VCT AP Teams Gameplay Styles Explained & Training Tips!

The second year of Valorant eSports is witnessing the uprising of the VCT AP Teams to the Tier-S level. Performance of teams like XERXIA Esports, Zeta Division, Paper Rex, etc. has successfully captured the regional fan following to the brink of making hashtags like #LOUDWins trending all day long on social platforms like Twitter.

So, what exactly do the Asia-Pacific (AP) region Valorant Teams bring to the VCT events? And how are they giving the VCT NA & EU region teams a head-on competition?

Top VCT AP Teams Gameplay Overview

The VCT games, especially from the Masters Reykjavik event have showcased how AP Valorant Teams can be formidable opponents.

Deducing that their pillars of strength are limited to a few things was a gross miscalculation made by most teams.

However, underestimation of their capabilities wasn’t what qualified VCT AP Teams to the Upper FInals Brackets. It was the Valorant AP gameplay composed of several tactful strategies that helped them get toe-to-toe with the best of the best in Valorant eSports.

Let’s take a gander at what each of the VCT AP Teams did to bring them into the spotlights!

1. Zeta Division

The top Valorant AP region team hailing from Japan called ZETA Division was previously known as Absolute JUPITER. Although it entered the VCT Champions Berlin even in the previous year, it made some core changes to its roster.

Resultantly, the team welcomed Dep, SugarZ3ro, and TENNN, who strengthened the team with their masterful gameplay and strong gunplay skills. Despite not dropping 30-kills bombs in the VCT Masters 2022 brackets, the team secured wins against veteran teams like Team Liquid, DRX, and Paper Rex.

Here’s what was inclusive of the Zeta Division Gameplay against each of the above-mentioned teams:

Playing Spike Retake assisted by Combinations of Valorant Agent Abilities.
Isolating enemies in Map Areas and taking them out with multi-peeks.
Implementing Distraction & Engagement tactics to lead enemies astray.
Pushing Map Areas & enemy-controlled sites as opposed to strictly defending.
Taking gunplay duels in pairs or three-stack formation.

The above-mentioned gameplay highlights are easier to implement when queuing with friends, but for solo queues, try the tips below.

Top Zeta Division Gameplay Tips

Communicating & Establishing lurk play entries during the Buy Round.
When playing bigger Valorant maps, spread out thin to assist allies, wide on smaller maps.
Maximum participation in Gunplay while saving Utilities for the final 30s of the Match round.
Staying Vigilant and on your feet, apart from clearing corners at crosshair level.

Also Read: VCT EU Region Gameplay Styles Explained & Training Tips!

2. Paper Rex

The Singapore team Paper Rex brought plenty of nail-biting moments to their VCT games against NA & EU Valorant Teams. Their gameplay, reflective of their efforts in pre-match practice made it incredibly tough to steal rounds against them.

Paper Rex and the opponents cutting it close nearly every match round added to the Valorant AP gameplay & fan’s delight. Working as a team unit that can run maverick yet net frags was a contrasting quality implemented superbly to success. Naturally, members namely f0rsakeN, d4v41, mindfreak, Benkai, and Jinggg, came close to scoring 30-kills bombs in each VCT match.

Here’s a brief summarization of the Paper Rex Gameplay as seen per their VCT Masters performance:

Strafing inclusive Gunplay with unbelievable Accuracy in Abilities Use
Obstructing LOS of Map Areas to better acquire Map Control with Full-stack Push.
Reading Enemy positions and playing retake rather than surrendering kills early.
Triangulating Spike Site Push with Fake Rotations at Mid or Alt Spike Site.
Supremely consistent Headshots Accuracy.

Based on the tactics above, here are some tips you can use to raise your Valorant Ranked Games APR.

3. DRX

Among the VCT AP Teams, DRX has shown consistency in taking Risks, which secures them the 3rd spot. Whether it’s about holding unusual positions, being fastidious, or going for taking down MVP first, DRX is lethal.

Players like Zest, MaKo, and k1Ng of the DRX roster are good at picking fights to eliminate the enemies. Meanwhile, the allies Rb and BuZz help to align the team in favorable positions to counter enemy tactics.

Here’s what the DRX brought to their VCT Challengers & Masters game that helped them reclaim their Tier-S rating.

Exceedingly frequent yet precise use of Valorant Agent Abilities to retain map control.
Leading by Gunplay yet never getting impatient to only score one-tap-kill shots.
Holding Cover positions in between Duels or Rotating quick for deep faking site push.
Converting their ECO rounds into break-bank rounds for enemies to build successive wins.
Playing less in formations or proximity as an alternative to full-stack rush or defense.

Reenacting DRX win conditions could be difficult when you solo queue your Valorant Ranked Games. However, try the strats below to stand a chance to get maximum RR points.

