Playing Valorant Duelists is fun and games until you’re in a 2v5 with no smokes or recon for defense. Alternatively, playing with Initiators can sometimes be a dull game when the enemy team has the Initiator Difference. But, there are ways to Counter Valorant Initiator tactics, and they work too!
Who are the Valorant Initiator Agents?
There are four Agent Classes in the Valorant Game, one of which is the Initiators.
Their role is to primarily contest territories, push away enemy defenses and set up the team for acquiring Map Control.
Majorly, Initiators help to intimidate enemies and assist the Entry Fraggers, so by nature, such players would have aggro gameplay. You can use this trait to your advantage to Counter Valorant Initiator Agents on the enemy team.
So, let’s quickly familiarize ourselves with all the Valorant Agent Initiators that are available in the game.
1. Sova
The Russian Valorant Agent Sova is a trained Hunter, a Reconnaissance Master, and lethal with his Ultimate Hunter’s Fury.
Sova can shoot Shock Bolts across the Map and use his Owl Drone and Recon Bolts for detecting enemy locations. But beware! His Hunter’s Fury can take you out, even if you’re halfway across the map!
Sova Ultimate Ability can shoot massive energy blasts in any direction and altitude. Enemies coming in contact with the energy bursts will take damage and get tagged, revealing their location on the map. To Counter Valorant Initiator Sova is no joke in the hands of an experienced and seasoned Valorant Player.
2. Breach
The Swede Valorant Agent Breach is pure chaos with his kinetic blasts, and massively disruptive with his Ultimate Rolling Thunder.
The Bionic Swede Breach can shake up the entire Spike Site and blind enemies simultaneously. Having him as an ally ensures that fights never remain fair for enemies.
Breach was a once lesser-picked Valorant Agent, despite his set of Abilities, which shine perfectly after a needed Buff. Scoring a Valorant Initiator Defeat in the form of an enemy Breach on the Fracture map is a small win in itself.
3. Skye
The Australian Guide Skye can play the best support with her Ultimate Seekers that hunt you down.
Skye brings her magical trinkets that can perform recon, daze, and blind enemies or heal teammates, without breaking a sweat.
Having Skye as an ally making aggro plays equals a fine Initiator that can take any territory with ease. She is an instrumental addition in establishing the Breeze Valorant Meta, and a only few scarce Initiator Clutch Tips can counter her.
4. Kayo
The Grenadier from the Alternate Earth Timeline of unknown origins is explosive and destructive with his Ultimate NULL/cmd ability.
KAYO legit translates to Kill All Your Opponent. He can use his Ultimate and Suppression Blade to make the enemies’ abilities go offline, a powerful tool capable of countering every Valorant Agent.
There are only a few ways KAYO can meet his Valorant Initiator Defeat, and one of them is by lacking focus. Any Seasoned or familiar players from CSGO will feel relatively at ease with using his abilities, which additionally offer two flashes and one grenade!
Note: Players may need to unlock Skye & KAYO by completing their respective Agent Contracts.
Counter Valorant Initiator Agents On All Valorant Maps
The Valorant map count is now over six, and it’s anyone’s guess when another arrives or when Ascent rework completes. Luckily, in the meantime, you have plentiful opportunities to defeat Enemy Initiator Valorant Agents on all terrains and varied grounds.
So, here’s how you can take on the different Valorant Initiator Agents and show them who’s the real in-game master!
1. Haven
For Valorant Attackers:
Use your Initiator Abilities to clear the waypoint for the Duelists and watch Window or hold the C Site. Playing somewhat passively won’t help especially when the trades have happened too much, so engage abilities. However, keep a few abilities closer because emptying them within 30 sec of the game can put your team at disadvantage.
For Valorant Defenders:
Using your Valorant Agent Initiator abilities should be in response to Attacker abilities that will try to make map room. Preventing the Attackers from acquiring map control using Initiators is a good tactic, equal to using their abilities for a retake.
2. Ascent
For Valorant Attackers:
Managing the Tree and Market area push serves better in the mid-round than deploying Initiators on the B Site. Use KAYO or Skye to breach the Tree area or Sova and Breach to gain Mid and Market control respectively. Alternatively, Fault Line on the A Site Push can help neutralize hiding agents from Tree and behind the box stacks.
For Valorant Defenders:
The Attackers’ Initiators will target Mid Map Control, so counter them by putting a lurk from the B Main to Spawn. A useful Initiator Clutch Tips against their abilities is to draw yours after them, because ‘Counter’ tactics can reward you better.
3. Bind
For Valorant Attackers:
One of the best of the Initiator Clutch Tips says they could be several feet away from the action. So, you can taunt them to make them use their abilities early, sans wasting it, only to then push the site. Here, the Controllers will be forced to use theirs, when you incite another push.
Simultaneously, you can rotate with the knowledge that enemies have already used half their abilities.
