3 Valorant Agents that need a buff

Valorant’s Agent pool helps make it a unique, tactical FPS, though some Agents seem underwhelming at times.

Team composition is everything, especially in competitive rounds. Valorant’s Agents come in 4 categories: controller, duelist, initiator, and sentinel. It’s become apparent that in some of these segments, individual Agents are less viable than others.

With most patches, Riot Games has attempted to tweak Agents to bring more balance to the Agent pool. The series of nerfs and buffs have ultimately created new metas, and some Agents don’t see the light of day.

3 Agents that could use a buff in Valorant

#3 - Viper

Although Viper has seen plenty of buffs in Valorant’s short lifespan, she is still one of the least-picked characters at every level. Viper, along with Sage and Brim, weren’t picked at all in the First Strike NA main event. If professionals aren’t using her, is anyone going to?

Of the three controller Agents in Valorant, Viper is the only one who can’t place her smokes with great precision. Her Toxic Screen, however, is excellent at cutting off sightlines with accuracy.

Viper certainly has a place in Valorant. The biggest issue is that she was very underpowered in the early stages of the game. Players haven’t put in the time to learn the ins-and-outs of Viper’s kit to its potential.

In a mostly one controller-Agent meta, Viper doesn’t seem to have noticeable advantages over Omen or even Brimstone. The former’s smokes come back after 35 seconds, and Brimstone can help teams execute very quickly. It would take a noticeable buff for players to truly begin to master Viper.

#2 - Sage

Sage, especially in higher ELO, can feel underpowered compared to her sentinel counterparts.

Not to mention, Sage has received more nerfs and buffs than any other Agent in Valorant. In her current state, she is good at stalling enemies with her Barrier and Slow Orbs. However, unlike Cypher and Killjoy, Sage’s kit isn’t great for acquiring information.

With the addition of Skye, Sage is no longer the only Agent that can heal her teammates. Also, heals in higher ELO aren’t always impactful. Even with Sage getting her allies back to full health, a headshot from a rifle will still instantly kill.

Cypher’s Spy Camera and Killjoy’s Turrett can detect enemies. Sage’s inability to acquire information like the other sentinels makes her the last choice in many situations. Most teams don’t use two sentinels in their composition. Although Sage is a viable Agent with some upside, a one-sentinel team composition probably wouldn’t feature her.

#1 - Brimstone

Brimstone’s pick-rate has dramatically diminished since the early stages of Valorant. It’s essential to have at least one controller Agent in Valorant to cut off sightlines, but Omen has taken the title as the premier controller Agent. It’s also worth mentioning that Brim is probably the most boring character to play in Valorant.

Brimstone’s signature ability is his Sky Smoke. He starts each round with one, and he can purchase two additional smokes for 100 credits each. Although Brimstone can place all of his smokes precisely and simultaneously, Omen still has an advantage over him.

Omen’s signature, Dark Cover, gives him two smokes at the beginning of each round. Every 35 seconds, they can be used again. On any given round, Omen can smoke many more times than Brimstone can.

Brimstone’s kit also includes his Incendiary, Stim Beacon, and his ultimate ability - Orbital Strike. His Incendiary allows him to shoot a Molotov that can stall or clutch rounds. Stim Beacon gives Brimstone and his teammates’ rapid-fire. Lastly, Orbital Strike can stop bomb defuses, or flush enemies out of certain positions.

Brimstone’s abilities make him a viable option, but most teams still prefer Omen. It’s unlikely that a team’s composition will consist of more than one controller Agent, making Brimstone obsolete at times. Giving him four total smokes, or making them last a few seconds longer could certainly increase his pick-rate.

Overall, each character, when used correctly, can thrive in Valorant. However, when metas change, some Agents begin to fade out of a team’s composition. Riot is continuously altering the Agents to bring balance, so players shouldn’t be shocked if anything changes. Be sure to read the patch notes for every update.

Note: This article reflects the author’s opinion, and what may seem the best option to one may not be so to someone else.