Best agents for ranked VALORANT play in Patch 1.0

Riot Games’ long-awaited tactical shooter VALORANT has officially been released. Whether you’re a veteran of the game since its closed beta or a fresh face jumping into the scene, the game’s meta will constantly evolve and change as the title continues to grow.

In the game’s first official patch, fans received a new map, game mode, some weapon skins, but, more importantly, a completely new agent to try out in the heat of battle. Reyna is VALORANT’s latest dualist and she’s ready to sap the life from your enemies.

Here are the best agents to use in ranked VALORANT play in Patch 1.0—if the competitive mode becomes available to play during this patch.

S Tier: Sage, Cypher, Sova

Sage will always be a top-tier agent. Healing an ally to full health will always be the most useful ability in the game. While her slowing and barrier orb were nerfed, they’re still incredibly useful on defense and offense.

As for Cypher and Sova, information is still king in VALORANT. Knowing when to use abilities, where to use abilities, and when to rotate are only a few important things for any squad to know when trying to grab a timely round win.

Cypher isn’t as strong on offense, but his abilities on defense more than make up for it. His tripwires are great for holding down areas and getting information on enemies, while his Cyber Cage can help stifle an enemy push.

Meanwhile, a good Sova can help enable the rest of your team by revealing where the enemy squad is. His ability to give instant information is invaluable in the heat of battle where every advantage must be taken to win.

A Tier: Brimstone, Breach

Brimstone and Breach bring a ton of utility and firepower for their respective teams and are understandably two of the best agents to choose when playing ranked.

Brimstone’s Sky Smoke remains one of the best tools when taking a site by blocking angles, while his Incendiary Grenade covers enough ground to clear out corners and cover. Meanwhile, Breach’s flash and stun can open up a site with ease—if a team is well-coordinated enough to avoid running into the crowd control.

Both ultimates are massive zoning tools that are meant to damage and disrupt enemy holds or pushes and can decimate an opposing team with some good timing.

B Tier: Viper, Omen, Raze

These B-tier agents are a bit more situational but are still effective when paired with other agents. Raze, for example, has been nerfed multiple times now, but a good Sage slow or Sova spot can allow her to deal massive damage with her grenade and Boom Bot.

Omen needs information to get the most out of his teleports and ultimate. Once he knows where everyone is, he can begin to sneak around and find proper flanks and hiding spots to surprise his enemies.

Viper brings the most utility out of the group with her Toxic Screen, Snake Bites, and Poison Orb. But almost all of them run on fuel that she’ll eventually need to let recharge if used long enough. As a result, she needs to work a bit more with her teammates to get the most out of her kit.

C Tier: Phoenix, Jett, Reyna

All three agents in this tier don’t bring too much utility to help out the rest of the team. Phoenix has his Blaze wall and Jett has her Cloudburst, but they aren’t at the same level of practicality as some of the other agents on this tier list.

Phoenix is a great entry fragger with his curving flashbang, but he doesn’t have much to offer in terms of defense. In fact, all three agents in this tier are practically skill checkers who are great for solo players with a ton of confidence in their shot.

Reyna might be the newest agent to hit the scene, but she’s the definition of feast or famine. Half of Reyna’s kit requires players to get kills. If someone is having an off day, Reyna’s full potential—and usefulness—won’t be found.