The popular shooter Valorant attracts new players daily, eager to explore the game. However, beginners often face challenges in selecting agents, with over twenty-four to choose from. Some agents may be more complex, requiring a deeper understanding of game mechanics and experience. This article will highlight which Valorant agents beginners should avoid when starting out, to ensure a more enjoyable experience.

Harbor

Harbor is a controller with water-based abilities focused on area control through water walls, spheres, and barriers. His abilities are aimed at blocking visibility and protecting teammates, but there are certain nuances:

• Complexity of Abilities: Harbor's abilities require precise placement and a deep understanding of the map. A poorly placed barrier can inconvenience your team.
• Team Play: Harbor's effectiveness heavily depends on coordinated team play, which can be challenging for beginners not yet accustomed to teamwork.

Raze

Raze is one of the flashiest duelists in Valorant, with abilities centered around explosives. Here's why she might not be the best choice for beginners:

• Explosives: Her abilities can harm both opponents and teammates, as well as the player using them. Beginners may struggle to use them correctly, potentially causing harm to their own team.
• High Mobility: Using her abilities to enhance mobility can be tricky, even for experienced players.

Skye

Skye is an initiator and sometimes a support agent. You might wonder why she isn’t recommended for beginners. The answer lies in her abilities, which require map knowledge and good control; otherwise, they might do more harm than good.

• Multitasking: Skye needs to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, such as scouting enemies and monitoring her team's health to heal them when necessary.
• Complex Controls: Her creatures require manual control, demanding good coordination skills, quick reactions, and a solid understanding of the map and enemy locations.

READ MORE: What is Experience in Valorant and How to Earn EXP

Viper

Viper's abilities rely on toxins, which are limited in supply. To use her abilities effectively, one must have significant experience and understand how to manage toxin levels to control areas and weaken enemies.

• Toxin Management: Viper’s abilities require constant monitoring of toxin levels. This mechanic can be challenging for beginners, who need to keep an eye on the map and what’s happening, as well as manage their toxin levels.
• Map Knowledge: Successful use of Viper’s abilities requires extensive experience on various maps to know the best spots to deploy them.
• Low Effectiveness for Beginners: Beginners are better off choosing agents effective on multiple maps. Currently, Viper’s effectiveness has decreased after the latest patch, making her viable only on a few maps.

Astra

Astra is a unique agent in Valorant, attracting many players. However, choosing her as a beginner could be a critical mistake for several reasons:

• High Complexity: Astra is one of the most complex characters in the game, with a mechanic for using her abilities unlike any other. Even experienced players sometimes accidentally use the wrong abilities due to a lack of experience with Astra.
• Vigilance: Astra requires more attention than Viper. While Viper controls her part of the map, Astra needs to monitor the entire map, as her abilities can be used from any distance.
• Weakness: In the current patch, Astra is relatively weak compared to other agents, making her harder to play effectively.

Yoru

Yoru is a character that brings chaos to the enemy team with illusions, teleportation, and invisibility. Due to his wide range of abilities, Yoru can be challenging for beginners.

• Abilities: His abilities require even more map knowledge than other characters, as they often need to be used blindly. After teleporting, it's crucial to understand where enemies or their abilities might be.
• Combos: To be effective, Yoru requires timely and skillful combinations of his abilities—teleportation, illusions, and blinding enemies.

Breach

When it comes to the best duelist agents, Breach is often mentioned. However, his main downside is that his abilities can cause more harm than good if used by a beginner.

• Danger: Every one of Breach's abilities can negatively affect your teammates. For this reason, Breach is not recommended for beginners, as they could accidentally harm their own team.
• Team Coordination: His abilities are most effective when used in tandem with the team, which can be difficult for beginners who are still learning the game and may lack confidence in their actions.

Gekko

Gekko is one of the newest agents in the game, armed with several unique "pets." However, these creatures make him challenging to master.

• Understanding Abilities: To use this agent effectively, you need to understand all the mechanics of his abilities, such as picking up the pets again and planting the Spike with their help.
• Team Play: Gekko plays the role of an initiator, so to use his abilities effectively, communication with the team is essential to prompt them into action while enemies are weakened by his abilities.

Conclusion

Beginners should opt for agents with simpler abilities to avoid feeling overwhelmed by more experienced players. The above list is not a strict rule, so if you’re new to Valorant but feel confident and eager, you can try any agent. Every agent has their strengths, especially in the right hands. However, our recommendation remains—start with simpler agents. You can find more details on choosing the right agent in this article.