Valorant has been on our screens for a day now and Riot rewards the long wait after the closed beta with a new agent: Reyna. But how does the character work?
In the closed beta, an agent – Raze – was already added. With the release yesterday we can welcome not only fixes, the new map Ascent and the mode Spike Rush, but also a brand new agent: Reyna.
Since the end of May, the final phase of the closed beta, rumors about a new agent have been going around. The character was said to have vampire-like traits. Well. Somehow it’s true. Reyna has this “queen of the night” aura, fangs and looks like a daywalker from Blade – plus her abilities…
These are Reyna’s abilities:
Ability 1: “Stare”
Stare the opponents to death? No problem. Reyna can summon an orb and send it through walls like omens. The Orb has the shape of an eye and only works like a Flash when the opponent is looking at the eye. As soon as you turn around it doesn’t work anymore. The Orb has very little range and doesn’t last very long. However, for a duelist type like Reyna, this push ability is quite alright.
Ability 2: “Consume
Here we get a bit closer to the vampire. After a kill, Soul Orbs appear over the opponents for a short time. Reyna can absorb them and heal herself with them. If the lifebar is full, there is an overheal that doesn’t last forever but acts as a shield for the corresponding time.
Signature Ability: “Eliminate
For this ability you need Soul Orbs again. If you pick one up, you can make yourself invulnerable for a short time. During this time, however, you can’t use a weapon. As an escape tactic, this works great, but there is a period of time where the ability wears off, but you still can’t draw a weapon. This is Reyna’s Achilles’ heel.
Ultimate “Empress”
This Ulti has it all. You can increase your rate of fire, reload time, and Abilities many times over. A pistol almost comes close to an MP. In addition, you heal automatically after a kill. (Apparently, the heal ability can also work on teammates and boost them up again). But you can still use the E-Ability. In this case you become invisible for a short time.
Reyna’s kit is unique among agents. It’s based on making kills in order to reach full potential in the first place. Morello describes it as “feast or famine.”
In short, you have an aggressive style and love to push forward a la “RUSH B!!!”? You know your Abilities like the back of your hand and know how to use them quickly? Then Reyna is the right champ. For campers and calm strategists who use the space for Smokes and Flashes, she is more of a drag. Of course, it also takes a special gameplay strategy for a Reyna, but it will be significantly different from that of a Brimstone or a Cyphers.
Reyna Gameplay Strategies
Thanks to invulnerability, you are perfect as a lurker. You briefly peek around the corner and give the positions of the opponents without burdening the team. Every surviving peek can save the teammates’ lives – and drive the opponents crazy.
But don’t forget: You can’t use weapons while invulnerable. This tactic will eventually be seen through. A peek at close range can throw you out of the game so quickly. Also, the others will always understand that Soul Orbs are Reyna’s proverbial elixir of life. Guarding the fallen teammates or catching one with a lot of damage while charging can very quickly put Reyna out of the game.
Still, Reyna becomes probably the best duelist in Valorant. The healing ability and the extra shield make her a strong agent for a dangerous type of player. So as soon as a Reyna is in the game, it will probably be “All on one!” Because it would be way too dangerous to leave her in the game. Also, in the future, I think we’re going to have to do everything we can to make sure she doesn’t use her Ulti. Invulnerability, an increased firerate and invisibility can quickly dominate the game.
But until we experience them in perfection, some practice will be required. Because a Stradivarius also needs a virtuoso…
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