At first glance, roles don’t seem to play much of an important role in CS:GO. Compared to other popular esports titles such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and even Valorant, there is no indication that any player’s role in the game is any different from any other player in his team. Up until a certain skill level, this is certainly true. Most players at lower ranks just run in and try to get the frags needed to win the round, throwing utility every once in a while. At higher ranks, however, roles are more clearly defined and playstyles are developed to maximize the role’s potential.

In this guide, let’s take a look at all of these different roles! Because of the ineffable nature of these roles, a lot of them overlap and one player might take on different roles at the same time depending on the map or strategy. When it comes to roles in CS:GO, it’s fifty shades of grey.

Entry Fragger

First up, the entry fragger. Possibly the most important role in the game, the entry fragger will open up sites by being on the frontline of the battlefield and getting one or two frags. Although in a best-case scenario the entry fragger lives, it’s no disaster if the entry fragger gets a free ticket to hell, as long as they takes some of his enemies along for the ride.

Entry fraggers rely on a very particular set of skills that would scare away even the likes of Liam Neeson. With aim so accurate it rivals Legolas’ and impeccable game sense to force 1v1’s creatively using the layout of the map to their advantage, they force an opening into the site so that the bomb can get planted and the rest of their team can play defense. Moreover, they’re not scared to be the first on the site and enter any given fight with great confidence they will come out of it victorious.

Consequently, if you want to be an entry fragger, you must focus on perfecting your aim. Every encounter you face will come down to being faster and more accurate than your opponent, as there is no almost no chance you can catch an enemy off-guard. Moreover, you must develop your game sense to the point you can frequently predict the positioning and economy of your enemies. For example, if your enemies have enough money to buy an AWP and you know a player likes to peek from stairs on Mirage into A-ramp, it might not be the best idea to push that position in that round. For a more in-depth analysis of what it takes to be an entry fragger, you can read one of my previous guides ‘So you want to be an entry fragger…’

Summary: Opens up the site by pushing first and out-aiming the defenders waiting for their arrival. 

Support

Next, the entry fragger’s best friend, the support. These players will do everything in their power to make the entry fragger’s life as comfortable as possible. There are two main ways support players can alleviate some of the pressure on the entry fraggers. First of all, they throw utility to hinder the defense as much as possible. With smoke grenades, they block off key angles of rotations, and, using flashbangs, they blind the remaining enemies on the site, possibly giving their entry fragger a free kill. Fire grenades on the other hand can force enemies out of a tricky position that would expose the entry fragger to too high a risk. Due to the support player's important utility usage, they often sacrifice some firepower to buy more utility when the team faces budgetary issues.

Consequently, the impact of a support player cannot simply be measured by looking at their kill-death difference, as some of their best contributions may very well happen when they throw a single flashbang. While a support’s rifling skills are of slightly less importance compared to entry fraggers, that doesn’t mean they can neglect their aim. The second way they can support their team is by killing the enemy that kills their entry fragger, called refragging, and by being able to defend the bomb once it is planted.

If you want to make the most of your role as a support player, your main focus should be on learning different line-ups on all the maps you play, while still maintaining your rifling skills. There are many amazing guides on our website showing you must-know utility, including my own for Overpass. As for rifling, I have composed a really fun 10-minute warm-up routine that should help you stay in shape!

Summary: Helps the entry fragger through utility usage and refrags.

Lurker

Next up is the lurker, also known as the lone wolf of CS:GO. This player goes his own way and leaves the comfort of friendship behind for the cold embrace of isolation. The lurker will do exactly as their name implies, they will lurk around the map and go the opposite way of his teammates, trying to get some information or catch a rotation off-guard. The role of a lurker is very tricky, as it’s easy to get caught off-guard and die without having any impact. Well-played, however, a lurker can change the entire outcome of a round in two major ways.

First of all, when his teammates are making noise in front of a certain site, there is a good chance that enemies on the other site will rotate to T-spawn to go for a backstab. The lurker can then stay behind to brutally shut down this attempt, allowing his teammates to focus on the attack from CT-spawn. Moreover, this kill might leave the other site defenseless, creating the possibility to very quickly rotate while the defenders are still worried about countering the initial hit.

Secondly, if the lurker goes for a late push after their teammates started the initial strike, they can very easily catch an enemy by surprise with his flank. There are two possibilities here. The team can commit to the push and use the lurker as a one-man clean-up crew to deal with any unsuspecting defenders. Another possibility is for the lurker to call that the site they pushed is clear, and have his teammates rotate while they positions himself on an off-angle to deal some initial damage.

Now, the success rate of a lurk depends heavily on game sense and being able to read your enemy’s moves based on information. As a lurker is by definition on his own, they is left in an entirely vulnerable position where no trades are possible. Consequently, a bad lurker can very easily be shut down without even having any impact in that round. they must be smart about his timings, be able to react quickly, and know when to push and when to hide. This role is suited for more seasoned players, but when played well can be the key to winning the map.

