Valorant Patch 8.08 came with a ton of nerfs to prominent picks in the meta, such as Viper and Cypher, while at the same time making room for new Agents to rise and see more use. On top of that, this patch introduced a new battle pass that offers many new rewards, such as new skin lines, player cards, and more. Lastly, let's not forget the Mystbloom Skin Line, which also made its appearance during the patch.
All in all, this patch was a huge addition to Valorant, but in this article, we’ll focus on the best and worst Agents for Patch 8.08, while giving you a brief overview of the pros and cons for each one.
Table of Contents
Tier List Explanation
This Tier List will divide all of Valorant’s Agents into 5 tiers, which are:
- D-Tier - Not recommended because they are currently weak.
- C-Tier - Decent at their roles, but overshadowed by other picks.
- B-Tier - Great at one thing, but fall short in overall utility.
- A-Tier - Strong in almost every game.
- S-Tier - Overpowered in the current meta. Always Pick these.
As seen above. D Tier Agents are the weakest and S Tier Agents are the best characters to rank up with in Patch 8.08.
NOTE: This Tier List is aimed at players below Immortal.
Advertisement
Best Valorant Agents in Patch 8.08
In the table below, you can see where each Agent is placed on our Tier List.
Tier | Agents |
D-Tier | Breach, Harbor, Astra |
C-Tier | Neon, Iso, Fade, Deadlock |
B-Tier | Killjoy, Yoru, Skye, Viper, KAY/O, Brimstone |
A-Tier | Sova, Gekko, Sage, Omen, Chamber, Phoenix |
S-Tier |
Although each Agent has its place, it is important to know why. For that reason, we highly recommend that you read each paragraph below carefully. Let's dive in!
Advertisement
D-Tier Agents
Breach can be used offensively, however, patch 8.08 does not work to his advantage, and he has seen little to no use. Additionally, his high dependency on the map pool makes him a challenging choice for this patch.
PROS:
- Good when playing defense
- Good for picking duels
CONS:
- Highly dependent on map pool
- Hard to master
- Requires great awareness to use properly
Harbor is a good Controller, but he is held back by needing another Controller Agent in the team to shine. It is hard to make Harbor work as a solo Controller and he doesn't find that much use in solo play.
PROS:
- Great in Controller setups
- Great utility
- May see an increased pick rate due to recent Viper nerfs
CONS:
- Somewhat dependent on a double-controller setup which limits his use
Astra suffers from the same problems as Harbor, where she shines best in teams that have two Controllers. Additionally, she needs good coordination with your team to work efficiently, which is hard to do in lower elos and when playing solo.
PROS:
- Powerful Controller
- Good with double Controller setups
- Excels when played in co-op scenarios
CONS:
- Falls off if you lack communication with teammates
- Requires a lot of teamwork
- More oriented towards co-op play rather than solo
Advertisement
C-Tier Agents
Although she's in C Tier, Neon is a solid Agent who can see a ton of play, if only her preferred maps are in the map pool. Without them, she fails to shine and is overshadowed by other Agents.
PROS:
- High mobility
- High skill cap with a high return
CONS:
- Highly dependent on map pool
Despite being in the C Tier, Iso is an amazing Agent to climb solo queue with. He is great at scoring a ton of kills and players who have the mechanical ability to use his kit can dominate games.
PROS:
- High skill ceiling
- Can dominate lobbies
CONS:
- High skill barrier for entry
Fade has dropped down a bit due to simply not having anything that makes her stand out. Other Agents can do what Fade does, but just better. Despite this, you can still win some games on her, and she can easily dominate in low elos if played right.
PROS:
- Good at low elos
- Easy to pick up
- Doesn't need a specific lineup
CONS:
- No unique strengths
- Other Agents can do what she does better
- Dependent on the map pool.
Deadlock is overall a solid Agent, but there are core problems with her kit, that stop her from going up in the Tier List. Until her kit is reworked and she gets some needed buffs she will remain the weakest Sentinel.
PROS:
- Strong if used properly
- Somewhat increased usage due to recent buffs to range and durability
CONS:
- Lack of buffs
- Core problems with her kit
Advertisement
B-Tier Agents
Killjoy is an amazing Agent when it comes to controlling parts of the map and having enemies avoid you. She is a great character in both solo and team play, making her a good pick throughout all ranks. However, she is still heavily impacted by the map pool and does not see much use in this patch.
PROS:
- Amazing at holding areas
- Great utility on many maps
- Allows for teammates to move freely
CONS:
- Requires good awareness to use properly
- Hard to master
Yoru is an amazing Agent to climb with if you can learn him and how to dominate with him. His win rate increases in the higher ranks, showing that he does see play, but only if you can use him efficiently.
PROS:
- High skill cap that rewards good play
- Able to dominate lobbies
CONS:
- High skill cap that strongly impacts the win rate depending on how you play him
- Requires time to master
Despite her recent nerfs Skye continues to dominate as one of the best Initiators in the game. Although she has slightly fallen off she is still a great pick in any rank, which just goes to show how powerful she was before the nerfs.
PROS:
- Great utility on most maps
CONS:
- Recent nerfs heavily impacted her use
- Somewhat dependent on team setups
Viper was once a great Agent to pick and learn, but after Patch 8.08 and the enormous nerf she received, her usage has plummeted. The nerfs killed off any enthusiasm to play Viper in any scenario, and that can be seen in her pick rate in this patch.
