Valorant is a tactical multiplayer team-based first-person shooter developed by Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends, with a focus on esports. The game resembles a mix of CS:GO (gameplay and map design), Team Fortress (visual style), Overwatch (unique characters, active use of abilities) and the studio's own solutions.
The best agents of Valorant patch 7.12 (Tier list January 2024)
Butcher79
Welcome to our agent tier list Valorant! The manual was created with the help of experts, so it can definitely be trusted.
This is a general list that should be useful whether you're playing alone or with a team, but leans more towards coordinated team play rather than trying to lead a lone wolf style.
Valorant tier list (update 7.12)
| S-level agents |
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| Level A Agents |
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| Level B Agents |
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| Level C Agents |
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Please note that at the beginning of the patch we will give prognostic placements based on buffs/nerfs. Check the middle of the patch for an update (if it's still the same, it means we predicted correctly!).
List of Valorant predictive levels
Update 7.12: Valorant Agent Tier List
| S-tier | Jett, Omen, Reyna, Skye, Killjoy, Raze |
| A-tier | Sova, Viper, Chamber, Iso, Cypher, Brimstone, Phoenix |
| Building tier | Astra, Breach, Deadlock, Fade, Sage |
| C-tier | Harbor, Kay/0, Yoru, Gekko, Neon |
Explanation of shooting range
Here are the explanations why we placed each agent on their own levels. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments below and our experts will respond as soon as they can.
S-level agents
Jett
Jett performs well both in attack and defense. She can create space for the team on offense and is still an excellent operator and/or aggressive pusher on defense. Her Ulti can also win economic rounds, where opponents can engage in non-ideal battles during anti-eco rounds, where killing Blade Storm can grant an ally an enemy rifle. Nerfs have impacted her effectiveness by reducing the duration of her smokes and dash, but she still has what it takes to carry games in her arsenal. For those looking to maximize her potential, we recommend checking out Strida's in-depth Jett guide for expert tips and strategies.
Omen
The Agent is an excellent Controller and can absolutely change the course of the game in critical situations. Whether it's defending or capturing a post-plant site, or preventing the enemy from controlling an area, Omen's arsenal allows him to perfectly set up profitable scenarios for his team.
Omen has slowly but surely returned to his former dominant form, and that's probably for the best. Considering how good this Agent can be in most situations, you should aim to take him in every game until you fully understand his abilities and role.
Reina
While Reyna has changed a lot since major nerfs in recent updates and is far from what she used to be, this Duelist is still an incredibly good choice for those hungry for action.
Reducing Devour and Dismiss charges means she can't be as aggressive as the damage now lingers. At least now souls drop even with an assist, and not just with a kill.
She's still great for those who think first and foremost, there's no doubt about that, but she won't be as "one of a kind" as she was in her winning days.
Skye
Throughout Episode 7 and most of 2023, it's obvious why Skye may be the most chosen Initiator, and perhaps even the best of them all.
First, she can heal allies, an ability that other Initiators do not have. Her Trailblazer is easily the best scouting ability of any Initiator, capable of gaining information and even stunning and damaging when it hits an enemy, making it an integral ability for entering sites.
Her signature ability Light Conductor is not only a great way to create flares that can easily go around corners and get into hard-to-reach places, but it also alerts you if an enemy is blinded by her, making her a great intel-gathering tool that recovers.
And her ultimate ability, Seekers, is a great tool for gaining information on the location of enemies, capable of quickly clearing space and making it easier for you to take control of the situation. The fact that it also stuns enemies on hit is a bonus when enemies are defending the area.
Overall, Skye does everything other Initiators do and more. She can heal, stun, create flares, and gather information effectively, making her an S-tier.
killjoy
Killjoy can operate far beyond her Guardian status. While her abilities make her one of the most powerful Agents on Defense, she can also be extremely useful on Attack. Her Nanoswarm grenade can have a huge impact early in the round - even if it doesn't go off, it provides valuable area denial. The same applies to post-plants.
However, Killjoy is nowhere near as influential as it was upon release. She can't roam the entire map unhindered, expecting her robots to do their job. She needs to approach each reactor site to ensure that all of her devices are in working order. Not only that, but if she now has to turn around, her robots now have a 20 second cooldown.
These changes really took a toll on her. She still has her purpose - her Lockdown Ultimate is one of the best in the game - but she's not as flexible as the other Agents on this list.
rays
Raze may have received some minor nerfs in Patch 7.09, but she is still one of the best Duelists to enter into combat in Valorant, especially if you learn how to master her swings.
