Mastering Valorant: How to Command Like a Pro

If you’re diving into the adrenaline-fueled world of Valorant, you know that teamwork and communication are crucial for success.

We’ll explore what Valorant is and why commanding plays a vital role in the game.

Discover effective strategies for leading your team to victory, common mistakes to avoid, and practical tips for honing your commanding skills.

So, grab your headset and get ready to level up your gameplay in Valorant!

What is Valorant?

Valorant is a PC-based F2P tactical hero shooter game launched by Riot Games on June 2, 2020. The game is a 5v5 team-based multiplayer first-person shooter, and the first product released by Riot in their expansion beyond League of Legends which they are famous for. Riot’s desire to enter the tactical shooter genre, as described on the introduction of Valorant’s official website, was motivated by notice of the fiveonfive, objective-driven debut.

The game’s launch was facilitated by a player base of key games such as CS: GO, Call of Duty (modern warfare), Overwatch, and others. The primary goal of Valorant, as with other tactical shooters, is to eliminate all opponents while preserving the teammates. And players have their choice of characters, referred to as agents in Valorant, who have unique abilities which adds to the tactical nature of the game. Valorant’s incorporation of a virtual economy based on accumulated points to buy weapons further enhances the tactical component of the game.

Players begin with a classic pistol and earn in-game cash by scoring kills. This cash is utilized to get armor which when knocked reduces their movement speed, or to purchase . Players in each side get an opportunity to plant the spike and the defenders try to defuse it. The match could also end if all members of a team are eliminated. According to Riot Games’ Jeffery Gritton from the Valorant community and product team, Valorant’s Eastern Hemisphere servers were overwhelmed upon launch, leading to extremely long queue times that spurred significant dissatisfaction.

Why is Commanding Important in Valorant?

Commanding is important in Valorant because of the complexity of the game. Valorant is a very complex game. This is the consensus among players, even the ones espoused by the general public as in the case of Saqib SumaiL Ur Rehman, NA professional Dota 2 player for Evil Geniuses who wrote on Twitter, “Valorant is so frikin confusing.” This complexity results in the necessity for players to provide instructions and coordinate with their teammates so that everyone is together in their approach. This is why smart coordinating play is critically important to the game.

Sam DaZeD Marine is a Valorant streamer and player who had a successful career of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and he has some insightful tips on commanding. He stresses the importance of always being relevant to the success of the round and to always play to your team’s win condition. Coordinate with your teammates who are uglaring or using abilities to try and capitalize on their strengths. If it is not working out, think of a new plan in the middle of the round. Regardless of whether you are attacking or defending, remember to call together when you are going to punch. From these tips, it is clear that DaZeD understands how important thinking through good directions before and during a fight is to helping ensure a win for the team.

How to Command Effectively in Valorant?

Effective command in Valorant requires practice, adequate private game time, and rituals that keep communication across all team members strong. Scheduling time for session reviews as a team on a regular basis is good. Pre-planned signal systems can mitigate detrimental effects on command if communication is lost. One of these could be commands to go to points on the map ‘alpha’, ‘bravo’, ‘charlie’ etc if the ability to speak is suddenly lost. Go over the call-outs later if time remains, but keeping the formation is vital. Muted and ping commands are needed to work around the loss of speaking ability or if the team is moving quickly. Command can be demonstrated through individual plays on the map such as weapon use, providing distractions, lethality, and a variety of other choices that a player makes on their own time. As a result, the importance of rigorously practicing all skills individually cannot be overstated.

Know the Map

You must know the map before you command in Valorant. Understanding the map lets you take control over the flow of matches, as the direction the team moves and the position of each member can be rapidly modified to exploit specific advantages throughout each round.

Maps in Valorant are categorized as either Defensive of Attacking, though there are varying degrees of these two descriptors. Valorant’s Defensive maps lean towards intense and strategic combat around a small number of crucial focal points that give attackers a lot of diverse approach angles. They include Bind and Haven.

