5 best Valorant agents in 2021

There are currently seventeen agents in Valorant for players to choose from. These Radiant agents have their own special abilities that one can use to influence the round and win the matches. The agents also have their own interconnected backstories that make up Valorant's lore.

This article looks at the agents that were most favored and picked during the course of the year. Although team composition and map choices affect what agents are picked, some of these are viable in almost all team compositions.

Looking at the five best agents of 2021 in Valorant

Riot regularly provides patches for their game and these, at times, include nerfs and buffs to the agents. Notably, this depends on their abilities and pick rate. These changes affect how the community plays the agent.

For example, Yoru is due to receive a massive rework that will hopefully make it a viable duelist.

5 Valorant agents that have been the best in 2021

1) Killjoy

Killjoy brings an arsenal of toys and equipment that provides information and opportunities for players to hold on to any site and quickly punish a misstep. The German sentinel joined the Valorant roster with Act II and was even banned for a significant amount of time from the competitive scene due to an exploit.

Despite facing recent nerfs, Killjoy has enjoyed a healthy pick rate of 43% at the recently concluded Valorant Champions 2021 and more than 50% win rate overall.

2) Jett

The fastest in the Valorant Roster, Jett is one of the most popular duelists and was the most picked agent at the Valorant Champions 2021. She can easily wreak havoc and carve open the site for her team to invade.

Jett provides flashy plays with her updrafts and dashes, picking off enemies and moving away to reset. Recently, Team Acend's cNed played an exceptional Jett match against Gambit on Icebox in the grand finals of Valorant Champions 2021 .

3) Viper

nAts' display on Breeze in the final of Valorant Champions 2021 showcased the potential and efficiency of Viper. Initially, however, Viper was one of the worst agents in the game and received a number of significant buffs.

Viper abilities can be used skilfully to hold off a site and ruthlessly counter anyone who carelessly pokes their nose through the agent's abilities. In recent times, the agent has finally recovered to a healthy pick and win rate.

4) Sova

Possibly the best reconnaissance agent in the game, Sova is the perfect hunter to stop pushes or scout a site before a push. His ultimate ability can be used to flush out enemies or stop a plant.

The agent had a number of exceptional showings at the Valorant Champions 2021. With a varied set of tools at his disposal, Sova has remained one of the strongest agents since the release of the game.

5) Sage

Sage is the mighty healer of the Valorant Protocol who can either set the tone of a round with her slow orbs and walls or sustain her teammates by healing them. Although recent nerfs have lessened her pick rate, Sage still remains a strong choice for any composition.

Honorable mention - Chamber

The game's latest agent, Chamber, has quickly become a favorite among the community because of his abilities and playmaking prowess. Although he is considered a S-tier agent, the list excluded him because he was released late in the year in November.

About the author

Angshuman is an Assistant Content Manager, Gaming, at Sportskeeda with a specialized focus on Pokemon. While completing his Master's degree in English Literature, Angshuman's research topics primarily included the many facets of game studies. That, along with his love for the medium which he believes to be the pinnacle of storytelling, led him to become a writer in the genre.

Angshuman prefers both solo and multiplayer titles on PC and PS5. His love for gaming stemmed from playing Bounce and God of War on mobile phones, and on to Age of Empires and Zoo Tycoon on PC. If he ever wished to convert a gaming cynic into a admirer, he would recommend indie games because of their versatility and their ability to be unaffected by genre-stifling publisher expectations.

Angshuman has interviewed several indie game developers in his career, spoken at many conferences, and contributed to book chapters. In his capacity to create highly accurate content, he thoroughly researches a topic, tracks citations until he finds the original source, and ensures his content doesn't misrepresent, misquote, or appropriate information.

In his spare time, Angshuman enjoys story writing, shooting landscapes and short films, reading, and painting.

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