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Riot Games released the Episode 8 Act 3 of Valorant on April 30, 2024. This new update came with a bunch of changes to the agent’s abilities and a brand-new map, Sunset. Based on Los Angeles, the Sunset map has a simple layout consisting of two bomb sites and three lanes. This map includes many angles that invite gunfights without interfering with the smart placement of utilities.
With significant nerfs on the agent's abilities, patch 8.08 has completely alter the way the game is being played,especially for Viper mains. In light of that, let's take a look at which Valorant agents operate well on the new Sunset map.
Agent tier list for the new Sunset map in Valorant
All the agents in this tier list are classified into four tiers: S, A, B, C, and D, with the S tier being the best and the D tier being the worst.
S-tier
1) Cypher: Sentinel
Cypher is a great pick for maps with confined bomb sites and tight lanes like Sunset in Valorant. His utility setups with the Spycam, Tripwire, and Cybercage at A or B sites can be very useful for controlling the movement of enemies and holding narrow corridors in Sunset. His traps can help gather information during attack and retake situations.
2) Raze: Duelist
With Jett getting nerfed to oblivion, Raze can be part of the new meta in Valorant by picking off a bunch of enemies at once. Her utilities like the Paintshells, Blast Pack, and Boombot help her move into sites, clear tight corners, and inflict heavy damage upon the enemy team. These abilities make Raze the best pick for a Duelist in the Sunset map in Valorant.
3) Brimstone: Controller
Brimstone's Sky Smokes can easily obstruct and delay enemies from entering sites on Valorant's new Sunset map because of narrow entrances and confined corners. His smokes stay longer than those of any other agent with the same ability, making him a must-pick. Brimstone's utilities, like the Incendiary and Stim Beacon, are effective for post-plant situations, and his ultimate ability can wipe out enemies hiding in corners.
4) Skye: Initiator
As an Initiator, it is safe to say that Skye is almost an all-rounder on the Sunset map. With abilities like the Trailblazer and Guiding Light, she can clear out camping spots and visually impair her enemies. Her controllable flashes make taking over A and B sites easier for her teammates. Additionally, with her Regrowth ability, Skye can also heal her teammates when Sage is not around.
Moreover, her ultimate ability, Seekers, proves to be very useful while scouting for lurkers and campers, making her a top choice as an Initiator on Valorant's new map, Sunset.
5) Clove: Controller
Clove ranks as one of the best Agents for the map, Sunset. Their ability to come back to life after they have perished in a round, allows them to dominate. They can easily smoke off the entry points or the common spots of the sites to help their teammates. Clove players can also easily dominate the match if they have good aim and a decent knowledge of the map.
If Clove doesn’t have a Sage or Skye in their team, they can simply secure a kill to gain a bit of overheal for a limited time. They can also make the enemies vulnerable, which increases the chances of securing the site while attacking or re-taking.
A-tier
1) Killjoy: Sentinel
Killjoy ranks at the top of the A-tier. During defense, her Turret and Alarm Bot setup can help her take control of the site and cover multiple angles at once. On attack, Killjoy's Alarmbot and Nanoswarm can be placed along with each other to take care of flanks, and the Turret can help her teammates cover angles.
Moreover, her ultimate Lockdown can cover a wide portion of any of the sites on the Sunset map in both attacking and defending scenarios. The increase in Killjoy’s ult points from eight to nine in the latest Patch 7.04 shouldn’t have a great impact on her playstyle in Valorant.
2) Neon: Duelist
Neon can quickly contest or evade gunfights with her signature High Gear ability. Due to the smaller size of the Sunset map, Neon is quick with her rotation and flanks. Her Relay Bolt is useful to concuss or draw opponents out of hiding since it can be utilized in tricky positions and narrow spaces. Her other basic utility, the Fast Lane Wall, can be used to escape from dangerous spots or to provide safe passage for the team while entering sites.
Furthermore, her ultimate ability, Overdrive, might prove crucial in helping you win eco rounds in Valorant.
3) Astra: Controller
The abilities that Astra has to offer make her a good choice as a Controller in Valorant's Sunset map. Her abilities, like Nova Pulse and Gravity Well, can instantly concuss or disrupt enemy movements from a certain spot in both attack and defense scenarios.
