Who is better, Reyna or Jett? This question often arises among Valorant players, as these two are not only the most popular duelists but also the most frequently chosen agents across all characters. Their playstyles significantly differ, but let's examine who better represents themselves in the current meta, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each character.
What sets Jett and Reyna apart?
It's no secret that the duelist role is the most popular among all others. The reason is that duelists usually receive the most attention post-match—they rack up the highest kill counts and often become the MVP, as they are constantly on the frontline thanks to their combat skills. Additionally, this role is considered the easiest to perform: other roles require more knowledge for effective gameplay, while many players believe a duelist only needs to run around and shoot accurately.
Jett and Reyna are the two most popular duelists, with the former having a pick rate of almost 10% and the latter over 11%, according to data from tracker.gg. What are their unique features? These two agents require different playstyles: Reyna, the queen of combat, is self-sufficient, able to blind enemies, heal herself, and leave the battlefield unscathed. In contrast, Jett, known for her speed and manoeuvrability, has a gameplay style distinct from Reyna’s as she is always on the move.
The Battle Queen
Agent Reyna is known for her aggression and self-sufficiency among Valorant characters. With her abilities, she skillfully exploits enemies' weaknesses to her advantage. Her unique skills allow her to gain the upper hand in solo encounters and emerge victorious. She is ideal for players confident in their shooting skills and who prefer to act independently.
The Speed Mistress
Agent Jett receives is the fastest and most flexible character in Valorant. Not only is she among the top 2 most popular characters at the moment, but she is also recognized beyond the world of Valorant. Thanks to her speed and manoeuvrability, she suits players who enjoy surprising others with unconventional positions and playing with the Operator. She is also more flexible in strategy building than Reyna, thanks to the diversity of her abilities, which cannot be said for the battle queen.
READ MORE: Valorant guide for Jett: tips and tricks
Comparison
Having considered the two most popular duelists in Valorant at this time, we can move to the main question: which of these characters is more successful and considered better in the current meta, both on the professional scene and in casual or ranked matches.
Abilities
The abilities of Jett and Reyna differ significantly from each other, making these agents suitable for different types of players. Reyna is more independent: she can heal herself, blind enemies, and exit fights unharmed. However, she lacks abilities that help the team, which is a disadvantage compared to Jett. Jett’s ultimate can improve the team's financial situation by providing knives that make it easy to kill enemies. Moreover, Jett's smokes and manoeuvrability allow her to easily attract the enemy team's attention, giving more room and opportunities for her teammates to act.
In terms of abilities without specific context, Jett emerges as the clear winner in this comparison, with her abilities having much more potential use than Agent Reyna’s.
Gameplay Style
For both characters, an aggressive style of play is recommended since it is fundamental for players in the duelist role—they are responsible for opening positions by entering first and attempting to make the initial kill. However, given the abilities discussed earlier, it is easier for Jett, who has two mobility skills: Updraft (Q) and Tailwind (E), which allow her to quickly and aggressively take a position, whereas Reyna only has Leer (C).
Undoubtedly, Jett is better at fulfilling the primary task of duelists—to create as much space for the team as possible—than Reyna.
Team Utility
When assessing the team utility that each agent can provide, Reyna again falls short in this comparison. If the player using Reyna has poor shooting skills or is unsuccessful in combat, her arsenal is limited to just Leer (C). On the other hand, even on a bad day, Jett can distract enemies with her agility and surprise them with her speed, thereby creating more space for the team, even without making any kills.
Professional Scene Situation
The situation in professional play is drastically different from what happens in regular or ranked matches. Professional players almost never use Reyna, while in ranked mode, she is the most popular character among all others. On the professional stage, Jett and Raze are the most popular, depending on the team's strategy, play style, and map. This fact confirms our comparison of the two agents, in which Jett is the clear leader.
Why is Reyna so popular if Jett is clearly better?
The secret lies in simplicity, as any player, even those new to Valorant but familiar with the mechanics of other shooters, can perform successfully on Reyna. All her abilities are easy to understand and do not require much experience—just a few matches on her will allow you to fully master them. Moreover, she is ideal for players who are good at shooting, as they can use Devour (Q) and Dismiss (E) after a kill. This is why she is a leader in the popularity ranking in Valorant, despite not being the strongest.
Other Duelists
Looking at and analyzing other duelists currently in the game, only Raze can match Jett in terms of effectiveness, but she is almost half as popular due to her complexity. To perform well on the explosive Brazilian, a lot of practice and learning new tricks are needed, which not all players have time for. Therefore, many choose simpler options, such as Reyna and Jett.
Regarding other duelists, in the current meta, they do not perform as well as Jett or Reyna. Specifically, Phoenix might be an option to consider, but Yoru, ISO, and Neon are currently considered the worst choices if you want to play as a duelist or just try this role.
Conclusion
Both agents have their strengths and weaknesses, and every player has their own opinion on the question "Who is the best duelist in Valorant?" However, in our view, the objective winner between Reyna and Jett is the latter. Nonetheless, Reyna can also pose many problems for enemies on the battlefield, especially when she is played by someone with a high level of shooting and game understanding.
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