Upgrade Your Valorant Practice: Change Agent without F2

Are you a Valorant player looking to improve your skills by practicing with different agents, but unsure how to switch agents in practice mode without using the F2 key? This article has got you covered.

We explain what Valorant is and the role of agents, discuss the reasons why players want to change agents in practice, explore various methods to switch agents, the potential risks involved, and how to avoid them.

Keep reading to level up your Valorant gameplay!

What Is Valorant?

Valorant is a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter developed and published by Riot Games. It was officially announced with the project’s codename Project A on October 15, 2019. Valorant was released as a closed beta on April 7, 2020, and officially launched on June 2, 2020.

The storyline of Valorant takes place on a near-future Earth and is based on Acts with an Ignition scene that unites the world’s diverse agents to fight towards a common goal. This is expanded upon in the Ruination cinematic. The game is a 5-versus-5 player game with 25 completed agents with their own unique abilities across a variety of nationalities. In every game, one team is the attacking team while the other defends a bomb site. If the site is infiltrated, the attacking team can then plant the “Spike”. If they manage to secure the area around the plant, they win. The defending team has the alternative goal of preventing the planting of the Spike within the round’s time limit or defusing the Spike after it has been planted. The attacking and defending teams are then switched after the completion of a round, and the game continues until one of the teams achieves 13 winning rounds.

What Is an Agent in Valorant?

An agent in Valorant is a character player chooses to play as during a match. In practically all cases, the choice of agent is locked to the start of the match and users are unable to change agents without leaving the match.

There are currently 16 agents in Valorant, each has its own unique abilities that modify strategies employed in the game. Valorant developers, Riot Games, have noted that from the outset of the game’s development, they wanted a game with a large scope offering different gameplay that promotes mastery of all characters and does not limit the efficacy of certain agents.

Agent abilities are designed to help within 7 core gameplay roles. Riot Games designs new agents to fill strategic gaps in these roles with unique abilities that are tweaks or twists on existing agent abilities or entirely new and unusual tactics.

The unique features of Agent Sage in Valorant include:

• Barrier Orb – Throws out a wall of barrier that can be rotated from horizontal to vertical to create new vantage points and limit tactical positions.
• Silence Orb – Cast out a reactor that expands into a brief vision-blocking field. If the player dies, the reactor fails and quickly retracts.
• Resurrection – Passive ability that recharges every few rounds allowing Sage to save a team player for the next battle by resurrecting them at her feet with full health.
• Healing Orb – Heals teammates within a certain radius.

Can You Change Agents in Valorant?

You can change characters (agents) in Valorant. You have the ability to play as a different agent for each round, and these frequent changes are a part of the game.

When playing ranked games, operator Tunk from Riot Games confirmed that you can change your agent after each round and at the beginning of the match using the in-game drop-down to choose a new agent. It is possible to do this as well in player discovery as the leading Valorant tracker guru Wayde corroborated letting me know teams also benefit players who swap agents frequently.

Why Do Players Want to Change Agents in Valorant Practice?

Players in Valorant want to change their Agent in practice mode because it allows for different Agent abilities and practitioners to develop their game further. Each Agent plays differently due to unique abilities which forces developing players to diversify their skills. When a Valorant player practices with a single Agent for too long it puts them in a specific role which limits versatility and overall proficiency.

To broaden the utility of certain Agents, players may practice timing their attacks by regularly changing pace or they may learn to quickly transition to a support role by timing defenses more tightly. When playing around different Agents, tactical maneuvers become part of the player’s repretoire because the anchors are reinforced due to practice through the contact and confrontation with Agents from multiple arenas. Full understanding and broad usage may even show strengths or weaknesses that a player did not anticipate. By allowing players infinite access to more than one Agent in practice mode, they can test the effects of minor differences in how they operate and train their more flexible game muscles.

To Practice with Different Agents

Option 1 is to practice with different agents by joining a custom game in Valorant to take a look at the changed agents’ abilities and learn how to adjust to these changes. Custom matches refer to the matches created and hosted by either a non-official or an official server which can be tailored by the user in terms of gameplay and rules. This provides the option for no-threat practice as users can choose the contents of the virtual game.

