Ascent, the picturesque Italian-themed map in Valorant, offers a unique blend of open areas and intricate choke points. Understanding how to leverage your chosen agent’s abilities within this map is crucial to securing victory. This beginner’s guide will explore agent-specific tips and strategies to help you dominate on Ascent.
Valorant: Essential Ascent Concepts
Before we dive into agents, let’s solidify some important concepts on Ascent:
- Mid Control: The middle of the map is a constant battleground. Controlling mid provides map awareness and quick rotation options to either bomb site.
- Doors: The mechanical doors on A and B sites offer a tactical advantage for sound cues, delays, and creative plays.
- Verticality: Ascent features multiple high-ground positions. Agents with vertical movement abilities or those who can capitalize on height excel here.
Agent Strategies
Let’s expand on the previous section with more specific examples and strategies:
KILLJOY ult setup on Ascent A
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Duelists
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Jett:
- Jett’s agility shines on Ascent.
- Use Updraft on A site to reach ‘heaven’, a powerful defensive angle.
- On defense, use Tailwind to aggressively peek mid, gather intel, and retreat quickly.
- Coordinate your Cloudbursts smokes with teammates to obscure key site entry points during a push.
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Reyna:
- Flash your Leer through the mid doors to blind defenders before pushing a site, disrupting their hold.
- Chain kills together effectively: use Devour immediately after a kill to reset your health and potentially use Dismiss to escape a risky situation.
- Reyna’s ultimate, Empress, enhances her combat prowess considerably during a retake.
Just executed a successful A site ascent in #VALORANT with our coordinated team strategy and efficient use of utility. Communication and teamwork are key to victory! #esports #teamwork pic.twitter.com/8lgkbsswAp
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Controllers
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Omen:
- Coordinate a mid-split with teammates using a well-placed Dark Cover across mid-market.
- Utilize Shrouded Step to teleport behind enemies pushing through A Main.
- Omen’s ultimate, From the Shadows, is an excellent way to fake a site take, forcing the enemy team to rotate and creating space for your team elsewhere.
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Viper:
- Cut off A site in half with Toxic Screen running from A Main towards ‘tree’.
- Master Snake Bite lineups to deny the defuse. Practice them in a custom game for consistency.
- Pair your Poison Cloud with an initiator’s flash (e.g., KAY/O’s FLASH/drive) to overwhelm chokepoints.
Initiators
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Sova:
- Learn pre-plant Recon Bolt lineups to clear common defensive positions before your team executes on a site.
- Use your Owl Drone wisely on attack: scout either A or B to guide your team’s push and force the enemy to reveal themselves.
- Pair your Shock Bolts with a duelist’s push to dislodge entrenched defenders or punish those holding an angle.
SOVA RECON on Ascent B
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KAY/O:
- Throw FRAG/ment into the central market area on defense to stall an attacker push.
- Suppress key defensive agents on a site take. Silencing a Sage, for example, prevents her from using a potential game-changing wall.
- Coordinate your ultimate, NULL/cmd, with a team push to give you a fighting chance in ability-heavy situations.
Pretty neat KAY/O flash strategy on Ascent.
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Sentinels
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Sage:
- Block off A Main or mid with your Barrier Orb to secure advantageous positioning or to stall a rush.
- Practice ‘Grim Walls’ – these are wall placements that only allow one-way vision, letting you see enemy feet to anticipate their movement.
- Use your Slow Orbs defensively to create space between your team and aggressive attackers.
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Cypher:
- Place your Trapwires on common flanking routes or on sites to gain early information on enemy movement.
- Your Spy Camera can be invaluable to watch the doors on A or B and delay attackers long enough for your team to rotate.
- Deploy Cyber Cages to block off chokepoints like mid doors or create temporary one-way smokes for safe site entry.
Expanded Agent Focus: Sova on Ascent
Sova’s recon ability really shines on Ascent. Master these lineups for maximum effect:
- A Site Pre-Plant Recon: Find spots to consistently land Recon Bolts on site to locate defenders before you even push.
- Mid-Control Owl Drone: Learn flight paths with the Owl Drone to scan mid quickly. Tagging a defender gives your team vital intel.
- Post-Plant Shock Darts: Perfect lineups to land Shock Darts in common defuse spots to deter enemies or finish them off.
Conclusion
Mastering agent strategies on Ascent requires an understanding of the map’s layout and each agent’s unique abilities. Practice, adapt your strategies, and work together with your team! This guide is just the beginning – continue to seek out additional resources and always keep learning.
