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It's been a month since the arrival of Valorant's Episode 6 Act 1. The latest addition brought back Split and introduced a new map called Lotus while removing Bind and Breeze from the map pool.
Agents are in a more balanced state than ever before. While some could do with a bit of love from the developers, the most powerful ones in the game are in a great position.
With the removal of Breeze and Bind and the addition of Split and Lotus, the Agents being picked the most have also changed up quite a bit. This article will rank all 20 Agents currently in Valorant with respect to their overall viability across all maps.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
Valorant Episode 6 Act 1: The best Agents in the game (and the worst)
Valorant currently has 20 Agents. This tier list ranks them based on the following criteria:
- Overall viability across all the maps that are currently in play.
- How they compare to the other Agents in their class.
- Whether they are a must-pick on any map because they fill a certain niche that no other Agent can fulfill.
- The impact their ultimate ability has in determining the fate of a round.
Current Valorant Agents will be categorized into the following categories based on these tiers:
- S-Tier
- A-Tier
- B-Tier
- C-Tier
- D-Tier
Please note that this tier list is based on the average ranked performance of the Agents and doesn't account for professional Valorant esports because those games are played by experts.
S-Tier
The S-Tier consists of the best Agent from each class. They add high value to the team when played on all the maps in the current pool. Each has a unique kit and a powerful Ultimate that has the potential to turn the tide of a round.
The S-tier Agents in Episode 6 Act 1 are
- Jett
- KAY/O
- Killjoy
- Omen
The fall of Chamber in Patch 5.12 has reinstated Jett as the best Agent in Valorant. In the hands of a mechanically gifted player, she can single-handedly put enough pressure on the enemy team for a sizable advantage. She is also the best Agent to use the Operator because of the get-out-of-jail-free card granted by Tailwind.
KAY/O has a unique ability to suppress enemy players, rendering them unable to use any abilities. His Ultimate is super handy when it comes to taking on attacks as well as retaking sites. If you learn lineups for his Zero/Point, you will get excellent value from his kit on all maps in Valorant.
Killjoy's Ultimate has become almost indestructible without specific ability combinations or lineups unless you expend a Sova or Brimstone ultimate.
Omen is the best Controller in Valorant because of the sheer versatility he brings to the team. He has a near-unlimited supply of smokes that he can place from long distances and mobility in the form of Shrouded Step that lets him lurk or flank without getting caught by Sentinel utility.
A-Tier
The A-tier consists of Agents with strong kits that shine on a few maps but are not viable for all of them. They all have strong Ultimates and are somewhat better than the other Agents in their class.
The A-tier Agents in Episode 6 Act 1 are
- Sova
- Fade
- Raze
- Viper
- Astra
- Cypher
Sova and Fade are somewhat on par with each other in the current meta. They can be used interchangeably, and one makes up for where the other lacks. Sova has a more damage-based kit, while Fade has more crowd-control abilities. Tight maps like Split and Fracture are Fade's playground, whereas the more open ones suit Sova well.
Raze is in a unique space in the Valorant meta, where she does a good job on all the maps in the pool but is outclassed by Jett's proficiency as an Operator. Raze's sheer damage output, ability to scout out corners with her Boombot, and double Blast Pack into the enemies' faces make her an excellent pick.
Viper and Astra are the go-to picks on Icebox and Pearl, respectively. They can also be quite good on Fracture and Split. Both these Controllers need a great degree of team coordination and have excellent crowd control ability, making them excellent defense Agents.
Cypher is in a good position where he can hold down sites and watch the flanks efficiently without feeling too oppressive to play against. Neural Theft, being a six-point ultimate, can be easily farmed if Cypher consistently gets kills and can act as a good inconvenience for the opposing team.
B-Tier
B-Tier Agents can fill specific niches on certain maps. They are decent Agents for ranked play, but others in their class are better than them in almost all situations.
The B-tier Agents in Episode 6 Act 1 are
- Brimstone
- Breach
- Sage
- Neon
- Reyna
Brimstone and Breach are both the best Agents of their class on Fracture. But they don't garner too much value outside this map.
Brimstone's smokes last long, but teams without excellent communication might not be able to make the best of that window. Moreover, the utility is not rechargeable, making it difficult to call for late-round rotations.
Breach is a strong Agent in pro play, but without that level of communication in ranked, you will end up flashing or stunning your own teammates.
Sage is excellent on Icebox because of how good her Barrier Orb is at granting planting and defusing opportunities. Her slowing and healing abilities are also not bad, but most higher-ranked teams perform better with a second Initiator than Sage.
Neon and Reyna are both Duelists who are excellent at making solo plays and can be quite oppressive opponents in the hands of a mechanically gifted player. But they don't add too much value to the team, making them a big liability.
C-Tier
The C-Tier consists of Agents in a very unimpressive state at the moment. They don't do their job particularly well and only work if the other team is clueless.
The C-Tier Agents in Episode 6 Act 1 are
- Skye
- Phoenix
- Yoru
Skye is a jack of all trades and a master of none in the Initiator class. She has crowd-control and information-gathering abilities, but none are the best in the class. She is in dire need of some buffs to regain a solid place in the Valorant meta.
Phoenix suffers from a serious lack of mobility, while Yoru has become too predictable. The only great thing about Phoenix's kit is his Ultimate, but KAY/O's one acts in a similar way and adds more value to the team.
The Yoru rework showed some hope for the Agent. But with time, most of his tricks have become so commonplace that the average Yoru can be read like a book and hard-countered after a couple of rounds.
D-Tier
The D-Tier is at the absolute bottom of the ladder. These Agents are barely picked in the current meta because their kits are lackluster and don't add much value to the Agent composition on any Valorant map.
The D-Tier Agents in Episode 6 Act 1 are
- Chamber
- Harbor
Chamber was the best Agent in the game last year, and now he is one of the worst. The main reason behind it is the modifications to his Rendezvous, which now works in a much shorter area. The overall strength of his kit was reduced drastically, leading to players not picking him anymore owing to how weak he felt.
Harbor has been underwhelming since release, especially because of his kit's lack of defensive utility. He still has a powerful Ultimate and the potential to become more viable with some changes.
The Valorant meta is ever-changing, which is the current state of Agents. Although the game has never felt more balanced in terms of limiting the strengths of powerful Agents, others could get some attention from the developers.