To Adapt to Different Team Compositions

Changing agents without F2 in Valorant is necessary to adapt to team compositions and roles that other players are filling. Although the standard templates are 2 duelists, 1 controller, 1 initiator, and 1 sentinel, there is flexibility to build a team composition depending on the map. On Breeze, I would recommend having agents with better close-range abilities versus maps like Ascent, Haven, Icebox, or Bind where both long-range and close-range duels are the norm.

On maps like Split or Fracture, agents with long-range abilities become useful. Changing agents without F2 is ultimately necessary to accommodate what other teammates have locked in and to ensure a proper tactical and strategic mix of agents on the map.

To Improve Overall Gameplay

You may want to change the agent in Valorant practice to improve your overall gameplay. Trying new agents, working on the strengths of your favorite agents, or honing your weaknesses help make you a more well-rounded player. It can show you new ways to play your main agent, expose you to different perspectives on the game, and stimulate the brain providing a positive impact on short-term muscle memory.

How Can You Change Agents in Valorant Practice Without F2?

You can change agents in Valorant practice without F2 by doing a quick edit to the game’s Hotkeys. Simply go into Settings > Keybinds > Basic > RADIAL MENU, find the ‘Toggle Operator/Spectator’ option and assign it to one of the keys on the right side of your keyboard with a number between 6 and 0. Once this is done, you can pull up the Radial Menu while in picnic server mode or a live match, and hover on the Agents Icon to see the breakdown of Agent portraits. When you find the Agent you want to change to, click on their portrait in the radial menu and select it to confirm.

Using the Console Command

The best way to change agent in Valorant practice without the F2 method is by using the console command. According to the official Valorant API guide on GitHub of Senior Software Engineer in Game Mechanics Troy Turner, players can utilize the console by typing the following command in console mode or creating config files for the game, which can then be executed to swap players with different agents.

`practice_match agent ` for example `practice_match agent agent_brimstone` forces the local team to switch to brim.

You can manually bind a key to start the agent switch. To do so, you can create a script in the game’s config folder called MakeSwitchAgent.cfg. Inside this script you put the following text: `practice_match agent ` (for example `practice_match agent agent_brimstone`).

Using Third-Party Software

If the F2 practice of changing your agent in Valorant is insufficient for your training and practice purposes, another popular choice would be to switch to using a customizable and more controllable lobby through third-party software. A popular alternative third-party program to Razer Synapse would be HyperX NGENUITY. bbbvo describes going to the Playing/Vivitory Agent keyboard mapping section of Razer Synapse and setting up alternate keys for better, faster, controlled character changing through this reshuffling of control assignments.

Using Custom Games

If you are looking for Valorant changing agent practice, using custom games is another option that will allow you to swap between agents. You need to find a server of your own which can require some setup if you do not already have it configured (you can do this by clicking on your buddy list and selecting ‘create a custom game with my party’). You can do agent selection from there.

What Are the Risks of Changing Agents in Valorant Practice?

The risks of changing agents in Valorant practice without F2 are people not taking the ability to freely switch as intended and spamming it so that it is too slow in live play scenarios. There are no other risks to mention as F2 is disabled in custom games which are used for practice and not in live play situations. If F2 is not available on your local server’s competitive play, then at the moment it just isn’t available.

Potential Ban for Using Third-Party Software

The biggest disadvantage of using a third-party software that changes your Valorant agent in illegal ways is the possibility that your account can get banned by Riot Games. This is the most severe loss a player can have in Valorant and should be always kept in mind when seeking alternative ways to change agent in Valorant practice. Users should not run the risk of losing their account by using third-party software in ways that are inconsistent with Riot Game’s terms of service or that inconvenience other users to the point of them reporting the user to Riot Games.

Riot has not banned any accounts for using reddit equivalents such as RedditRising or Valorants Settings on websites such as TheTechGame. As of this writing, it is unclear if they will do so in the future. For those that already do not have F2 to change Valorant agents, but do not want to take the risk of using illegal third party software, LiteBlue sports reformer allows to drill the keyboard without need of a computer or workspace. Many people are able to simply plug in their phone every so often, and then unplug it and game without gaining a ban, as is the case for Flydigi keyboard.

