If you’re looking for Valorant’s best Duelist Agent, here’s where Jett, Phoenix, Raze, Neon, Reyna, and Yoru all stack up in the current meta.
Duelists are all about going in solo and getting the job done for the team. The high-fragging Valorant Agents are about making an impact on the scoreboard, constantly finding man-advantages to keep the pressure high.
If this sounds like your kind of role, then read on. We’ve got everything you need to know about the game’s six Duelists — Jett, Raze, Neon, Reyna, Yoru and Phoenix — and which one is the best fit for you.
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Best Duelist Agents in Valorant
6. Yoru
Attack
- Like the other Duelists, Yoru packs a lot of power on attack. The cerebral nature of Yoru’s kit means he is at his best when being used as an isolated playmaker. Multiple rounds of careful flashes and the constant threat of a teleport will keep enemies on their toes every round.
- However, that doesn’t mean he can’t play with the rest of the team. His utility is just as effective when grouped than on the flank. You can set up a faux-flank presence with his footsteps, flash your team in with his unique bounce flash, and break out onto the site completely invisible.
Defense
- This utility also transfers onto defense. He can set up fake pushes through common rush spots to keep enemies at bay, guessing as to where your location is.
- His flashes are also great for blinding big areas, allowing your allies to swing out and capitalize on them.
- His ultimate is also one of the best for retakes too. You can get onto the site completely unnoticed, assassinate an enemy, and throw the entire post-plant into disarray. He’s all about creating controlled chaos the rest of the team can use to their advantage.
Verdict
Yoru can still be played well in the hands of a capable player, but his slow flashes and lack of teamplay make him the weakest in his role. That might not be the case for long though, as Riot has already teased some upcoming changes that could make him more viable.
5. Raze
Attack
- Raze is an attack-minded Duelist who can really make a team pay for sloppy positioning. Her Bomb Bot is great for scoping out sites ahead of any push and often opens up a window of opportunity for her teammates to push behind.
- When teams start trading kills back and forth, there are few better choices to clean up the mess than Valorant’s foremost explosive expert.
Defense
- Raze’s utility is not quite as effective on defense as it is on the attack, but she’s not a sitting duck either. Her constant explosions provide plenty of zone control, forcing enemies back or keeping them cornered for easy pickings.
- Her big drawback is that she doesn’t have flashes or smokes, just that bit of zone control is incredibly strong, holding enemies in chokepoints and always putting them in harm’s way if they want to execute onto a site.
Verdict
Raze’s kit might just seem all about damage at face value, but it’s also good for slowing things down. She’s not perfect by any means, but Raze stands a fighting chance against any lineup.
4. Phoenix
Attack
- Like all Duelists, Phoenix’s strengths are really shown in the attack. The British pyromaniac has a decent amount of utility in his kit through his wall, flashes, and Hot Hands molotov to block off sight lines and really break onto a site.
- His Run It Back ultimate also is great for clearing out areas with aggression, giving him a spare life. All of the other Duelists have similar things in their kit, but Phoenix is the only one to bring it all, and it makes him a godsend when you’re trying to attack.
Defense
- Phoenix does lack a bit of ‘oomph’ on defense compared to other Duelists. He can push out and gain territory with walls and flashes, but he doesn’t do it as well as he does on the attack.
- While all of his kit is incredibly strong on attack, it can only really be effectively used on a retake on defense. His Run It Back is good for grabbing aggressive picks at the start of rounds, but aside from that, Phoenix does struggle.
Verdict
Phoenix’s attacking prowess would regard him as one of the game’s strongest attackers. However, his defensive capabilities do hold him back from cracking into the top tier
3. Neon
Attack
- Neon’s arsenal of abilities allows her to be an extremely aggressive fragger on any map in Valorant. The agent’s High Gear and Fast Lane abilities make for exceptional tools when it comes to repositioning on the map.
- Apart from repositioning swiftly, Neon can also deal lethal damage to enemies quite easily. Combining her Relay Bolt with her ultimate, Overdrive, can allow you to pick up an Ace rather effortlessly in various situations.
Defense
- Not really the best equipped for defensive scenarios, Neon can still use her repositioning capabilities to dodge charging enemies. Additionally, she can also set up for her’s team’s movement across the map using Fast Lane.
- Despite not being the most effective, Neon’s Relay Bolt concussive blasts can be tactical when trying to hold off tight angles against high-pace enemies like Jett or Reyna.
Verdict
Although she’s not the strongest Duelist in Valorant at this moment, Neon can be fairly devastating in the right hands. Additionally, given that the Agent is not equipped with traditional flashbangs or smokes makes it fairly important for Neon to be drafted in well-balanced team compositions.
2. Reyna
Attack
- Reyna brings not a lot of utility for the team, but plenty for herself. A good Reyna player can decimate entire teams 1v5, and that’s part of her charm.
- Her Leers are great for throwing players off when hitting a site, while she can stay topped up on the front lines with Devour.
- Throw in her Empress ultimate, and she’s a one-man army for all things attack — lurking, hitting sites, you name it, Reyna can do it.
Defense
- Reyna’s selfish utility does come back to bite her on defense. However, she can still make use of it pretty effectively. Her ability to grab a pick and Dismiss to safety makes her incredibly potent on the defender side.
Verdict
The nerfs to Reyna in Patch 2.03 did slow her down for a while, but the addition of souls dropping on assists has pulled her back into the upper echelon of play. Other Duelists have more utility to work with but her in-combat survivability separates her from the pack.
1. Jett
Attack
- Well, what can’t Jett do on the attack? She’s pretty much a jack of all trades. The Korean windbender can play passively with an Operator or burst onto a site with her knives, Tailwinds, and Updrafts. The flexibility in her kit is why she’s so strong.
- Her Cloudburst smokes can also bail her team out better than any other bit of Duelist utility. It can be used to sell fakes, block lines of sight when defenders try to retake, and more.
Defense
- Much like Reyna, Jett thrives on defense if you have the aim for it. Her ability to play aggressively, get a frag, then get out to safety with her Tailwind is perfect for most teams. There’s a reason why the Jett-Operator meta is so popular, and it’s because it’s that good.
- She can also provide cover with her teammates with her smokes, which come in super handy for retakes. Plus, who doesn’t love to try and get a cheeky ninja defuse off?
Verdict
Jett’s versatile playstyle plus her well-balanced utility makes her the best Duelist by far. She’s been a staple in the meta for months now, and despite continued nerfs from Riot, she will reign supreme as long as she doesn’t lose that utility.
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However, with the latest nerfs in patch 4.08, Jett does find herself in a bit of a sticky situation. After the recent changes to her Tailwind ability, it remains to be seen how much impact Jett will continue to have in clutch situations.
The most important thing when it comes down to it is picking an Agent that’s right for you. Each Valorant Duelist has their own unique playstyle, and you should try them all out to find your best fit.
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