A VALORANT player has shared a smart and effective method of using Astra to trap and disorient enemy players on Haven, which can also be used on other maps.
The player, Kanoodle on Twitch, calls this trick the “Barrier Blitz” and it involves smoking off angles while pulling or concussing enemies coming out of a common chokepoint. He demonstrated it on Haven by smoking off the mid window and then placing the Gravity Well behind the Nova Pulse at the bottom mid connector.
With the window smoked off and with the enemies who didn’t make it into mid stuck in the well, you and your team can rush out of the garage and pick off the concussed enemies with minimal risk of trades. Kanoodle said this tactic is great for eco rounds but can also work with full buys.
He acknowledged that this trick will probably only work once or twice, though. Even if enemies see the stars on the ground and don’t push, this tactic still lets the team take mid control and your team could push through bottom mid connector with a flash.
The concept of the Barrier Blitz can be used elsewhere outside of this spot on Haven, like mid and A main on Split or mid on Bind. If you’re coordinated with a team, the tactic can concuss opponents and get free kills while negating the risk of trades on several different spots.
With Astra’s usage in competitive and pro games rising, don’t be surprised to see more smart Astra plays like this in the near future.
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