Valorant Agent tier list: Best characters to play on patch 6.08

If you’re looking for an updated Valorant tier list featuring the top Agents to gain a tactical advantage in your matches, we have you covered with our own list ranking every character from best to worst in the current meta.
Valorant incorporates a diverse array of characters, who are referred to as Agents, into a high-fidelity tactical shooter. While most players try to master specific Agents, knowing which of them is the strongest for the current meta is even more important.
Picking the most relevant Agents according to the meta will definitely give you an edge in Riot’s tactical shooter. With the release of Valorant’s sixth Initiator in Episode 6 Act 2, the performance of each Agent on every map has become even more essential in determining the outcome of a match.
However, for that, you need to stay on top of all the new patches to know what’s happening with each Agent. Given that doing so can be a bit difficult, we have compiled this tier list for you to check out the in-meta Agents of the game.
Contents
- Valorant Agent Tier List
- S-Tier Agents in Valorant
- A-Tier Agents in Valorant
- B-Tier Agents in Valorant
- C-Tier Agents in Valorant
- D-Tier Agents in Valorant
Valorant Agent Tier List
In case you were wondering which Agent to pick after the massive changes in patch 6.08, don’t worry, we have got you covered with this table:
Tier | Agent |
S | Gekko, Fade, Harbor |
A | Brimstone, Omen, Yoru, Skye, Sova, Cypher, Viper, Reyna |
B | Jett, Killjoy, Chamber, Breach, Neon, Sage |
C | Astra, Kay/O, Raze |
D | Phoenix |
Valorant’s S-tier Agents
Gekko
The sixth initiator to join the ranks in Valorant, Gekko finds himself comfortably positioned at the top of the tier list. Since the Agent’s release with patch 6.04, Gekko has been truly unstoppable with his entire kit’s versatility having a huge role to play. Despite the recent nerfs in patch 6.06, Gekko still remains to be an instant pick in most matches.
Apart from his skills as an Initiator, Gekko is also incredibly strong when it comes to 1v1 situations. While this does make the Agent highly effective, pulling off Gekko’s full potential can be rather tricky in the wrong hands.
Having said that, it seems quite certain that Gekko is gonna be perched at the top of the tier list for quite a while unless Riot implements some drastic changes to the Agent’s arsenal of abilities.
Fade
Fade has been an absolute game-changer since her release in patch 4.08. Bursting into the S-tier from the get-go, Fade’s initiation abilities combined with her blinding and lockdown abilities make her an excellent Initiator.
Designed with a theme of Fear, the Agent’s abilities can make anyone feel scared when Fade is in a match. Having replaced Sova as the go-to Initiator in Valorant, it seems like the Agent will hold on to her spot at the top of the charts for now.
Although she isn’t a Duelist who can charge in for the early frags and get away with it, Fade is well and truly capable of playing at a very fast pace with her tool kit to suppress and hunt down enemies.
Harbor
Joining the ranks in Valorant with patch 5.08, Harbor is a Controller hailing from India. Featuring a bullet-proof smoke shield on top of various other utilities like a wall and AoE concussions, this Agent is definitely a must-pick in every match.
Harbor is the 20th Agent in Valorant and according to his abilities, his primary goal is to create space as well as create opportunities for site takeovers with his ultimate. Owing to everything that the Agent has to offer and the recent buffs after his release, he has earned himself a solid spot in the S-tier of our list.
Having said that, it remains to be seen how the Agent settles into the meta. After all, these are still early days for the water-themed Controller in Valorant.
Valorant’s A-tier Agents
Brimstone
It appears that we were maybe a bit too trigger-happy with Brimstone’s place in the Valorant tier list. He glided up thanks to a handy amount of buffs early in Episode 2 and has continued to skyrocket in popularity ever since.
