win.gg
Win.gg Valorant Top Valorant Agents for new players

Top Valorant Agents for new players: A beginner's guide

Author Icon
Syed Mujtaba Naqvi Published 24/09/2024
Valorant wallpaper depicted three agents, Phoenix, Viper, Jett

If you’re just starting out in Valorant and are unsure which Agent to choose, you’re not alone. Valorant offers a wide variety of characters, each with unique abilities that can feel overwhelming for newcomers. However, certain Agents are much easier to pick up and play, making them ideal for new players. This guide will help you identify the best Agents for first-time players, helping you contribute effectively to your team without getting slowed down by complex mechanics.

Best Duelist for new players: Phoenix

Valorant screenshot of Phoenix that new players might see

Among the Duelists, Phoenix is the stand-out agent for new players. His abilities are straightforward and versatile, allowing new players to easily engage with opponents and survive tricky situations. Phoenix’s Curveball is one of the simplest flash abilities to use, allowing you to blind enemies around corners without needing precise aim. His Blaze wall, a wall of fire, can block enemy vision while dealing damage to anyone who passes through it.

Phoenix's abilities: Curveball, Hot Hands, and Blaze Wall

One of Phoenix’s biggest advantages for new players is his self-healing ability. His Hot Hands ability not only damages enemies but can also heal him if used wisely. Additionally, Phoenix’s ultimate ability, Run It Back, gives you a chance to aggressively push enemies without worrying about dying, as you’ll respawn after the effect ends.

Best Controller for new players: Brimstone

Valorant screenshot of Brimstone that new players might see

Brimstone is one of the easiest Controllers for new players to master. His primary role is to help block enemy vision with smokes, and his abilities make this task very accessible. Sky Smoke allows you to deploy up to three smoke grenades at once using a simple map interface, making it easy to control key areas.

Brimstone abilities: Sky Smoke, Incendiary, Stim Beacon

Additionally, Brimstone’s Stim Beacon is a useful ability that increases the speed and firing rate of teammates within its range. His Incendiary grenade can also be used as a Molotov, to deny entry to certain areas by damaging enemies on contact. Finally, his ultimate, Orbital Strike, deals heavy damage over a wide area, making it a deadly tool for clearing objectives.

Best Sentinel for new players: Sage

Valorant screenshot of Sage that new players might see

Sage is the go-to Agent for new players looking to play a supportive role. Her abilities focus on healing and crowd control, which are crucial in any team composition. Her Healing Orb can restore health to both herself and teammates, and Barrier Orb creates a wall that can block enemy movement and vision.

Sage’s Slow Orbs are also incredibly beginner-friendly, creating zones that slow enemies and make them easier to track. Lastly, Sage’s Resurrection ultimate allows her to bring back a fallen teammate, making her invaluable in critical situations.

Best Initiator for new players: KAY/O

Valorant screenshot of KAY/O that new players might see

KAY/O is an excellent Initiator for beginners because of his simple yet effective abilities. His FLASH/drive is an easy-to-use flash grenade that blinds enemies. The flash is a easy enough transition for FPS players who are used to Call of Duty or Couter-Strike flashes. His ZERO/point is a throwable knife that suppresses enemy abilities within a certain range, when it collides with a surface.

KAY/O abilities: FLASH/drive, ZERO/point, and FRAG/ment

Additionally, KAY/O’s FRAG/ment grenade can deal significant damage with minimal effort, since it is used a short term Molotov. His ultimate, NULL/cmd, suppresses enemy abilities in a large radius and increases fire rate. If you are fragged down while in his ultimate, you gain the increased HP and the ability to be revived by a teammate. This, in turn, makes it easy to disrupt opponents and control the battlefield.

Hopefully, utilizing these agents can grant easier and simpler matches for new players. As always, the beginner agents may seem simple enough to start playing, but each agent’s skill ceiling is being raised each day. Some beginner agents are even used in professional plays because of their high skill-ceiling. As you climb the ranks, some agents become less viable in a general setting, and adapting to the meta, or mastering a certain agent will always be the better option for the long run. Keep your eyes on the patch notes to make sure your main agents are not buffed or nerfed without your knowledge. Lastly, keeping up to date with the Valorant patch notes ensures a smooth and streamlined matches. Good luck Radiants!

