Ever since Valorant was first released to the public back in June 2020, Jett and Raze, two prominent duelists, have managed to top the charts of being loved the most by the players, often even having the highest pick-rate in the competitive side of the Valorant, also known as VCT.
Unfortunately, in an attempt to balance out the game with the new characters and maps, the two agents have been the target of various nerfs over several patches since then. However, this also allows other characters to finally shine, and below are 3 of the best new-gen agents that deserve as much affection as received by Jett and Raze.
3. Deadlock (Patch 7.0)
Deadlock as an agent remains criminally underrated. Introduced for the first time ever in Episode 7 Act 1, this sentinel does not feature much of an aggressive abilities as seen in the earlier-mentioned duelist.
Nonetheless, if chosen and played correctly, Deadlock can prove to be a great addition to a squad that is looking to detect any move that the enemy team takes and stop them dead in the tracks. Carrying Barrier Mash and Gravnet along with Sonic Sensors that activate upon hearing enemy footsteps, Deadlock becomes one of the best agents to have by your side, especially during the defensive half of the game.
2. Gekko (Patch 6.04)
Gekko is a unique initiator that made its first appearance in Valorant Episode 6 Act. Carrying around his little buddies, this agent is able to set up the perfect entry to the plant site, something that the top duelists can often only dream of.
His wingman, which remains one of the most intriguing abilities in the whole game allows the player to send a little creature running with the sole mission of planting, or defusing a spike like his life depends on it. Apart from his flash and projectiles, Gekko also carries along with himself a mixture of Skye’s Dog and Killjoy’s Lockdown, known as Thrash, making him the perfect choice for anybody who is looking forward to learning an initiator next.
1. Iso (Patch 7.09) – Valorant’s Favourite Child
Ever since his introduction, Iso was never considered any better than the other duelists available on the roster, who easily overshadowed his abilities. However, tables were turned in the recent Valorant patch as developers decided to deliver one of the best buffs ever given in the history of the game.
While a balancing update to the game remains imminent, Iso in its current state is one of the strongest duelists one can go for. This statement arises from the fact that the agent can now grant himself a shield protecting him from damage upon activating his Double Tap ability, something which had to be earned by taking down an opponent before the patch came into effect.
Additionally, there are now 2 separate charges of the said ability, allowing Iso to practically become invulnerable to any first damage the enemy gives multiple times throughout the game.
VALORANT is available for free on PC via Riot’s official website and the Epic Games Store