PROS:
- Great Ultimate
- A unique kit that makes her a one-of-a-kind agent
CONS:
- Recent nerfs to gadgets
- Requires more Fuel than before which highly impacts her usage
Overall, KAY/O is one of the most solid Agents in Valorant. He has great utility thanks to his ability to silence enemies while helping you set up plays. Nothing much has changed about his placement since the new patch and he's sure to stay a solid unit.
PROS:
- Game-changing ultimate
- Can silence
- Diverse kit that is great in many scenarios
CONS:
- Somewhat dependent on the map pool
- Hard to learn
Brimstone is one of the Smoke Agents that was directly impacted by the release of Clove. Due to this Brimstone has been seeing way less play. Nonetheless, he is still a solid pick and might rise again depending on the next patches.
PROS:
- Good Smoke Agent
- Not heavily dependent on map pool
CONS:
- Fell off after the release of Clove
Advertisement
A-Tier Agents
Sova is a great all-rounder that can bring you a ton of wins if played properly. His pick and win rate are lower in comparison to previous patches, but despite this, he is still a solid pick in almost any scenario.
PROS:
- Amazing information-gathering utility
- A great Initiator that works both in solo and team play
CONS:
- Dependent on the map pool
- Vulnerable gadget
Gekko is an amazing and powerful Agent to hard-carry games if you know how to play him. The recent nerfs to Skye have allowed Gekko to shoot up, and he is currently one of the best Initiators in the game.
PROS:
- Higher ranking due to Skye nerfs
- Able to hard carry if played right
- One of the best Initiators in the game
CONS:
- Hard to master
Sage is one of the Agents who doesn't see much pro or high-ranked play but is amazing when it comes to solo climbing. She is one of the Agents with the highest win rate, and those who can use her healing can make or break a round.
PROS:
- Great for farming lower-rank tiers
- Amazing healer thanks to Healing Orb
- Good at controlling areas
CONS:
- Low pick rate in high-level play
- Always placed around the middle of the meta
- Difficulty repositioning
Omen is still one of the best Smoke Agents in the game, however, due to the release of Clove he sees less use. Clove can do everything that Omen does but with a bit more utility. Nonetheless, Omen is still a great pick in 8.08 and is an Agent that you should learn.
PROS:
- Versatile Controller
- Great on a lot of maps
- One of the best aggressive Smoke Agents in the game
CONS:
- Fell off due to the release of Clove
Chamber does not bring anything strictly unique, but he is great at what he does, earning him a solid spot in the A Tier. It is mainly his high cooldowns and costs that stop him from placing higher.
PROS:
- Good crowd control
- Great utility
CONS:
- High cooldowns
- Higher cost of abilities
Phoenix has recently been seeing a lot of play in higher ranks and that is mostly due to him being able to stack Ultimate Orbs. If utilized properly this can set up some amazing pushes and win tough matches.
PROS:
- Great strategic element that focuses a lot on farming for Ultimate Orbs
- Sees a lot of play in high ranks due to the nature of his kit
CONS:
- Requires a good strategy to be able to utilize his kit
- Needs good coordination with your teammates
Advertisement
S-Tier Agents
Clove is one of the best, if not the best Smoke Agents in the game right now. They can switch between being offensive and defensive, allowing for a ton of utility depending on what you and your team need. Their ability to shroud even after death makes them one of the most unique Agents in the game.
PROS:
- Can be either aggressive or take the defensive side
- Great Smoke Agent
- Smoke persists after death
- Allows for risky plays
CONS:
- Requires a lot of strategy
- Hard to master
Jett is by far one of the best Agents in the game. She is strong on most maps and at any rank. In addition, her versatility and utility make her a fantastic option for all skill levels of players.
PROS:
- Versatile Duelist
- Great economy management thanks to her knives
- Great at creating openings for the team thanks to her smoke utility
- Great at solo play
- Great at co-op play
CONS:
- Hard to master requiring a lot of awareness and time to get used to her mobility
- Her mobility is a double-edged sword
Before 8.08, Cypher was regarded as the best Agent in the game; however, following the major nerfs, he has somewhat suffered.
PROS:
- A lot of utility
- Not that dependent on the map pool
- Great information gatherer
- Teamwide utility
CONS:
- Falls off due to people knowing how to play against him
- Heavy nerfs in Patch 8.08
As long as they learn how to use Reyna, gamers who prefer solo play can easily climb the rankings. She is an excellent asset. Her only disadvantage is that she is only good for solo play and she is unlikely to be chosen by pros.
PROS:
- Amazing at solo play
- Favors people with high mechanical ability
CONS:
- Falls off when it comes to team play and is overshadowed by other Agents
- Little to no use in pro play
Raze can be said to be the best Duelist in the game. From low to high-rated players, she is one of the strongest Agents for solo play and is quite useful. Raze is one of the most used Agents in the current patch and has a ton of damage thanks to her kit.
PROS:
- One of the best duelists in the game
- A versatile agent with Great utility and amazing potential for solo carry
CONS:
- Falls off in co-op play
- Recent nerfs have impacted her pick rate
- Hard to master
Advertisement
Summary
As with any Valorant tier list, it should be noted that you can use any Agent and have fun with them.
However, the tier list helps you make a better decision on which Agents might help you climb more easily in the newest patch 8.08. It is also worth noting that this is our take on the ranking of the Agents and it may be different from other tier lists.
Like any other game, Valorant's meta is always changing. For example, agents that are S Tier in one patch may drop to D Tier in the next. For this reason, while Tier Lists are a useful resource for information, it's also critical to consider an individual's skill level and degree of game knowledge when selecting which agents to master.
Thus, always try to improve your game, and if necessary, use the Tier Lists to make the climb a little bit simpler.
Advertisement