The Vulnerable debuff in Valorant explained

Olivia Richman Published 26/12/2024

Valorant features multiple status effects, and the “Vulnerable” debuff is one of the most dangerous to have.

Valorant consistently gets 4 million to 6 million players every day, with many players grinding to reach the top. Gamers who want to be competitive need a good understanding of agent abilities and all the status effects that come with it.

These include getting blinded, decaying, and getting slowed. One of the most popular status effects players come across is being vulnerable. Of all the status effects, this can quickly turn the tide in an intense firefight.

What is being vulnerable in Valorant?

If an agent is vulnerable, they take double the damage for the duration of the status effect. This can give players an instant advantage over a vulnerable agent, who will be eliminated a lot faster while affected.

Players can become vulnerable if they are hit with a certain agent ability. There are currently four agent abilities that can make an enemy vulnerable. They are:

Astra: Gravity Well
Iso: Undercut
Killjoy: Alarmbot
Viper: Snake Bite

Astra’s Gravity Well is a crowd control ability that impacts all enemies within its radius. After placing a Star on the map, Astra can activate this Star and it will instantly pull agents within its radius towards the center.

Enemies can fight it by using movement commands but it can be a shock at first. It can also pull in the defuser, interrupting spike defuse attempts. After a short time, the Gravity Well will explode and damage anyone left within its radius. Agents caught in the blast will also become vulnerable.

Iso’s Undercut is a crippling ability. Once equipped, Iso can cast Undercut to throw forward a molecular bolt that can get through any terrain or wall in its way. Any agent hit by the bolt as it races through the map will become vulnerable.

There’s a warning that the bolt is coming so agents can attempt to escape, but it can disorient players who aren’t expecting it.

Killjoy’s Alarmbot is an intel-focused ability but it has some interesting side effects. Killjoy placed an Alarmbot that will remain in the desired location indefinitely unless recalled. It’s only active, however, if Killjoy is nearby.

Enemies can deal damage to the bot to destroy it, alerting Killjoy and her teammates. But if an enemy gets too close to the Alarmbot, it will start moving toward the detected opponent. It will then explode, making the enemy Vulnerable.

Viper’s Snake Bite can make enemies vulnerable through special grenades. Snake Bite has Viper throw a canister that detonates as soon as it comes into contact with the terrain.

When it goes off, Snake Bite creates a damage zone that spreads out fast. Agents who enter this zone of contact will become vulnerable and start taking damage.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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