Valorant Agent Tier List: Best Agents For Patch 7.01
| Tags: Valorant
| Author Thealchemist
With Patch 7.01 coming live, here is the updated Valorant agent tier list
Despite Riot Games' efforts to make the game as balanced as possible, with a roster of 22 agents and 7 maps, each exhibiting their unique characteristics and abilities, it proves to be an elusive goal. While certain agents such as Jett are viable in most maps, others like Yoru struggle to find relevance and effectiveness in barely any given scenario.
Valorant undergoes changes with each update. The recent arrival of Patch 7.0, which includes the introduction of a new agent, will undoubtedly cause a significant shift in the meta. With that in mind, let us help you to pick up the best agents for patch 7.01 with this Valorant agent tier list guide.
Credit: Riot Games
Valorant Agent Tier List (Patch 7.01)
Tier | Agents |
S | Jett, Raze, Sova, Killjoy |
A | Deadlock, Omen, Fade, Breach, Skye |
B | Viper, Cypher, Astra, Harbor, KAYO |
C | Brimstone, Sage, Gekko, Neon |
D | Phoenix, Reyna, Chamber, Yoru |
S-tier Agents
Jett
Credit: Riot Games
Other than the period when Chamber was absolutely broken, Jett has remained indispensable in every team comp throughout the history of Valorant. The Korean duelist is the face of Valorant, and there are reasons aplenty to put him on S-tier.
Jett’s dash allows him to execute the kill and evade tactic masterfully. The fact that she is so hard to trade makes her an absolute nightmarish opponent to deal with on most maps if not all.
Raze
There are certain maps where Raze is almost an automatic choice, even over Jett. While she cannot necessarily instantly dash out after a kill like Jett, her explosive utilities make her a powerful agent on maps that are more cramped in nature. As we can see in the pro plays, Raze is most used in Fracture, Split, Lotus, and Bind. All these maps offer Raze players the ideal condition to use her full potential.
Killjoy
Killjoy stands head and shoulders above her fellow Sentinels in terms of effectiveness. Regardless of the map, she is the obvious choice when considering a Sentinel for your team composition. The simplicity and efficiency of her toolkit make her a highly accessible agent, enabling players to utilize her with ease. Whether it's shutting down enemy rushes on defense or watchinh flanks on the attacking side, Killjoy can do it all.
Sova
The only initiator in the current meta worthy of a spot in the S-tier is the Russian Agent, Sova. Although the introduction of Fade initially sparked debates among the community regarding the best recon agent in Valorant, as the meta settled down, it turned out Sova is still the go-to initiator in Valorant. Despite undergoing significant nerfs, Sova’s utils are still lethal in most maps if used correctly.
A-tier Agents
Deadlock
The latest agent to be added to the roster; it still needs to be determined where Deadlock fits into the tier list. The Valorant community is divided into two groups: one considers her an A-tier agent, while the other questions if she brings anything special to the table. Still, we are placing her on A-tier. Our initial observation is that she possesses a solid set of abilities. The ultimate is almost a confirmed win in 1v1s, while the other abilities show versatile applications that can be used both to defend or attack sites.
Skye
Skye has been coming in and out of the meta for a long time now. However, in this latest patch, we can safely say that she deserves the S-tier spot. This placement is backed by the pros, as evidenced by her pick rate of 51% in the recent Masters Tokyo. Her set of abilities is unique and serves multiple purposes, so if you plan to rock a single-initiator comp, picking Skye is a no-brainer.
Omen
We have no Controller on the S-tier, but if we had to have one, Omen would certainly get that spot. Picking Omen is a reliable decision, as he proves to be a suitable agent across all maps. His smokes are one of the best in the game because of how easy it is to one-way with them. On top of that, Omen's Teleport ability enables aggressive plays, while his Paranoia ability significantly aids in both site-taking and retaking.
Fade
Fade is kind of like Skye. She can be a good choice if you are running a single-initiator team composition. However, Skye does the job of a single initiator better, and if you going for two initiators in the team, Sova is a more suitable choice as a recon agent. Still, Her easy-to-use kit brings valuable utility to the table, justifying the A-tier placement.
Breach
A skilled Breach can turn your time on the server into an agonizing ordeal. As the ultimate support agent, he excels in setting up his team for flawlessly executed site takeovers. When paired with a Jett, the combination becomes a force to be reckoned with. Breach has been in the meta for the longest time now. Even in the newest map, Lotus, the Swede is an automatic choice.