For Valorant Defenders:
The TP area will be rushed by Duelists, same as Hookah, so aim your sights to A Short, B Long, and the B Short area. Initiators will likely play a few steps behind, and then flank their Entry Fragger into the site(s). Here’s your chance to trap or confuse them. Best if you daze them before landing any bullets to make the entire affair cleaner.
4. Split
For Valorant Attackers:
Acquiring Mid Control will be dicey, so double peek or triple peek if you must, but swing wide!
The Mid Main and Mid Vent will likely have one Sentinel and Controller if not an Initiator. Get whom you can and fake a push on the opposite spike site and hold position to retract. You’d possibly meet a hurried Initiator, sans your chance to implement these Initiator Clutch Tips.
For Valorant Defenders:
Initiators will rely on lineups, except Breach, who will do his best to push the Mid-Main area. Let the B Vent ally get them as they enter the elevated B Heaven.
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Simultaneously, you can and have the B Heaven Initiator ally block their advances on stairs, trapping them clueless and frenzied. It is a fine way to ensure Valorant Initiator Defeats because they mostly know how to acquire space, not free it.
5. Icebox
For Valorant Attackers:
A vital way to Counter Valorant Initiator on Icebox is by releasing a lurk in the kitchen. When it survives, it will take out the enemy Initiator from the Rafters or the Snowman. Direct pushes to sites can be dangerous against them as it can slow or daze you in track if not also make you lose your HP.
For Valorant Defenders:
Pushing mid with a Sentinel can help you score early kills. It is because the enemies would be engaged in dealing with Controllers and Duelists on the Valorant spike site(s). During the push, have the pair separate from each site, if the enemy presence is detected on both sides. They’ll never know what hit ’em!
6. Breeze
For Valorant Attackers:
Watch out for Yellow and Bridge on the A Site or near the Mid Doors. Initiators are also notorious for pushing the Tube. One of the fine Initiator Clutch Tips includes pushing Tube and Mid together with a Duelist distracting with an A Cave push. Similarly, for the B site, pushing Elbow to Nest and acquiring Spawn control can reward enormously.
For Valorant Defenders:
Expect heavy resistance and push from the B Main, especially with an Initiator like Sova with recon or KAYO with his Suppression blade. Otherwise, KAYO is notorious for pushing the A Site with nothing but a Flash. Here, playing closer to Pyramids and peeking from your right is ideal, only when an ally is watching Doors or the gate is shut.
7. Fracture
For Valorant Attackers:
The B Generator and the A Ropes/A Site are where Initiators will be positioned to assist Controllers and Duelists. Taking them out is only possible by limiting their movement using your Valorant Agent Abilities. On this map, Initiators can be more lethal than Duelists, so the quicker you get them, the better are your winning chances!
For Valorant Defenders:
The Initiators will take B Arcade and A Main or A Ropes for disrupting your 3 or 4 stacks on Spike Sites. Either give away the site so they have used ability for nothing or give ’em hell by using yours to defend the spike area at all costs. At the same time, do have a lurk to bring the surprise, just to keep things interesting in the aftermath.
Counter Valorant Initiator Agents Clutch Tips
It is not all too difficult to initiate a Valorant Initiator Defeat play, especially if you have trigger discipline. But, having some abilities by your side can be a major help to your team and yourself. When the ground begins to shake & thunderbolts come raining, move but don’t line up for the love of wins!
- Don’t Rush In For the Kill
A good Initiator understands the pace of the game and the rotation that may be required within or after 30 seconds into the round. Be that Initiator and don’t go in for the kills, but rather play the time to put the Attackers under pressure.
Parallelly, as Attackers, attempt to seal off entry points after you’ve acquired a foothold, and save an ability for when the Defenders come for a retake.
- Draw out Abilities
Initiators are impatient, and even Valorant Silver Ranked players make the same mistake, of throwing everything at the enemy. So wrong, which naturally costs them the round when the Defenders or Attackers Cavalry comes rushing in from all sides.
So, let those Initiators draw out every tool from their belt, then catch them in mid-action, with a dual peek of course.
- Use Valorant Controller Agents
Having Controller Agents use their abilities by the side of an Initiator can be frustrating for the opposite team. By timing your abilities perfectly, you can detect and daze enemies, for easy pickings for your allies and yourself.
Better yet, play the guard to your controller and the spike site, so your team can bring a few surprises with your supposedly crisp aim when the going gets tough!
- Play Lurk
Catching Initiators off guard is the number one reason for their demise and among the leading Initiator Clutch Tips. Running a late lurk can drop enemy defenses to null for retakes and catch their lurks. It won’t be ideal to have an Initiator play the lurk each round, so turn to your Sentinels, unpredictably.
The Takeaway
Another aspect of learning to Counter Valorant Initiator is by observing the Valorant Minimap Activity and making good on comms. Abilities like Sage wall breaking are visible on the map, and so are the Smokes and enemy rotations. Use such information to set up the ground for your team.
You cannot always be proactive but establishing a Valorant Initiator Defeat is no rocket science, just be attentive. Happy Gaming!