After recent buffs and changes leading up to Episode 4 Act 3, he is a lot better than he was. With longer Sky Smokes, a further deploy range, and cheaper Incendiary Molotov, he is arguably the best Agent to have by your side for a quick site hit. Plus, his Orbital Strike ultimate can block off entire areas like U-Hall on Bind, giving you tons of control.
There’s also now a real reason to question which smoke Agent you bring. On some maps, like Bind, you might want to take Brimstone instead. However, with competition heating up between Omen, Astra, and Viper, Brimstone often finds himself overlooked in the current meta.
Omen
Once a must-pick Agent, Omen had been bumped down to the B-tier after his pretty substantial nerfs. However, he did maintain his spot at the top of the tier list for Controllers and, following recent buffs and balances, Omen returned right back to the top. Nevertheless, the recent nerfs to the Agent in Episode 6 Act 1 has knocked him down to the A tier.
The Agent is an excellent Controller and can be an absolute game-changer in crunch situations. Be it defending or taking over a post-plant site, or denying the enemy from controlling an area, Omen’s toolkit allows him to perfectly set up advantageous scenarios for his team.
Omen has slowly but surely made his way back to being as dominant now as he once was, and it’s probably for the best. Considering how good the Agent can be in most situations, you should be looking to grab him in every game as long as you understand his abilities and role.
Yoru
Yoru initially entered our list at A-Tier, but he ended up sliding down the list for a long time after that. Why? Despite his kit filling a niche in the lurker role, Yoru wasn’t able to dislodge any in-meta Duelist.
Although he was not massively underpowered – his kit was just strictly worse than anyone else’s. His flashes were easy to dodge, his teleport was too loud, and his footsteps didn’t bait anyone. The only useful thing used to be his Ultimate to get behind enemy lines and gather intel.
However, since his recent rework, Yoru has turned into an exceptional choice for many players. Given his capability to crowd-control enemy Agents, Yoru once again finds himself sitting comfortably in the A-tier of this list.
Skye
Skye didn’t necessarily so much explode into Valorant rather than whimper into the game. However, as time went on, players grasped the Agent’s skillset, and now she’s being put to good use.
She was also one of the fortunate ones to escape Episode 3 with somewhat of a buff. Sure, she lost one of her flashes, but she can now re-generate charges mid-round, and her concussion is a lot more potent.
Between her heals, flashes, and other utility, Skye is the best at breaking onto sites. While she has a harsher learning curve than other Agents, those who master her will be rewarded heavily.
With patch 5.09, slight changes have been made to her ultimate ability. Her Seekers will not debuff the targets if they are intangible upon reaching them. This includes Reyna while she is Dismissed and Yoru in his Dimensional Drift.
Sova
Since the Cypher nerfs, Sova has become one of Valorant’s best intel-gathering Agent. Sure, he is a very complex character, however, if you put the time into mastering him, it’ll be well worth it.
By mastering some lineups with Sova’s bolts, the Agent offers a diverse approach in their quest for intel that no other can match. His Owl Drone isn’t to be forgotten though, as it makes for the perfect entry into a site when coupled with an ally right behind it.
While, like most Agents, he was nerfed in Episode 3, he is still a must-have in any game. His ability to scout ahead is unparalleled, and it’s like having a sixth man when you have an Owl Drone or Recon Dart by your side.
Cypher
Cypher was once the king of intel in Valorant. However, he was forced to relinquish the throne to Sova after Patch 1.11. He’s still effective but losing his Trapwires after death really hurt his place in the power rankings.
He can still be the one-man army he once was, locking down sites with cameras and cages, telling his team what he sees – or doesn’t see. His Neural Theft is also incredibly handy to help read enemy plays and force their hand, and its reduced cost in Episode 3 certainly helps even now.
Nevertheless, the recent buffs in patch 5.10 have pushed Cypher up from the C tier and directly into the A tier. Despite the buffs, the Moroccan information broker still remains behind Chamber in the list of Sentinels. However, it remains to be seen whether the Agent can slowly claw their way into the A tier of this list or not.
