Valorant Duelist tier list: Which Agent is best for you?

In Valorant, Duelists are the stars of the show. You expect to see them on the top of the leaderboard, dropping frags with their aggressive nature. However, which of them is the best? We’ve got you covered with our tier list, so you can choose the best one for your playstyle.

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 five Duelists ⁠— Jett, Raze, Reyna, Yoru and Phoenix ⁠— and which one is the best fit for you.

Best Duelist Agents in Valorant

5. Yoru

Yoru makes his entry into Valorant as the game’s third-best Duelist.

Attack

Like the other duelists, Yoru packs a lot of power on attack. He is Valorant’s only dedicated lurker, which means he plays a big role on attacks. He doesn’t typically play with the team, instead choosing to mindgame the opponent to try and get an edge on the opposition.

• Read More: How to play as Yoru

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 faux-flank presence with his footsteps, flash your team in with his unique bounce flash, and break out onto site completely invisible. That’s a lot of utility.

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 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 pounce on.

Verdict

Yoru might pack a punch, but his kit falls flat when compared to every other duelist. His flashes are easy to counter, and outside of his ultimate, doesn’t bring as much to the team as you’d think on paper. He’s in dire need of buffs, and hopefully they come soon.

4. Reyna

If you’ve got the aim, Reyna is your best bet.

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.

• Read More: How to play as Reyna

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. Outside of that though, Reyna is a sitting duck.

Verdict

Recent nerfs to Reyna have really pushed her down the power rankings. However, if you back your aim, Reyna is the duelist for you. No matter on attack or defense, if you can win your duels, you’ll provide infinitely more to your team.

3. Phoenix

Phoenix thrives on attack, but struggles on defense.

Attack

Like all duelists, Phoenix’s strengths are really shown on 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.

• Read More: How to play as Phoenix

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 attack.

All of his kit is incredibly strong on attack, but 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 a bit on defense.

Verdict

Phoenix’s attacking prowess would regard him as one of the game’s strongest attackers. However, his defensive capabilities does hold him back from cracking into the top two of Jett-Raze tier.

2. Raze

Raze might have tons of explosives, but they serve more of a purpose than doing damage.

Attack

While Phoenix brings a lot of utility, Raze’s is arguably better. After all, three of her abilities can one-shot an enemy if they get too close. Where Raze thrives on attack is clearing out areas safely though. She can throw her bot down and scout ahead, and that in itself is plenty of utility.

• Read More: How to play as Raze

Between her Paintshells and blast packs, and then the Showstopper obviously, she can follow up on that bot’s intel and wipe out an entire team with one click.

Defense

Raze’s utility is just as effective on defense as it is on attack. Her constant explosions provide plenty of zone control, forcing enemies back or keeping them cornered for easy pickings.

It makes Raze the most effective duelist on defense. While 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 on face value, but it’s incredibly good for slowing things down. No matter if you’re trying to stall out an attack, or sweep through an enemy’s defense and stop a retake, Raze can do it all.

1. Jett

Jett has been the meta duelist for so long, and it’s easy to see why.

Attack

Well, what can’t Jett do on 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.

• Read More: How to play as Jett

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.

The most important thing when it comes down to it though, is picking an Agent that’s right for you. Each duelist has their own unique playstyle, and you should try them all out to find your best fit.

We will update this piece as the meta evolves, and who knows, maybe your out-of-meta favorite might shoot up to the top of the tier list.