VALORANT is a tactical game. Every single little thing you do can completely change the course of a round. And of course, the Spike is important, too - the whole game revolves around whether it explodes or not. So, naturally, where the Spike is planted is extremely important, and different positions have certain advantages and disadvantages over others. Today, we talked to resident professional Spike planter and dart shooter Juliana "showliana" Maransaldi from our VALORANT team on how and where to properly plant the Spike.

Spike Mechanics

While, yes, it is holding down a key on your keyboard, there’s actually a lot to it. If you don’t know the proper positions and mechanics for planting the Spike, then you’ll get roasted by your teammates if you are anything higher than Diamond. Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s go over the basics for some of our less experienced readers.

The Spike in VALORANT has several properties:
It can only be picked up by the Attackers.
It can be equipped with 4 (on default) and dropped by pressing G
It takes 4 seconds to plant the spike on a site.
It takes 7 seconds to defuse the spike.
- Once you get half of the defusal (3.5 seconds), it will save your progress, halfway, allowing you to get the second half later. The defusal sound at half is higher pitched than the defusal sound at 0%.
The spike makes noise when dropped, but if dropped into a teammate's arms, makes no sound.

Look in the Right Direction While Planting!

Well, one more thing before we dive into the best planting spots. Believe it or not, the way you face when planting the Spike can affect where the Spike goes. The Spike will plant more towards the direction you’re facing. This can be extremely crucial for certain plant spots. For example, if you plant while facing into a corner, almost 75% of the spike’s defuse radius will be in the wall, so there are fewer places the enemy can be when defusing, allowing you to spam more precisely. Here is an example:

The Best Plant Spots

Most guides will talk about the best plant spots for each map, but I like to be thorough, so I talked to Showliana and found several spots for each site, so without further ado, let us get into it.

Ascent A

The best plant spot for Ascent A is Front Generator (3 on the image below) because you won’t get shot there and you can watch it from a lot of places.
- Showliana

This spot is really only reserved for if you need to plant and there's pure chaos around you. You can’t get shot from Tree, Heaven, or even Main. The main downside is that it is pretty bad for a post-plant because you can’t see it from anywhere on site besides some niche/unviable spots.
This spot is really nice to plant at as long as you’re safe, as you’ll be open from Tree and Heaven when planting here. If you manage to get it down, you’ll be able to watch it from Main, Heaven, and Tree, so it is extremely good in a post-plant.
Showliana’s choice, this spot is the best of both worlds and gives a lot of safety when planting, but also can be held from Main, so it makes it even better for post-plant. It just doesn’t provide the two advantages as well as the other plant spots, but makes up for the other’s disadvantages.

Ascent B

The best plant spot for Ascent B is on the default boxes (1 in the image below) or in the back left corner of site (2 in the image).
- Showliana

This spot is the go-to for most people, and the one you probably see the most often. It provides protection from getting spammed from which no other spot offers, and is the safest.
This spot is a little less safe, but the post-plant can be held from Lane and provides more options to play around with it.

Bind A

The best plant spot for Bind A is Truck (1) or Triple (2). It is situational but usually I would recommend Truck.
- Showliana

1. Showliana’s preference, this spot is easy to watch from U-Hall, Short, and Showers, and is the go-to spot to plant on this site.

2. If you’re whole team is coming from Showers and holding in Showers, you should plant there, otherwise just plant in spot #1.

Bind B

The best plant spot for Bind B is on top of the storage container (2 in the image).
- Showliana

This is a spot to use when you’re still contested on site. A former “default” and still commonly seen plant spot, this corner is a much safer place to plant than on top of the container,but cannot be watched as well from Hookah.
Showliana’s choice. Very open and easy to watch from Hookah and Long, just less safe to plant, as you can be shot from deep Elbow.

Split A

The best plant spot for Split A is planting for Heaven (1 on the image below)
- Showliana

This is Showliana’s choice. While it’s the least safe spot to plant, it’s the best for post-plant situations, as it can be watched from Heaven, Main, and from Hell.
This spot can be good if you do not have anyone in Heaven and your team is playing Main, Site, and Hell.

Split B

The best plant spot for Split B is for Heaven and B Main (1 on the image below).
- Showliana

Showliana’s Choice. This spot can be watched from Heaven, Hell and Garage, which makes it probably the best plant for post-plant, but is far more dangerous to plant in than 2, as you’re clearly visible from Heaven.
This is your safest plant spot, but that safety means that it is not that great for post-plant.
This is an alternative that should be used if you want to watch from Heaven and Hell but don’t want to be exposed from Garage
The classic panic spot, as most people will plant here only if they jump from Rafters and don’t feel safe enough to cross Defenders Spawn Entrance, or don’t have time.

