent has great potential.
Breach’s signature ability allows him, after a short charge, to release a shock wave that stuns enemies – that is, it knocks down their sight and slightly impairs vision. The wave passes through the walls and has a rather large area of action. True, the stunning effect subsides after a couple of seconds.
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Чтобы эффективно использовать покупные способности Breach, потребуется определенная сноровка. Оба навыка действуют похожим образом: агент запускает заряды в стену, которые выходят с обратной стороны — не зависимости от того, насколько толстая эта стена! Это значит, что в теории Breach может простреливать насквозь целые дома.
Один заряд взрывается и наносит врагам урон. Если соперник окажется в эпицентре взрыва, то получит смертельный урон. Единственный недостаток навыка — выпущенная бомба имеет очень долгую анимацию срабатывания, поэтому враги обычно успевают отойти на достаточное расстояние, чтобы не умереть от взрыва.
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Второй заряд, вырвавшись из стены, мгновенно ослепляет врагов. Эффект длится почти три секунды и, в отличие от взрыва, наступает мгновенно. Это позволяет Breach очень эффективно играть в агрессию — после выстрела в стену он может сразу выходить на врага, не думая о таймингах.
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Ультимейт Breach — фактически усиленная версия его сигнатурной способности. Навык выпускает такую же волну, которая не только оглушает врагов, но и подбрасывает их в воздух, нанося при этом небольшой урон. С определенного угла Breach может запустить эту волну через весь плант. Если скоординировать это с командой и попытаться зарашить точку, эффект может быть неплохим. Впрочем, у нас такого не случилось ни разу, и вскоре Breach вообще перестал появляться в матчах плейтеста.
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Несмотря на яркие эффекты, большинство способностей в Valorant мало чем отличаются от обыкновенных «Молотовых» и «смоков». Игра от Riot Games — это тактический шутер, который намного ближе к CS:GO, чем к Overwatch или Rainbow Six Siege, где навыки оперативников порой радикально меняют правила матча. Разработчики сообщили, что на релизе в Valorant будет десять героев — девять, описанных в тексте, и неизвестный десятый, которого нам отказались показывать. Еще больше об игре вы можете узнать в нашем превью.
