Astra vs Viper in Valorant: Which Controller is the best pick for Split?

Set in Tokyo, Split is a map that has been part Valorant since its beta release. The narrow entry points and elevated surfaces at both bomb sites can be troubling for attackers, making it a defender-sided map.

Controllers are essential on every Valorant map as they have an enhanced smoking ability that can gain the team entry into sites. Valorant offers players a choice of 4 Controller agents - Viper, Astra, Brimstone, and Omen.

Viper and Astra are two of Valorant's most popular choices for a Controller. With respect to Split, this article examines the effectiveness of both agents in attacking and defending situations.

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Astra vs Viper in Valorant: Facts, abilities, skills, and pick rate

Astra

Astra is a Valorant controller agent hailing from Ghana (Image via Valorant)

Facts

Since: Version 2.04

Role: Controller

Origin: Ghana

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Abilities

Signature Ability (X): Astral Form

Astra enters a three-dimensional space where she gets a view of the whole map and can levitate to either plant her stars, retrieve them, or use her abilities while her real body is stationary and vulnerable to attack. Astra cannot plant her stars without entering her astral form.

Basic Ability 1 (C): Gravity Well

Upon activation, all nearby players will have their movements disrupted and will be pulled towards the center of the star. Enemy agents will be vulnerable for 5 seconds.

Basic Ability 2 (Q): Nova Pulse

Releases a pulse that concusses enemy agents for 4 seconds.

Basic Ability 3 (E): Nebula/Dissipate

Activating the star creates smoke that lasts for 14 seconds. Astra can recall the star to form a short smoke lasting 1 second.

Ultimate Ability (X): Cosmic Divide

Astra can activate her ultimate while in her astral form. She creates a bulletproof wall across the map that reaches the ceiling of the map. As a result, enemy agents are denied vision across the wall, with weakened audio. Cosmic Divide lasts for 21 seconds, and requires 7 ultimate points.

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Skills

Astra's signature ability allows her to deploy all of her stars anywhere across the map within seconds. This is an incredibly effective defensive tool which makes it very convenient for her teammates to hold down bomb sites. Her abilities offer an element of surprise, since the nature of the stars won't be revealed until they are activated. Astra's ultimate can change the tide of the game, as enemy agents will have to put themselves at a major disadvantage to challenge her Cosmic Divide.

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Pick Rate

In Stage 3 Masters of Valorant Champions Tour 2021, Astra witnessed a pickrate of 60%, with her best map being Split, with an 89% pick rate. Across Valorant's competitive matchmaking, Astra has a pick rate of 8.6% since Episode 3 Act 2, with 10.9% pick rate in Split.

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Viper

Viper is an American controller agent in Valorant (Image via Valorant)

Facts

Since: Beta

Role: Controller

Origin: United States

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Abilities

Passive Ability: Fuel

Fuel meter once depleted takes 20 seconds to recharge completely. Viper's poison cloud (Q) and toxic screen (E) depend on Fuel.

Passive Ability: Toxin

Temporarily reduce enemy health by 30 HP, dealing further damage of 10 HP per second. Enemies regain their remaining health at a rate of 25 HP per second.

Basic Ability 1 (C): Snake Bite

Deploys a toxic compound similar to a molotov. Enemies caught in the splatter will lose 12 HP per second, while being vulnerable for 2 seconds.

Basic Ability 2 (Q): Poison Cloud

A gas emitter, which when activated turns into spherical smoke. The ability can be reused at the cost of Fuel. Enemies will be affected by Toxin inside the cloud.

Signature Ability (E): Toxic Screen

A straight line of gas emitters, which form a toxic wall when activated. Toxic Screen runs at the cost of Fuel and can be reactivated. Enemies passing through will be affected by Toxin.

Ultimate Ability (X): Viper's Pit

Viper creates a toxic cloud over a wide area. While every agent will have reduced vision, only enemy agents will be affected by Toxin. Viper has a 15-second timer she can use at her convenience to leave her pit and return. Viper's Pit requires 7 ultimate points.

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Skills

Despite the lack of accurate smoking ability, Viper can hold her own as a desirable Controller in Valorant. Viper has lineups for all of her abilities, which she can combine to secure entry into bomb sites. Among Viper's diverse skillset is Snake Bite (C) which she can accurately deploy from multiple locations onto bomb sites to deny Defenders a defusal. Her ultimate (X) gives her control of a wide area and allows her to pick gunfights like duelists.

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Pick rate

Viper had a pick rate of 48% across all maps for Valorant Champions Tour 2021 Stage 3 Masters: Berlin, with a 46% pick rate in Split. In competitive matchmaking, Viper has had a 27.6% pick rate since Episode 3 Act 2, across all maps. The agent's pick rate reduces to 20.4% in Split.

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Astra vs Viper in Split: Which Controller should Valorant players choose?

In comparison to Viper, Astra has a better smoke deployment ability as she has the freedom to conceal any area of the map within seconds. Viper has her own set of lineups that can reach any pivotal angle inside a bombsite. However, Split is a Valorant map that contains elevated aiming angles in both bomb sites, making it difficult for Viper to use her abilities to her best potential.

Astra's Cosmic Divide (X) is capable of helping her team enter both bomb sites with minimal gunfire due to the structure of the map. This ability can block off entry points like heaven and screens in A site, leaving only the site unmarked. The same can be done with rafters and alleys in B site as well.

The narrow entry points of the map paired with the structure of the buildings make it inconvenient for Viper to be the only Controller in a team competing in Split. With a single Controller in a 5-man squad being the most popular choice for players across various elos, Astra is preferable over Viper in Split in Valorant's competitive matchmaking.