Learn From The Pros: A Player To Study for Each Agent
Here are some pro Valorant players to watch to step up your game on each Agent.
Professional Valorant is, like the rest of the game, in its infancy and still has a long way to go in terms of polish and strategy. While that may be, Valorant played at the highest level is exciting and can even be studied to help further player’s growth and understanding of the game. Each pro player puts hundreds of hours into map-specific strategies for holding, attacking, and retaking sites. They also have complete mastery over the Agents that they pilot, using them as optimally as possible in any given scenario. While watching guides for Agents are a great way to learn the basics, players can step up their knowledge by watching pro players compete. Whether it is a solo queue match or a Grand Finals, watching how a pro utilizes an Agent’s kit can help players understand advanced concepts for any Agent. So, here is a list of one pro one pro Valorant player to watch for every Agent in the game.
Raze - Jay “sinatraa” Won
The former Overwatch MVP is the current star of the Sentinels lineup and utilizes many different Agents. The Agent that he is most impressive on, and the one that players can learn the most from, is his Raze. Sinatraa is a master of movement on Raze, utilizing the Agent’s Blast Packs and Ultimate for maximum mobility for entering an area or dodging enemy bullets. His Paint Shell placement is also something that players can analyze and learn from.
The Sentinels ace is also an innovator in the meta and is not afraid to use all the guns Valorant has to offer. For those who have wondered how to use the Frenzy aggressively as Raze, sinatraa is the guy to watch.
Jett - Tyson "TenZ" Ngo
TenZ is definitely one of the best Jett players around. Besides his god-like aim, he also has some pretty nifty moves on the Agent that definitely deserve a deep dive for Jett players. He is the primary Operator player for Cloud9, but TenZ does utilize SMGs and Shotguns on eco rounds while utilizing Jett’s excellent movement capabilities. Players could learn how to maximize Jett not just during buy rounds, or when she has her Ultimate, but during eco and mixed-economy rounds.
TenZ also has specific key bindings for Jett that help him utilize her mobility with his reflexes, binding her Updraft and Tailwind to his mouse buttons.
Cypher - Michael "dapr" Gulino
Another Sentinels’ player, dapr is one of the most prolific Cypher players in the NA server. He has over 1,400 rounds on the Agent and his consistency is a one of the reasons Sentinels have been fighting for 1st place finishes at tournaments. The 21-year-old former CS:GO pro may not fill the stat sheet for his team, but he is a consistent threat to enemies because of his great camera placement and supportive play. While he is no slouch compared to other Cypher players, he is fringe top 10 in average combat score, KD, and average kills per round, players can learn more from his supportive games than his high-kill highlights.
Players should watch dapr and dissect his movements and ability placement post-plant in defence and offense scenarios.
Breach - Tobias "shadow" Flodström
Breach is considered by some to be a very map specific Agent, working on maps that utilize his initiation tools and wall flashes. But, FunPlus Phoenix’s resident Breach player, shadow, plays Breach on every map for his team. Breach is somewhat sidelined in the current meta, because other Agents have more reliable flashes, or Duelists taking priority away from him. But shadow does not seem to agree, putting in over 1,200 rounds with the character.
Players can look to him for how to play Breach effectively on Bind and Ascent, or for how to combo their abilities with other Agents at a high level.
Reyna - Peter "Asuna" Mazuryk
Reyna is a solo queue menace but has not had her casual dominance transfer into the professional realm. Some of this is due to her kit's reliance on kills and some is due to her lack of utility to a team outside of her flash. Because of this, not many pro players have the Agent at a tournament-level, except for players like Asuna and a few European pros. The young Immortals player has an affinity for Reyna and uses her aggressively like a true Duelist. Asuna is a great example for Reyna players to model their play after.
Asuna primarily uses the vampire Agent for aim duels with opponents, regardless of how many he is swinging into. The way the pro utilizes Reyna’s abilities to heal and become intangible during engagements and one-on-ones is second to none. Players should look to Asuna for how to properly utilize Reyna’s abilities post-kill in high-pressure scenarios.