Syed Mujtaba Naqvi
About Syed Mujtaba Naqvi

View full profile
Read Also
DPlus players haven’t been paid in a month as upcoming acquisition affects finances League of Legends
DPlus players haven’t been paid in a month as upcoming acquisition affects finances Michael Hassall Korean esports organization Dplus Kia has reportedly not paid players for multiple titles it competes in for a period of at least a month as it grapples with financial issues related to an upcoming acquisition. The news surfaced on July 16 that the organization was struggling to fulfill its commitments to pay players. Just a few hours later, DPlus released a statement admitting the issues, but insisting that players had ...
VALORANT Patch 13.01: Iso, Yoru, Outlaw, and boosting punishments explained Valorant
VALORANT Patch 13.01: Iso, Yoru, Outlaw, and boosting punishments explained Owen Harsono Riot Games released a much-needed update on July 14, rolling out Patch 13.01. The main highlights of the update were buffs to Iso and Yoru, nerfs to the Outlaw weapon, and player behavior updates targeting rank manipulation and boosting. Here’s everything you need to know about Valorant Patch 13.01. Iso and Yoru have become relatively unpopular Duelists in the current meta, and we’re not seeing the best Valorant players picking ...
100 Thieves win first international title at the Valorant Esports World Cup 2026 Valorant
100 Thieves win first international title at the Valorant Esports World Cup 2026 Owen Harsono After years of heartbreak and disappointing results, North American squad 100 Thieves have finally secured themselves a big win at the Valorant Esports World Cup, taking down regional rivals NRG Esports in the grand final. With this victory, the team takes home $600,000 in prize money and 1,000 Club Championship Points. Despite entering the tournament as heavy underdogs, 100 Thieves went on a flawless group stage and playoff run to ...
Valorant at the EWC 2026 preview, details, predictions, and more Valorant
Valorant at the EWC 2026 preview, details, predictions, and more Owen Harsono We don’t get too many international Valorant tournaments in a year, but the Esports World Cup is certainly one of them. 16 of the top Valorant teams gather in Paris to compete for millions of dollars. If you’re looking to catch the action, here’s everything you need to know about Valorant at the 2026 Esports World Cup. The Esports World Cup is one of the biggest Valorant tournaments of the ...
Here’s the complete Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 schedule Esports Betting
Here’s the complete Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 schedule Hannan Mundia The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 has finally arrived, and here’s the complete schedule for the event to ensure you don’t miss anything. While it isn’t exactly the newest name in the esports scene, the EWC has quickly become a leading event for esports fans worldwide. It brings together professional players and fans from various games, combining them into one long event that everyone can enjoy. 2026’s Esports World Cup ...
Riot Games announces Kick partnership for LoL, Valorant, and TFT esports broadcasts Kick
Riot Games announces Kick partnership for LoL, Valorant, and TFT esports broadcasts Khizar Mundia League of Legends and Valorant developer and publisher Riot Games has announced a massive partnership with live streaming platform Kick. This partnership will bring official broadcasts and co-streaming support to more viewers. Kick isn’t new to the esports scene, and the platform has been pushing for official recognition for some time. The live streaming platform has hosted and supported many esports community broadcasts, notably for Counter-Strike and Valorant. Kick has ...
Paper Rex vs Leviatan VCT Masters London Grand Final: betting predictions and picks Valorant
Paper Rex vs Leviatan VCT Masters London Grand Final: betting predictions and picks Owen Harsono We’re down to the final two at VCT Master London 2026, with Paper Rex and Leviatan competing for the international title. Will Paper Rex win their second international event, or will the young squad of Leviatan pull off the upset? Here are our VCT Masters London Paper Rex vs Leviatan predictions. Tournament: VCT Masters London 2026 Stage: Grand Final Game: Valorant Format: Best-of-five Betting tip: Paper Rex have already beaten ...