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Contents hide Important settings in Valorant Sensitivity Video Settings Crosshair Which game mode is right for you? Unrated Competitive Spike Rush Deathmatch Replication Escalation You can get overwhelmed by the number of Agents 1. Duelists 2. Initiators 3. Controllers 4. Sentinels How does the economy work in Valorant? 1. Pistol rounds 2. Full-buy 3. Save round / Eco round 4. Light-buy / Half-buy Game mechanics that will help you rank up faster Aiming Crosshair Placement Counter-Strafing (Advanced) Utility Final Thoughts ✓ At a glance

There are a few important aspects to learn when you start playing Valorant:

  • Before you begin, check your settings and optimize them. That goes for your crosshair too.
  • Learn about the different Valorant Agents and game modes.
  • Take the time to learn how the economy works, so that you can be better informed from round to round.
  • Practice core game mechanics until you’ve mastered them.

Riot’s competitive game that made waves in the first-person-shooter genre, Valorant, is a glorious dance of blazing guns and extravagant abilities. Some people transitioned to the game from other FPS games, and some are first-timers in the genre. Regardless, if you’re a new player, you can get easily perplexed by multiple facets of this game and require a guide for a smooth start.

Important settings in Valorant

One of the first things you should do after installing Valorant is to tinker around with the in-game settings and adjust them to your liking. The game has a plethora of options for you to tweak, so take your time going through each one individually. However, if you want to save time, we have described the most important settings you need to work out immediately:

Sensitivity

The most important setting you should work out for yourself immediately is your eDPI. Since Valorant requires precise aiming, it’s preferable to play on a low sensitivity for micro-adjustments in aim. Generally, aim for an eDPI between 300 to 400. Your eDPI is calculated using the following formula:

eDPI = Mouse DPI x Senstivity

So, if you play on an 800 DPI mouse, keep your sensitivity roughly between 0.37 to 0.5. Also, make sure you try flicking to bots in the practice range using different sensitivity settings to get a good understanding of your mouse movement with the new sensitivity settings. 

Use the slider to set up your sensitivity. Captured by VideoGamer

Video Settings

We know that elaborate textures and visual fidelity can be attractive in a game like Valorant. However, do yourself a favour and turn down all graphics settings to the lowest value possible, and remove any FPS limiters in your game. You want the best performance when it comes to FPS games, even if it comes at the cost of toned-down visuals.

Crosshair

Your crosshair is more important than you might think, so take some time to customize it. Fortunately, Valorant provides a variety of flexibility when it comes to tweaking your crosshair according to your requirements. If you can’t figure out a good enough crosshair for yourself, you can simply copy one that the pros of the game are using.

Below is a list of some popular crosshair codes used by pro players and streamers:

CodeAppearance in game0;P;h;0;f;0;0l;5;0o;0;0a;1;0f;0;1b;00;P;c;5;o;0.286;d;1;f;0;0t;0;0l;0;0o;0;0a;1;0f;0;1b;00;P;h;0;d;1;z;1;0t;1;0l;4;0o;2;0a;1;0f;0;1t;3;1l;1;1o;4;1a;1;1m;0;1f;00;P;c;7;h;0;d;1;z;3;0t;5;0l;4;0o;4;0a;1;0f;0;1t;9;1l;1;1o;6;1a;1;1m;0;1f;0 ✓ Pro tip

If you like a crosshair of a person you’re spectating, you can type “/cc” without the quotation marks and the crosshair profile will automatically be saved in your account. You can later head over to settings and equip that crosshair.

Which game mode is right for you?

Valorant provides a variety of modes, suitable for all kinds of players. Let’s review them quickly to know which game mode is right for you.

The default game mode selection screen. Captured by VideoGamer

Unrated

This is the standard casual 5v5 game mode with a randomly selected map, the way Valorant is meant to be played. Teams are divided into Attackers and Defenders. The first team to win 13 rounds wins the match. Attackers and Defenders sides among both teams are flipped after 12 rounds.

