Summary
- Ultimate abilities in Valorant can make or break a round, with some considered overpowered and game-changing.
- Meta changes in Valorant can shake up the power dynamics of Agents, impacting their effectiveness.
- Each Agent's Ultimate ability in Valorant has unique strengths and tactical advantages that can turn the tide of a match.
Within the crowded subgenre of tactical FPS games, Riot Games' Valorant is distinctive for its diverse range of character-based abilities that shape its gameplay. Each agent has a selection of signature abilities and one chargeable Ultimate, which surpasses their other powers and is the defining ability of their toolkit.
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Ultimate abilities in Valorant are designed to have a game-changing impact, capable of either making or breaking a round for both competing teams. However, they are not all equally effective. Some excel beyond the rest and are even considered uniquely overpowered. It's essential for players to know which ones rank above the rest.
Updated on August 14, 2024, by Mehrdad Khayyat: As is the case with all competitive games, balancing changes could shake up the meta a lot over time. Valorant has been evolving constantly since its release by adding new Agents and fine-tuning the abilities of the existing characters. So, if an Agent is meta now, there is no guarantee for it to remain powerful in the future.
Chamber is probably a good example of meta changes in Valorant. An Agent that was once considered the best Sentinel in the game, now has his abilities nerfed harshly. Although his Ultimate still remains effective and irreplaceable in Valorant, he is no longer the best Sentinel or even the best Agent in the game.
13 Tour De Force (Chamber)
Grants A Unique Sniper Rifle With 5 Bullets
Although Chamber received nerfs on all his abilities, Tour De Force did retain some of its strength in later patches, and it is still the best Ultimate that OPers could ever have in Valorant.
Aside from the fact that Tour De Force is a better Operator with a higher fire rate that leaves a movement penalty in place for the victim's allies after each kill, it is also considered a great saving of credits for Chamber players, as they don't need to buy a weapon in the round they have Tour De Force in hand. For sharpshooters, five bullets are enough to get the kills one after another. In the worst case, the player can carry a lower-cost SMG like Stinger for close quarters.
12 Resurrection (Sage)
Able To Revive A Dead Ally
As one of the most impactful support agents, Sage possesses the unique Ultimate ability to resurrect fallen teammates and restore them to full health, returning them to battle at pivotal moments.
Her Ultimate can dramatically alter a round, transforming perilous 1v1s into advantageous 2v1s. This can be the difference between victory and defeat. If combined with her Barrier Orb, Sage can provide valuable cover to the allies she revives, protecting them during the lengthy Ultimate animation. Given the significance of each kill, Resurrection can be overpowered when used wisely, explaining why it's such a pricey Ultimate.
11 Not Dead Yet (Clove)
A Limited Self-Revive Ability That Can Turn Permanent After Scoring A Kill
Unlike Sage, who is unable to revive herself and can only revive other players after reaching over their dead bodies, Clove is able to revive herself soon after getting killed when here Ultimate is available. However, this shiny ability comes with a big twist.
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Once the player activates Clove's Ultimate, she turns into a ghost with a brief time to hide in a safe spot before she respawns. Now, the player has a new timer, and they should score a kill before it runs out to remain in the game, otherwise, Clove will die again.
10 Hunter's Fury (Sova)
Shoots Three Powerful Arrows Through Walls That Reveal Enemy Location On Hit
Sova's Hunter's Fury is a versatile Ultimate. It's designed to provide information, control map space, and eliminate enemies.
Upon activation, Sova is equipped with three formidable, long-range projectiles that penetrate walls and deal 80 damage per hit to those caught in its fire line. The locations of enemies hit by its energy blast are also revealed, assisting Sova in landing the lethal second hit. This ability is critical post-plant, allowing Sova to stall or deny the enemy's spike-defusing attempts from a safe distance.
9 Overdrive (Neon)
Shoots Recoil-Free Laser Beam From Her Fingers
When it comes to mobility, Neon and Jett are both on top of the line, as it is quite difficult to target both of them when using their abilities. Even the Ultimates of both Agents are quite similar, with Jett throwing daggers and Neon shooting laser beam. However, laser beam does have a much higher fire rate, which makes it better for players with mediocre aiming skills.
The fact that Neon enables her fast rush by activating Overdrive is another advantage that makes her quite agile while shooting with a laser that has no recoil. Similar to Jett's daggers, the laser also remain active for a limited time, and once Neon runs out of power, it turns off.
8 Orbital Strike (Brimstone)
Summons A Laser Beam On Desired Location That Kills Anyone Inside Its Radius
Brimstone's Ultimate Orbital Strike is one of the most impactful ways to deny map control and force enemy players to reposition. Upon activation, Brimstone selects a specific target where a laser beam will rain down heavy damage over time. This is substantial enough to kill any player stuck in its range.
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Orbital Strike is useful for denying spike plants and defuses or clearing defenders from tight positions, such as Lamps on Bind. It's also a solid counter to enemy Ultimates, capable of neutralizing threats like Killjoy's Lockdown and shifting the odds in his team's favor.
7 Seekers (Skye)
Three Seekers Follow Multiple Enemies To Concuss Them
As one of the strongest Initiator agents, Skye has a packed toolkit. Her versatile abilities make her well-equipped to gather information and create advantageous fights for her team.
Her Ultimate ability, Seekers, is invaluable in clutch scenarios when her team is low on intel. It releases a trio of Seekers that track down the three closest opponents, thereby revealing their locations. Unless destroyed, the Seekers nearsight any agent they hunt down. This forces enemy players to adjust their crosshairs to target them, giving Skye's team the upper hand in fast-paced engagements.
6 Showstopper (Raze)
A Rocket Launcher With Large AOE That Can One-Shot Enemies
Raze's Ultimate ability, Showstopper, is a high-impact rocket. This Ultimate deals massive damage in its radius, complementing Raze's explosive toolkit.
For maximum impact, Raze players tend to use the rocket in tight choke points where enemies are likely to be gathered together, as a well-placed rocket carries the prospect of a full-team elimination. It is a high-risk, high-reward ability that requires accuracy and timing. And even when it doesn't secure a kill, it provides valuable map control as enemies flee from its lethal blast damage.
5 Viper's Pit (Viper)
Creates A Large Poisonous Smoke That Gradually Lowers HP Down To 1
Viper's Pit is one of the strongest Ultimates in the game. When activated, it creates a toxic gas cloud that spreads over a significant area of the map. This gas has the potential to blanket entire sites and choke points.
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Within Viper's Pit, enemies experience nearsightedness and loss of access to their mini-map. What's more, their health diminishes swiftly, dwindling to a mere 1 HP, rendering them vulnerable to easy takedowns. While recent balancing nerfs have reduced the duration Viper can leave her deadly Pit before it deactivates, its strategic impact remains influential.
4 Blade Storm (Jett)
Shoots Five Recoil-Free Daggers That Fully Reload Upon Scoring A Kill
Jett’s Blade Storm Ultimate equips her with a set of five throwing knives, which are highly accurate regardless of her movement. She can use them individually, causing them to recharge with each kill, or throw them all at once.
Jett's Ultimate is particularly powerful on economy rounds, when her team is short on credits and armed with subpar weapons. In this instance, her daggers can level the playing field and potentially yield a fallen enemy's dropped weaponry. Out of all Valorant Ultimates, Blade Storm requires the most precision and aiming skills, but it is formidable in the hands of a talented player.