Aim: it’s a key part of VALORANT and probably the main foundational part of gameplay that the game has to offer. Regardless of which FPS title you’re diving into, your aim is going to be the make or break factor that defines you as a player, and in VALORANT, aim is everything.

In VALORANT, your gameplay revolves around your ability to aim. Of course, other factors like character selection and map knowledge play a decent part in the game’s mechanics, as well, but there isn’t one single core feature that defines VALORANT as heavily as a player’s ability to aim. If you’re looking to climb up the ranks, you’ll need to make sure that your aim is perfected over any other portion of your gameplay.

In this guide, we’ll go over everything it takes to train and perfect your aim on the battlefields of VALORANT. From focusing on the fundamentals of your aim in the practice tool to perfecting it in a high-stakes game, this breakdown of aiming in VALORANT will give you all the tools and tricks you need to bring your talents to their pinnacle.

Basics of Aiming

In order to succeed in VALORANT, you’ll need to boil everything down to your ability to aim your weapon. If improving at the game and ranking up is your overall goal, take any effort you’re making towards learning the game and funnel your resources into improving your aim immediately. Knowledge of the game’s agent roster and the maps it has to offer will come with time. For now, you should be focusing on improving your core fundamentals - with aiming being at the top of the list.

The most basic thing every VALORANT player needs to know about aim as a core mechanic is that each weapon in the game functions differently. Placing your crosshair on top of your enemies’ head is only half the battle.

In VALORANT, aim is a complex combination of crosshair placement, angle manipulation, knowledge of spray patterns, and the ability to stand still. Simply moving your cursor to a desired location isn’t going to be enough to improve your gameplay in the long term. However, once you develop a basic understanding of where your crosshair should be placed at all times, the rest will flow naturally. It’s just a matter of getting yourself situated in the game’s mechanics - and frankly, there’s no better way to train your aim than by practicing.

Training your Aim

Perhaps the most important part of aiming is actually practicing the concept time and again. Like other games, VALORANT is a title where players must focus on training their skill in different areas of the game’s mechanics in order to build up a better overall portfolio of abilities. Aiming is a key part of the game, and training it to be the best it can be is crucial.

The biggest step you can take to improving your aim is warming up your aim each time your login to VALORANT. Simply going into a ranked game cold is no way to ensure your success. Head into the shooting range for some warm-up drills before each play session to make sure that you’re ready to take the plunge into competitive play.

Getting warmed up in VALORANT is just as crucial to your climb as it is in any other game. Both the shooting test range and open range will give you a better grip on gunplay and will ultimately fine-tune your aim and overall mechanical ability before you get into a ranked game. If you feel like you’re missing shots during your games, or you need to focus on locking down certain spray patterns, the shooting range will allow you to practice your aiming abilities to your heart’s desire. If you’re looking to practice for extended periods of time at your own pace, this is the most viable option by far.

Personally, I like loading into the range and trying to get as many quick-reaction headshots as possible on the shooting range’s bots before heading into a ranked game. On top of that, the range has a ton of settings that you can play around with to make sure that you’re 100% comfortable with your ability to properly aim.

Perfecting Your Aim

Still, in any aspect of gaming, there’s no substitute for the real thing. When you feel sufficiently comfortable with your abilities on the range, head into a competitive game. When you find yourself faced against the enemy team, there’s a few things you should always be on the lookout for regarding your aim.

Firstly, you should make it a point to always aim your crosshair over the enemies’ heads. It definitely sounds straightforward and obvious, but if you get into the habit of having your crosshair placed at eye level, even when there’s no enemy players around, you’ll be more ready for when an opposing player does get the jump on you. If you’re dragging your crosshair around at foot level, you’ll have to take the extra time of jumping up a few inches and getting yourself squared away. Above all else, you should be focusing on always having your crosshair at the ready.

Additionally, once you’re in combat, your aim is going to be affected heavily by the recoil of whichever weapon you’re using. If you’re firing off multiple shots in a longer burst, you’re going to need to adapt to that particular weapon’s “spray pattern”. On top of adapting to the spray pattern of your chosen weapon, you’re going to want to stand still while shooting. Sprinting around while firing your weapon is a surefire way to miss every shot you take. If you stand perfectly still, only crouching or shift walking during combat when necessary, you’ll have a much easier time taking down your opponents.

Much like other FPS titles like CS:GO, VALORANT makes use of the concept of making the player move their mouse in tangent with the pattern in which the equipped weapon sprays bullets. The chart featured below, courtesy of Reddit user "nova42", gives a great look at all of VALORANT’s spray patterns and how they’re able to be focused on in any given game-time situation.

If you ever feel like you’re struggling with crosshair placement and spray patterns in live situations, you can always go back to the shooting range and practice your fundamentals whenever you feel you need to.

Still, it’s important to remember that the idea of “perfecting” your aim is an incredibly difficult and lengthy process. You’re not going to become an aiming sensation overnight. Additionally, you shouldn’t expect to jump from the practice range straight into competitive games like you’re doing a straightforward motion.

The process of getting better at VALORANT involves many trips back and forth to the range, as well as countless games in a high-stakes competitive environment. Only with time and effort will your aim improve, as it’s merely impossible to perfect the game’s most core mechanic in the blink of an eye. However, with immense amounts of practice and dedication, your aim can become your strongest attribute as a VALORANT player.