Making the most out of your utility in VALORANT featuring Showliana
Showliana is a tactical FPS veteran who knows a thing or two about using abilities in VALORANT. Here, she outlines when and how to get the most value out of your utility.
Abilities are a crucial part of VALORANT. Using them correctly — and at the right time — could make or break a round in its entirety. Using an ability such as a game-changing ultimate could just be the decisive factor in an extremely close game.
With a little help from Juliana "showliana" Maransaldi, we’ll break down everything it takes to use your utility as efficiently as possible in VALORANT.
Intel-Gathering Abilities
Intel-gathering abilities are some of the best abilities in VALORANT, so using them as efficiently as possible is going to be key in your grind up the ranked ladder. Whether you’re pushing a site on offense and scouting out potential hiding spots for nearby defenders, or holding down a site on defense, gathering intelligence regarding the locations of enemy players is crucial in VALORANT.
Luckily, some agents are built precisely for the intel-gathering process. Most notably, agents like Sova, Skye, Cypher, and others are all welcome — if not necessary — in any team composition.
Sova is really strong in any team because his drone and dart — no matter when you use them — are going to be helpful in finding the enemy players. Skye is also good because her bird and dog can tell you where enemy players might be hiding pretty quickly.
And while certain characters (like Sova) can be versatile in the way they gather intel, others, such as Cypher and Killjoy, are more reliant on pulling off setups in order to secure information on the other team.
Cypher’s Camera and Wires, as well as Killjoy’s Turret and Alarmbot are good, but they need time to work and set up. Agents like those are definitely better on defense.
Optimally speaking, the best intel-gathering abilities in VALORANT are the ones that allow you to gain knowledge over the enemy team without actually having to be physically near them. Abilities like Recon Bolt from Sova or Tripwire from Cypher — both of which can give you cross-map intelligence — are ideal on both offense and defense. Having the opportunity to know where someone is without having to stare them down and fight them is a great advantage.
Using Utility for Damage
On the flip side of intel-gathering, other utility abilities are built specifically for dealing damage to vulnerable opponents. When used properly, certain abilities can completely swing the momentum of rounds, and sometimes even games.
There’s some abilities in VALORANT that can completely win a round on their own if you use them correctly. Raze’s rocket comes to mind as an ability that can give your team a kill or two in a clutch situation. Brimstone’s ultimate is also an ability that can be really effective if you know exactly where the other team is hiding.
However, if there’s one ability that can be used with more versatility than nearly any other ultimate in the game, it’s Sova’s ultimate, Hunter’s Fury. The ability deals 80 flat damage to all enemies caught in its radius and can be casted across the map through walls.
Needless to say, the possibilities surrounding the ability are practically endless, but the best time to use it, according to Showliana, is during a post-plant situation.
Sova ult is really good after the spike is planted. If you’re on offense and you hear the other team start to defuse, you can line up Sova ult right at the spike and maybe get a kill as the other team tries to get the defuse off.
Preparation Is Key
Using utility at the right time is definitely important, but you don’t want to be caught out of position by an enemy player with an ability in your hand as opposed to a weapon. In nearly every situation, you’ll want to have your gun out just in case you get approached by an opponent. If you try to take someone down with one of Raze’s grenades or one of Sova’s shock darts, you’re going to get outmatched every time.
I don’t think there’s ever going to be a time where you should have an ability in your hand while peeking around a corner. It depends on the situation, but nine out of ten times, the answer is going to be “no.” You’re not going to win a game by only using utility. You’re almost always going to want to have your gun out.
There are several situations in which you can perhaps get the jump on an enemy player through the usage of your abilities. However, they’ll always require you to first know where an enemy player is located, and also which location they’re going to move towards on the map.
Sometimes, I’ll have an ability like Shock Dart ready, but only because I know that someone is going to peek around a corner, and I can do a surprising amount of damage with that.
Timing Is Everything
When using utility in VALORANT, you want to make sure that you’re completely safe before letting loose a grenade or casually firing off a Recon Bolt.
You have to know the right time to use your utility; it’s super important. When you’re in a good spot where you can get cover fast, that’s when it’s safe to have an ability in your hand. If you can jiggle-peek or safely move around a corner, you can safely use an ability then. Only when you’re not out in the open is it completely safe.
Don’t be afraid to show a little patience and restraint when using your abilities. There’s nothing wrong with holding a Recon Bolt in your back pocket or waiting for the perfect spot to lay down a Tripwire. Just because you have an ability at your disposal doesn’t mean you need to be itching to let it fly as soon as possible. If you realize that you’re going to have the chance to use an ability more optimally later in the round, there’s nothing wrong with hanging onto it.
With that being said though, you don’t want to hold onto your utility too long. Using it at the perfect time is a key factor in finding success with your abilities. Pay attention to the enemy team’s patterns throughout the course of a game, and each round, you’ll have an idea of how they play, push, and position.
If you can determine, for example, that the enemy team likes to keep two players positioned on a site during a defense round, you can throw a piece of utility through a choke point to spread those defenders out and give yourself a better chance during your ensuing push.
You should use your utility based on the pace of the other team. If the enemy team is moving quickly and playing fast, you’ll be forced to use your utility quicker to make the most out of it. If you’re playing against a slower team, you have to hold your abilities and be patient. You just have to read the other team to know exactly when to use them.”
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