Unlock Agents in Valorant: A Comprehensive Guide for Players

Are you new to Valorant and wondering how to unlock agents in the game?

Understanding the different ways to unlock agents in Valorant, from completing contracts to purchasing them with in-game currency or real money, is essential.

Discover the various methods for unlocking agents, the requirements, and the best strategies for quickly expanding your agent collection.

What is Valorant?

Valorant is an online multiplayer game released by riot games in 2020. Valorant is a free-to-play, hero-based, tactical first-person shooter (FPS) which is recognized for its core tactical gameplay and unique character abilities. It is designed for multiplayer games of two teams, five players each, where one team attacks with a spike, known as the hiring side, and the other defends the sites where spike can be detonated, known as the defending side.

What are Agents in Valorant?

Agents are the playable characters in Valorant. Each agent has unique abilities and a background story that provides further insights to the games environment. Each agent has a given role and is distinguished by a set of unique two basic and one ultimate ability. Abilities are important keys to both winning and playing defensively in the game.

Agents are chosen from a team agent pool during the play lobby. They play for defense and/or attack in rounds throughout the battle for the objective. In line with this, agents in Valorant become the most valuable feature of the game as they are required to gain experience on the battlefield which provides a host of daily rewards and other score boosts.

Players must make quick and critical strategic decisions using these agents throughout the game to thrive. There are 17 agents total, though only 2 agents are unlocked during the tutorial. The remaining agents are unlocked by playing through the game as you learn the ropes of battle. Some agents increase in cost as you unlock them. You will need to accumulate a certain amount of experience points to unlock these agents, and good application of the default available agents helps you earn rewards faster.

How Many Agents are There in Valorant?

There are 17 agents in Valorant at the time of writing. Agents are unique and diverse game characters with 4 special abilities that players can use against enemies. Announcing new-game Episodes, Riot attempts to expand the game with approximately 6 agents on average per year.

Past episodes have followed the following pattern. Episode 1 (Launched with 12 agents and added 2 over its 9-month duration), Episode 2 (1 new agent added), Episode 3 (4 new agents added).

What are the Different Types of Agents in Valorant?

The different types of Agents in Valorant include the following based on their abilities and roles:

1. Initiator – force enemies out of defensive positions.
2. Duelist – engage and disable enemies to provide openings for the rest of the team. Duelists generally have the most direct ways to find and challenge duels. They are the most capable fraggers on the team.
3. Controller – block enemy lines of sight, execute surprise strategies, and provide temporary distractions for the team.
4. Support – provide support for the team with team-healing, vision-restriction, or assistive abilities which make one or more duels easier to win.

Initiators are defined by how they operate. They use their abilities to gain territorial advantages on offense, and they force enemies out of defensive positions with high-powered, high-risk abilities on defense. (…) Unlike duelists, initiators’ goal isn’t to get kills, it’s to damage the other team by forcing them into unsafe positions or to waste their own health, thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise that most of the insights on initiators that Riot has provided have to do with how they impact the environment. They tend to be good in the mid to backline and are generally less selfish compared to other agents.

Duelists

• Jett: Disrespectfully Agile Agent
• Reyna: Vampire Paranormal Psychologist
• Skye: Aussie Controller
• Raze: Swede Bomber Expert
• Viper: The Poisonous Powerhouse
• Yoru: The Sleepy Saboteur
• Cypher: Trap-laying Moroccan Spyp
• Killjoy: Cypher from Germany

A Duelist is an agent class in Valorant designed to be aggressive. Duelists have a high standard of firepower to assist them in taking ground and receiving entries, enabling them to crush the enemy team with rapid kills. They are a tried-and-true team that can mix it up with other agents to achieve one’s goals. Duelists are best used for handling their own problems, as they cannot assist allies as much as agents with supporting abilities. The agents in Duelist class are constructed to present action-packed skillsets to players. A characteristic all Duelists share is finding strengths through strong shooting skills that can eliminate others. Whether by duel, bombardment, or sneak-up kill, Duelists are fashioned to engage in fierce gunfights for both survival and victory. Duelists are most likely to become aces as they are primarily skilled as attackers, with a few tweaks positioned for defense as well. DUELIST ABILITIES:.singletonList of the Duelist’s unlocked unique abilities.