Her Paints are arguably the best grenade in Valorant, capable of killing enemies with its CC damage. And even if you don't use it to damage enemies, it can easily clear corners and hard-to-reach places.
Her Boombot is also a great intelligence gathering tool, allowing you to check areas and corners from safety, as well as occupy space with it.
Her Burst Packs offer some of the best mobility in Valorant, providing excellent vertical and horizontal mobility, although not the fastest, since that title belongs to Jett. By learning to use them well, you can enter the court or occupy space faster than your opponent can react.
Combine the Satchel with her Show Stopper and you'll instantly have an Agent who can rush towards enemies with a rocket launcher that can instantly kill grouped enemies or effectively take up space.
Raze is essentially the best Agent for aggressive play, and her kit completely rewards this risky play style. Some of the world's best players like Jinggg use every skill she has to the fullest, and it's easy to see why she's S-ranked.
A-Level Agents
Owl
Since Cypher's nerfs, Sova has become one of the best intelligence gathering agents in Valorant. Of course, he is a very complex character, but if you take the time to master him, it will be worth it.
Having mastered some of Owl's arrow shooting spots, the agent offers a variety of approaches to their quest for information that no one else can replicate. His Owl Drone shouldn't be forgotten either, as he makes a great entry point, especially if he has an ally behind him.
Although, like most agents, he was nerfed in Episode 3, he is still an integral part of any game. Its forward reconnaissance ability is unparalleled, and it's like having a sixth man when you have a Bunting Drone or a Recon Dart nearby.
Viper
Viper finally climbed out of the hole in Episode 3 and quickly rose to the top of the agent rankings. However, in Episode 4, the American controller dropped to A-tier.
However, don't let her drop in the power rankings fool you. The Agent received a lot of love in Valorant's patch 2.06, and despite a quick subsequent nerf in patch 2.09, she is still one of the most promising controllers in the game.
While she was previously extremely inflexible, her redesigned skill set has eliminated most of her problems. From the ability to regenerate her Poison Cloud smokescreens to the initial disintegration effect when enemies pass through her toxins, she can quickly destroy enemies.
If you need to cover points alone, there are almost no smoke screen agents better equipped than Viper.
Chamber
It's been a while since Agent Chamber was released in Valorant, and after several changes to the game's balance, he has established himself as one of the strongest picks in the game. The French Guardian is the fourth in its category, featuring a kit that includes elements of other agents such as Yoru's teleportation and Killjoy's alarm bot.
Unlike many agents who started out at the top but quickly fell down the rankings, such as KAY/O and Yoru, Chamber enjoyed a good reputation until it suffered a series of nerfs in Patch 5.12. As a result of these changes, Chamber, previously constantly occupying Tier S or A, is now in Tier B according to our rating.
However, despite these recent adjustments, Chamber continues to be a powerful playable character in Valorant, especially in the hands of experienced players who can use his abilities effectively.
Iso
Valorant's newest duelist, Aiso, arrived in Patch 7.09, raising some doubts about his place in the meta.
Aiso's effectiveness is highly dependent on the player's mechanical prowess. To use it effectively, you need to play aggressively and with confidence that you will kill your opponents.
His wall, Randomness, is a great tool for capturing space, allowing you to scale as it moves and play around it.
His ultimate, Killing Contract, is somewhat questionable. It all depends on your confidence in your martial arts skills. If you have confidence, it can be a guaranteed elimination of a member of the opposing team. But if you are not sure, you will give your opponent a free kill.
But his main ability, Double Strike, is entirely dependent on how effective he can be. If you can take down enemies and shoot the orb quickly and accurately, Aiso becomes a real killer. But if you can't hit, Aiso can be one of the worst agents in the game.
Despite being a duelist, Aiso's place in the meta is questionable. His abilities are not designed to quickly take over space like Raze and Jett. Additionally, unlike these agents who can play unselfishly, Aiso's success is largely dependent on the individual player's skill, making it a variable factor for most players.
Cypher
Cypher was once the king of exploration in Valorant. However, after patch 1.11, he had to give up the throne to Owl. He's still effective, but losing Trapwires upon death really hurt his place in the power rankings.
He can still be the one to go it alone, locking down points with cameras and cages, letting his team know what he sees—or doesn't see. His Neural Theft is also incredibly useful for analyzing enemy moves and forcing them to make a move, and its reduced cost in Episode 3 definitely helps now.