Inability to Use Certain Agents in Custom Games

If you do not like how an agent plays in practice against bots or in the range, switch to a custom practice game. However, as of the time of this writing, there was no way to customize goals in custom games to perform custom training exercises using any agent (Mendax). Also, one cannot switch from Phoenix to Raze who has learned to play snakes in Valorant so one must continue with Phoenix in custom games or uninstall and reinstall his profile.

Particularly annoying is the inability to practice with more agents in the range. Agents can only be used in the range after purchasing them. Therefore no changes can occur in practice without the F2 key, which does not work for many people.

Many players have also reported that they can play any agent they want in custom practice games except for Phoenix. But it seems like the only way to reproduce this is with Adil ‘ScreaM’ Benrlitom’s Valorant account. For some unknown reason in addition to dozens of older screenshots there is one of him playing as Phoenix. But as of September 2021, it is impossible to play as Phoenix. A major bug or oversight by Riot because it blocks practice with the 1/16th of all agents.

How Can You Avoid Risks When Changing Agents in Valorant Practice?

To avoid risks when changing agents in Valorant practice, follow these guidelines:

1. Carry a conversation with teammates before the match to coordinate team changes
2. Train outside of Competitive or Unrated but rather in Deathmatch or Spike Rush. DM/Firing Range Kills, spike planter, spray control, and do penalty rounds in which you give headshots to team members or nitro cells/nades to random teammates
3. Prioritize the team not tanking your MMR rating or angering tin currency stakers in competitive mode
4. Decline game mode selection of unrated to avoid exploiting the system for preferred MMR OT for agents. Play normal or ranked match

Use Console Commands Instead of Third-Party Software

Using the console to enter the changelevel command lets you reload the map and practice at another point without using the F2 / Change Agent menu. Though the map is reloaded with the same agent selected on the character selection screen, so if you wish to switch agents, memorize the map and round number you wish to practice it on. The command for reloading a map in Valorant using the console is map [mapname].

Stick to Using Custom Games

If you are unable to move the valorant practice agent select, then your best option is to simply stick to using custom games. This solution replicates the Practice Client experience but allows you to choose the practice agent of your choice. Using custom games in Valorant allows players to repeatedly enter the shooting range or skirmish a practice agent against AI bots.

While the practice does not have the full selection of agent abilities, it is possible to use custom agent selection to practice various skills such as spray patterns of different guns, their accuracy while moving, and shooting around obstacles. Improving by practicing with custom agents can assist you in unlocking better agents and creating unique strategies specific to them.

Communicate with Your Teammates and Opponents

Teams in Valorant always have a chat group where you can communicate with your teammates to inform about changing agents and to restart the match for everyone. Restarting the match from the chat group not only changes agents but also changes all other custom options and settings. Additionally, you can chat with the opposing team in casual modes or some custom modes and mutually agree to restart the game if they are in favor of a change of agent for themselves or opponents.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of changing agent in Valorant Practice without using F2?

There are various reasons why a player might want to change their agent without using the F2 key in Valorant Practice. For example, they might be using a different keyboard layout or have a faulty F2 key. This allows players to switch agents seamlessly without any hindrances.

Can I change my agent mid-game in Valorant Practice without using F2?

No, changing agents in the middle of a game is not possible in Valorant Practice, even without using the F2 key. This feature is only available in the practice range, where players can freely switch between agents to practice their skills.

How can I change my agent without using F2 in Valorant Practice?

To change your agent in Valorant Practice without using the F2 key, simply open the character selection screen by pressing the “P” key. From there, you can select your desired agent and start practicing with them.

Can I use any other key to change my agent in Valorant Practice?

Yes, you can use any other key as a bind to change your agent in Valorant Practice. This can be done by going into your settings and assigning a new key to the “Agent Select” option.

Is it possible to change agents quickly without using F2 in Valorant Practice?

Yes, it is possible to change agents quickly without using the F2 key in Valorant Practice. By assigning a key bind to the “Agent Select” option, players can switch between agents with just one press of a button.

Do I need to restart my game to change agents without using F2 in Valorant Practice?

No, you do not need to restart your game to change agents without using the F2 key in Valorant Practice. The character selection screen can be accessed at any time during practice, allowing for quick and easy agent switches.