Controllers

Controllers are best for identifying utility clout and solving problems by keeping opponents away from or off plant sites. They can place smokes on plant sites to keep other agents off the site and funnels them in from a different direction by placing smoke far off the site.

Split, Astra, Omen, and Viper are all valued controllers for a variety of reasons. Here are some key elements to mastering control agents according to RADIANT VS DIAMOND:

Sentinels

Sentinels are experts at defending territory with deployable abilities. The goal of Sentinels in Valorant is to waste the opponent’s time, leave traps on crucial map points, and eliminate enemy utility.

These Agents are To unlock agents in Valorant , Cypher and Killjoy. Cypher places traps to reveal and debuff opponents and deploys spycams to gather info. Cypher’s is both Killjoy’s subordinate works to set up her ultimate lockdown ability. Killjoy sets up both tactical alarmbots for remote information and tripwires to reveal and slow opponents. Their ultimate abilties allow for integrity of the important chokepoints on defense to be maintained.

Some agents with similar playstyles to Valorant’s Cypher and Killjoy are CS:GO’s Elige and Sova.

Initiators

Agents in the Initiator class prevent the opposition from peeking to get the duelist’s advantage while providing their team with the highest utility of all of the agent classes. They weaken or slow their enemy and make them move away from close-range combat areas.

Five Initiator agents who are easy in terms of function but require skill training for precise and rapid utilization are Sova, Skya, Brimstone, Viper, and Breach.

How to Unlock Agents in Valorant?

Agents in Valorant can be unlocked in different ways and at different speeds, depending on which agent the player is trying to unlock.

Eight Agents (Raze, Breach, Viper, Sova, Sage, Omen, Jett, and Brimstone) are free to use and do not need to be unlocked in any way. To unlock new agents requires either purchasing new agents using Radianite Points in the Collection tab or by using Agents Contracts to unlock new agents (thereby requiring experience points).

Complete Contracts

In Valorant, the simplest way to unlock an Agent is to complete a Contract. This will award you with a free Radianite Point Skip Tier which subsequently unlocks a new Agent called an Agent Unlock.

You can see your current Contracts in the contract tab. A Contract determines the progress of rewards that you receive for completing specific in-game actions, or simply by spending time within Valorant. In nearly all cases, you are automatically running a Contract as long as you are playing. To earn progress you must get Points that you can earn by playing games or completing daily missions and Weekly challenges.

The Contract will shift a player along with the 10 tiered rewards line and equally shift them up. The moment a player has reached Free Radiant Points from the active Contract layout, they will earn a Free Agent Contract Unlock (which will show up in your locker down on the bottom right).

To complete a new Agent Contract, go to the store section of the website and get the player card of the available Agents you have and select Activate Contract on the go Agent of your choice. You can forgo new unlocks by choosing to grant players the ability to earn free Agent unlocks starting with Free Radiant Points by spending Radiante Points.

Purchase with In-game Currency

Unlocking agents through the game’s in-game currency in Valorant is the typical route players take. New agents are initially introduced behind a steep paywall making them exclusive for a period of time before being made available to unlock via this currency. New agents usually cost 1,000 Valorant Points, although new agents released in Episode 1 Act 1 and onward are likely to cost 1,575 Valorant Points.

To purchase an agent, click on the character tab in the Collection and hover over an unlocked agent. The agent will be unlocked by clicking on the equip button. When finished, select the newly unlocked agent and press the claim button to make it the default agent. Players do not have to wait for a new agent to release to unlock an earlier agent this way.

Purchase with Real Money

Agents themselves can be unlocked using real money by purchasing Agent Bundles from the in-game store, which come with exclusive weapon skins and other in-game items. Agent Bundles are made up of Radionite Points, the premium in-game currency.