Adding to this, her smoking ability, Nebula, proves useful in site rotation while attacking or blocking enemy entry into sites while defending, Astra can control her smoke from anywhere on the map, and her versatility has allowed her to gain a spot in the A tier.
Additionally, the sound emanating from Cosmic Divide has been totally blocked by the wall rather than muffled since Astra's ult underwent recent adjustments in Patch 7.04.
4) Sova: Initiator
Sova still remains one of the best agents for gathering information in Valorant, even after multiple nerfs. He is useful on any map because his abilities revolve around gathering information.
On a map like Sunset, Sova can use his crafty Recon Dart lineups to scout the Mid region to gain an advantage over the opponent team. His Recon Dart and Owl Drone will help his teammates dish out targets at A-main or A-elbow.
Sova is also good in post-plant scenarios with his ultimate, Hunter’s Fury, and double shock dart lineups. Considering the reliability that Sova has to offer, he has easily earned his spot on the A-tier of this list.
5) Jett: Duelist
As a Duelist, Jett is one of the best picks for Sunset after Raze and Neon. Jett’s Tailwind allows her to launch into a site to make space for her team members. She can also utilize her Updraft to avoid Tripmines and other traps set up by the opponent team. Jett can also utilize her Cloudburst to either block off some choke points for 2.5 seconds, letting her comrades move to a safe location, or to cover herself, ensuring her survival until her teammates arrive.
Moreover, her Ultimate, Blade Storm, allows Jett to wield five throwing knives which can be extremely useful in ECO rounds.
B-tier
1) Chamber: Sentinel
As odd as it sounds, Chamber can also do a good job as a Sentinel on Valorant's Sunset map. The recent Chamber buffs in PBE Patch 6.11 made significant changes like an increase in the range of his Trademark ability, equip speed out of teleport, and firing rate of his ultimate, Tour De Force. These changes will undoubtedly make him a worthy replacement for Jett because he can now hold Sunset's mid with his sniper while having the ability to teleport back to either A or B sites.
2) Phoenix: Duelist
Phoenix can use his flashes to get around Sunset's sharp angles and tight corners so that his team can take down a few enemies. He can also help his teammates enter the site by using his Blaze Wall ability and other skills like Hot Hands to molly a few spots. Because of this, Phoenix can be useful with proper team composition on this map in Valorant and finds a place in the B-tier.
3) Fade: Initiator
Fade is a good choice for an Initiator in the new map. Her basic ability, Prowler, allows her to catch enemies hiding in corners, providing relief to her teammates. Fade's second basic ability, Sieze, can also be used to limit her opponent's movement in a confined area.
Her signature ability, Haunt, can be used in attack and retake situations to locate her enemies precisely or to remove them from key areas of the map. In addition, Nightmare, Fade's ultimate ability, will be particularly useful in these scenarios because it can temporarily affect and impair opponents' hearing, giving an edge to her teammates. However, there are better agent choices for gathering information on this map, which is why Fade is placed on the B-tier of the list.
4) Breach: Initiator
Breach is a good pick as an Initiator for Sunset as it mostly has narrow choke and entry points. His signature ability, Fault Line, allows him to launch a seismic blast in a straight line, stunning all individuals standing on it. Breach’s Flashpoint unleashes a blinding charge that can flash all enemies when he is pushing a site with his teammates. Additionally, Breach’s Aftershock allows him to launch a fusion charge that he can fire through a wall, making sure the enemies camping on the other side have to move away from its radius.
Moreover, his Ultimate ability, Rolling Thunder, launches a seismic charge that knocks and concusses players in its radius. Players can use this ability when they are in a retake situation or pushing a site filled with enemies.
C- tier
1) Sage: Sentinel
Players are still trying to figure out how to creatively use Sage’s Barrier Orb on Sunset other than the conventional spots like A-main, Mid, and B-main.
Her other abilities, like the signature Healing Orb and Slow Orb, are still relevant on this map in Valorant. However, there are better agents available that help with site control and team support.