Attackers win the round if:

  • They take over the bomb site and plant the Spike (Valorant’s version of the bomb). Once the Spike is planted, Attackers have 45 seconds to prevent the Defenders from defusing it. Once the spike explodes, Attackers win the round. 
  • Alternatively, if Attackers kill the entire Defenders team within 1 minute and 40 seconds, regardless of the Spike plant before the round ends.

Defenders win the round if:

  • If they kill all the Attackers before the Spike is planted.
  • Successfully defuse the Spike within 45 seconds once it is planted.
  • If they hold the site long enough for the round timer to expire and not allow the attackers to plant the Spike.

If the game is tied 12-12 after 24 rounds, there will be a “Sudden Death” round, where the winner takes all. 

Competitive

This is the most popular and often played game mode in Valorant. While it has the same rules as Unrated regarding how the rounds play out, some key rules differ from Unrated, listed below:

  • Competitive mode affects your rank rating (RR). If you win the game, you gain RR to rank up and vice versa.
  • Your account needs to be at least level 20 to play Competitive. Account level is increased by playing games and accumulating account XP.
  • The mode only allows party sizes of 1, 2, 3, and 5 party members. A party of 4 members can’t queue in Competitive mode.
  • Rank discrepancy matters in Competitive mode. Players with ranks too far apart cannot queue for Competitive together.

In a Competitive, the 12-12 situation results in Overtime (OT). OT lasts until one team wins two rounds consecutively (with sides flipped after each round). If the OT results in a draw, both teams are allowed to vote whether to carry on and repeat the OT or just draw and end the game right there. 

In most cases, your RR will not be affected if you’ve chosen to draw. However, if you’ve played really well in the game, you may gain 1-4 RR.

Spike Rush

Spike Rush is like Unrated mode on steroids, with the following key differences:

  • Each match lasts around 8 to 12 minutes.
  • A random gun is assigned to every player at the start of the round, along with all their agent’s abilities (except ultimate).
  • Each Attacker now has the Spike.
  • The first team to secure 4 rounds wins the match.
  • After the first 3 rounds, the sides are flipped.
  • Random orbs are scattered throughout the map, granting different buffs.

Draw mechanics for Spike Rush are similar to an Unrated game, as in you’ll be forced to play a “Sudden Death” round. 

Deathmatch

Deathmatch is a free-for-all mode where 12 players are spawned on a random map.

  • The match ends after either 9 minutes or when any one player on the server gets 40 kills.
  • There are no abilities to assist you; it’s pure gunplay.
  • You have unlimited credits allowing you to buy any gun you like. 
  • Getting a kill reloads your weapon and drops a health orb.
  • You are re-spawned at a random location on the map each time you get killed.

If no one’s reached 40 kills by the end of the 9-minute time limit, the person with the highest kills is declared the winner. 

Replication

This mode plays a lot like Spike Rush but without power orbs. The rules of the Replication Mode are described below:

  • All players on one team play the same agent for the entirety of the game. It is decided via voting among the team in the Agent-Selection screen.
  • This is a best-of-nine mode.
  • Both teams get free abilities (except ultimate) and the same amount of credits at the start of each round.
  • If you are flashed twice within 4 seconds, you are granted Flashgaurd, making you invulnerable to flashes for 5 seconds.

Escalation

Escalation is a unique octane-fueled fast-paced game mode. It continuously plays out until one of the two teams completes 12 levels (or when the 10-minute timer expires). 

Levels are completed by securing kills on the map. Upon completion of each level, the weapons of the entire team are upgraded. Some levels even grant random damage-dealing abilities to the entire team as weapons. The 12th level is always a knife battle with increased movement speed.

You can get overwhelmed by the number of Agents

Valorant boasts a growing selection of Agents across four different roles. Captured by VideoGamer

Agents are the backbone of Valorant, and the game truly has a lot of them to offer. With the introduction of Clove in patch 8.05, Valorant’s Agent count has reached 24. Although the core shooting gameplay is the same for each Agent; they differ in their roles and abilities. Due to honing different abilities, different Agents require you to employ different strategies in the game. 