Haven A

The best plant spot for Haven A is under Heaven (1 on the image below) or behind default boxes (2 on the image).
- Showliana

The best spot by far for a post-plant. It can be watched from Heaven, Long, and Sewers in a post-plant. However, for that very reason, it is more dangerous to plant at. You are vulnerable from Heaven, and a Defender can swing out from A Tunnel while you hold down the plant.
This default is more difficult to cover post-plant, as the stacked boxes provide some safety from Heaven, but it’s safer to plant in, as the aforementioned boxes protect you from any Defenders in A Tunnel as well.

Haven B

The best plant spot for Haven B is to plant open for Middle (around the area of 1 & 2 in the image below).
- Showliana

For this site, the idea is the same. Both 1 and 2 are able to be covered from Mid and Window. You’re more vulnerable while planting at 1, but you gain the ability to cover from A Link if you have control over A site.
This allows you to plant safely, as any Defender who fell back toward A cannot shoot through the big box in the middle of B.

Haven C

“The best plant spot for Haven B is planted for Long to the side of default boxes (2 in the image below).
- Showliana

This is a great spot for when your team wants to play Back Long, and is backed into a corner so you can spam more accurately, as talked about earlier. Keep in mind that this spot is bad if you’re going to be playing Garage or on site.
Showliana’s choice. This spot is good for holding from Long and from Garage, and safe to plant. Not as good as the other two in each respective advantages but has less disadvantages.
Safe to plant from everywhere except Long and is good for holding from site.

Icebox A

“The best plant spot for Icebox A is on the right side of Generator behind the Sage Wall (1 on the image below).
- Showliana

Showliana’s Choice. Extremely safe, will likely not be contested. Especially strong on pistol rounds due to the wall being hard to break with pistols compared to rifles. It just cannot be watched from Rafters as wall as #3. Also, obviously, requires a Sage, but if you don’t run Sage on an icebox, you’re probably trolling, or a pro team with set strategies already.
The safest place and most common, not visible from the Jail or Rafters but the safest place to plant by far.
This spot can be watched from Belt and from Jail, so it makes it extremely powerful for post place, but it is not very safe to plant, as you are likely to get killed from Back Site or Rafters.

Icebox B

The best plant spot for Icebox B is next to the default boxes (1 on the image below).
- Showliana

Showliana’s Choice. The most common spot, often used with a Sage wall to make it even safer. Can easily be watched from Yellow and Long.
A spot that you should only plant when playing Defender Spawn, so, practically never, but if you are, you can shoot through a gap in the wall from Defender Spawn to site, making it very powerful.

Breeze A

The best plant spot for Breeze A is In front of the pyramids or on the right of it (1 and 2 on the image below).
- Showliana

Both spots here are extremely similar, and are just slightly different, and just as viable, both are Showliana’s choice. Your decision on where to plant should be based on where you’re being shot from as you plant.

Plant here if you are not getting spammed from Back Site.
Plant here if you are not getting spammed from Doors.

Breeze B

The best plant spot for Breeze B is default, or the left side of pillar from Main (1 and 2 on the image below).
- Showliana

Showliana’s Choice. You should plant here 90% of the time, as it is safe to plant and can be watched from Main and Site.
Should only be used if you have a lurk from Elbow to Tunnel for post-plant, as they can shoot the defusing Defender from Tunnel.

Fracture A

The best plant spot for Fracture A is main in the left corner of site (1 on the image below).
- Showliana

Showliana’s Choice. The optimal spot for post-plant, as your whole team can spam it from Main. However, it requires the Spike to run across the entire site, opening you up to any Defenders in Ropes.
This is a safer spot while planting, but it is less open for Main when defending post-plant, potentially opening you up to fire from Drop or Spawn.

Fracture B

There are a lot of spots to plant on B but I like to plant behind the boxes open for Main (1 on the image below). If I can’t plant it there, I will just plant it in the safe corner (2 on the image).
- Showliana

The best spot for post-plant situations, but a lot less safe than #2. This spot can be watched from Tower and Main, and the players may try to spray you through the boxes.
The alternative suggestion by Showliana, Corner is the safest spot to plant on the site, but its weakness is that it really can only be watched from Tower.

Final thoughts

Before we head out, one more final piece of advice:

“Always look out for Killjoy mollies before you plant.” - Showliana

With all of these spots in mind we hope you dominate your next game and use all of these spots at least once to fully broaden your horizons as a player. Watch out for a guide on how to stay motivated, also starring Showliana. Until next time!

Thanks to Showliana for taking the time to talk with me, and be sure to check out her socials!

Twitter
Instagram
Twitch