VALORANT tier list: Best VALORANT agents to play in 2025

VALORANT has come a long way as both a tactical shooter and a leading esports title. Starting with just 11 agents, its roster has expanded to 27 characters and counting.

Each agent comes with a unique set of abilities that allow players to execute creative playstyles. However, not all agents are equally viable in the current meta, making it crucial to pick the right ones to secure victories.

That’s exactly where Esports Insider’s VALORANT agent tier list comes in.

VALORANT character tier list ranks every agent currently available in VALORANT, from best to worst, based on a variety of factors. However, keep in mind that Riot Games frequently deploys balance updates, which can strengthen or weaken an agent’s ranking, so expect this list to evolve over time.

We’ve evaluated agents based on their performance in both ranked matches and pro play, across all roles, including duelists, controllers, sentinels, and initiators. That said, players should always prioritize agents they’re comfortable with while gradually expanding their pool by practising in game modes like Unranked and Swiftplay.

Here’s how we’ve categorized the agents:

We have considered multiple factors while creating the tier list, including how beginner-friendly the agents are, their effectiveness across various maps, the value they provide to the team, pick rates in pro play, and more.

Here is the tier list of VALORANT agents divided into different tiers, based on patch 10.07:

Neon became an overpowered agent ever since she got buffed in patch 8.11, which matched her strafe speed with her forward movement. Meanwhile, Yoru has finally received the much-needed recognition with the double-duelist meta in pro play.

We still believe Sova is better than Tejo, especially when a team wants to run a single-initiator composition. In a double-initiator setup, Breach is a no-brainer, featuring a great set of utilities that are massively helpful when taking control of a site and in post-plant situations.

Players with a more aggressive playstyle can go with Gekko, as all of his abilities are useful for rushing enemies. Also, with Wingman on their side, clutch situations become comparatively easier to pull off.

Astra has a steep learning curve, but once mastered, there is no better controller than her. Her utilities are highly effective for both attacking and defending, especially with clear team communication. Omen, on the other hand, is a self-sufficient controller who, in the hands of a creative player, can do wonders.

When it comes to sentinels, Vyse is currently the best. Her indestructible wall provides immense value when holding a site or watching flanks, and her other abilities deal a solid amount of damage. Her ultimate is also quite useful, as it disables primary weapons and can be utilized to rush in site or retake scenarios.

Jett and Raze are balanced duelists who offer mobility for creating space and can assist teammates in tricky situations.

KAY/O had fallen out of the meta, but with patch 10.06, he received significant buffs to his ultimate and improvements to his flashes, making him a viable pick in today’s utility-heavy game stage. 

Tejo, meanwhile, is overpowered in pro play. However, in ranked or unrated matches, effective communication is necessary to maximize his potential, as his abilities give enemies enough time to avoid damage.

Cypher is a strong sentinel, capable of gathering a ton of information through his trips, camera, and ultimate. However, due to his lack of damaging abilities, he lands in A-tier. 

Clove, although having the shortest smoke duration, can still smoke after dying to support teammates, while healing and even reviving herself, making her quite effective overall.

While Waylay has solid mobility and Iso benefits from his shield, neither provides much in terms of teamplay. Reyna, however, received impactful changes in patch 8.11, including increased Dismiss speed and the removal of the timer from her ultimate, boosting her pick rate in ranked even more.

Chamber can secure kills with strong aim and an extended teleport range, but it offers limited value as a sentinel with only one trip. Deadlock’s walls will disappear after a certain period of time, making her a less viable choice compared to other sentinels.

Viper used to be an S-tier controller, but after getting nerfed in patch 8.08, her pick rate reduced in both pro play and ranked. However, she is still useful on specific maps like Icebox and Breeze. Brimstone has the longest smokes in the game and can be useful in post-plant situations thanks to his molly lineups and ultimate, but lacks the aggressive utility like Omen or Astra.

Fade’s ultimate is great for clearing sites, but her other abilities are easily destroyed. However, her Seize can be combined with abilities like Raze’s grenade to secure easy kills.

Harbor’s biggest drawback is that his walls slow teammates as well, and he cannot send them to another site like other controllers. Additionally, his Cove is destroyed quickly, and his ultimate is easy to dodge in higher elos and pro play.

Sage’s wall is easily broken, and the amount of healing provided by her is not enough. Moreover, she lacks the ability to hold flanks, making her a C-tier agent. 

Killjoy’s utilities can also be destroyed easily, but they still provide great value on maps like Icebox. In addition to this, Tejo’s Guided Salvo cannot destroy her ultimate anymore, which slightly increases her value.

At last, Skye also got nerfed heavily in patch 8.01, with her flashes no longer recharging. Apart from this, her Trailblazer’s HP was reduced earlier as well, and since her ultimate can also be easily destroyed, she has fallen massively in the rankings.

Phoenix is in desperate need of buffs. Despite minor changes to his abilities, he remains the weakest agent in VALORANT. He offers no value to the teammates and also lacks movement compared to other agents, aside from his ultimate.

It’s important to choose agents based on the map. Maps with open sites may require double controllers, while triple-site maps can be mastered with dual initiators like Breach and Tejo. On Icebox, for example, teams can skip duelists entirely due to the limited open space on sites to capture.

A balanced team should cover all roles, as each serves a distinct purpose. Without a controller, it’s difficult to enter a site or block enemy rushes. Initiators gather crucial information from around the map, sentinels hold flanks and anchor sites, and duelists take early fights to secure opening kills.

While more applicable in pro play, it helps to analyze the opponents’ go-to compositions and help the team pick theirs accordingly. For instance, against utility-heavy lineups, picking KAY/O can be an effective counter.

Any agent can show the full scope of its abilities in the right hands. Choose the one you’re most comfortable with, and if you are confident, ask your team to build a composition around it. Trust us, no tip works better than this.

While we’ve ranked agents from S-tier to D-tier, always consider map, team comp, and personal comfort before locking in. Try out new agents in Swiftplay and Unrated to get used to them before taking them into Ranked. 

Finally, communication and confidence are crucial in a momentum-based game like VALORANT.