After the latest Patch Update in Valorant, a significant shift has comeforth in the Agents tier. This was quite expected as Raze, one of the most popular Duelists, was tweaked.
The introduction of Killjoy has forced players to adapt to a new dynamic. Players are coming up with smarter plays each day.
Riot Games experimented with the Agent pool for the best. Previously, a Sage-dominated meta continued for quite a while. However, recent tournaments have proven how innovative players can be with specific Agents.
To categorise these Agents tier-wise, players need to understand what these Agents are useful for.
S-Tier Agents in Valorant after Patch 1.08
Omen - Known for its unpredictable mobility, Omen tops the S-tier after 1.08.
Although there were no tweaks for Omen, the Agent was disbanded for a few days due to a minor glitch. After returning, Omen seems to be as powerful as ever.
From Shadow Walk to his ultimate, it is not at all predictable for opponents to keep an eye on Omen. That makes him one of the most efficient controllers in Valorant ahead of Brimstone and Viper.
Cypher - Knowledge is power, and power is everything in Valorant.
In the category of Sentinels, Cypher places ahead of Sage and Killjoy simply because of his kit. The range of reconnaissance devices attached to him is outstanding. Not even Sova can match the map control Cypher has.
For quite a while, Cypher has been sitting on top of the S-tier. Numerous pros express their concern while going up against a seasoned Cypher main. It is because Cypher's kit is quite troublesome to master.
Although, once players get a hang of how Spycam and Neural Theft works, it becomes effortless to track and kill opponents.
Breach - Stuck in Valorant rounds facing multiple OPs and griefing from choke points? Well, Breach is the Agent to choose.
Breach's real importance in Valorant begins from Gold lobbies and above. His specialty is with cutting vision and thus is an impactful agent against Operator specialists. While defending, Breach becomes the last line of defence. Similarly, while attacking, Breach acts as the vanguard.
His abilities in Valorant can make him go through walls, a lot like Omen or Sova, but much more potently. However, Breach need a good sense of map positioning. At the same time, in order to cut corners, players need to be extra smooth with that first shot. Thus, accuracy and movement need to be spot on.
Read more - Valorant Tier List: The best Valorant Agents.
A-Tier
Brimstone - Lately, Brimstone has not been doing too well in the Agent meta.
Players majorly prefer Omen over him. Although, for those who like to have a straightforward game plan, Brimstone is one hell of an Agent. His kit alone has the capacity to take over or hold any site. Post-plant, Brimstone has become one of the key Valorant Agents who can clutch around from far away.
The Incendiary lineups combined with the impact of the Orbital Strike makes Brimstone one of the most aggressive Agents in Valorant. Players need a profound structural idea of the map to main a Brimstone or a Sova.
Sova - The hunter maintains his spot in the A-tier as a go-to Agent for players favouring initiators.
After the recent update v1.07, Sova lineups became more prevalent in Valorant. The latest Valorant Twitch Rivals tournament displayed a surprising variety in Sova mains. With a kit that has the ability to scour the entire map, Sova is the best pick for intel. Although, Cypher has him beat simply because of the ult.
Sova's ult can be mighty, but it is too weak for some even though it goes through walls.
Jett - If positioning and mobility are your weapons of choice, then Jett is the Agent.
Jett is undoubtedly the most challenging Agents to track in Valorant. She forces players to dig deep and focus on aiming. Although her smokes are not as potent as Brimstone's or Omen's, it still gives a short time to recover or relocate.
Jett can at once be an excellent option for holding the Operator in Valorant, and at the same time, act as an OP-counter agent. On maps like Haven and Bind, Jett is in her element. Peeking Heaven or Hookah might be a lousy option for opponents.
Reyna - One of the most popular Valorant Agents, Reyna, still retains her glory ever since her introduction.
While staying safe from bullets is an essential part of the game for other Agents, Reyna can risk an exchange. Valorant players need to be remarkably skilful with Reyna as she has capabilities of being an Initiator as well as a Duelist.
Reyna's kit is one of the most over-powered ones in Valorant as it can cut away enemy vision to replenish her health. Only Sage and Phoenix have the healing capability but not as good as Reyna's.
Read more - Top 10 former CS: GO legends who migrated to Valorant.
B-Tier
Killjoy - After her introduction and recent nerf, Killjoy ranks as one of those Agents that players pick under compulsion.
However, for any sharp Killjoy main, her abilities still dominate others in any given Valorant map. The general response from the community suggests that she is most potent on Ascent, given her ability to hold an entire region, which becomes quite important in a broad map like Ascent post-plant.
Similarly, Killjoy mains like to take advantage of the map by placing traps in the most unexpected spots. This makes the Valorant Agent a covert distance-killer. Hopefully, Killjoy would see a minor buff in the days to come as her dominance is declining from Platinum and above.
Raze - Patch 1.08 affected Raze the most.
Her entire kit is based on destruction. The recent change with the Blast Pack has forced Raze players to trade that for mobility. However, experienced Raze pros tend to use the Satchels as a setup for the Showstopper. The mid-air double jump is a prevalent technique used by numerous Valorant players.
Raze is still equally powerful, but now she has become a little quicker than before. Using the Blast Pack for damage was never the idea. Perhaps, with this bit of tweak, players will get a better perspective of playing with Raze.
C-Tier
Sage - Her unpredictable fall from grace was inevitable.
Sage's entire kit needs a major change in Valorant. Her main use as a Sentinel is to bring back fallen allies. However, that has become a broken dynamic now. Players often use it to bait a teammate for a kill. Recent tournaments have shown how much players hate picking Sage.
Sage has seen a series of nerfs and is now in dire need of an upgrade. From her Slow Orb to the Resurrection, players are just not happy with Sage.
Phoenix - The fire seems to have faded out as Phoenix finds himself way down in the selection list.
Regardless of opinions, Phoenix's mains tend to argue about the Agent's aggressive nature in Valorant. Phoenix can function both as an Initiator and a Duelist. This gives him a bit of every ability out there; he can also heal himself in a fire.
Despite all this, recent results have shown how Phoenix's Blaze or Run It Back is just not cutting it anymore. Players can predict where opponents would be using the ult from. Similarly, the fire screen hardly makes a difference with visibility. Hopefully, Phoenix will get a tweak that will bring him back to the top of the list.
D-Tier
Viper - Perhaps the most-hated Agent in Valorant, Viper, is in dire need of an all-encompassing upgrade.
Players have insinuated that even if the entire map is Viper's ult, it still won't make a difference. Essentially, Viper needs to stay in the pit to keep it working. At the same time, she is quite visible to the enemy inside the pit. Thus, opponents do not mind taking a risk.
As a controller, Viper has failed her purpose with every ability. What good is having a screen through the wall if it times out too quickly? Even her Snake Bite isn't as potent as Brimstone's Incendiary or Killjoy's Nanoswarm. Riot Games definitely need to rethink their strategy as numerous pros have stated that Viper's kit needs a total change.