Radionite Points can be purchased with real money through a system similar to V-Bucks in Fortnite. The price of these points varies by country, but generally the initial packs Valorant offers start with approximately $5/€5 for the cheapest premium agent bundle. There is a minimum of 35 Radionite points required to purchase any agent. The cost of unlocking any individual Agent is 2,990 Agent Radionite points (Valve’s preferred currency) which need to be purchased separately for each one. The default state of Valorant charges approximately 870 VP to unlock this premium currency. Buy spending more than the $10 required amount on VPP, you will have enough to unlock an agent.

Agent Bundles only offer the initial unlocked Agent. Players must still complete the contract system to unlock the other four Agents themselves.

What is the Best Way to Unlock Agents in Valorant?

The best way to unlock agents in Valorant is to unlock them through play. Whether you are actively getting progression towards unlocking a new agent through playing, using a character you enjoy, or trying out a new character, it is helping you in the progression of the game.

Since it is possible to unlock agents through play in custom and practice modes, even just tooling around on maps for fun can accrue progress towards unlocking characters. Although it is quicker to unlock agents through missions, they come with limits on how often and for whom they can be completed, meaning it is very easy to find yourself in a place where they are not as effective for progressing gameplay as they might have been in the past.

Complete Contracts for Free Agents

Contracts are the battle pass system in Valorant, where players can earn cosmetic content, fuel progression on battle pass tracks, or even unlock Agents for free. The first 5 duelists in Valorant (Jett, Phoenix, Raze, Reyna, and Yoru) are unlocked for free by default. The remaining agents can be unlocked sooner than the level 5 contract unlock if players elect to use Radianite points to further unlock the agents. The agent rewards unlock by leveling up the character and earning experience points.

Players earn experience points by completing weekly agent contracts, battle passes, SURGE game modes, and completing missions. Any experience point gained is reflected in the bar on each agent’s contract screen, and filling that bar completely unlocks that agent. After Viper and Cypher, the experience requirements, and date of valorant release characters increase due to the Radiante requirement being significantly higher. The following is a comparison of the amount of Radiante and experience that needs to be accumulated for different agents.

1. Viper – 400 Radiante or 165,000 XP – inverse
2. Cypher – 400 Radiante or 210,000 XP – inverse
3. Brimstone – 1,000 Radiante or 545,000 XP – inverse + 1
4. Omen – 1,000 Radiante or 590,000 XP – inverse + 1
5. Sova – 1,000 Radiante or 635,000 XP – inverse + 1
6. Breach – 1,000 Radiante or 680,000 XP – inverse + 1
7. Sage – 1,500 Radiante or 630,000 XP – inverse + 2
8. Skynet – 1,500 Radiante or 745,000 XP – inverse + 2

Purchase with In-game Currency for Specific Agents

Unlocking specific agents in Valorant can be done by purchasing with in-game currency. Radiant Points are used to unlock all the agents by opening their contracts, while a VALORANT point is only used to unlock some agents outright.

Agents in the game are unlocked by either purchasing them with Radiant Points (RPs) that are received by completing daily and weekly missions, or by purchasing RPs via Riot Points that can be bought with real money. The cost to unlock agents with RPs is identical to the cost of unlocking them with VPs (VALORANT points). Buying the more expensive agents with Valorant points means that players will be limited in how many RPs they can use for upgrading agents to the Battle Pass or purchasing other cosmetic items. For this reason, it is best to save VALORANT points for cheaper agents.

1000 VP unlocks the default agent and each tier upgrade to the agent badge. 1600 VP unlocks the agents 4-tier contract and associated Radianite Points. From there, the VP amount to unlock an agent increases with each new agent release.

Luncovery by GoDZariat features all of the up to date unlock prices for each agent.

What is the Fastest Way to Unlock Agents in Valorant?

The fastest way to unlock agents in Valorant is to play games of Valorant. More specifically, the average player who is not upgrading their pass will earn at least one new agent unlock every two days, or three days if they are not performing well in matches.

