Complete guide to playing Sova, the best initiator in Valorant

Fariha Bhatti Published 08/09/2022

There are plenty of viable initiators in Valorant, but Sova stands above all with his deadly toolkit.

Valorant has five initiators dedicated to garnering intel and tenderizing enemies. However, not all of them are equally useful across all maps. Most agents do better on certain maps, but Sova has earned his stripes on every map in the game so far. His darts, arrows, and drone work wonders on almost all Valorant maps. However, players must use him smartly to squeeze full juice out of his initiator kit.

When Fade was released, players had doubted Sova’s future in Valorant, but his pick rate remains unscathed. The initiator’s kit is packed with all the tools required to win a competitive Valorant game.

How to use the abilities of Sova in Valorant

Sova is one of the original 10 agents in Valorant. The german initiator brought a unique drone and a traditional bow and arrow set to the squad that helps break intel. While many original characters are slacking in Episode 5, Sova remains top-tier. Here’s how to play Sova efficiently in competitive Valorant games.

Owl Drone (C)

Press C to deploy the drone. While in control of the drone, fire to shoot a marking dart. This dart will highlight the location of any player struck by the dart.

Owl Drone comes in handy on maps like Bind and Icebox, which are littered with rat corners. Use his Owl Drone from a safe distance to check out choke points so your teammates can walk in. The drone works best when you have a teammate following it to deal damage against the distracted enemy. The camera instantly tags the opponents, making them an easy target for a sharpshooter.

The drone can be controlled with keys and a mouse to cover more area quickly. It travels for only seven seconds, so make sure to use that time wisely and in ways that will benefit teammates.

Shock Bolt (Q)

Sova is a unique initiator who deals heavy damage. His Shock Bolts are capable of finishing off fully armored, healthy enemies. However, they aren’t as effective on their own. Pair the darts with Recon or Owl Drone for maximum effect.

Shock Bolts come in handy on smaller maps for clearing out tight corners like Bind’s lamps and Icebox’s maze. You may use these darts to injure enemies in predictable spots or use them after revealing them through Owl Drone. The latter is more effective as it warrants bullet-free kills. Shock Bolts are also exceptionally useful in attacker post-plant situations. The two skills do 150 combined damage in their AoE, ensuring that the defuser dies.

Shock Bolt becomes an absolute menace to play against with good teamwork. For example, if a Sage tosses a slow orb, it can hold enemies for Sova’s deadly Shock Bolt, making sure enemies take full damage. The same works for Astra’s pull, making Sova 10 times deadlier.

Recon Bolt (E)

Recon Bolt can be used in three different ranges. Sova can also control the number of times this arrow bounces off terrain using alt-fire and its range by pressing fire. The darts work best when shot at odd angles. Otherwise, enemies can easily break them or smoke them off.

Sova’s signature Recon Bolt is why high-ranked players can’t get enough of his kit. Sova beats Fade in intel-gathering with his Recon Bolt, which is tough to deal with. They are tiny, tricky to spot, and even more challenging to shoot at. Without knowing elaborate lineups, player have no choice but to keep an eye out, which divides attention at all times.

Try aiming for high angles that force the opponents to become vulnerable in order to break the Recon Bolt. Ambushing them when they’re busy tackling the dart could bag you bonus kills.

How to use Sova’s ult in Valorant

Sova’s ultimate, Hunter’s Fury, lasts for six seconds. During that time, he can fire three shots that pierce through walls and other obstacles. Each dart deals 80 damage, which means he only needs two darts to kill one enemy. Hunter’s Fury can potentially kill multiple enemies within a single shot.

Hunter’s Fury is simple to use, which is why it makes for a great post-plant deterrent. Just aim towards the Spike and start shooting it slowly. It can buy you six seconds to delay a defuse. You may also activate it on defense to keep attackers away from a congested entrance such as Haven’s C-long and Bind’s B short. The arrow may get you multiple kills once enemies are locked in a tiny lobby.

Sova’s ult works best when paired with either Owl Drone or Recon Bolt. The ult requires eight points, so it’s not recommended to shoot it randomly. Patiently reveal enemies using the darts and once they’re vulnerable, load up Hunter’s Fury.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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