Using tactical gear effectively is essential in any FPS game to score a victory. Similarly, Smokes in Valorant play a crucial role in various ways that can help a successful spike plant or defuse. From obscuring a line of sight (LOS) to confusing enemy players, Valorant Smokes can have numerous use cases where their activation can help the team or the individual player. Let’s find out!
Smokes in Valorant
A variety of Valorant agents can output smokes via using one of their many unique abilities. Yet, their ability to induce them on a valorant map differs from each other, even from other typical FPS games.
Typically, smoke grenades are used to create a smoke wall to prevent riflemen from taking accurate shots. Such a practice has been a vital tactic in warfare since before the days of battleship wars. Even the classic tactical FPS of the previous decade, CSGO also features smoke grenades alongside flashbang and incendiary grenades.
However, because Valorant is an asymmetrical agent-based tactical FPS shooter, it innovates on how smokes are drawn on all the Valorant maps by Valorant agents. So, we’ll individually first identify how a particular Valorant agent with the ability to smoke uses it. Then, we move on to how you can use it effectively on a Valorant Map.
Omen
He can be regarded as one of the stealthiest Valorant agents due to his ability kit. He can blind enemies, teleport himself and introduce Dark Cover. The lattermost is his ability to create smokes in valorant that he can place across the map at any time.
Depending on whether his ability is recharged or after a purchase, he can output two of them as required. The benefit of his valorant smokes is that they can be placed partially to limit the LOS, to prevent headshots.
Brimstone
He is usually the most underappreciated valorant agent out of all agents due to the mainstream cancel culture. It is mainly because his unique abilities do not equal the abilities of an initiator class agent. Regardless, his sky smokes are pretty handy, whether you’re an attacker or a defender.
Brimstone uses a handheld device to manually mark the location of smokes which, when finalized, are introduced from the sky. These smokes can last a pretty long time and don’t cost as much while concealing a significant area. Almost as wide or broader than Killjoy’s nano swarm grenades.
Jett
The notoriously quick and almost sly agent of valorant, Jett uses valorant smokes to her advantage in numerous situations. Being a duelist class valorant agent, she is responsible for leading the charge during attacks or holding the defense. It is here that she benefits from using her signature smokes in valorant, the Cloudburst.
Unlike other valorant smokes, the Cloudburst can be summoned quicker and navigated via the crosshair movement. Such functions allow the Cloudburst to be perfectly useful in shutting down snipers or preventing high elevation peek(s).
Viper
Although she had a lower pick rate initially, it all changed after the release of the Icebox valorant map. One of her particular agent abilities, the Poison Cloud, is an immensely useful object in multiple ways. Unlike most smokes in valorant, this ability also incurs damage to opponents when they walk through it besides limiting sight.
She can furthermore also remotely plant & activate it or pick it up and replant it elsewhere after the cooldown. There’s only one catch. It uses her collection of toxin fuel which depletes almost quickly when activated.
Astra
Anybody unaware about this Valorant agent should learn up on her because she’s replaced most controllers as the first choice. Astra is almost indispensable, from being an optimal choice while queuing to becoming the base of competitive valorant gameplay strategies.
Her smokes in Valorant can alternatively be used as a concussing charge via the simple use of a different keybinding. Yes, her astral stars can become smokes or a dazing concussion when activated or become short-term valorant smokes when recalled.
Cypher
Now, the Cyber Cage as an ability is somewhat similar to valorant smokes because it prevents LOS. However, it’s only mentioned here as some competitive valorant players actually use it ingeniously as valorant smokes.
A Cypher Cage is handy when you’re in a clutch situation or when you’re sneaking into a contested site. Both times, the distortion arising from the cage prevents both sight and sound near the area. Thus, making Omen an incredibly useful valorant agent on the Fracture map or the Bind.
Know about all of the agents in detail. Valorant Agents: Versatile yet Legendary FPS Characters
Valorant Smokes: Effective Use Areas
From the near-infinite ways by which Smokes in Valorant are used, using them at the correct time is rather crucial. There are two reasons for this: it can avoid getting you one-tapped in the head, second is site push/retake.
Even a minute difference of 0.03ms can turn a valorant competitive match outcome, especially when smokes are used.
