Is the Valorant agent Phoenix the most underrated duelist?
When you think of duelists, Phoenix is not usually the first that comes to mind. More popular duelists like Reyna, Jett and even Raze are often the first choice for many players.
Phoenix mains are few and far in between. However, the one upside to this is that you are less likely to have your agent stolen during agent selection. This underrated agent is great for solo queue because he can heal himself, get kills on his own, and even have a second life through his ultimate ability.
For aspiring Phoenix players, check out our detailed guide on the Valorant duelist’s role, abilities, and tactics.
Phoenix
The Valorant agent Phoenix is the game’s United Kingdom representative. Given the codename Apollo, this Brit has very versatile abilities that revolve around a fire. He can damage opponents and teammates with his flames while subsequently replenishing his health with it.
His ultimate may not be the best for team play, but it can certainly sustain him even in a one versus five scenario. This Afro-British duelist wears a black shirt with a white jacket. His dark baggy pants and sneakers complete his hip casual outfit. The orange-dyed tips on the dreadlocks he sports are in line with Valorant’s creative hairstyles for their agents.
Phoenix is one of the more attractive Valorant agents, according to Jett, and he knows it. This duelist’s personality is confident and impulsive, which is how you should play him in the game.
Role: Duelist
As a duelist, Phoenix should be the entry fragger of the team. Enter sites and clear angles first so your teammates can follow and plant safely. You should always be the frontline and don’t worry about taking damage because three of your abilities can heal you. You can also use Blaze to close off an entryway and heal yourself at the same time.
Your Curveball and Hot Hands are great for entry fragging because they can flash an opponent or force them out of hidden angles. You can also use your ultimate ability to hold down a site safely on defense. As an attacker, use it to clear the site without sacrificing your own life.
Sometimes duelists can also play as lurkers. Try this with Phoenix if you’re confident your team can enter a site without you. His ult and Curveball make him one of the better lurkers in Valorant.
Abilities
Q – Curveball
Use Equip to hold a small flame orb. Pressing FIRE curves and detonates it to the left, and ALTERNATE FIRE detonates it to the right. Anyone who sees the orb as it detonates is immediately flashed for roughly one second. Curveball is best used in corners, so you don’t end up flashing yourself.
You can buy up to two charges of Curveball per round, so use it wisely. It’s great for entering a site on offense but can also be used to delay the attack on defense. Some players even use it post-plant to stop the defuse by scaring off the enemy.
Remember to use Curveball wisely because flash abilities are extremely useful in Valorant.
E – Hot Hands
Hot Hands is Phoenix’s molly signature ability. Use Equip to hold a fireball in your hand and FIRE to throw it. ALTERNATE FIRE tosses the fireball close to yourself. This ability explodes after hitting the ground and constantly damages agents that touch it. You can also use it to heal Phoenix for its duration.
Because this is his signature ability, Hot Hands recharges after Phoenix gets two kills. Use Hot Hands to clear off angles that you would rather not peek. You can also throw it on entryways as a defender to deter enemies from pushing. If enemies insist on pushing the site, you will probably get easy kills.
Some players also choose to save this ability for stopping the defuse. You can get an enemy off the spike for a few seconds if you throw the fireball at them.
C – Blaze
The Valorant agent Phoenix doesn’t have smoke abilities, but Blaze can be a good alternative. Use EQUIP to charge a flame wall and FIRE to deploy it. Hold the ‘FIRE‘ button and move your crosshair to curve the wall in that direction.
Blaze blocks vision and also damages any agent that comes in contact with it. Use it to close off an entryway while also healing yourself. You can even curve it to make a small pocket of vision where you can ambush enemies from.
This ability lasts quite a while, so it can be enough to block vision while you push a site. You can also use it for post-plant scenarios if you don’t have Hot Hands anymore.
X – Run It Back
Phoenix’s ultimate ability allows him to produce a copy of himself that lasts 10 seconds. His ult can do anything he normally does and takes just as much damage. You should use this ability to get kills or scout areas without putting your real body at risk.
After this ability runs out, Phoenix comes back to his previous location at full health. The only disadvantage of Run It Back is that it leaves a marker where Phoenix activated it, so enemies can simply wait for him to reappear there and get an easy kill.
You can use Run it Back to heal yourself to full health. Scouting with ability is also a good idea. This ability can also draw out utility from opponents as they may use it to stop you from killing them.
You Might Ask (FAQs)
How should I play Phoenix?
Phoenix mains are aggressive and confident. You should always be the first agent in and get a lot of kills. Use your kit to clear angles and sites so your team can follow you safely. You have healing abilities, so don’t worry about taking a little damage early on.
Which guns are the best for Phoenix?
The Valorant agent Phoenix is a duelist with some of the most aggressive abilities. You should buy rifles if you have the money so you can play the frontline better. For save rounds, shotguns or submachine guns are great close-range options. A Phoenix using his ult and wielding a Judge is a scary sight for the enemy team.
Only buy snipers if you are confident in your ability to use them in crowded scenarios.