Explaining the abilities of each Agent would take too much time. You can simply read the description of each Agent in the game’s Agent menu or press F1 during the match to bring up your Agent’s abilities. You can also visit Valorant’s official website for details of all the Agents and their abilities. 

If you want to test out an Agent’s abilities, you can always head into the Range and select your desired Agent. This will give you a good idea if you like the agent’s arsenal of utility or not. And even better, you don’t need to have all Agents unlocked to try them out in the Range.

The Practice Range lets you try out any Agent in the game. Captured by VideoGamer

Below, we’ll explain each Agent role, so you can see what suits your playstyle the best.

1. Duelists

Agents with the highest pick rate across any game mode, Duelists specialize in opening up sites and taking first engagements. They lead from the frontlines, usually with the support of other teammates from behind. If you think you have a crisp aim, good mechanical skills, and can carry your entire team in the time of need, you are a natural-born Duelist.

2. Initiators

Initiators are the best resources to support the Duelists in taking sites and seeking initial frags. Their kit is designed to aid the team from behind but also be self-sufficient in engagements when needed. If you approach the game from the perspective of being a utility master and harassing enemies, learning Initiators would be a breeze for you.

3. Controllers

While these are the most underrated Agents with a pretty low pick rate in low-ranked games, Controllers can be a lot of fun when appropriately utilized. They are perfect for cutting off angles and choke points. They are also valuable site anchors when the rest of your team is rotating. It’s recommended to master at least one Controller since it will help you diversify your Agent pool.

4. Sentinels

Sentinels are the hardcore defense-support Agents in Valorant. They can lock down entire sites alone and are crucial to preventing enemies from flanking your team. Sentinels tend to be self-sufficient, with abilities that let them fully control an area of the map by themselves.

Here is a list of all the Valorant Agents (at the time of writing this article) in each category:

DuelistsInitiatorsControllersSentinelsJettSovaBrimstoneSagePhoenixBreachOmenCypherReynaSkyeViperKilljoyRazeKayoAstraChamberYoruFadeHarborDeadlockNeonGekkoClove–Iso–––

How does the economy work in Valorant?

Everything you use in Valorant (except for your ultimate and signature ability) is bought with credits before the start of each round. Fortunately, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree in Economics to be an expert in spending credits. Credits are earned in each round through various actions. A breakdown of those actions and consequently rewarded credits is given below.

ActionCredits earnedRound win3000Round loss19002x Round loss streak24003x Round loss streak2900Round loss as surviving Attacker without planting Spike1000Your team successfully plants the Spike as Attackers300Getting a kill200

Good economy management can ensure that you’re always well-armed and equipped with your utility. Based on your credits, you should categorize your rounds as follows.

1. Pistol rounds

The first round in each half (the 1st and 13th rounds) are known as the pistol rounds. Everyone starts with a fresh economy having 800 net credits. You can use this money to buy a combination of some pistol, abilities, and a light shield. Whatever you choose to buy highly depends on your Agent and the map you’re playing.

2. Full-buy

A full-buy round is the one where you purchase every single ability, a heavy shield, and a high-value gun like Vandal, Phantom, and even Operator. Most rounds in your match are expected to play out like this, and winning them is essential to keep the economy flourishing. However, the maximum number of credits you can get is 9000, so consider buying for your teammates when you’ve maxed out.

3. Save round / Eco round

Whenever you lose a pistol or a gun round after draining your credits, you will run out of money for quality weapons and abilities in the subsequent round. So, consider saving up your credits to rebuild the economy instead of scraping whatever gun you can get for the time being. In these rounds, buy only a minimum (if anything) and aim to save at least around 2000 credits.

✓ Pro tip

Some Agents like Jett, Neon, and Chamber can win Eco rounds with their ultimate abilities. So, if your ultimate is charged up, you can get surprise kills and your team can play around it.

4. Light-buy / Half-buy

This is somewhat of a middle phase between a Full-buy round and a Save round. During the Buying Phase, you can always see your possible minimum net credits in the next round. So, if you don’t have enough credits for a full-buy, but your worst credits next round seem to go over 6000, then you should consider buying an SMG or a cheaper rifle with a light shield.