There’s also a third reason why smokers are used in valorant. No, we’re not talking about post-victory spam. The third scenario is when you’re faking a plant or a retake. Let’s learn each of these use cases per valorant map.
Haven
The most favorite location for Valorant Deathmatch and Phoenix-mains, Haven is a playground for Attackers. The presence of three sites, namely A, B, and C, offers defenders healthy competition, especially when they’re all smoked.
An ideal way to utilize Smokes in Valorant on Haven is to cover the Haven window or the A Tunnel. However, it is when you’re pushing A site or faking A site in favor of C or B sites. Similarly, you can smoke the plant area near the logs on the C site to limit the LOS of lurkers. Finally, for the B site, smoking the opposite entrances is less wise than smoking diagonally.
Everyone misses a corner, everyone, no cap.
Fracture
Depending on who you ask, this is one of the favorites or the absolutely hated map in Valorant. (Never as much as Split) Regardless, it is unique in many ways that have never been presented before in FPS games, much alone in Valorant.
A Valorant smoker can smoke the A Drop and A-Main areas to the ambush stacked agents on A site. Alternatively, they can smoke the A Link and A Rope entrances for a comfortable plant. For Defenders, on the other hand, Contesting B Site is easy by smoking the Plant and the Generator area.
Such tactics will cause the opponents to pause before they barge in using the host of their abilities. Even if they succeed, hiding at B Site Cubby, B Tower, and inside a Smoke can work to surprise invaders.
Also Read: Valorant Map Fracture: Everything You Need to Know!
Bind
In some strange way, the Bind map can be highly enjoyable….okay, no. Still, Smokes in Valorant can make this map highly interesting and full of tension as a live wire. Fellow Valorant players, although some of you might hate it, you can still prevent Raze from getting one over you.
Bring your Omen, Brimstone, Astra, or Jett and use their smokes on plant sites to create a nail-biting environment. Everything is game, from smoking A tower window to A Site Boxes and the Radianite Trucks, especially with Viper Walls. But on the defending side, you’re better off smoking the area leading to A Cubby after the Teleporter.
Alternatively, smoking the B Window/Hooka area is essential besides the spike site when you’re a defender. The aim to master this map is to prevent quick plants, rotations, trades, and headshots – by using smoke in valorant.
Split
We know this map is a hellspawn, or worse. But hear us out.
Use Astra or Omen to smoke the B Rafters and the right of B Main as attackers. Either make provisions to counter B Alley or smoke that too. Now that your B site is more or less concealed, for the most part, use this time to clear corners and take positions. The enemies will be frantic looking for you around smokes. Let them come to you.
Inversely, smoke off the A Ramp + A Screens or A Screens + under A Rafters for pushing the A Site. Such smokes can allow you quick entry into the site without many surprises. Just watch out for any opponents camping on the spike site if you’re repetitive. Good Luck!
Icebox
It is one of the controversial maps where Silver and Gold players agree that having smokers or controllers can help. Contrarily, most immortal players & bronze players can care less about Smokes in Valorant on Icebox, except for using Viper.
Viper and Sage are key players on Icebox, alongside Reyna, so countering them is convenient when you have smokers. You can smoke the areas like A Screen & A Rafters and B Hut as required. Similarly, smoking the B Plant Area as attackers is valid, whereas the defenders will smoke B green or B Cubby.
Whatever you do as Defenders, as a rule, do smoke the A platform area to ward off any aspiring snipers.
Ascent
While some Valorant players await the map to be redesigned or remodeled in some ways, it’s still a classic. For instance, the garden and Heaven are two difficult spots for a single valorant agent to handle unless they’re controllers.
For attackers, smoking the Garden area should be more vital than blocking players on Heaven. Afterward, two can push while three can peek and shoot the rest from the A-Main entrance.
On the B Site, things are a little different. Smoke the Shed area and the B main entrance that leads to T Spawn. While this keeps the market open, you or two agents can singularly focus on it while entering the site.
Final Words
Smokes in Valorant can also be a gamble when you miss on placing them correctly by a few inches or so. Hence, it said you should practice your smoking tactics and lineups as a Controller. Remember, controllers in the hands of a wise player can be more lethal than a Duelist. So, hold onto your smokes or well-time them, and avoid getting killed while placing a smoke during the in-between. GLHF!