Summary: Takes control of the map far from their teammates, gets info on rotations, and backstabs.

In-Game Leader

The next role is the mastermind behind the entire operation, the in-game leader. This ‘IGL’ will make the big decisions between and during rounds. they will call whether to eco a round or force buy, whether to load up on utility or to prioritize firepower, and what strategy to follow. Very clearly, this role is necessarily taken up in combination with the other roles. Looking at pro teams, there is no clear preference for a specific combination and there are plenty of examples of entry fraggers that are also the IGL for their team with great success. Of course, playing from a supportive position often offers a better overview of what is happening on the battlefield, and many IGLs take a position on the backline for that exact reason.

As an IGL, it’s important to keep a cool head at all times and to continuously pay attention to what is happening. When a team is faced with a seemingly impenetrable defense, the IGL is the one to figure out the weak links in their enemy’s setup. Once they figure out the weak spots of his enemies, they call the right strategy to exploit these weak spots.

To be a good IGL, there are several elements you must be able to keep track of. First off, you have to track the economy of the enemy team and your own, making buy decisions accordingly. While there is no way to accurately determine how much money the enemy has in the bank, by looking at their buys and predicting how much money they received in a given round you can make a good estimation.

Secondly, you have to look for trends in the enemy’s playstyle. Does your enemy play very aggressively and push certain positions? Then you can fall back and wait for the push, only going in after getting the kill. If on the other they play passive from a certain position with an AWP, then make sure to tell one of your teammates to throw a smoke grenade or a flashbang to eliminate that angle if you decide to push that position.

Finally, you must be able to make split-second decisions based on the continuous feed of information you receive during a round. A single kill, be it on the enemy’s side or your own, can force you to change your call entirely. In these heart-racing moments, it’s important you keep a level head and make the right decisions. Much like is the case for the lurker, a lot of the skills required to be a good IGL come only with a lot of experience, and some of the best in-game leaders in the world have an extraordinary amount of game sense.

Summary: Calls the strategies, manages the economy, and steers their team mid-round.

Main AWP

Finally, the main AWP. Possibly the most contested role in team compositions, especially when playing with randoms, the main AWP player can truly make a difference and single-handedly win rounds for his team. The main purpose of the AWP is usually to hold long-range angles and to pick off enemies before their teammates commit to a site or before the enemy reaches it. Moreover, they can be a better choice for players on low health, as the time to kill is much lower than for rifles, with the downside that a bullet can only be fired once every second.

Looking at the massive impact that the top 2 players of 2020 have in their team, Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostylievs and Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut, it’s no surprise that many players dream of nailing the same flashy plays, raining destruction on their enemies with lightning-fast shots. Of course, these are exceptional players and very few will ever get to their level. That doesn’t mean that nobody else should main AWP, but it’s important to set the right expectations and act accordingly. If you constantly over-extent to go for the miracle play, chances are high that you end up dying with no impact in the round. The largest drawback of being an AWP player is there is no room for mistakes. The moment you pull the trigger, you are left entirely vulnerable as you have to cock back the bolt on your gun before firing the next shot.

Consequently, as the main AWP player, you must pick your battles wisely and, where entry fraggers require aim that could rival Legolas’, as the main AWPer you need to go beyond that and surpass that with eagle-like accuracy and reflexes. If you know how to wield this mighty weapon, you can be a titan on the battlefield. However, if you miss shots and get outplayed, you’re no more than an annoying mosquito. Importantly, as an AWP player, you must also pay a lot of attention to your budget. Considering the higher price of the AWP compared to rifles, losing an AWP due to a bad play is a very expensive affair and, if you die, you should have a teammate pick up your AWP. Moreover, during eco and force-buy rounds, you will often be forced to make do with a lesser buy compared to your teammates. In case you want an in-depth look at what it takes to be an AWPer and how you can practice the required skills, you can read my ultimate AWP guide.

Summary: Usually holds long-range angles. Does devastating damage with one bullet, but can only shoot once every second. High risk, high reward.

Secondary AWP

As an extra, there can also be a secondary AWP. Usually to be found on the CT-side, a team can choose to have a defender on each site empowered by this lethal weapon. A second AWP is by no means required, however, and ultimately depends on what players feel is the best composition. A second AWP will often be picked up when the team can comfortably afford one, as it adds a significant amount of firepower but losing it also means flushing a large investment down the drain. As the secondary AWP must be able to use the sniper and rifles interchangeably, this jack-of-all-trades must feel just as comfortable with a sniper in his hands as they are with rifles. Consequently, a secondary AWPer's training regime will consist of a mix of both rifle and AWP training.

Summary: Back-up AWP player, usually on defense when the bank is full. 

Visit our partner VIE for the safest market and best customer care in esports betting.
Must be age 18+ and reside in a country where online gambling is legal. Gamble responsibly