Valorant is a simple game, except when it’s not because of the diverse range of agents and their various abilities. But the agents themselves are not even the problem, at least not in entirety. No, the common mistakes in Valorant you should avoid are much simpler and obvious, yet equally easy to miss for beginners.
So, here’s a roundup of Common Mistakes in Valorant that you should know and avoid in your ranked matches to improve your gameplay!
Ten Common Mistakes by Players in Valorant
A rule of thumb when learning about mistakes is knowing that perhaps not all apply to you. Likewise, it’s also possible that you might keep on repeating certain mistakes despite your best efforts. Hence, try the solutions provided for common mistakes in the Valorant game and see if they make a difference.
Good luck!
1. W-key Gameplay
We all do it, and it’s fun. It’s also very, very bad.
The W-key gameplay basically leads to poor positioning – a classic gameplay mistake, but there’s still more to it.
Always running forward in any direction is good for acquiring map control. But it’s also the reason you lose your 1v2 or clutch duels.
Do you often peek at angles with the ‘W’ key pressed? Yes?
It means you ‘Walk-Clear’ your opponents or ‘W-peek’ them. The problem with walk-clearing is that your agent will miss a couple of initial shots before they standstill and shoot accurately.
For Phantom gun users, this problem is not the end of the world, but if you use Vandal, you need to stop walk-clearing.
Solution
The best way to stop W-peeking or walk-clearing is to stop and shoot. Easier said than done, right?
Try out this simple high-level tactic in the Deathmatch mode, and take notice of how often you shoot when pressing the W-key. Over a period of a few hours, you will soon build the discipline to stop and shoot.
One more aspect of countering W-key gameplay is to strafe and shoot.
Yes, it’s not a new tactic – but again, take notice of how often you dodge enemy fire using W-key. Instead of running to dodge enemy gunfire, use the A & D keys. It offers faster strafing with less accuracy loss.
Of course, countering the W-key gameplay mistake also applies whenever you swing at opponents in hiding for the peeker’s advantage.
So, try to switch to using the A and D keys and see the difference in your games!
2. Ghost Comms
In simple terms, ghost comms means adding personal assumption(s) when communicating with your team about the enemy’s position.
A False callout like “All A” when you only hear two or three sets of footsteps is a good example of making ghost comms.
It’s a classic mistake all losing teams make when playing as Defenders – making ghost callouts and then over-rotating or early-rotating. On large maps like Breeze, Fracture, and Lotus – the ghost comms equals death or round loss.
Other examples of Ghost comms also include announcing “Mid Clear” when you have barely checked all of the Mid area. But luckily, solving this simple common mistake in Valorant is much easier.
Solution
The key to avoiding ghost comms or false callouts is to verify your information before communicating it on Ally chat or voice channel.
You can verify enemy location information in two ways:
- Rely on your Initiators’ abilities
- Dry-peeking
An initiator worth their salt will generally offer good recon assistance. However, assume your opponents are smarter and will take cover from such abilities.
Here, your alternate option is to dry-peek an angle or site area. It’s a quick but dangerous method to acquire information on enemy locations. So, please always assume at default that your opponents will take a shot at you when you swing.
If you do not see anyone – do not announce it ‘Clear’ yet. Only after you have legitimately checked the whole map area with more than a glance should you announce it’s clear or safe. The same also applies when you are attacking.
When you do not see the enemy on the site, please clear angles and secure the site before announcing that the plant is safe.
3. Default Game Settings
When did you last change your Mouse Sensitivity Settings in Valorant?
If your answer is never – yes, it’s another common mistake in Valorant that you should avoid. Fortunately, it’s also the easiest to solve.
Head over to Settings > General > Mouse and tweak your mouse sensitivity settings to suit your gameplay style. It’s ideal to use the PRACTICE RANGE to set your mouse sensitivity rather than using the sensitivity settings scroll bar randomly.
Besides using default mouse settings, these are a few additional mistakes you commit in the game by using default settings:
- Pending Account Verification Status
- RawInputBuffer is set to OFF
- Minimap Settings at Default Settings
- Player Loadouts Always Visible is set to ON
- Not assigning Ping Key
- Using Default Crosshair
- Limit FPS Always is set to OFF
Solution
The only way to solve these common mistakes in your Valorant games is to perform them on priority.