However, the latest improvements in patch 5.10 have taken Cypher from C-tier straight to A-tier. Despite the improvements, the Moroccan information broker still remains behind Chamber on the Guardian list. However, the question remains whether the agent will be able to slowly make his way into the S-tier of this list or not.
Brimstone
It seems like we may have been too hasty regarding Brimstone's place in the Valorant rankings. It rose with a significant number of improvements at the start of Episode 2 and has continued to skyrocket in popularity since then.
With recent improvements and changes up until Episode 4, Act 3, it's much better than it was before. With the increased duration of Sky Smokes, longer deployment range and cheaper Hammer Flame, it can be considered perhaps the best agent for a quick hit to the point. Additionally, his ultimate Orbital Strike can lock down entire areas, such as the U-Hall on the Bind map, giving you complete control.
Now we have a real reason to ask which smokey agent you choose. On some maps, like Bind, you might want to take Brimstone. However, with increasing competition between Omen, Astra, and Viper, Brimstone often finds itself undervalued in the current meta.
Phoenix
Phoenix's buffs made him a stronger agent overall in any environment. His kit is quite selfish and has a lot of aspects for individual play, but overall he is limited by not being able to create space like S Tier duelists.
Among all the duelists, he is one of the more team players, lending himself as a fraggetter with his Run It Back ultimate. His flashes are also quite effective, and he can heal himself if he takes damage.
Despite the improvements in Patch 5.01, Phoenix is still the weakest duelist compared to others on the roster. However, good Phoenix players look great in any situation.
B-Tier Agents
Aster
Astra... a little complicated but brilliant for Valorant. It has the potential to be amazing in the right hands - and the pros have certainly used it at the Masters - but for the casual player it is difficult to master.
Its toolbox is loaded with utility that makes it an almost all-encompassing controller. Smoke, stuns, gravity pits and a huge screen that blocks damage and sound; rather, the question is what it cannot do.
The big drawback that used to exist was Astra's complexity and vulnerability. However, despite players overcoming these shortcomings, Agent's recent nerfs have really hurt her position in our Valorant agent rankings.
Breach
Breach is one of Valorant's most versatile agents, able to go into battle with all guns blazing, but he lacks the polish of Jett and Phoenix. Both Aftershock and Flashpoint are designed to break through enemy lines; a great tool when your team is capturing a point.
Breach's signature abilities and alt skills can completely disrupt the battlefield in an instant. Given the necessary intelligence on the enemy's location, both Fault Line and Rolling Thunder make the process of controlling the map relatively simple.
He's a great agent to have on your side and you can't go wrong with him. Despite the fact that he is one of the most stable agents in the game, in most situations there are always better options.
Deadlock
Deadlock is in a grim state in Valorant right now. Even though the improvements in 7.10 brought her up from Tier B (our tier list), she is still a terrible choice for any player. Despite significant improvements to her GravNet, she remains the weakest Sentinel of all the agents.
Her Sonic Sensor can easily be bypassed by simply walking and being aware of your surroundings, which defeats the purpose of the trap. Barrier Mesh isn't a bad ability, except that it's a bad wall to play with because it can still get you killed.
Her alt skill, Annihilation, is fun to use for cutscenes, but it's not the most useful alt when your team is either capturing or retaking a point, and it's easy to counter if the locked enemy's ally shoots the cocoon.
If you want an idea of how bad Deadlock is, it hasn't been picked in professional games since it launched in late June 2023. Deadlock is so untenable that even in show matches where professionals have fun, it is not chosen. Why choose Deadlock when you can get Killjoy or Cypher, which do it better?
Trays
Upon release, Fade was a very strong agent that saw a lot of use in both professional and casual games. However, after several balance changes, it clearly found itself in the middle of the rankings.
While there are excellent information gathering abilities like Haunt, Prowler, Seize and its alt Nightfall, it also depends on your team's ability to act on that information.
Fade is a team player as her abilities are selfless, requiring a lot of coordination and communication to act on information about enemy positions, their losses, and stuns from her abilities.
Fade is great for the professional scene as it is at the very top level of the game where teams are practiced and know what to do instinctively. But for most players, it can be very difficult to act on her abilities.
Legend
Previously, the Valorant medic was an integral agent in any team. She's been knocked down quite a bit with some major nerfs, but her kit of abilities still prevents her from falling to the bottom of the agent list.