This handy tip lets you know exactly what your minimum credits will be in the next round. Captured by VideoGamer

Game mechanics that will help you rank up faster

Valorant is by no means an easy game. Knowing all the Agents, maps, and game rules doesn’t mean you’ll be undefeatable. There are still specific skills and techniques you need to master before you can start surmounting the scoreboard and fragging like a bloodthirsty maniac. Let’s quickly go over some essential skills you should know about if you want to rank up in Valorant: 

Aiming

The skill you need to polish before anything else in the game is your aim. You should keep the following golden commandments about aiming in mind: 

  • Stay still while shooting. We can’t stress this enough for new players. Any sort of movement will cause a significant error in your aim, and you’ll end up missing most of your shots.
  • Do not spray. Valorant’s firing pattern is random, and spray control can be nightmarish unless you know what you’re doing. You would be much better off with tapping or burst firing, especially when using a rifle.
  • Get rid of the ADS habit. In Valorant, aiming down sight (ADS) rarely works in your favour when shooting with a rifle. So eliminate it from your routine to make flicking onto enemies easier for yourself. With experience, you will learn when it’s okay to ADS and when not to.
  • Don’t take an unreasonable fight you cannot win. If you see multiple enemies rushing into a site, it’s better to back away and wait for support from your team instead of peaking into five enemies all at once.

Crosshair Placement

The next skill ties in neatly with your aiming skill, which is a constant awareness of your crosshair on the screen. Your crosshair should always be at the head level and close to the common peek points. Doing so helps you reduce horizontal or vertical flicks of your crosshair and get rapid headshots.

Good crosshair placement aims at where enemy’s head will be. Captured by VideoGamer Bad crosshair placement means you’ll take longer to correct your aim when the enemy shows up. Captured by VideoGamer

Counter-Strafing (Advanced)

Remember how we said you should stay still when shooting? Well, you can technically land clean straight headshots while moving, or Strafing, to be precise. It takes some practice though, so don’t just strafe and shoot while thinking that’s enough. You can learn how to counter-strafe by the following 3 steps.

  • Strafe in one direction using the A or D key.
  • Upon releasing the strafe key, immediately press the opposite strafe key to come to a sudden halt.
  • In the brief window, when you stop, and before you start strafing in the opposite direction, you can shoot 1 or 2 bullets with 100% accuracy.

Despite counter-strafing being a slightly intermediate-level skill, you should start incorporating it in your matches. You can head over to the Practice Range and perfect this skill while shooting against bots. 

Utility

Last, but not least, you need to master your utility to come out on top. Always remember that your abilities’ primary purpose is not to get kills but to set yourself and your team up for success. If you are a Duelist, learn how to enter a site with the aid of your abilities and single out opening duels. As an Initiator, always stick with your team and support them in early fights by using flashes and locator abilities.

If you are a Controller main, you should completely understand the map to know when and where to place your smokes. Playing a Sentinel, you should know your role in watching flanks, holding sites, or flanking the enemy whenever possible with the help of your abilities.

Once you master your Agent’s abilities, you can learn lineups with other Agents on each map to make your arsenal much more effective. And with abilities, teamplay and coordination only highlight how important it is to communicate with your team.

Final Thoughts

Valorant’s skill cap is not to be taken lightly due to its enormous learning curve. Players end up sinking in hundreds of hours only to grasp even the most basic mechanics of such a meticulous game. However, if you implement the learnings of this guide in your game, you will cut that time tenfold. Remember that we’ve only scratched the surface here and there is much more to learn. Nevertheless, even advanced players should often come back to reinforce these basic principles.

About the Author

Si Yan

Si Yan is an editor on Videogamer.com, researching interesting topics, working with a team for content creation and then editing onto site. Game wise Si Yan loves Pokémon and Super Mario.

Valorant

  • Platform(s): PC
  • Genre(s): Action, Shooter, Strategy

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