- A Verified Account means your account cannot be hacked easily.
- When RawInputBuffer is ON, your gaming mouse will deliver the performance you expect from it.
- By using custom Valorant Minimap Settings, you can gain more info about the match round and ally/enemy location.
- Turning OFF Player Loadouts will prevent UI banners from getting in your way when taking your aim to shoot your best shot.
- Ping the Spike as Defenders, and use the Ping Wheel for callouts when you cannot use Voice Comms.
- A good crosshair can really make all the difference!
- Limit FPS Always enables better game performance stability.
4. Overly Cautious Gameplay
How many times have your allies stood outside of A Main on Ascent and died without entering the site?
You hate it, don’t you?
Often, it’s extremely common to become ultra-cautious about making the wrong move and ending up making yet another mistake. This is a classic case of being overly cautious or, as some pros may call it (without remorse) – being too much of a scaredy cat.
Of course, it’s easier said than done to be alert, but you’re not doomed yet.
Solution
The best way to grow from being extra cautious to alert is to stay on your feet and get over yourself.
Indeed, you must check your corners and angles, but don’t freeze and worry while doing it – stay on the move!
Keep moving until you find an angle you can hold, and remember to be in the moment rather than worrying about dying.
Perhaps dying in a round may be certain, but fearing failure and dying all the same is a prime sin.
5. Not Adopting to Enemy Gameplay
It is another one of the common mistakes by most players in Valorant below the Gold Rank, i.e., to force playing a strategy.
Psst. It also happens to Pro Esports Teams in LAN tournaments!
Valorant is a tactical character-based FPS game, so it will demand that you adjust your gameplay strategy and decisions as the game progresses.
Playing passive is the root of the mistake of not adapting to the enemy gameplay, which makes you predictable.
And predictability in Valorant will always get you killed sooner than later!
Solution
Get your head in the game. Notice where the enemy controller is coasting and how duelists push a site.
Check the minimap if you are on a different site or map area, and notice how many enemies enter a site.
Based on all the information, guess a pattern, take two rounds if you will, but notice which agent goes for the kill, which agent guards cover or flank, and so on.
After a few rounds, it’ll be easier to identify your enemy’s next move. After a few games, you’ll do it subconsciously and call it out, too!
Please also remember to rotate positions among allies when defending or attacking – to retain and bring the element of surprise!
6. Ineffective Use of Abilities
Imagine the scenario where you use the Viper Pit during the first 20 seconds of the round, and the attackers rotate to another site.
A terrible waste of the Ultimate ability, isn’t it?
Don’t worry; Attackers make such mistakes, too!
Throwing away all sorts of abilities before entering the site and then having nothing to use at the post plant – is another common mistake in Valorant.
Everyone does it, and sometimes pro players make such mistakes too – but they pull through – by using other skills like decision-making, positioning, and aiming.
Solution
One of the many effective solutions for making the most out of your Valorant agent abilities is to recognize the window of opportunity.
There are a few ways you can identify when to use your Valorant Agent ability – and yes, you must also make these decisions quickly.
- Dry Peeks or Jump Peeking and Sound Cues – Check if the enemies are actually in the area where you will put your ability to use.
- Depending on Comms – Your allies are more than mannequins of body armor; please listen to their callouts and react accordingly – including being a participant rather than being a bystander.
- Hail Mary – Go berzerk or launch the ability at an impromptu cue, and pray it delivers the effect.
More often than not, the third method will likely get you some mixed results, but focus on relying on the first two methods. Yes, it will take more than 3-10 games to get a hold of it.
7. Poor Economy Management
Force buy, anyone?
When you can’t stop buying a rifle or SMG along with ALL agent abilities during each round, you are setting yourself (and the team) up for failure.
If it hasn’t happened already, by the grace of poor in-game economy management, you will find yourself having about ~2000 in-game match round credits at an 11-12 match score.
RIP to your loadout, and the tiny glimmer of hope AND a grand hello to regret of not saving in the previous round!
Solution
After you lose a round, check whether the enemies have swapped their guns after victory and also check how much economy they hold.