2) Yoru: Duelist
Yoru’s abilities allow him to sneak past enemies across the map or deceive and blind them temporarily in both attack and defense scenarios. Gatecrash, his teleportation ability, makes him predictable because it can be seen and destroyed by his enemies. This predictability makes outwitting your opponents a bit difficult, and hence Yoru is on the C-tier for the Sunset map in Valorant.
Other abilities like Fakeout and Blindside have become easy to counter as they take time to activate, giving opponents enough time to react.
The only positive aspect of Yoru is his ultimate ability, Dimensional Drift, which enables him to scout for enemies in attack and defense situations and take them by surprise.
3) Omen: Controller
Omen’s abilities are useful in their own way on the Sunset map in Valorant. However, his Smokes don't last as long as Brimstone or other agents, which is the reason why he sits on the C-tier of this tier list. Despite this, he still works as a doable choice for a Controller on the Sunset map for his one-way smokes. Omen's other abilities, like the Shrouded Step, Paranoia, and his ultimate, From the Shadows, can be properly utilized for lurking.
4) KAY/O: Initiator
KAY/O’s abilities are not the most useful on maps like Sunset in Valorant since they can only be used for entry sites like A-main. His FRAG/MENT is only useful in post-plant situations if used properly. Even his flashes don't match the effectiveness of Skye’s Guiding Light. This lack of versatility and efficiency has placed KAY/O on the C-tier.
KAY/O's ultimate, NULL/CMD, is his only effective ability as it covers a large area, disabling the opponent’s special powers. This helps him and his teammates in attack and retake situations.
5) Iso: Duelist
Iso’s abilities feel lackluster when deployed in maps like Sunset. In most situations, his signature ability, Double Tap, is inconsequential, whereas Iso's Undercut ability is completely ineffectual unless he knows the enemy's precise position. Additionally, Iso’s Ultimate ability, Kill Contract can be situational as it pulls an enemy in its radius in an arena to fight to death.
Iso’s Contingency is the only useful ability as it can create an indestructible wall that moves forward and blocks bullets. This ability helps him and his allies to push or retake a site easily.
6) Viper: Controller
Viper is good for anchoring sites with her range of utilities that can block or slow down enemies while they are entering the site. Her abilities, such as the Poison Orb and Snakebite, can successfully deny spike defusals or clear nearby areas on Sunset in Valorant.
Her ultimate ability, Viper's Pit, can cover most parts of the bomb site, catching enemies off guard during entry or retake situations. With proper team composition, Viper performs well in Sunset.
D-tier
1) Deadlock: Sentinel
Leading the D-tier as a Sentinel is Deadlock, as her abilities are deemed to be the least effective on the Sunset map in Valorant. Deadlock's Barrier Mesh acts as a wall that can be used as a good incentive for entry denial. However, some parts of the Barrier are easily destructible by firing bullets at the core, which eventually enables her enemies to enter the site.
Her other abilities, like Gravnet and Sonic Sensor, rely on the player’s skill and creative approach. There are better choices for Sentinels in the higher tiers that boast special abilities with more utility.
2) Reyna: Duelist
Most of Reyna’s abilities target herself and don't provide much value to her team. Due to a lot of corners and narrow spaces on the Sunset map, Reyna’s blinding ability, Leer, is not as useful to the team as other flashes. Her other abilities are only useful if she can get as many kills as possible. Hence, she is not a recommended choice for the Sunset map in Valorant.
3) Harbor: Controller
Just like KAY/O, Harbor’s abilities are not the most efficient on a map like Sunset. Harbor's efficiency relies on the individual skills and creative approach of the player. Abilities like Cove, Cascade, and Hightide can only benefit the team if there is proper coordination among them, as playing solo can be difficult with this agent. Hence, Harbor is not a recommended choice for the Sunset map in Valorant.
The only positive aspect of Harbor is his ultimate, Reckoning, which can cover a major portion of a bomb site and lure out the enemies trying to avoid getting concussed.
4) Gekko: Initiator
Gekko has the least impact as an Initiator on this map, as his abilities can be easily countered and have limited use cases. Although his Wingman ability can help plant and defuse spikes, it is not enough to win rounds as it is vulnerable to gunshots.
Furthermore, his ultimate, which can potentially win you rounds, can often be useless because it is relatively easy to dodge.
