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Valorant, Riot Games' renowned FPS title, has 17 listed agents with their own unique ability toolkit that players can use to engage in entrancing tactical combat.
Agents are separated into four classes - Duelist, Initiator, Controller and Sentinel based on their character roles. While all four agent classes are essential for a five-man roster to thrive, each class contains a diverse number of agents that players can choose from.
Without the right agent composition, it would be futile to engage in Valorant's ranked competitive matchmaking. However, while solo queing in lower level lobbies, things don't often go as planned.
Listed below in no particular order are 5 Valorant agents that players can choose to maximize their contribution to the team and secure a victory.
Valorant: 5 Agents who can solo carry teams in ranked matches
1) Jett
Jett has one of the highest pick rates among Valorant agents, both in the game's ranked lobbies as well as in professional tournaments. Jett is a Duelist with an extraordinary skillset that encourages players to be aggressive in their approach.
Jett's Tailwind (E) and Updraft (Q) make it convenient to escape fatal gunfights or to reach positions on the map that are otherwise inaccessible. This encourages players to take that aggressive first-peek and gain entry into sites.
Jett's ultimate ability is a lifesaver in eco rounds, and can help players single-handedly win rounds without a weapon purchase. Due to her potential for aerial duels, her abilities require substantial mechanical skills and crosshair placement.
Jett has her own unique learning curve. Nevertheless, she has a 65.2% pick rate across Valorant's ranked matchmaking, and emerged as the most-picked agent at Valorant Champions 2021 with an 82% overall pick-rate.
2) Reyna
Reyna is one of the most common agents in Valorant's competitive lobbies. With her fairly simple ability kit, players need not be concerned about investing a majority of their game-time to learn the Duelist.
As the most self-sufficient fragger in Valorant, Reyna is one of the most challenging agents to compete against. Her Devour (Q) and Dismiss (E) allow her to engage in outnumbered fights and escape with at least one frag.
Reyna's Dismiss is a game-changer in pistol rounds, as it provides her with full armor while having extra credits for upgrading her pistol. Her ultimate allows her to go on a killing spree, rendering her invisible and adding on extra HP as she deals damage.
Reyna is the most common pick in Valorant's ranked competitive lobbies, primarily in the lower elo. As per valorbuff, Reyna has a 72.5% pick rate in matchmaking, with a 23% overall pick rate at the recent Valorant Champions 2021.
3) Killjoy
Killjoy is a popular Sentinel agent who uses her bag of technological goods for a multitude of purposes. Due to her simple and effective set of abilities, Killjoy offers the team great potential as a support agent.
Players have the freedom to be creative with Killjoy's abilities. Her Turret (E) is a great information tool, and can also deal sufficient damage.
Killjoy's Alarmbot (Q) and Nanoswarm (C) can be lined up and deployed in post-plant situations, among other scenarios. Her ultimate ability can be implemented to turn the tide of the match.
Killjoy players can hold off various entrances to the same bombsite all at once, and engage in retakes fearlessly, thereby making her an efficient pick in solo queues. While Killjoy has a 31.7% pickrate in Valorant's ranked matchmaking, she had a 43% pick rate across all maps at Valorant Champions 2021.
4) Sova
Sova is an Initiator in Valorant whose exclusive set of abilities are pivotal in gaining entry to bomb sites and in defensive scenarios as well. The Russian agent is a specialist in recon and has one of the sharpest learning curves in the game.
Sova's ability toolkit is capable of earning him frags without even seeing the enemy. His Recon Bolt (E) and Owl Drone (C) have the capability to reveal the enemy's whereabouts for the entire team.
Meanwhile, his Shock Dart (Q) holds the potential to surprise enemies with an unexpected lineup attack.
Since all of Sova's abilities aid in obtaining recon, they can be combined with his ultimate ability to get the most suitable outcome. Players can use the various abilities of the agent to create favorable situations for themselves and carry an entire squad to victory in Valorant's ranked lobbies.
Sova is the most popular Initiator in Valorant with a pick-rate of 35.8% in competitive matchmaking. In the recent Valorant Champions 2021, he witnessed a whopping 68% pick-rate, second only to Jett.
5) Viper
Viper is one of four Controller agents Valorant has to offer. She has a set of abilities that sets her apart from the other Controllers in the game. Despite her pre-assigned role, Viper can also play as a Sentinel.
Valorant players have the freedom to deploy Viper's abilities in various parts of the map and activate them to their command. This enables the agent to gain control of the entire map.
Viper's Toxic Screen (E) and Poison Cloud (Q) are both vision blocker abilities that deal damage as well. Her Snake Bite (C) has been proven to be one of the most effective post-plant tools in Valorant as well.
Viper's ultimate ability allows her to combat an entire team without taking fatal damage. Players who prefer Viper can single-handedly open up or shut down bomb sites and assist teammates in their executions.
Due to Viper's ability deployment and the changing potential of Controllers respective to maps, she is highly efficient in Breeze, Icebox and Bind. Having said that, the agent has featured occasionally in other maps as well.
The agent has a 28.3% pickrate in competitive matchmaking, which increased to 58% across all maps played in the Valorant Champions 2021.
