Valorant Ascent map guide: Tips and tricks, layout, callouts, and more

Valorant's Ascent map is one of the oldest areas in the game and has been around since its global release. It is also the only map that has remained unchanged since its debut in June 2020. With nearly four years in the map rotation, strategies on this map have become common knowledge among players of all skill levels.

That said, beginners or players returning to Riot's character-based tactical shooter after a while could still use an overview of how to approach the map. This article covers all the basic aspects of playing Valorant's Ascent map.

Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and reflect the author's opinions.

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Valorant Ascent map layout and callouts

Valorant Ascent map callouts (Image via Reddit || u/its-emma-elise)

The image highlights all the major and minor callout spots on Ascent. Here are some that you should prioritize learning:

• Attacker/T Spawn
• Defender/CT Spawn
• Top Mid
• A-Main/A-Long
• Wine
• A-Short
• Catwalk
• Tiles
• B-Lobby
• B-Main
• Tree
• Garden
• Dice
• Generator
• Rafters/Heaven
• Hell
• Bottom Mid
• Pizza
• Market
• Logs
• Switch/Boathouse
• Backsite

While knowing the other callouts is important, you should prioritize the ones listed here, as they would be most commonly known. Some areas also have different regional names, so make sure to keep up-to-date with those.

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How to play attack and defense on Ascent in Valorant

A-Site Ascent (Image via Riot Games)

How to play Attack on Ascent in Valorant

There are three primary ways with which you can approach attacking on Ascent. They are:

• Pressure A
• Pressure B
• Pressure Mid

However, you might want to utilize a mix of at least two of these for the best results. For example, an A-Split would involve pressuring both A and Mid. For this, you can have two players go in through A-Main, while the other two approach the site through A-Short. To aid this, putting down a smoke on Bottom Mid can be helpful.

Additionally, you must be wary of a pushout from B-Site. Given Ascent's relatively smaller size, flankers can catch up to your team if you take too much time to get into the site. To prevent this, having someone, ideally a Sentinel watch B-Main can be extremely useful.

Your team can take a similar approach with the B-Site, splitting through B-Main and Market with a smoke on A-Short. During this, your Sentinel should be looking out for an A-Main push.

Using a combination of these tactics will give you the best chance to get as many rounds as possible while attacking on Valorant's Ascent map.

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How to play Defense on Ascent in Valorant

Ascent B-Site (Image via Riot Games)

Playing Defense on Ascent is relatively simple given the map's linear structure. The safest approach is to do a 2-1-2 split with two players looking after one site each, while one player keeps Mid safe. However, this can often lead to your team members being overwhelmed if the attackers push in with the entire squad.

Therefore, having your team's Sentinel player passively hold a site while you stack three players on the opposite side of the map can give you better value. Moreover, try to actively pursue information on your opponent's movements so that you can find yourself in an advantageous position.

Lastly, don't shy away from utilizing high-penetration weapons like the Odin while defending. Considering Ascent's thin walls, combining this with a scanning Agent like Sova or Fade can reap immense results.

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5 best agents for Valorant's Ascent map

Best Agents for Ascent (Image via Riot Games)

While the best Agents on Valorant's Ascent map vary based on playstyle, here are five roles you must try to fulfill for the best results on both Attack and Defense:

1. Dive Duelist: A Duelist with movement abilities. The best options are Jett and Raze.
2. Information Initiator: An Initiator that can scan and reveal the enemy's location. The best options are Sova and Fade.
3. Controller with Orb smokes: The best options are Brimstone, Omen, Astra, or Clove.
4. Flash Agent: This can be a self-sufficient flasher like Phoenix, Reyna, or Yoru, or an Initiator like Breach, KAY/O, Gekko, or Skye.
5. Sentinel: The best options are Killjoy or Cypher.

Here are some sample Agent combinations you can try on Valorant's Ascent map:

• Jett + Sova + KAY/O + Omen + Cypher
• Raze + Fade + Gekko + Clove + Killjoy
• Jett + Phoenix + Skye + Omen + Cypher

Make sure the Agents you select synergize well with each other. You can check out our Valorant Ascent map tier list for the best characters.