The duelist class is easily the most dynamic of all four agent classes in VALORANT, and it’s typical to see the duelist players in games of unrated or comp put up some incredible numbers.
Primarily, a duelist’s role is to create space and create chaos, catching enemy players off guard and getting entry kills, and playing an active role in both executes or retakes. But different agents do different things, and that’s certainly the case with duelists too. While some agents are better at creating space and getting entry kills, others are more suited for denying angles or providing support with blinds or damage-dealing abilities.
A duelist’s prowess is always dependent on the map and the agents around them, so this isn’t a definitive, locked-in duelist ranking no matter the situation. But across most maps and compositions, these are how the six duelists stack up as of Episode Six, Act Two of VALORANT.
The best duelists in VALORANT, ranked
6) Yoru
Yoru is an interesting case because he does what really no other duelist does, but they’re not roles that a team typically needs out of their duelist. Yoru is more suited to getting behind enemy lines using his teleports and disrupting the enemy team using his flashes and decoys. His biggest fallback is that he doesn’t create space or zone off sections of sites.
There are certainly comps and situations where Yoru’s abilities can come into play and excel, but if he’s the only duelist on a team, then there are likely little to no agents that can create space the way a duelist can, meaning it’s going to be so much harder to execute on sites. At lower ranks, he can get away with stylish teleports and flash combos, but higher-ranked teams and players won’t be caught off guard.
5) Reyna
In a one-vs-x situation, there are fewer agents you’d want in that one spot other than Reyna. And if you’re facing a lone Reyna at the end of the round, you’re likely screaming at your teammates not to peek her if you can. Reyna excels on her own, using her Leer to draw enemy crosshairs away from where she’ll peek, and using Devour and Dismiss to either sustain herself or avoid getting traded.
But being able to farm kills and keep herself alive while doing so is essentially all she’s good for. Other duelists can provide more to a team during an execute or retake, and she arguably has the only ultimate that provides no use or benefit to her team outside of just getting more kills as Reyna.
4) Neon
Neon’s speed is a tremendous asset, and it serves her well when creating space on sites or rotating. With her Fast Lane walls, she can create space on a site and provide cover, while using Relay Bolt to clear out hiding enemies. Additionally, her increased speed is super useful for swinging wide against opponents holding angle.
The only concern with Neon compared to the upper half of our list is that her abilities just aren’t as disruptive as some of the elite duelists, and her Relay Bolt is somewhat unreliable on some of the larger maps.
3) Phoenix
Outside of the missing speed and the lightning-finger guns, Phoenix truly feels like a better version of what Neon wants to be. The Phoenix wall is superior because of the damage it deals to enemies and the healing it gives to him, Curveball is more impactful than Relay Bolt, and he just has more sustainability and playmaking potential.
Hot Hands is also a tremendous tool for clearing out enemies hiding in corners. His biggest area of concern is that his ultimate has a lot of potential for misuse, but it’s also one of the best tools for executing on a site you know is stacked with utility from agents like Killjoy or Cypher.
2) Raze
Explosiveness when it comes to movement, creating space for her team, and gathering information; Raze rules. Between her Paint Shells, Boom Bot, and Showstopper ultimate, a defender on site while Raze is leading an execute on attack might as well just accept that death is coming. Those who master Blast Pack boosts provide even more opportunities for their team.
Outside of some inconsistency with the Showstopper ultimate, Raze is a near-flawless duelist and also one of our choices for agents to pair with the new initiator, Gekko.
1) Jett
Jett is still the gold standard of duelists. Jett’s movement capabilities, playmaking potential, and space creating are unmatched, and after Chamber’s nerfs, she’s once again become the primary agent for Operator wielders.
Outside of what she provides to a team with her core abilities, her Blade Storm ultimate is the deadliest in the hands of a mechanically gifted player, and it’s terrific for a team on anti-eco rounds.
