Valorant Controller Tier List: Best Agents – Patch 10.04

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As a gamer, if you’re on the hunt for the perfect controller agents in Valorant or are striving to ascend the rankings, this tier list might just be your new best friend!

In Valorant, every role is crucial, but a Controller is indispensable in professional play. As their title suggests, Controllers specialize in map control. They are responsible for obscuring vital areas such as chokepoints with smoke, allowing the team to secure locations or making enemies hesitate before advancing. Currently, there are six Controller agents available, each with distinct smoke abilities and strategies for dominating the match. While some agents can be played passively, others excel when played aggressively. However, not all Controllers perform equally well; some simply outperform their counterparts.

This ranking system compares all Valorant Controllers from S to C, demonstrating how they measure up against each other across various skill levels. The ranks are determined by their effectiveness and performance on the current set of maps.

Best Valorant Controller Tier List

In this analysis, we’re looking at the various Controller characters in Valorant, arranged from least effective to most powerful. Characters classified as C-tier are finding it challenging to adapt within the current game environment or map selection, often lagging behind their opponents. B-tier agents can be quite capable if played skillfully, but they still don’t match up to the top picks in terms of overall performance. A-tier agents are dependable and efficient choices for gameplay, while S-tier characters either have too much power or demonstrate exceptional strength on the battlefield, making them difficult to beat with ease.

Tier Agent
S Omen
A Astra
Viper
Clove
B Brimstone
C Harbor

S-tier

Omen

As a dedicated fan, I’d say, “I’ve noticed Omen has been missing some of his handy one-way smokes lately, which seems to have dialed back his power slightly. However, he’s still putting in top-notch performances as one of the best controller agents across both VCT and ranked games. Omen is a standout agent with immense carry potential, often making it onto many maps, particularly Ascent. His smokes may not last as long as Brimstone’s, but they recharge, which is incredibly beneficial for default setups and provides better range. He can also pull off solo plays or get aggressive using his teleport flash combo, helping the team take picks through his blind. With a skillset that allows him to function as both a duelist and an initiator, there’s no question he’s one of the best choices for solo queue games. Given the recent nerfs to Clove’s kit, it’s expected that many players will opt for Omen instead.

A-tier

Astra

Astra has turned out to be a strong choice due to the boost that raised her star value to five. When it comes to usefulness, she’s an agent that’s tough to surpass. Her smokes endure longer, have no range limitations, and her global abilities enable her to assist the team from any location on the map. Combining her crowd control with Raze and Tejo’s abilities can also lead to effortless eliminations.

Playing Astra can be challenging for many players due to her complex mechanics, making her less popular compared to other agents like Omen. Good teamwork and communication are crucial with her, but these aspects are often lacking in lower and mid-tier skill levels.

Viper

Over time, Viper’s abilities have been repeatedly toned down (nerfed), and these changes have primarily benefited professional play rather than competitive matchups. For instance, her toxins regenerate at a slower pace, she can no longer resend her smokes, and she only has one ultimate (molly). This reduction in capabilities has significantly diminished her effectiveness, even in strategic team setups. The modifications to her kit have largely confined her to maps where she performs well, such as Icebox and Breeze, or in a double-controller scenario. However, in ranked matches, this isn’t usually the case. In ranked queue, it’s more common to encounter double duelist or double initiator setups, which often exclude Viper from the lineup.

Despite this, she remains influential when used appropriately by skilled players and coordinated teams. She can strategically set up barricades to pressure other areas and disorient opponents, essentially functioning as a makeshift guardian to safeguard a location. Viper is also equipped with one of the strongest abilities in the game, which can sometimes secure rounds during critical moments.

Clove

Regarding cigarettes, she’s in a tricky situation. Clove’s cigarettes burn out quickly and there’s a 40-second wait before using another one. To make matters worse, her cigarettes have limited range, which could create issues on specific maps. However, the advantage of being able to place cigarettes even after she’s been eliminated, although at a reduced range, can be beneficial for the team. This is particularly useful now that players can no longer mark the bomb when it’s hidden by smoke, so having Clove in the team could be an asset.

B-tier

Brimstone

On smaller maps like Bind and Fracture, Brimstone performs quite well, but he tends to struggle on larger maps due to the limited range of his smoke abilities. As a result, Omen is often considered a more effective choice. However, Brimstone’s kit remains powerful for strategic uses such as setting up executes, thwarting pushes, and securing clutch situations following plant events.

C-tier

Harbor

In simpler terms, Harbor is currently ranked as the worst controller in Valorant’s tier list and has been for quite some time. His abilities don’t help him secure kills or stall opponents, and his smokes are too slow, revealing his location when deployed. This makes him almost useless unless used within a strong team composition or on his best maps. Players have been requesting a complete revamp of Harbor’s kit or at least some improvements (buffs), but until these changes occur, he will continue to rank at the bottom of all tier lists.

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2025-03-14 20:13