Astra has evolved into one of the most impactful controllers in Valorant, excelling in both ranked and professional play. Her complex yet rewarding kit provides unparalleled map control, making her a favorite among strategic players. If you aspire to become an Astra main, this guide will equip you with everything you need to dominate your matches.

Nova Pulse: Astra’s Concuss

Nova Pulse is Astra’s concuss ability, which stuns enemies within a small radius after a short wind-up. To use it, you must preemptively place a star, similar to the rest of her kit. One of Astra’s strongest advantages is her ability to use all of her abilities globally, regardless of her position on the map.

The best ways to use Nova Pulse include:

  • Slowing Down Rush Plays: Place a star inside your smoke and activate Nova Pulse when you hear enemies approaching a choke point. This disrupts aggressive pushes and can create opportunities for spam kills through smokes.
  • Playing Off Teammates’ Contact: Coordinate with your teammates by placing a star in key areas and activating Nova Pulse when an enemy enters their line of sight.
  • Clearing Corners Safely: If you suspect an enemy is hiding in a common spot, use Nova Pulse to concuss them before peeking.
  • Combining with Gravity Well: If an enemy is caught in Gravity Well, they can resist the pull if they move away from the center. However, if they are first stunned by Nova Pulse, they will be unable to escape, making them an easy target.

Using Nova Pulse effectively ensures that Astra remains a powerful disruptor, preventing the enemy team from executing their strategies freely.

Nebula: Astra’s Signature Smokes

Astra’s Nebula is her primary utility as a controller. Her bubble-shaped smoke lasts for a short duration, making it the second shortest in the game next to Clove. However, Astra’s unique ability to recall her stars provides an additional layer of deception and flexibility.

Key strategies for using Nebula effectively:

  • Repositioning with Recall Smoke: When recalling a star, Astra leaves behind a brief imitation smoke. This can be used creatively to reposition safely or mislead enemies.
  • Covering Crosses: Teams often use Astra’s Nebula to cross dangerous angles, such as moving from B Club to B Ramp on Pearl.
  • Supporting Fake Plays: Since Astra’s abilities are global, she can initiate a fake push by deploying smokes in one area while her team takes control elsewhere.
  • Obscuring Vision on Defense: Pre-positioning stars in common rush locations allows Astra to delay enemy advances and support her teammates efficiently.

These mechanics make Astra one of the most versatile controllers in the game, giving her immense potential to manipulate enemy movement and site control.

Gravity Well: The Crowd Control Tool

Astra’s Gravity Well pulls enemies toward its center while applying a Vulnerable debuff, making them more susceptible to damage. This utility is most effective when combined with damage-dealing abilities such as:

  • Raze’s Paint Shells
  • Brimstone’s Orbital Strike
  • Breach’s Aftershock
  • KAY/O’s Fragment Grenade

Additionally, Gravity Well can be used to deny spike defuses. To maximize this, ensure that the spike is placed near the edge of the Gravity Well’s radius, forcing enemies away when they attempt to defuse. However, be aware that multiple enemies can counter this by body-blocking, as seen in professional play.

For example, in a recent VCT match between DRX and Trace, DRX successfully countered a Gravity Well play by body-blocking the defuser, preventing Astra’s ability from pulling them off the spike. Knowing how opponents might counter Gravity Well allows Astra mains to adjust their strategies accordingly.

Astral Form and Cosmic Divide

Astra’s Astral Form allows her to place stars across the entire map, making it essential to seek cover before entering this state. Mastering quick star placement and activation is key to maximizing her effectiveness.

Cosmic Divide, Astra’s ultimate, is one of the most powerful site control abilities in Valorant. It creates a massive wall that blocks vision and sound while absorbing bullets. Here are its primary uses:

  • Denying Site Control: Whether attacking or defending, Cosmic Divide can cut off large areas, forcing enemies to take unfavorable fights.
  • Faking Rotations: Placing Cosmic Divide on one site can bait defenders into over-rotating, allowing an easy plant on the opposite side.
  • Enabling Aggressive Pushes: In a competitive match, Astra mains have used Cosmic Divide to create safe entry points for their team, allowing them to take space without fear of being shot.

A perfect example of Cosmic Divide’s impact can be seen in pro play. A player strategically placed a Cosmic Divide to enable a B-site push while ensuring safe repositioning. The team capitalized on the space it provided, securing key kills and winning the round decisively.