Riot Games' first FPS title, VALORANT, is exploding with popularity as closed beta keys are being distributed this week. Combining the ability elements of Overwatch, gunplay of Counter-Strike, and creative design of Riot Games, VALORANT has already captured the attention of the gaming community, leaving many gamers salivating in anticipation of a beta key. If you don't have a beta key yet, or are deciding what characters to main, right now is a great time to learn about the game's characters, referred to as Agents, and begin exploring the strategic diversity available.

Today's discussion will be an introduction to Brimstone, one of VALORANT's Controller class Agents. Brimstone is perfect for players that enjoy controlling zones of the map, using vision manipulation and terrain effects to force enemies out of position. Leveraging Brimstone's ability kit allows him to impact any part of the map, granting massive amounts of utility when fighting from a distance. Let's begin with an overview of abilities:

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First Ability - (C) - STIM BEACON - 100 credits

Stim Beacon places a beacon at a target location providing a RapidFire buff to all players within the AoE radius. RapidFire provides percentage bonuses to fire rate, reload speed, weapon swap speed, and recoil recovery. Up to 2 Stim Beacons can be purchased per round for 100 credits each. The RapidFire buff will also linger for 4 seconds after exiting the AoE.

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Stim Beacon is best used when pushing for control of an objective area. Placing Stim Beacon in entryway locations grants allied units the RapidFire buff, maximizing damage per second in the clutch moments of a fight. Stim Beacon can also be used as a decoy, leading enemies to focus on one point of entry while your team actually attacks from another position. Stim Beacon will grant enemy players the RapidFire buff and can be used against you if your team loses control of the area. Tactical placement will involve managing the amount of space the AoE will reach, to ensure your team makes maximum usage of the buff while not allowing enemies to access the beacon.

Second Ability - (Q) - Incendiary - 200 Credits

Incendiary is one of Brimstone's best tools for controlling an area of the map. Incendiary launches a grenade that bounces and explodes upon reaching its resting point. The resulting explosion covers an area of the ground with flames that damage any players in the AoE. The zone of fire deals damage to allied players at a reduced rate.

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Incendiary is a great tool for zoning enemies out of a target entryway or roasting them in a choke point. This ability heavily synergizes with Brimstone's other abilities that manipulate vision and positioning. Trapping enemies by controlling vision and terrain allows Brimstone to increase accuracy with his Orbital Strike and wipe out opponents from afar. Incendiary holds one charge and can be purchased for 200 credits.

Signature Ability - (E) - (Sky Smoke) - 100 Credits

Brimstone's signature ability Sky Smoke is one of the strongest vision control skills in the game. Sky Smoke equips a Tactical Map that allows Brimstone to drop up to three smoke pellets at target locations. Equipping the map does leave you unarmed and vulnerable but does not limit your mobility. The range of Sky Smoke is massive but is not global, with the Tactical Map revealing the available locations for airstrikes.

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Sky Smoke can be used in a myriad of ways both on offense and defense. Use Sky Smoke to support allied players pushing into contested areas of the map by disrupting vision of the entryways. It can also be used to bait enemy players to focus on certain choke points while the real assault is executed from another direction. The smoke pellets can be used in separate instances, chaining them to disrupt vision in one location for a long period of time, or all at once to completely shut off vision in multiple key areas on the map. Up to 3 charges can be held, purchased for 100 credits.

Ultimate Ability - (X) - Orbital Strike - 6 Ultimate Orbs

Brimstone's ultimate ability Orbital Strike equips a Tactical Map to select a target area and, after a short animation delay, calls down a laser from the sky that deals damage over time to any player within the AoE circle. Players take more damage the closer they are to the center of the circle. The aforementioned animation delay does allow enough time for enemies in the center of the AoE to potentially escape the circle and take minimal damage. Allied players take reduced damage from Orbital Strike.

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Orbital Strike deals massive damage and can be used from a very far distance. Using Incendiary and Sky Smoke to cut off choke points and exits allows Brimstone to blast trapped enemies without ever putting himself at risk. Orbital Strike is a great tool to force enemies out of position making them easy targets for kills with assault or sniper rifles from a distance. It is also one of the best tools for playing around Spike implants and defusals. Use it on offense to disrupt enemy defusal attempts and on defense after hearing the cue that the spike is being planted. This zone control tool is one of the most high-impact abilities in the game and is earned by collecting 6 Ultimate Orbs.

Gun Choices

Brimstone performs well in long range combat, making Rifles an ideal choice for picking off enemies after forcing them into danger with Orbital Strike.

Phantom - 2900 credits -

While Phantom does have a significant drop off in damage when fighting from far away, it has a high fire rate of 11 rounds per second and a 30-round magazine size. Being fully automatic, this gun is a great choice when pushing into a contested area and is best used in mid-range fights with the Stim Beacon's RapidFire buff.

Operator - 4500 credits - 

Operator is a one-shot kill if hitting an enemy in any area other than the leg. It is the most expensive gun available but is also the best option for fighting from a distance. Using Orbital Strike and Sky Smoke to lead enemies into danger makes the Operator a great choice for picking enemies off from afar.

Conclusion

Brimstone is a great choice for teamwork-oriented gameplay, as his abilities are great tools for controlling areas of the map and providing buffs to allied players. Disrupting vision with Sky Smoke and granting players the RapidFire buff using Stim Beacon are great ways to support coordinated efforts with teammates to control contested areas of the map. Use Incendiary to cover exits and entryways forcing enemies to choose another path or take heavy damage per second. Orbital Strike is a deadly zone control ability and provides insane utility around the defusal and planting of the Spike. With his unique capability to control the map from a distance, and coordinate with teammates, Brimstone is a powerful choice for any team composition.