Viper can help teach you how to defend yourself against Kay/O

Fariha Bhatti Published 04/08/2021

Still getting Kay/O fragments thrown at you across every map? There might be a way to get a read on common molotov spots.

The war machine Kay/O is still new to Valorant. While initiator mains are perfecting his lineups, the rest of the players are figuring out how to contest Kay/O’s kit. As it turns out, Viper help teams work around Kay/O’s molotovs.

Duelist-initiator hybrid Kay/O is exceptionally strong due to his aggressive kit, mainly because his devices can be sneaky and hard to read. He’s capable of single-handedly breaching an area, making him a life-threatening opponent. Fortunately, Viper’s smoke helps players against Kay/O, thanks to a unique feature that often goes unnoticed.

Viper’s hollow circle on the mini-map can tell you where Kay/O’s Fragment is going to land. Here’s how.

Unlike other agents, Viper’s smoke device has a guide ring that appears on the radar each time you equip it. The guide helps execute simple lineups on the go but can be a crucial learning tool in custom maps. While other agents have to eyeball their utility, Viper has an advantage in the form of a circle. Using this guide, players can tell how Kay/O’s utility might work on each map.

The projectile range of each tossable utility in Valorant varies. For example, Brimstone’s molotov lineups may not work on Viper due to Valorant’s physics. Fortunately, Viper’s devices are largely or totally identical to those of new agent Kay/O, aiding players in anticipating possible landing spots.

To perfectly achieve this, you would need to spend some time in custom games. Pick Viper and equip her smoke on each map. Keep your focus on the mini-map and memorize the areas where her circle appears on the radar from typical lineup angles. By combining this in live games with call-outs of Kay/O’s location, it’s easy to predict where the android might attack.

This tip may not seem crucial, but it can come in handy in high-ranked games. You don’t want to find yourself in dangerous spots, as Kay/O’s molotov is death-dealing and unavoidable. Using this trick, you can stay alive in most rounds as Fragment coupled with Kay/O’s flash can melt you on the spot.

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.

View full profile