IF your enemies are well-endowed to opt for a Full Buy (Rifle + Abilities + Full Armor), please save (also read as not half-buy) and buy nothing but one or two abilities.
For the next round, get a FULL buy and show your enemies that you can clutch and perhaps also ACE with a proper gun.
Getting a proper gun & loadout before the start of the round is “a super high-level tactic, remember that, yeah?”
8. Getting Distracted by Game Elements
Imagine a scenario –
You are positive you will remain unfazed and hold the angle despite Reyna’s Leer Eye making you near-sighted.
But then, the Omen smoke orb makes you lose all your confidence or the Sova’s recon dart reveals your location.
So you back off, and lo! Reyna emerges and takes you out or, worse, spams bullets through the smoke, and you die.
Condolences. You played yourself into the hands of the enemy team. Hey, what can you even do when your one shot is disrupted, right?
Solution
Valorant game matches can be a nightmare during most rounds, where every sort of ability is covering every inch of the site area.
Here, against the odds and THE DISTRACTIONS, you must center yourself – by repositioning and holding aim from a cover angle.
By all means, move and reposition if your spot is compromised. But, for the love of Vandal or Phantom, learn to have nerves of steel against distractions and obstructions.
9. Isolating Yourself
The act of playing like a solo-clutch-fragger maverick isn’t bad, but it’s a crime when you become predictable.
On the other hand, when you are too far away or deep on a map area – you essentially and absolutely negate all your chances of a safe escape.
We get it: you want to score, you want to see your team proud, and you desperately want to be the top fragger on the board. We get it, and so do your enemies.
Solution
Honestly, please leave aside the dream of being the top fragger if you play as a Sentinel or a Controller. When your Duelist is fragging, and your initiator is paving the way, PLAY YOUR ROLE.
If you want to be the top fragger, pick a duelist at the agent select screen and PLAY LIKE A DUELIST.
As for all the other times, rotate as required – WITH YOUR TEAM.
There’s no honor in letting your four allies die and coming around to clutch all the enemies and scoring an ACE.
Sure, it’ll make a good ACE for Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, and other other places, but for your allies – you’ll be the ass. (Their words)
10. Not Practicing
By far, the most common gameplay error in Valorant that only low ELO players make is not maintaining their aim, correct?
Still, another most common mistake and less improved aspect of improving the gameplay is not practicing enough.
It’s said too much, we know – to have an aim routine or to regularly practice aiming alongside playing more matches.
Sure, it’s easier said than done because playing more or simply practicing requires time. But guess what? You can make it out!
Solution
Play at least one Unrated game if you are someone who plays occasionally.
Alternatively, if you play regularly, develop and maintain an aim routine (check out our Aiming Practice routine YT playlist) and play different agents parallelly.
The different agents you play can be within the same agent class, but do it only in Unrated games!
As for competitive gameplay, the more you will play alongside other players and different enemies, the more you’ll learn!
Lastly, watching VCT matches and other Valorant eSports matches also pays off extremely well, as it helps you learn new tactics and strategies and how to counter them all.
Remember, practice is about becoming better CONSISTENTLY – it’s not a one-off event!
Round Up – Solutions of Common Mistakes in Valorant
There are still many more common mistakes that a high number of players make in Valorant. However, what’s equally important as playing well is to have a fun time.
So, refer to this guide after a couple of days of practice and notice the difference yourself and let’s round up everything we covered so far!
- W-key Gameplay
- Solution = Stop & Shoot + Strafe using A & D keys
- Ghost Comms
- Solution = Get all the facts before you make a false callout
- Default Game Settings
- Solution = Customize your Game Settings to Match your Gameplay
- Extreme Caution
- Solution = Get over yourself & be Alert
- Not Adopting Gameplay
- Solution = Be attentive, learn, and APPLY new strategies!
- Ineffective Abilities Use
- Solution = Be alert rather than being proactive
- Poor Economy Management
- Solution = Don’t force-buy. Plan your loadout until the final round.
- Getting Distracted
- Solution = Maintain ideal positioning, alertness & game-sense
- Isolating Yourself
- Solution = Be on the move and PARTICIPATE more
- Not Practicing
- Solution = Play more games, or at least play Mindfully!
Happy Gaming!
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