Top 5 Mistakes New Valorant Players Make
By Roger on Mar 17th, 2024, 01:14
Valorant has swiftly climbed the ranks to become one of the most popular competitive first-person shooters! With its blend of sharp shooting and strategic gameplay, players from all over the globe are diving headfirst into the game.
But with great complexity comes a steep learning curve, especially for newcomers, and recognizing and rectifying mistakes early on can catapult a new player from just a participant into a strong player.
This article will delve into the top five mistakes new Valorant players often make, explaining why these errors can hinder their progress and how they can turn these pitfalls into stepping stones for improvement.
Valorant isn't just about how accurately you can aim; it's also about strategy, starting with selecting your agent. Many newcomers fall into the trap of picking agents based solely on their abilities or how cool they look without considering the overall team composition.
This oversight can lead to a lack of essential roles within the team, such as initiators or controllers, which are crucial for a balanced attack or defence. The key here is to familiarize yourself with each agent's role and consider how your choice complements the team. It's about finding a balance and picking agents that synergize with each other to cover all bases, from scouting and taking space to defending and strategizing.
Map knowledge in Valorant is just as critical as your shooting skills. Each map has its unique layout, including choke points, spike sites, and angles that players can use to their advantage. New players often need more time learning these maps, resulting in predictable movements and easily being outplayed by the enemy team. Start by familiarizing yourself with the basic layout of each map, then dive into learning callouts, common enemy positions, and how to attack or defend sites effectively. Remember, understanding the variations of each map can dramatically improve your gameplay, allowing for strategic positioning and better rounds.
Valorant's economy system is pivotal to your team's success across rounds. Mismanaging your team's economy, such as overspending or not saving enough credits for crucial rounds, can leave you at a notable disadvantage. The typical error here is needing to understand when to buy when to save, and what to buy based on your team's current economic situation. Communicating with your team about buying strategies and ensuring everyone is on the same page is essential. Learning the basics of Valorant economy management can prevent you from facing well-equipped opponents with just a pistol, quickly moving the scales in your favour.
Crosshair placement might seem small, but it dramatically impacts your ability to win fights! Many new players tend to let their crosshairs linger at the ground or other non-essential areas rather than keeping it at a head level where an enemy is most likely to appear. This mistake increases the time it takes to aim and shoot accurately, often resulting in being outshot by opponents with better habits.
The trick is always anticipating where an enemy's head will be, keeping your crosshair at that level as you move and turn corners. This practice improves your reaction time and significantly boosts your chances.
A crucial but often overlooked aspect of improving your Valorant gameplay lies within the game's settings. New players usually stick with default settings, unaware that optimizing these can significantly impact their performance and experience. Adjusting settings to maximize frames per second and fine-tuning mouse sensitivity is essential to tailor your gameplay to its most effective state.
Increasing your FPS can make the game smoother, allowing for more precise movements and reactions. You can achieve this by lowering graphical settings. Secondly, mouse sensitivity is pivotal in aiming accuracy. A general recommendation is to start with a lower sensitivity, which can enhance precision. Experiment in the practice range and adjust your DPI and in-game sensitivity until you find a comfortable setting for accurate, consistent aiming.
Lastly, ensuring a stable internet connection can drastically reduce lag and packet loss. While a direct cable connection is optimal, optimizing your Wi-Fi setup by playing closer to your router or adjusting its settings can also help. For those experiencing high ping or lag for geographical reasons, a VPN for Valorant may offer a more stable connection by routing your internet through a server closer to the game's servers.
Becoming a skilled Valorant player requires consistent learning. By addressing these common mistakes, new players can quickly improve their gameplay and contribute more to their teams.
Remember, improvement in Valorant isn't just about honing your mechanical skills; it's also about understanding the game's strategy (macro). Keep these tips in mind, actively work on these areas, and you'll find yourself climbing the ranks in no time.