B-tier Agents
Viper
Viper's journey in the Valorant agent tier list has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Initially residing in the D-tier, she climbed her way up to the S-tier following a series of buffs. However, subsequent nerfs from Riot have landed her in lower tiers once again. Following the last Nerf, we believe she is a B-tier agent. Her best maps were Breeze and Icebox, and both of them are out of the map pool right now. It is hard to justify positioning her above the B-tier in the game's current state.
Cypher
Yes, a nerdy Cypher can be a real pain to deal with. But does he pose the same level of a threat against a well-structured team as Killjoy does? The answer is no. Yet, the Moroccan spy can still be useful in several maps. He is undoubtedly the best agent to lurk with in attack due to the unlimited range of his tripwires. Also, with his setups in defense, you can counter any aggressive plays from the opponent.
Astra
Gone are the days when Astra was an undisputed top pick for every map in Valorant. After Riot hit her with one of the harshest nerfs ever in patch 4.04, the Ghanaian agent is now a shadow of her former self. While superior alternatives are available on most maps, it would be unfair to deem Astra completely useless. If you know your way around her utilities , she is still a solid choice.
KAYO
Ranking KAYO in tier lists is tough. Seeing him used to perfection in professional games makes you think he deserves an S-tier placement. On the contrary, seeing KAYO players in ranked matches fumbling hard makes you want to place him in Tier C. Well, there’s no doubt that he has the potential to be one of the best agents. Hence, we are putting him on Tier-B.
Harbor
This one can be up for debate, but we believe Harbor is an B-tier agent. As seen from the recent Masters event, his role is more of a secondary controller. The water-themed Indian agent grants the primary controller of the team a lot of flexibility in both defense and attack.
C-tier Agents
Brimstone
Brimstone is the most stable agent in Valorant, having undergone the least amount of changes. However, his toolkit, especially the limited range of the Sky Smokes, makes him useful only in Bind and Fracture. It is hard to place you above C-tier if you are good in two maps out of a map pool of seven.
Sage
The iconic healer girl of Valorant is barely used in maps other than Split. Still, Sage has her fair share of usefulness in ranked games. She works as a filler agent in the team comp. If your preferred agent is already locked by a teammate and the team requires a well-rounded support presence, picking Sage becomes a sensible decision.
Gekko
Gekko is the penultimate agent to be added to the Valorant roster. Right after this introduction, he became a favorite among the community for his unique abilities. He can set up his teammates with the flash and mollies for a perfect site push. Also, the ability to plant or defuse the bomb with the Wingman is a game-changer in the clutch situation.
Neon
The Filipino speedster is only the second agent aside from Jett to have a passive ability. A solid duelist through and through, Neon can be deadly in the right hands. Her High Gear and Concussing ability make her an ideal agent for aggressive plays. Additionally, the Ult is an overpowered weapon, capable of securing the eco rounds in your favor. Despite all the positives, she just isn’t on par with Jett and Raze in terms of overall impact, and hence the C-tier placement.
D-tier Agents
Phoenix
Even after the buff of his flashes and the ultimate, Phoenix remains a D-tier agent. A lot of time has passed since the poster boy of Valorant has fallen from the grace of the community. While he possesses self-sufficiency as an individual, his overall contribution to the team falls short compared to other duelist options. The British agent is one of the least-used characters both in ranked and pro games. In his current state, Phoenix is not a viable option in any maps, except for maybe Pearl.
Reyna
We know what you are thinking. “I just got blown off the server by a Reyna that went 30-8 in my ranked game. How is she in D-tier?” Well, if you take away her fragging capabilities, Reyna has nothing else to offer her team.
Just because Something can make Reyna seem viable does not mean you can insta-lock Reyna in ranked
You ain't Something pic.twitter.com/XLmngw2jp1
— BoDork (@Bo_Hoogland) May 28, 2023
If you are feeling particularly confident in your ability to out-frag opponents, sure, go for Reyna. If not, do not even think of locking her, as you will only be deadweight to your team.
Chamber
Chamber had been a broken agent for far too long. Unless you were a one-trick Chamber, you have to agree the nerf was deserved. However, it is also true that Riot Games did not have to nerf him to the ground. Despite some recent buffs, Chamber's overall performance and impact still place him in the D-tier in our books.
Yoru
Although he might be fun to mess around with in ranked, Yoru is borderline useless in pro matches. Yoru went unplayed in the whole of Masters Tokyo. The last time we saw him in a Tier-1 game was when Ange1 picked him up on Bind in the EMEA League. His utilities do allow for outplaying the opponent, though. However, you have to truly master the use of him to do that in high-rank lobbies.
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