Using the conservative figure of three days, any brand new player of Valorant can expect to have every single character in just two months. After the first two non-daily agent unlocks, agents cost 200 and 400 in-game Radiant Points which requires a theoretical purchase of themselves and nine other of the cheapest weapons to unlock. This takes two wins and three losses. If earning Battle Pass levels so radiants are gained is counted, every eleven played games in one of the two manners of unlocking agents results in the ability to unlock one.

Skill Outplay Game (SOG) provides a free battle pass that adds both variety and payback for the two or three losses it takes for unlocking agents. This does not reduce the time it takes to unlock all eleven default agents from CS:GO in Valorant, but unlocks 17 additional contract agents all the same. The fastest way has the greatest rewards overall.

Purchase with Real Money for Specific Agents

An agent bundle is a Battle Pass-esque paid progression system that unlocks agents as well as player cosmetics and other items. New agents are normally unlocked by progressing past incremental levels in which all the elements are rewarded when you reach a specific level.

An agent unlock through a package like the Radianite Platinum or Riot Points bundle in the in-game store can allow you to purchase pinpoint access to specific agents, unlocking them before undergoing agent contracts. Potential future agent releases will also be available through bundles of this sort.

Purchase the Battlepass

You can unlock Agents in Valorant by purchasing the Battlepass. The Battlepass costs 1000 Valorant points, or one of the larger bundles. Players earn points by completing contracts in the game and can acquire the bundle of their choice in this way. The Battlepass includes a set number of levels and players can earn new premium Agents when they reach these levels.

The initial launch battle pass in Episode 1 allowed players to unlock Viper, Killjoy, and Cypher. If you purchase future versions of the Battle Pass which is updated according to the episode number, you can earn a premium Agent as well.

Keep in mind that for first-time purchasers, your progression will already begin at a specific level if you have already completed tasks that count towards unlocking the Battlepass. If you do not finish by the end of the relevant episodes, you will lose the opportunity to purchase the required number of points to earn the level, and thus the agents may be harder to obtain in this way. If you buy the Battlepass immediately, all mission progress you have earned will retroactively count, ensuring the initial levels are easy to achieve.

New agents are announced in the Predator Store on your account and you can claim them there.

What are the Requirements for Unlocking Agents in Valorant?

The requirements for unlocking agents in Valorant are 2 free agents and one contract-bound agent unlocked in Chapter 2 at Reputation level 5 (at level 5 in Episode 3 you must be at Episode level 8 or higher based on a viewing of the Valorant Episode 3 roadmap.)

The amount of time it takes to unlock agents can vary for each Chapter based on how much you play and what Battle Pass bonuses you purchase. On average it takes 15-25 hours of playing Valorant from a new Chapter release to unlock the three agents. The amount of time will be shorter if you play every day of that Chapter rather than binge play a few days, because the Free and Weekly missions specifically are structured to give a good amount of XP if you do a little bit each day.

Three agents total are required to play Ranked mode in Valorant (Level 3 agent unlock requirement + 2 compensation agents such as those unlocked as you play through the game) as three agents must be selected in matches in case one or two of your preferred agents get picked by your teammates before your pick arrives.

You require at least 1 Radiant Unlock since Radiant players must unlock agents to be agents. Spawntaneous Locks are players such as streamers, other creators, and staff who are given all agents unlocked to use. This is purely aesthetic and does not provide any in-game benefit. They are designated with a little lock image in the Agent Selection screen.

Enough In-game Currency or Real Money

Whether using Radiante Points or Valorant Points, the main way to unlock agents in Valorant is to earn enough cash to buy them. You get 9000 Radiante Points for 1 VP, and you get 25 Radiante Points each week and a daily quest of 200 Radiante Points. Go to the collection tab and click agents to see how many Agents Points you need to unlock a new agent in Valorant.

Complete Certain Challenges or Contracts

Agents can be unlocked in Valorant by completing certain challenges or contracts. For example, some agents are unlocked after players complete the Beginner’s Challenge in the Practice Range. Challenges like unlocking the special player cards within certain Episodes of Valorant give players Radiante. Just go to the Episodes button, then select one of the Special sections to find which challenge rewards the Radiante. Unloading the following agents is known to unlock done in this way:

• Sage
• Jett
• Raze
• Reyna
• Viper

Typically when Riot releases a new agent, a contract lead is released to unlock the agent immediately by completing normally this includes using the agent and upgrading the agent fooling rewards like sprays, player cards, gun buddies, Radianite points, radianite points, and the agent itself. Once all of the rewards have been unlocked agent, the player owns the agent.