Viper
Viper finally got herself out of the gutter in Episode 3 and quickly climbed to the top of the tier-list rankings. However, in Episode 4, the American controller has fallen to the A-tier.
Don’t let her fall in the power rankings fool you though. The Agent got a lot of love on Valorant patch 2.06, and despite a quick follow-up nerf on patch 2.09, she’s still one of the most viable Controllers in the game.
While she was once incredibly inflexible, her reworked kit fixed most of her problems. From being able to retrieve her Poison Cloud smokes, to the initial tick of Decay when enemies walk through her Toxins, she can quickly shred enemies.
If you need to lock down sites by yourself, there’s hardly a smoke Agent better equipped than Viper.
Reyna
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While Reyna is nothing like what she used to be after being hit with huge nerfs in recent patches, the Duelist is still an incredible pick for those hungry for action.
Having fewer charges of her Devour and Dismiss means she can’t be as aggressive, as the damage will stick now. At least now the souls drop even on assist, rather than only kill.
She’s still very good for the selfish-at-heart – there’s no doubt – however, she won’t be as 1v9 as she used to be during her glory days.
Valorant’s B-tier Agents
Jett
After holding on to the top spot for a very long time, the recent nerfs in update 4.08 have knocked Jett out of the top tier. Riot first nerfed her Blade Storm, then her Cloudburst, and in Episode 3 they hit her entire kit. However, even those nerfs weren’t enough. Following VCT Masters Berlin, Riot hit Jett once again, this time removing the right click on her Blade Storm and one of her smokes.
Despite all the nerfs, Jett was still going strong at the top of the Valorant meta. The Operator buffs in Episode 3 did help her stay on top (without them, she likely would have gotten knocked down earlier).
She offers hardly anything utility-wise to the team – aside from smoking certain angles very briefly. However, recent nerfs to her Bladestorm in update 5.03 have again knocked her down quite a bit in the rankings as she secures herself a spot in the B-tier of the Valorant Agent tier list.
Killjoy
Killjoy can operate far outside the bounds of her Sentinel status. While her abilities make her one of the most powerful Agents on Defense, she can also be extremely beneficial on Attack, too. Her Nanoswarm grenade can be incredibly impactful during the early stages of the round — even if not triggered, it offers valuable area denial. The same goes for post-plants.
However, Killjoy is nowhere as impactful as she was on release. She can’t roam across the entire map and expect her robots to do their job. She needs to stick close to each Reactor Site to make sure all of her utility is online. Not only that but if she has to rotate now, her bots now have 20-second cooldowns.
Those changes really hurt her when it comes down to it. She has a purpose still – her Lockdown Ultimate is one of the best in the game – but she’s not as flexible as other Agents in this tier list.
Chamber
It has been quite a while since Chamber was released in Valorant and after several balancing changes, the Agent secured himself as one of the strongest choices in the game. The French Sentinel is the fourth in the category, with his kit featuring a mixture of other Agents like Yoru with his teleport and Killjoy with his alarm bot.
Previously many Agents have started at the top of the list but quickly fallen down to the bottom like KAY/O and Yoru. However, Chamber had quite a good run until being hit by a series of nerfs in update 5.12. Owing to these nerfs, Chamber, who was a constant presence in the S or A tier before this point, finds himself perched in the B tier of our rankings.
Nevertheless, the Chamber continues to dominate with his abilities in Valorant when in the right hands and can be quite threatening despite the recent nerfs.
Breach
Breach is one of Valorant’s most well-rounded Agents, who can go into combat all guns blazing, but lacks the flair of the likes of Jett and Phoenix. Both Aftershock and Flashpoint are designed to allow you to burst through enemy lines; a great tool for when your team is taking a site.
Breach’s Signature and Ultimate abilities can completely disrupt the battlefield in the blink of an eye. Providing you have the necessary intel on the enemy’s whereabouts, both Fault Line and Rolling Thunder make gaining map control a relatively easy process.