The attacking maps tend to be more open with multiple foci and more approaches towards them. This makes both regular combat maneuvering and flanks more chaotic and harder to predict. They include Icebox and Split. Choosing what map to build your strategy around depends on personal preferences and how you want to leverage your team’s strengths against your opponents.

Understanding how agents’ abilities function on the map can be essential in times of need. Knowing every corner, plant site, rotation, and utility usage positioning is key.

Communicate Clearly

While using voice command functions, ensure that your communication is uncluttered and short. In-game events happen quickly, and you and your team only have precious seconds to react. So, Concise, clear commands such as “A “B,” and “Rush” are preferred. In discrepancies, use either lowercase letters (to calm the situation) or switch to text chatting (to more accurately convey tone).

Use In-game Commands

Commands in specialized programs are a different medium than regular speech and communication, and can also serve as helpful secondary means of communication. Valorant does not permit written communication between parties, but there is a built-in command system. All players can access the VALORANT commands UI by going to the game’s settings and looking at Controls. Look for Communication in the keyboard shortcuts section and bind ALL CHAT control to anything you wish. So without using a mic beyond listening and pressing a key instead, you can call cheats, mock an enemy agent’s voice, and even talk to your own team on the information exchange. The most common command keystrokes according to aggregated user data are C, X, and 4.

Be Aware of Your Teammates’ Abilities

A critical element of communication in Valorant is knowing your teammates’ agents and their abilities, how to use them, and when to expect them. To command in Valorant, you must be aware how best to leverage your and your teammates’ abilities for success, so it is worth spending the game’s warm-up period exploring abilities with them if you do not already know this beforehand. For example, you could see an enemy and request a Smokescreen from a Viper or a Phoenix to cover the sight to get a distraction. Or when waiting, turn out the lights so Raze‘s Boombot creates a bit of sound advantage for a moment.

Give Positive Reinforcement

Your tone may be polite when giving negative assistance, but it is even more important for it to be positive. Positive reinforcement is one of the most important keys to leadership. It shows that Commander players respect and want to improve the skills of the troops. After you correct a negative action, try praising them if they perform it correctly afterwards. Praising your team is critical despite their performance. Say things like … after some nice Rifles or Aces, … giving thanks for picking up the spike, or … for any teammate getting necessary utilities.

What are the Common Mistakes in Commanding in Valorant?

The common mistakes in commanding in Valorant are vocal assault, micromanaging, making incorrect or hastily incorrect decisions, going beyond an individual’s ability to think clearly under pressure. Some of the marginal impacts of these may be that the decision-making impacts a key round or the team’s aggression and defensiveness, which leads to loss of rounds based on that call. The key impact that comes with commanding is people do not realize they themselves are the weak link. This hinders self-improvement and becomes a significant disadvantage.

Micromanaging

Micromanaging refers to managing every small detail. Micromanagement can be helpful in the early stages of the game or during 1v1 situations. Tell your teammates exactly what you want them to do and how they should do it. Tip them off on the best spot to play and clear-cut strategies to succeed on that particular spot. A valuable tip allows them to catch the opponent off guard and pick up a few kills. Here are some examples of micromanaging in Valorant…

Not Listening to Teammates

Not listening to teammates is one of the most common primary call-out errors that cost lives or draw matches, particularly among lower-ranked players. If a teammate needs to pass on crucial information about the positioning of an opponent, a clue such as someone using an ability, or a particular strategy they would like to employ, teammates who have music or other games in the background or high volume settings on their computers will not be able to understand the call-out and think on their feet accordingly.

To prevent players from engaging in tactics that could cost the team a round, it is crucial to listen to important parts of the call out your teammates are giving. The likelihood that a crucial error will be made increases with the relative importance of the information being passed down. It is always ideal to listen to whatever your teammates are saying, even if it is not of great importance. Not listening to team calls in a match could make the difference between you winning or losing the round. It is important for the smooth and efficient functioning of a team to follow calls accurately and to the best of one’s ability. Harsh penalties are uncommon, but you or a teammate failing to listen to each other could potentially cost you an important round or the lead.

