Valorant Agent Tier List Guide, Gameplay and More
by Maivizhi A
Updated Jul 15, 2023
Valorant Agent Tier List
In every patch, there will always be meta changes, even slightly. This Valorant agent tier list will ensure you are up-to-date with the best agents in the game. Not only that, but you will also learn why such agents are stronger and better than their peers. You're only as good as your pick.
Picking out a main character to use is a hard choice for every player to make. Valorant’s newest agent, Harbor, is also included in this list, so it might be helpful if you are looking to maintain the most recent addition to the Valorant protocol. We have also explained his kit and why he belongs to the lowest tier of agents.
Climbing ranks is a challenging feat to accomplish, especially in Valorant, where only the top 500 players reach the highest rank. If you want to become a better player, make sure to check out our other gameplay guides such as the Valorant best guns tier list and Asuna’s crosshair and settings.
Here is the updated Valorant agents tier list for patch 7.0:
Valorant Agent Tier List 2023
Tier S:
Tier A:
Tier B:
Tier C:
Valorant Agent Tier List Guide
S-Tier Agents
Jett, the Korean wind assassin, remains the best entry fragger in the game. Her dash ability is still considered one of the most powerful and versatile tools in Valorant. Alongside her dash, Jett possesses an impressive kit, including a versatile ultimate, two smoke clouds, and an updraft that allows her to access unique angles and positions. Due to these exceptional abilities, Jett continues to be the top choice for professional play and ranked games across all regions.
Killjoy has seen a significant increase in pick rate following the recent nerfs to Chamber. As one of the strongest anchors in the game, she excels at delaying enemy executes. Furthermore, Killjoy possesses one of the most powerful ultimates in Valorant, which now cannot be destroyed by enemy utility (except for Sova and Brimstone's ultimates). Despite the recent nerfs, Killjoy remains the best sentinel agent in the game.
Sova, the Russian hunter, holds a consistent position in the S-tier and is unlikely to be displaced anytime soon. Valorant highly values information gathering, and Sova's abilities are unrivaled in this regard. Despite receiving several nerfs, Sova retains his status as the top initiator pick in both ranked and professional games.
Omen stands out as the top choice for controller mains in the current patch, thanks to his powerful ability, Paranoia. Additionally, Omen can quickly replenish his smokes, enabling the team to easily change strategies and execute on another site. With these remarkable abilities, Omen is expected to remain an S-tier pick for an extended period, unless he receives balancing adjustments from the developers.
A - Tier Agents
Raze is an A-tier agent known for her ability to consistently secure kills with her explosive abilities. She brings destruction wherever she goes and has a flexible kit as a duelist. Raze possesses a Boombot for gathering information, satchels for entry fragging, and grenades for clearing angles. Her ultimate ability guarantees at least one enemy kill if used correctly. However, due to recent changes to her Boombot, Raze has dropped to the A-tier and is considered inferior to Jett when it comes to entry fragging.
KAY/O is a recent addition to the agent roster and has become a popular pick on certain maps. This robot agent has a versatile kit that includes information gathering and flash abilities. KAY/O has the unique ability to disable enemy utility, which is particularly powerful in a game that heavily emphasizes ability usage.
Skye is another A-tier agent who excels at providing flexible flashes for the team composition. While she may not have the same level of information gathering as other initiators, her flash and fast trailblazer ability make her a strong choice.
Viper, an American chemist, offers a unique take on controller abilities in Valorant. With her irritating toxin screen, poison orb, and ultimate, she becomes a strong pick on specific maps. Viper also has a molly that can delay enemy executes. However, her abilities cannot be redeployed once used (except for Poison Orb). Despite recent nerfs, her kit remains strong, particularly her ultimate, which has shown high win rates in professional games.
Fade is a formidable initiator with solid information-gathering abilities. This nightmare-inducing agent has an eye that detects enemies, a prowler for clearing angles, and an ultimate that deafens enemies. While Fade is a strong choice for most team compositions, Sova remains the top pick due to his flexibility, thus placing Fade in the A-tier.
Cypher is widely regarded as the most irritating site anchor in Valorant and has been picked frequently in both professional games and ranked matches. Like Killjoy, Cypher has received buffs that make it harder for enemies to execute their plans on the attacking side. However, Cypher is still not as flexible as Killjoy, and his ultimate ability is considered inferior to Lockdown. Despite these limitations, Cypher has his strengths and is highly annoying to play against.
B - Tier Agents
Neon, a Filipino agent, is considered a B-tier agent due to her blazing-fast and confusing movement abilities. While her kit may be more helpful on tight maps, her dash and ultimate ability can be vexatious for opponents to deal with, even though her other abilities may not provide as much utility.
Phoenix's pick rate has decreased since Valorant's release, but recent buffs have slightly improved his popularity. However, he is still not a top pick in ranked or professional games due to the presence of strong flash agents and entry duelists like Raze, KAY/O, and Jett. Phoenix can serve as a decent entry agent for the team with his flash and wall abilities, but in the face of more flexible agents, he often goes overlooked.
