How to avoid dying from spike explosions on every Valorant map

Fariha Bhatti Published 20/06/2021

Tired of losing an Operator because you misread how far the spike blast would go? This new trick will help you stay safe after the round win.

Unlike other tactical shooters like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, it’s relatively easier in Valorant to save weapons post-explosion. A tangible globe marks the blast radius, and players need to evacuate that area before the spike detonates.

However, a lot of time, players end up miscalculating and wind up getting caught in the blast and needlessly killed. This has resulted in many guns disappearing into the dark explosion, damaging their team’s economy as a result. However, there’s an extra little trick that can help you stay alive and impress your dead teammates that see you fearlessly stand right at the edge of the abyss.

How to stand right next to the spike explosion in Valorant

It’s always impressive to see a teammate knowing the exact explosion boundary and bravely standing at the edge while everything in front of him disappears. You don’t have to remember every corner to know the blast radius if you know this trick.

When a player in Valorant is moving, a faint white circle appears around the player’s icon on the mini-map to indicate the radius that their footsteps can be heard. This can be used to determine the spike’s blast radius.

The radius of the circle is nearly identical to the blast area from the spike, meaning players simply need to ensure that the spike icon is outside the white circle on the mini-map. This gives players an almost-exact blast for the explosion. As the timer counts down, just stand with the white circle a hair away from the spike icon to watch the explosion come right up to the player’s face.

While many players like to sit at the edge to show off to teammates, this is also useful for practical reasons. Players can use the circle to guarantee they can hear enemies coming up to try and pull off a ninja defuse or some other tricky move.

Who’s the new Valorant agent?

Valorant’s 16th agent is Kay/O, who will be released in Episode 3, Act I. The agent’s abilities have been officially revealed.

Kay/O is an initiator who introduces two new abilities in Valorant. The new agent can destroy enemies’ kit with his dagger and be revived by his teammates when overloaded. Kay/O looks to be one of the most potent initiators so far. It won’t be a surprise if he becomes one of the most-played Valorant agents in the first few months of release.

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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