Top DRX Gameplay Tips

Earning two kills with one death is not always better than scoring one kill and never dying.
Be the ally that lasts until the final 30s of the Match to not get outnumbered.
Use Valorant Agent Abilities to prevent enemies from taking cover or leaving LOS.
Read into enemy positions and rotations to anticipate and neutralize them as possible.

Also Read: Valorant Mobile Leaks – Beta Access Clips + Images!

4. XERXIA Esports

The team that nobody expected to qualify but surprised everyone is XERXIA Esports who took the world by storm. The Champions from Thailand currently rank in the Second spot in VCT AP Teams rankings, so how did they manage it?

Despite making fewer Career earnings as a team, XERXIA has led by example to define how far grit & strategic gameplay can take you. Their tactics of baiting enemies by playing passively enough to instigate them to get them 3k-4k per round several times.

But, the above gameplay is a mere candle to the stark performance of XERXIA assisted by the following additional maneuvers:

Holding Spike Sites passively to double up when playing retake for pressurizing enemies.
Always having a flank play, often supported by a second flank to break enemy defenses.
Pushing the enemies head-on during some full-buy(s) despite being the Defender side.
Baiting Enemy Valorant Agent Abilities and faking multiple pushes or presence to waste time.
Making half buys to save the economy and replacing them with enemy weapons to maximize their bank.

Here are a few easy tips you can try on specific Valorant Maps to replicate the XERXIA gameplay.

Top XERXIA Esports Gameplay Tips

Get a Guardian or Marshall when you’re peeking mid to take out the snipers at cheap cost.
Surrendering Mid control is acceptable in favor of bringing full-stack defense or push.
Bait enemies into wide peeking you at anticipated angles with passive gunplay & backing-off.
Use Valorant Agent abilities to counter enemy utilities rather than netting kills with it.

5. X10 CRIT

The X10 Crit Valorant AP region team is delivering fierce competition to other teams in both regional and international games. Earning over $100K from successive wins in VCT Challengers series has honed them to dust the opposition in unusual scenarios.

After the VCT Champions 2021 Quarter Finals Playoffs, X10 now has a total +57W against only 14L. Of course, the credits go to the team members and the coach, who together have already bested Optic Gaming. Unfortunately, they couldn’t repeat defeating the now Valorant Masters Reykjavik 2022 champions to take their place.

Nonetheless, factors summarized below are among the few tactics used by X10 Crit to have an upper hand on enemies:

Anyhow securing Pistol Rounds establishes the foundation for winning subsequently.
Cleaning corners with pre-fire shots and bullet penetrable shots can dink enemies early.
Picking a Sentinel and a Controller Agent irrespective of the type of contested Valorant Map.
Emphasis & commitment towards securing or retaining Mid Control of the Valorant Map.
Getting headshots and perfecting the Valorant Weapon Recoil control with all weapons.

Here’s what you can grasp and adopt into your Valorant gameplay by learning from the Ranked 2nd Asia-Pacific Valorant team.

Top X10 CRIT Gameplay Tips

Play for securing post-detonation kills when retake seems outnumbered or too late.
Spam smoke orbs with a few bullets at idealistic locations but stay on your feet.
Faking Mid-push contests are a good way to distract enemy anchor(s) on both spike sites.
Maintaining a positive outlook and composure irrespective of the match round results.

Also Read: Fracture Valorant Attacker Tips & Strategies!

Key Valorant VCT AP Teams Gameplay Tips

Perfecting or implementing the Valorant AP region team’s tactics can take you a while but it’s not beyond your reach. Start with improving your Valorant Gunplay using different Valorant Weapons for improving your ECO round outcomes. Additional Valorant pro eSports tips can be found below.

Best AP Tier-S Valorant VCT Teams Gameplay Tips

Holding the line of defense or breaching the enemy’s is one of the key Zeta Division gameplay tactics.
The Paper Rex gameplay prefers pressurizing the enemies with multi-push to retain or acquire better map control.
A leading pattern in the DRX gameplay is to wait until the 11th hour to strike enemies hard and fast.
Aggressive plays from the XERXIA Esports gameplay can work out for you too when you can parallelly bait enemies.
The X10 CRIT gameplay depends on picking the correct agents or reorganizing them for building and scoring on opportunistic outcomes.

The Takeaway

To the surprise of the entire global Valorant Community, the VCT AP Teams rose like the Phoenix once again. Since the Valorant AP gameplay has been nothing short of impressively spectacular, we’ll be seeing more of them in the upcoming VCT games. Meanwhile, practice your aim & Happy gaming!

VCT AP Region Gameplay Styles Explained & Training Tips!