He’s a great Agent to have on your side, and you can’t really go wrong with picking him up. Despite being one of the most stable Agents in the game, you can still find better options in most situations.
Neon
While many Agents make their way to the top of the power rankings right off the bat of their release, Neon didn’t exactly hit the mark – putting her debut in this list at the B-tier.
The fast-paced Filipina Duelist wasn’t exactly a disappointing addition to Valorant when released in Episode 4, but she simply doesn’t perform as well as other Agents on this list.
However, the Duelist’s rocket-like speed and electrical energy tear down all those who stand in her squad’s way – making Neon extremely fun to play. Hopefully, we’ll see a buff to the speedy Agent in the near future to land her a higher rank in our Valorant Agent tier list.
Sage
Valorant’s resident medic was once an essential Agent on any team. She was pushed down pretty hard with some big nerfs, however, her kit of abilities continuously keep her from falling down to the bottom of the tier list.
Despite the nerfs, both her Slow and Barrier Orbs are handy for temporarily cornering off specific sections of a map — the latter can also be used to boost on top of stacked boxes (or such alike) to give you a height advantage when peeking for information or an early kill.
Sage’s Orbs aside, the Agent’s Resurrection Ability can turn the tide of a round in your favor, especially when in a clutch situation where the man-advantage can be pivotal. It’s still the best ability in the game bar none, even though it now costs eight points, and it’s why she’s worthy of B-Tier.
Valorant’s C-tier Agents
Astra
Astra is… a bit too galaxy-brained for Valorant. She has the potential to be amazing in the right hands – and the pros certainly made use of her at Masters – but for the average Joe, she’s a hard nut to crack.
Her kit is loaded with utility that makes her practically an all-in-one controller. Smokes, stuns, gravity wells, and a huge screen that blocks damage and sound; it’s more a case of what she can’t do.
The big drawback, that used to be, was Astra’s complexity and vulnerability. However, despite players getting over those drawbacks, the recent nerfs to the Agent have really hurt her position in our Valorant Agent tier list.
KAY/O
KAY/O released Episode 3 Act 1, and he easily made his way into the S-tier upon release. However, after a few months, KAY/O had quickly fallen to the bottom end of the tier list and then made his way back up.
Despite how strong KAY/O’s flash is, the Agent can be quite difficult to execute optimally, leaving many players opting out of picking KAY/O. Nevertheless, recent nerfs in patch 5.07 have dropped KAY/O back into the C-tier, making him a fairly weaker Agent in Valorant.
Raze
Raze is a Duelist that is all about area denial. All of her abilities will ensure that the enemy is on the back foot, while you’re busy taking the fight up close and personal.
Equipped with a Boom Bot for essential intel, a Blast Pack to boost her into places that give her a vertical advantage, and up to two sets of cluster grenades that have a devastating radius — it’s easy to see why Raze can be devastating on both Attack and Defense.
That’s not to mention her incredible Ultimate, which can prove lethal at both close and long range. Raze’s grenades ensure that remains a mainstay in most team comps. However, the Agent has definitely fallen from where she used to be during the early days of Valorant, especially with the latest nerf in patch 6.03 landing her a spot in the C-tier of this list.
Valorant’s D-tier Agents
Phoenix
Phoenix is the prime example of the “most average” Agent in Valorant. He’s nothing to write home about, but he’s not too bad either. The British Duelist does his job, and that’s that.
Of all the Duelists, he’s one of the bigger team players, giving himself up for the entry frag with his Run It Back ultimate. His flashes are also quite effective, and he can heal himself if he takes damage.
Despite the buffs in patch 5.01, Phoenix is still the weakest Duelist in comparison to others on the roster. However, good Phoenix players look great no matter the situation.
So there you have it, our own Valorant Agent tier list, ranking every character from best to worst. Since Riot is keen on introducing changes to Valorant in a bid to balance the roster, don’t be surprised to see this list swapped and changed to reflect that.
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