Not Adjusting to the Situation

Another mistake when commanding other players in Valorant is not adjusting strategy or advice based on changes in a match’s dynamic situation. Players who have been following this guide to commanding in Valorant might be encouraging more communication in response to a sedate situation, or less communication in the face of a poor team dynamic. In-game tactics can also fail to adapt in such situations, and this is a mistake.

If a leader assumes nothing needs to be adjusted in the face of a losing streak, they are mistaken. There is always a chance to turn things around if minor adjustments are made. If a game is going heavily in one direction, determine the key problems for your team and help to adjust. Sometimes it just takes a switch to a different aggressive or passive playstyle, or a change in roles. Recall from the example provided by user Miryo earlier in a match versus RichardBrian when they dealt with team leaks poorly. While Miryo at first dominated in round one, Richard fought back by keeping tighter on angles. Despite being the clear better shot, Miryo refused to change the offensive style in subsequent rounds leading to a loss of six straight rounds in a row. Be adaptable with your Valorant team. Make sure to adjust strategies for the best possible result.

How to Improve Your Commanding Skills in Valorant?

High-ranking players emphasize that command in Valorant relies significantly on solid map knowledge and game sense. The best method for developing these skills is by playing the game continuously. Sites such as the YouTube channel of valorantify or the streamer’s Twitch channels Vale Valorant’s YouTube channel or Patreon for dizzy or moe’s Valorant have some good content where you can learn from better players. Katch (watch parties) has a diverse selection of videos covering a variety of techniques such as Crosshair placement, tactics, resets and much more.

Practice Communication Outside of Games

Good communication can be a small part of command but is essential in organizing slow and fast plays. Communication should include objectives, spike locations, enemy sightings, command strategy, and assist commands. Your team cannot read your mind, so it is important to over-communicate and let them know your natural tendencies and play-making goals.

Valorant requires pre-game communication to develop strategy with no exceptions. Practice this communication during solo games when the stakes are low so that it comes naturally later when you need it.

Watch Professional Players

Watching professional VALORANT players play can help you quickly develop your own strategic thinking and commanding. Professional players play at an entirely different level and they are likely to have both the same mindset and thought process in taking advantage of a winning situation. Tactics vary from game to game but the understanding needed to improve at commanding in VALORANT and take appropriate actions in any given situation can quickly be learned.

Analyze Your Own Gameplay

When you command in Valorant as a team leader, frequently review screenshots, demos, or replays of your own matches. Evaluate your decisions and movement during the match by asking yourself some questions. Why did I die in this situation? Is there a better location to have covered instead of this one? Could I have better used my abilities to kill or damage an enemy player?

These short self-assessments can help refine and adapt as a player’s skill level in his game.

Conclusion

Negative or positive voice channels in tactical shooter games? Neither make a difference as gamers can just as easily enjoy VR even with off all voice channels.

Team voice channels in multiplayer shooter games beneficial impact on video game quality? Yes, and this is clearly understood by developers. In fact, the game developer Riot initially didn’t include a voice channel in Valorant. They quickly changed their mind early on during the beta test. In an interview discussing the reasoning behind this decision, they noted that they felt it deserved to give players every way to succeed and that in a team-based tac shooter, team chat was an essential tool for success.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Command in Valorant?

What is the command system in Valorant?
The command system in Valorant allows players to communicate with their team through a series of pre-set phrases and commands.

How do I use the command system in Valorant?
To use the command system in Valorant, you can either use the in-game chat or press the designated key for the command wheel.

What are some useful commands in Valorant?
Some useful commands in Valorant include requesting for a specific weapon, calling for backup, and announcing enemy locations.

Can I customize the command wheel in Valorant?
Yes, you can customize the command wheel in Valorant by going to the settings menu and selecting the “Commands” tab.

How can I effectively use commands to improve my gameplay?
Using commands effectively in Valorant can improve communication and coordination with your team, leading to better strategies and a higher chance of winning.

Is there a limit to how many times I can use commands in Valorant?
There is no limit to how many times you can use commands in Valorant, but it’s important to use them strategically and not spam them excessively.