Despite the nerfs, both her Slow and Barrier Orbs are useful for temporarily sealing off specific areas of the map. The latter can also be used to climb to the top of stacks of crates (or similar) to gain a height advantage when snooping for information or getting an early kill.
Despite Sage's orbs, this agent's Resurrection ability can turn the tide of the round in your favor, especially in a critical situation where an advantage in numbers can be decisive. It's still the best ability in the game, even though it now requires eight points, making it a Tier B.
C-level agents
Harbor
Even though Harbor is not a popular agent in Valorant, his strengths cannot be underestimated. Since his introduction in patch 5.08, he has instantly become part of the meta, depending on the map and team composition.
Occupying a smoke wall niche similar to the Viper, the Haven has the advantage of being able to curve its walls, allowing for creative use of space.
His Bay Shield makes it easy to place a bomb to defend against enemy fire or even just hold space while playing around the Bay.
His cascade, on the other hand, helps you take up space, allowing you to scale with a moving wall and surprise enemies. And combined with his Retribution, which is great for entering points or slowing down enemies when captured, makes him a powerful agent.
Despite his strength, his skill ceiling is extremely high, as this agent is one of the highest APM characters in the game, and knowing how to creatively use your walls and take up space with his abilities will take some practice.
KAY / O
KAY/O was released in Episode 3 Act 1, and easily entered the S-tour upon release. However, after a few months, KAI/O quickly fell to the bottom of the tournament tree and then moved back up.
Despite the power of KAY/O's flash, executing Agent abilities can be quite difficult, causing many players to choose not to select KAY/O. However, recent nerfs in patch 5.07 have dropped KAI/O back to the C-Tour, making him a fairly weak agent in Valorant.
Neon
While many agents jump straight to the top of the tournament tree upon release, Neon didn't quite live up to expectations, placing her debut on this list at the C tier.
The fast-paced action Filipino duelist wasn't a disappointment for Valorant when she was released in Episode 4, but she just didn't perform as well as the other agents on this list.
However, the Duelist's fast speed and electrical energy tears through all those who stand in the way of her squad, making Neon extremely fun to play. Hopefully we'll see an upgrade for this fast agent in the near future to place him higher up in our Valorant agent tournament tree.
Yoru
Yoru was originally listed as an A rank on our list, but after that he slid down the list for a long time. Why? Even though his skill set fits into the role of an ambush player, Yoru hasn't been able to dislodge any dualists from the meta.
Although he was not overly weak - his kit was simply strictly inferior to the kits of other agents. His flashes were easily dodged, his teleport was too loud, and his footsteps did not provoke anyone. The only useful thing in the past was his Ultimate to infiltrate enemy lines and gather information.
However, with the recent rework of his kit, Yoru has a chance to be higher on this list again.
Gecko
Since its release in patch 6.04, Gekko has looked like an agent ready to take over Valorant with abilities that can be used indefinitely. However, several months after the release, many realized that he was only an acceptable Initiator.
The ability to reuse his Wingman, Dizzy, and his Thrash ultimate seems amazing on paper, but just because you can reuse them doesn't always mean you'll be able to always pick them up, especially if the enemy controls the space your abilities are in.
Despite this, Wingman is a great space clearer, and Dizzy, if used correctly, is an excellent blind and information gathering ability. And Thrash is essentially a powered up Skye Trailblazer that stuns an area.
However, the main problem with Gekko is the need to use his abilities correctly, as the only way to benefit from his kit is to reuse it multiple times throughout the round. And if the enemy is smart, he will always control the spaces in which you can pick up your abilities, easily countering him.
The best Valorant team combinations for each map:
Ascent
- Sova, Omen, Killjoy, Jett, KAY/O
Sunset
- Raze, Skye, Omen, Viper, Chamber
Port
- Sova, Killjoy, Omen, Jett, Breach
Bind
- Brimstone, Raze, Skye, Chamber, Viper
Breeze
- Viper, Omen, Sova, Jett, Cypher
Lotus
- Killjoy, Viper, Raze, Omen, Skye
Split
- Skye, Viper, Cypher, Raze, Omen
These are some powerful team compositions that we recommend for every map in Valorant.
Here are a few more options you can use depending on your agent pool.
Just be careful when drafting, so if you're replacing Omen you might want to add Brimstone and so on.
For more details, check out our dedicated guide to the command combinations for each card.
As always, we welcome all discussions and feedback, so please post any comments/questions below!
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