Yoru, a Japanese agent, has an unconventional kit for a duelist. While his clone and bouncing flashes may be less potent compared to other agents, his ultimate ability can be valuable for gathering information and executing site entries. However, Yoru's kit requires proper utilization, making him a challenging agent to master. In the hands of a skilled player, he can undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with.
Gekko, the newest addition to the initiator lineup, has abilities that can be picked up to reset their cooldown, making him unique among agents. He also has a wingman that can defuse and plant for the team. Gekko provides a comprehensive set of initiator tools, including flashes, a concuss, and a molly. However, his kit may be underwhelming compared to the top initiators in the current meta, such as Breach and Skye, which keeps him in the B-tier for now.
Breach is known as the master of forcing site executes and is a consistent pick on tight maps like Fracture. His stuns and flashes are difficult to deal with when used effectively. However, Breach's lack of information-gathering abilities and the existence of initiators who excel in that aspect prevent him from reaching the upper tiers of Valorant agents.
C - Tier Agents
Deadlock, Valorant's newest agent, has a well-rounded kit that specializes in limiting enemy movements. Her strength lies in countering team compositions with agile duelists like Jett and Raze. However, as a sentinel, her kit is not as strong as those of Killjoy and Cypher, which places her in the C-tier for now.
Reyna, often referred to as "the selfish agent," relies heavily on getting kills to utilize her abilities effectively. She only has one ability, a weak flash, that can assist teammates. Her ultimate ability is also focused on individual performance rather than team synergy, making her a poor choice for a team-based shooter. Despite recent buffs to her Leer ability, it still falls short compared to the flashes of other agents. Reyna is particularly weak when it comes to entering sites, and she heavily relies on a highly mobile duelist like Raze or Jett, making her the weakest duelist in the game.
Astra, once the strongest controller in the game, has seen a decline in her effectiveness after being heavily nerfed. With limited star resources that do not refill over time and long cooldowns on her abilities, executing site re-takes becomes more challenging compared to other controller agents. Omen and Brimstone have received buffs, shifting the balance in the controller category.
Harbor, with the current state of the meta, is considered the weakest agent in the game. Despite recent buffs, his smokes are less effective compared to other controllers. Harbor's kit also requires unique execution, making him slightly more complex than other agents. While his ultimate ability is useful for retakes, the overall ineffectiveness of his kit prevents him from being placed in a higher tier.
Valorant Gameplay
Valorant is an exciting first-person tactical hero shooter game developed and published by Riot Games. It is available as a free-to-play title exclusively for Windows. Initially known by its codename "Project A," Valorant entered a closed beta phase with limited access on April 7, 2020, and was officially released on June 2, 2020. The development of the game began back in 2014.
Drawing inspiration from the Counter-Strike series, Valorant offers a team-based gameplay experience set in the near future. Players assume the roles of Agents, who are diverse characters representing different countries and cultures worldwide. In the primary game mode, teams are divided into attackers and defenders, with each team comprising five players. Agents possess unique abilities that require charges, along with an ultimate ability that charges through kills, deaths, orbs, or objectives. At the start of each round, players are equipped with a "classic" pistol and a certain number of charges for their "signature ability."
To enhance their arsenal, players can purchase additional weapons and ability charges using an in-game economic system. The currency is awarded based on the outcome of the previous round, individual kills, and objectives completed. Valorant features an array of weapons, including sidearms, submachine guns, shotguns, machine guns, assault rifles, and sniper rifles. Each weapon has its own shooting pattern that players must master to maintain accuracy. Currently, there are 22 agents available to choose from in the game.
The roster of agents includes Brimstone, Viper, Omen, Cypher, Sova, Sage, Phoenix, Jett, Raze, Breach, Reyna, Killjoy, Skye, Yoru, Astra, KAY/O, Chamber, Neon, Fade, Harbor, Gekko, and Deadlock. When creating an account, players begin with five unlocked agents: Brimstone, Sova, Sage, Phoenix, and Jett. The remaining agents can be unlocked by activating their respective contracts. This requires earning a certain amount of XP by playing games, allowing players to gradually unlock their desired agents and expand their tactical options in Valorant.
Valorant Agent Tier List - FAQs
Jett is considered an S-tier agent because of her exceptional mobility and versatile abilities. Her dash ability allows her to quickly reposition and take aggressive angles, making her an excellent entry fragger.
Killjoy is an S-tier sentinel agent due to her ability to delay enemy executes effectively. Her powerful ultimate, which cannot be destroyed by most enemy utility, makes her a strong anchor on defense.
Sova is considered a top initiator in Valorant because of his unmatched information-gathering abilities. His abilities allow him to reveal enemy positions, spot enemies through walls, and deny map control. Despite receiving nerfs, Sova retains his status as a strong initiator pick in both ranked and professional games.
Omen is considered an S-tier controller agent primarily because of his powerful ability, Paranoia. His ability to replenish smokes quickly allows for strategic flexibility and easy execution of site changes.
Raze is an A-tier agent known for her ability to secure kills with her explosive abilities. While she brings destruction wherever she goes, recent changes to her Boombot have slightly reduced her effectiveness as an entry fragger.