A decent aim is one of the core skills you’ll need in VALORANT, but it won’t be enough to take you to the top by itself. While it may look like you can hold your own in lower ranks only by out-aiming every player on the enemy team, players will soon start outsmarting you, which will render your aim advantage useless.
Each VALORANT map boasts unique map designs that can make every match different. Even if you can beat any VALORANT player in a one-vs-one duel, your chances will be close to none when you approach them from a disadvantageous angle.
Knowing these angles or peeking spots will help you when and where to expect enemies. An excellent way to take advantage of these spots is by busting out the sniper rifles like the Operator, which can one-shot an enemy before they can realize what hit them.
Make sure that you’re as far back as you can be from the corner you’ll be peeking since you can see your enemy faster than they’ll be able to see you. Don’t be shy about drawing your pistol after a failed shot, and remember that it’s never a bad idea to switch positions to live and fight another day.
If you haven’t been up-to-date with all the callouts in VALORANT, we recommend memorizing before proceeding so you can visualize all the spots mentioned in this article.
Here are the best spots you can hold in VALORANT with a sniper rifle to secure easy frags.
Ascent
Ascent is a two-bombsite VALORANT map that takes place in Venice, Italy.
The A bombsite peek
The A bombsite peek is located at main A, and it has a great angle that covers the orb. This spot covers an area that attackers like to rush early on in the game.
Even though staying far away from the corner of where you’ll be peeking gives you an advantage, we recommend standing a couple of steps behind the vision-line since attackers will also have a good angle on you.
Listen for the footsteps before you peek, and if you hear more than three players, it can be a wise idea to retreat with the piece of information as well.
The mid/catwalk peek
It’s hard to call the catwalk peek an advantageous spot for either sides of the map, but controlling the middle area is a vital aspect of any round.
If you successfully take control of the middle with the help of your positioning, you’ll force the attackers into making a decision. They’ll need to rotate to either A or B, which your teammates will be covering already, and you’ll slowly start tunnel visioning them by limiting the area they have available on the map.
The market peek
The market is another place in Ascent that hosts a lot of rotations. Just like the catwalk, holding down this point of interest will be essential to back your opponents into a corner.
Getting close to the market gates will let you have a better view while peeking, but the risk you’ll be taking will also increase drastically. We recommend keeping your distance between the gates since anyone willing to rotate through the market will likely throw a couple of smokes inside.
The B bombsite peek
Defending the bombsite B may look simple from a spectator’s perspective, but it’s relatively easy to get swarmed by the attackers and lose control of the site.
There are multiple spots around the area that allow you to safely peek the entrance doors while giving you the chance to retreat back to safety. The wall close to B’s main corner is a great example of this and offers an excellent angle for sharpshooters to secure quick takedowns.
Bind
Bind is one of the smaller VALORANT maps that doesn’t include a fully-fledged midway.
The A short peek
U-Hall has the best layout to peek at A short since it’s almost impossible to get cornered out. There will be plenty of space to roam around if things go south.
You can quickly rotate to the small gap next to Tetris if U-Hall feels unsafe due to your enemy’s ultimate abilities, and you can make up for abandoning A short by making sure the Showers don’t get breached.
The B short peek
While most players prefer occupying Hookah to catch enemies off guard, you won’t have that chance in most high-ranked games. Bombsite B has the necessary groundwork for you to cover almost all areas that your enemy may try to push.
The back or inside of the tube is the ideal peeking spot to watch both Hookah and Garden. You may even be able to hold off both areas with enough practice since enemies rushing from these angles will be sitting ducks.
The B long peek
Peeking B long is risky since you can do it once, but they’ll undoubtedly be ready for the next time. If you’re going to do it, however, you’d better do it through Garden.
While the angle opening up to B long from Garden is narrow, there’ll be plenty of space to retreat if you decide to abort the mission.
Haven
Haven is currently the only VALORANT map that features three bombsites.
The bombsite A peek
Considering there are three bombsites in Haven as opposed to two in most maps, Defenders desperately need to assure some map control right after a round starts.
The corner leading to the A long tends to be the most frequent stop of bombsite A rushers, and there’s an excellent peeking angle there, which you can utilize to jiggle peek constantly.
Jiggle peeking refers to strafing left and right repeatedly while peeking an angle to make yourself harder to hit for your enemies and to make sure you don’t expose all of your body against rushing enemies.
The bombsite B showdown
Playing it safe rarely cuts it around the bombsite B if you’re looking to shine. You can easily wreak havoc on your enemies by climbing up to the boxes inside bombsite B and peeking the window to take down who dares to take a shot at you.
Remember that you’ll also be an easy target in this scenario, meaning that you’ll need to make your shots count.
The bombsite C classic
The bombsite C potentially has the best angles in Haven. The gigantic box in the middle of the bombsite is a natural cover for peeking C Long.
You can also utilize the boxes located toward the left and right of the big one you used previously. The angles you’ll get from them while peeking will be narrower, but they may be safer in the long run since you’ll be exposed less.
Icebox
Icebox is a snowy map that joined the rotation with VALORANT Act III.
The boiler peek
Like in most of the maps, holding down the map’s mid-portion will be essential to take control of a round. The boiler ramp that defenders have the advantage of using is one of the better peeks of the map, and you can easily change the course of a game with a couple of pick-offs early on in the game.
You’ll need some level of protection, however, since the enemy will have the chance of advancing through the sides and cornering you in the process. Keep an eye on the minimap to make sure your buddies defending the sides are doing okay. If you notice anyone getting knocked out, it may be a good time to move and readjust your position for the incoming push.
The snowmen of bombsite B
The bombsite B in Icebox is possibly the largest one in VALORANT. It’s quite open and spacious, and both defenders and attackers have more than enough space to work with.
Though it lacks decent cover, the site’s snowmen area is an excellent spot to be peeking. Start by setting up next to the small snowman since you’ll have the option to move toward the one in the back if you’re facing an unexpected rush.
Split
Split is one of the classic VALORANT maps that have great corridors for balanced gunplay.
The B site chill lounge
Defending the bombsite B with a sniper rifle is all about patience in Split. You’ll realize that B site is filled with good cover, and you can sit back to peek at B main entrance. We recommend using the giant billboard that’s filled with pieces of paper since you’ll also be close to the stairs to make any necessary rotations.
Holding B main successfully will help your team dedicate resources elsewhere to bring a round home with ease.
The mid vent
Just like in all the maps, the middle plays a vital role in the fate of a round in Split. Defenders arguably have a better spot to hold off the mid side area with the peek in Mid Vent. You’ll have a direct vision line to the end of Top Mid and Bottom Mid, which attackers frequently crossover to rotate.
If you’re spotted or feel the need to reposition, you can take advantage of the staircase in Mid Mail. This peek will allow you to easily take down anyone coming in or out of the A sewer.
The A main spawn peek
Landing early-game kills is always an excellent way to secure your dominance at the start of a round. While some attackers may take their time to regroup and advance slowly, others may directly rush to the closest bombsite.
Attackers have a much more straightforward access to the bombsite A from their spawn, and you’ll have the perfect angle in A-main to hold them off as long as you can.
It’s just outside the bombsite A, and you’ll have enough space to rotate back in case of any setback. Since the angle is a bit narrow, you’ll need to make each shot counts as they’ll be able to close to the gap in the time it takes you to reload.
