Runboosting can be used in matches to quickly reach parts of the map or catch an opponent off-guard. Here is a guide to runboosts — how they work, how to do them, and the best places to utilize them.
As a core gameplay mechanic in CS:GO, improving your movement skills is essential in becoming a better player. Superior movement can be used to gain an edge over your opponent in a plethora of situations in a match. From bunny hopping to strafing, there are many ways to hone your craft in an effort to be faster or more maneuverable in a round.
Exceptional utilization of speed can net your team an opening kill by getting to a part of the map before your opponent. Excellent maneuverability can help you quickly reach parts of the map or assist you in survivability by dodging enemies. One particular facet of CS:GO’s movement combines being both fast and maneuverable — runboosting.
The act of runboosting involves you running on top of another running player, allowing you to jump farther than a regular jump would. Your velocity — the measurement of your speed in CS:GO — doubles when runboosting. While regularly jumping has a velocity of 250 units, a runboost jump nets roughly 500 units with a knife out.
Runboosting should be done on a flat surface with two upright, running players to produce the best results. With practice, you can learn to boost sideways, with guns out, or on uneven slopes for more options in your competitive games.
In general, this learned skill can be very versatile in its uses as long as you have a willing teammate. Whether it be to get a forward position for a kill or surprise an enemy, runboosting is a useful asset to have in your arsenal. Here are some specific uses for runboosting on each competitive map.
As a Counter-Terrorist, you can coordinate with a teammate to runboost from Mid Stairs to Ledge at the start of the round before any Terrorists approach Mid. This runboost can be executed quickly — the bottom CT can stand upright at a lower point of the steps and the top CT can jump on their head from the top of the stairs.
From Ledge, you can quickly peek Lane outside of B Site with the intent of getting an opening kill before any of the Terrorists expect you. Here is an example of such a runboost being executed in professional play. In this clip, Heroic caught Team Spirit off guard with a fast entry pick — this is because such a position would usually take longer to get to if not for the runboost.
Runboosts can also be performed as a method to effectively bypass angles covered by Counter-Terrorists. On Dust 2, Terrorists can employ these tactics to gain map control on their way to the A Site. With simple coordination with a teammate, you can use a runboost to bait an AWP shot or force a rifler to attempt to shoot you out of the air.
A runboost may be a good idea if you take Long control and are aware of an AWPer on A Site. It is most useful on low buy rounds in which flashbangs are scarce and a way to evade the defensive sniper is needed. A similar runboost can be brought into play on A Short as well as a method to avoid a CT at Ramp.
The slightly elevated ground by Cubby on A allows Counter-Terrorists to swiftly runboost past Mid. Minimal effort is required to execute this arrangement, allowing this setup to be used commonly throughout your Inferno game. Your A Site Arch player can continue to play from their position while your AWPer attempts to grab the opening kill.
This runboost is useful to peek Mid from an alternate angle or to reach Apps at a quickened pace. While it is not recommended to do this every CT round, such a runboost is beneficial to keep in your back pocket for a deeper strategic playbook.
Mirage, like Dust 2, has a runboost that aims to bait an AWP shot from the CT sniper. A sideways runboost can be used to launch yourself or your teammate to wide-peek Mid or to safely get behind Top Mid Boxes. The goal is for the CT Mid player to struggle to hit the flying Terrorist, allowing the T Side to overwhelm them. It is most useful on low economy rounds where a Top Mid smoke and flashbangs are unavailable. However, it can also be done on a full buy if your boosted player is confident in their ability to hit a shot quickly after landing.
A harder, albeit worthwhile runboost can be accomplished by the Terrorists at the start of the round as they move to A Ramp. With some practice and the right spawns, you can jump from the higher ground near Palace onto your teammate’s head as they move towards A Site. This runboost allows you to peek A before the Counter-Terrorists expect opposition.
Nuke has a valuable runboost in a very niche scenario for the Terrorist side. If you and a teammate are in Garage and know that a CT in Heaven is aware of your location, try this runboost out. The intention is to prevent the Heaven player from knowing that one of you crossed over the Garage entrance, allowing you to peek them with an advantage.
A runboost may be a good option for Terrorists seeking to take Long control from a passive CT AWPer. Given the size and cover-heavy nature of A Long, flashbangs may not be sufficient to suppress the Counter-Terrorist. As such, a runboost to wide swing and catch the enemy off-guard may be a solution you would like to employ on occasion.
A handy runboost can also be found on the CT side on the B Site. Similar to the Inferno Mid runboost, this can be executed with ease given the natural incline found on B. This is best used if you wish to avoid the Terrorist’s line of sight, restricting their knowledge of your location on the far side of Monster. From there, you can choose to peek from an unexpected angle with the hope of getting a quick pick.
If you are aware of aggressive tendencies from the CT B players, you can attempt this cinematic runboost from T Spawn to B Stairs to silence them. This is a high risk, high reward runboost — if you fail, you will end up falling to your death. If you succeed, you can land at the bottom of B Stairs with a clear line of sight towards any Counter-Terrorists looking the other way towards the B entrance. It is recommended to practice this runboost with a teammate in a custom server before trying it in an official match — the complicated set up and mid-air strafing can be difficult to master.
Runboosts, like any other strategy, should not be used every round. If used too frequently, your opponents may catch on and seek to rush you and your teammate while you set up. However, the knowledge of how to do them and where to use them can sometimes be instrumental in winning you rounds. Try to utilize some of these runboosts or even attempt to find new ones yourself in your next game!