Can Agents be Unlocked in any Order?

Agents can be unlocked in any order according to Valorant game maker Riot Games. Unlocking agents will require up to tens of hours of gameplay time or more, depending on how well the player performs. Each agent unlock may be used by the player for the rest of his or her playtime career in Valorant.

The game gives two free agents initially which do not have to be unlocked (Jones and Sage), and make available 5 further agents to unlock when a new player has earned enough experience from playing the game. It is up to the player to decide if they want to unlock a new agent earlier if they do not like the two free ones.

Per-win XP gain varies somewhat and is 1,000 XP for the first win of the day and 2,000 for the second win. Beyond two wins, the XP earned drops to 1,125 XP for the third win and all subsequent wins. Demos, weekly quests, missions, and contract agents all give players the chance to gain additional XP. While the amount of XP for contracts and tight winners have not been significantly increased since launch, updates have boosted the amount of XP available in unrated customs, and heighten the wins. Which can be worth three daily missions.

What Happens if you Already Own an Agent when Unlocking them Again?

If you unlock an agent in Valorant that you already own, you will receive a 100% Refund of the purchase price to the agent itself within a day. If it doesn’t happen, the community manager Spencer Yip posted in the Valorant reddit that the Valorant team is aware of this issue and to wait 24 hours for the transaction to occur. Regardless, no change in the agent’s usage will occur and you can continue to play as before.

What is the Cost of Unlocking Agents in Valorant?

The cost of unlocking agents in Valorant is actually non-existent. Agents Sova, Brimstone, Phoenix, and Jett are unlocked for free when you start the game. Rest are unlocked as follows:

• Need money to unlock: You can unlock agents by collecting Radiante Points, ie points obtained by clearing missions in a battle pass. You get 90 of these Radiante Points when you start the game, with each tier of the battle pass granting you more.
• Unlock agents instantly with Radiante Points: Purchase Radiante Points from the game’s store to unlock agents in Valorant.
• Unlock agents by playing the game: Missions in the battle pass unlock a free agent approximately every two weeks.
• Unlock agents with VP: Unlock Agents instantly with Valorant Points from the Valorant store. This is the fastest and most direct method where a set number of VPs are used to unlock the required agents.
• Unlock agents with Radianite V1: You can unlock agents instantly by purchasing Radianite Points from the Valorant store.

The perception that you need to either pay real-world money or in-game currency to unlock Agents in Valorant is false for all but the self-assured who prefer to immediately activate new characters rather than going through the battle pass process. A battle pass gives you the ability to unlock Agents over time if you do not want to fork over real-world cash.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the process to unlock agents in Valorant?

To unlock agents in Valorant, players must earn in-game currency known as “Radianite Points” by playing matches and completing challenges. These points can then be used to unlock new agents in the game.

How many agents are currently available in Valorant?

As of now, there are 16 agents available in Valorant. However, the game developers have announced that they will be adding more agents in the future through regular updates.

Can I unlock agents without spending real money in Valorant?

Yes, it is possible to unlock agents without spending real money in Valorant. By playing matches and completing challenges, players can earn Radianite Points which can then be used to unlock agents.

Do I have to unlock agents in a specific order?

No, there is no specific order in which agents need to be unlocked in Valorant. Players can choose to unlock any agent they want, as long as they have enough Radianite Points.

Is there a limit to the number of agents I can unlock in Valorant?

Currently, there is no limit to the number of agents that can be unlocked in Valorant. As long as players have enough Radianite Points, they can unlock as many agents as they want.

Can I unlock agents by purchasing them with real money?

No, agents in Valorant cannot be directly purchased with real money. The only way to unlock agents is by earning Radianite Points through gameplay and challenges.