Valorant Patch 8.0 Best Initiators Tier List

Fade's reign back when she was released was quite short-lived, as the character just does not provide enough utility for your team to consider picking her. Even with the current double Initiator meta, it's hard to find a place for her as some of the other options in the role are a lot stronger in both coordinated and ranked settings. Icebox being added to the map pool is going to make her a little more viable, but not enough to compete with the best of the roster. Keep in mind that even though she is at the bottom of the list, she is still in the B-tier, meaning the difference between her and some of the characters slightly above her could be interchangeable.

In order for her to compete with the likes of Sova or Skye, she will definitely need some love from Riot, or a drastic change in the metagame, which this patch sadly will not provide.

Kayo is a hero that comes and goes as far as the meta is concerned, as he is one of the agents in the game that is a true counterpick to some of the more oppressive strategies in the game. If the utility from his knife is not required in the current meta (which it currently is not), other Initiators are going to find more success, as they are much more versatile and have stronger kits.

Either way, Kayo is just a few small agent pick adjustments from being back in action, so we are not quick to discard him just yet.

Gekko is probably the most unique Initiator out of the cast, but sadly he does not really fit into the current meta. He is a bit of a hybrid between an Initiator and Sentinel, and he does not really excel in any of those roles. The switch from Haven to Icebox is also going to hurt him a bit, as he is a lot better to play on maps filled with tighter spaces. We still believe he can be really strong in a coordinated group setting, but just playing in a solo or duo environment is not going to prove very useful.

Making full use out of his kit makes him really strong, so any small buffs he could receive in the future might skyrocket him in the tier list.

Breach is an Initiator that lives and dies by the current map pool, but luckily the current one is quite favorable for him. If Fracture was back in the pool, we would've definitely considered putting him in the S-tier, but for some reason Riot has removed the map for two entire seasons now. Either way, Breach is an amazing and selfless character that truly allows your team to shine. If you are looking for an agent to solo carry your games, Breach is not going to be our first choice, but playing him with a duo partner is going to skyrocket your win rate.

Haven being removed is a small blow to him, but he does quite well on most of the maps, and some of the new map changes to Icebox and Lotus seem like they are going to greatly improve his effectiveness.

Sova is by far the most reliable Initiator on the roster and has been that way since his release at the launch of the game. There is no better character in the game for providing pure information, allowing your team to make better calls at any point during the game. The new map pool and changes to existing maps are also going to provide Sova with more tools to help his team scan the battlefield, with Icebox being one of his better maps in general. Cypher being the best Sentinel in the game also provides Sova with a huge amount of value, as he can easily dispose of his Tripwire by using his arrows.

While we have put Sova in second place in this tier list, we believe that he is the least likely to move out of his position out of any of the roster during this season.

As no new balance changes happened to any of the Initiators, Skye is still likely to be the best choice for the role. She just does everything you need out of an Initiator: you have the information-gathering aspect covered by the Trailblazer and her Ultimate, as well as the best flashes in the game by far. Her heals during pistol and eco-rounds are also going to be a bit stronger as a lot of teams are going to start playing for the new Outlaw Sniper on the second round.

None of the new map changes affect her in any meaningful way, so it's safe to say that Skye is going to remain at the top of the meta.