Viper - Saif "Sayf" Jibraeel
Viper is still a niche pick in the current meta and has not been seen much professionally. The toxic queen is not without her champions and pro players like Sayf have put the time in and taken her for a spin in some competitive matches. Sayf plays a variety of Agents for his team but pulls out Viper mostly for games on Split. Sayf has the most rounds played on the Agent so far and seems to have mastered the Agents zone control abilities, at least on Split.
Viper players are a little handicapped when it comes to role models, but they can at least look to Sayf for what exactly high-level set ups and strategies look like for the Agent on at least one map. Players should watch Sayf and his team BONK and study how they use Viper on one-way setups and how they utilize the Agent’s Ultimate.
Sova - Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks
Sova is a very beginner friendly Agent to pick up and learn exclusively through guides with arrow lineups that reveal every corner of a site. Watching Sova in pro play is more of a study of resource management and when to pull out a well placed arrow and move into a site. Ardiis is probably the best pro player to watch for this and how to properly utilize Sova’s ultimate. As G2 Esports’ resident Sova player, ardiis is asked to play a semi-supportive role while also pulling his weight on the scoreboard.
Players should watch ardiis for his resource management and for how he uses his ultimate to fish for kills or clear out an area. He is a great resource for players looking to take their play to the next level.
Phoenix - Taylor “Drone” Johnson
Drone was one of the original Phoenix mains in North America and is a big reason why the region uses the Agent as its secondary Duelist in most compositions. Drone has the most rounds on Phoenix and is second out of all pro players in average combat scores, KD, and average kills per round on the Agent. Drone is TSM’s secondary carry in most situations, utilizing his skill to light up the scoreboard, but is also instrumental in many of his team’s entry strategies. Players should look to Drone for insights on how to pair Phoenix with other Agent abilities, like smokes, to enter a site for a retake or planting.
Drone is also a master of defensive positioning with Phoenix. He is often in unconventional spots that other Phoenix players should try to emulate.
Omen - Charles "CREA" Beauvois
Omen has been a staple in the Valorant meta since launch and is an integral part to most competitive compositions. CREA uses the Agent religiously, using him on every single map in a supportive role. Omen can be used in different ways in professional Valorant. He is either played aggressively, flashing and rushing around corners, or smoking areas for his team and flashing from the back. CREA is an example of the latter, he seldom uses his teleports aggressively and is adept at using Omen’s other abilities to help his team enter an area or rotate around enemies.
As players move up the ranked ladder, games become more about how a team plays together to support each other in certain situations. Teleporting aggressively into Omen’s smoke can only work so many times. Players should watch CREA if they want to learn how to use Omen supportively and impact the game in a way other than kills.
Brimstone - Phat "supamen" Le
Brimstone is another stable meta pick that many pro teams use in most situations. While there are many pros that players can watch to better their understanding of the character, supamen might be the best one to analyze. The former CrossFire pro is a master of the FPS genre and is currently showing off his skills on Dignitas' newly announced roster. He is the best player on every team he has been on so far and carries his teams through tournaments on Brimstone.
Players should look at supamen’s gameplay for his smoke placement and Molly lineups. If players want to know how to carry in solo queue with Brimstone, they should give supamen a quick glance.
Sage - David "Davidp" Prins
There are a lot of pro players that use Sage. She is ubiquitous in professional Valorant, but there are some pros that players should look to as innovators with the Agent. Davidp is one of those pros. As G2 Esports’ Sage player, Davidp uses the Agent as an entry fragger and is more likely to heal himself than his teammates. While this is not a unique playstyle with the Agent, Davidp is an example of a Sage that is almost fearless in his aggression.
From aggressive wall placements to early Sage flanks, Davidp is a pro that players should watch to get an idea of how aggressive they can realistically play the Agent at the highest level. Players should check out Davidp for his map movements and selfish playstyle.
If you're looking for more great players to watch, be sure to check out the rest of the Dignitas VALORANT team here:
