Valorant: Phoenix Abilities, tips, and How to play

Phoenix is Valorant's brash Duelist, whose skills allow him to practically shift the course of a match with a snap of his fingers. If you wish to master this agent, we have a Valorant Phoenix guide for you. Do you consider yourself to be a slacker when it comes to making an entry? Have you got a gung-ho playstyle that puts you right in the middle of the action? If you're looking for an Agent, go no further than Phoenix. The ferocious Duelist has a powerful utility that may help your squad on both offence and defence!

This tutorial will attempt to answer the question of what distinguishes Phoenix from the other Duelists in Valorant. We go into the Agent's details and break down all you need to know to start hurling Curveballs at your foes right away.

Valorant Phoenix: abilities

Phoenix's skills are all based on fire, thus it's no surprise that he has a talent in 'Hot Hands' that's similar to a Molotov grenade in other games. His signature ability, 'Curveball,' allows him to blind opponents by curving a flare orb to the left (Mouse 1) or right (Mouse 2), which is perfect for catching an enemy off guard around a corner!

Ability 1 — Blaze (200 Creds): EQUIP a flame wall. FIRE to generate a line of flames that flows forward, blocking eyesight and injuring players who pass across it. To bend the wall in the direction of your crosshair, hold FIRE.

Ability 2 — Curveball (250 Creds): EQUIP a flare orb that follows a curved route and explodes shortly after being thrown, obstructing vision. FIRE cause the flare orb to curve to the left, exploding and blinding everyone who sees it. To curve the flare orb to the right, alternate FIRE.

Signature Ability — Hot Hands (1 free): EQUIP yourself with a firestorm. FIRE to launch a fireball that bursts after a predetermined period of time or when it hits the ground, damaging foes and leaving a lingering fire zone.

Ultimate Ability — Run it Back (6 Points): PLACE A MARKER AT PHOENIX'S LOCATION IMMEDIATELY. If you die or the timer runs out while this ability is active, the ability ends and Phoenix returns to its initial location.

Phoenix's Blaze ability creates a flaming wall that divides the map, allowing you to press forward with your remaining abilities and really take the fight to your opponents.

On paper, Phoenix is a jack of all trades, but his Ultimate is clearly his most potent skill. 'Run it Back' gives the Agent a free existence for a short time, allowing him to act without consequence. Even if he dies before the talent expires, he'll be returned to where he started with full health. This is ideal for a risky attack on a Reactor Site that would otherwise be penalised.

How to play Phoenix

Phoenix is one of Valorant's resident Duelists, so it's no wonder that he excels at face-to-face combat. That isn't to say that shrewd play won't be rewarded. Phoenix can not only acquire significant advantages in a one-on-one battle by maximising his usefulness, but he can also remain almost fully self-sufficient by being able to take territory, hold that space, and even heal himself.

It's always worth throwing a quick Curveball if you're not sure what's around the corner. However, you must ensure that you do not blind your teammates, therefore you should practise with the ability to get a sense of its range. You'll be blinding adversaries in no time once you've mastered your Curveballs, letting you jump in and pop some heads.

When you combine Phoenix's powers, he really comes into his own. You'll be backing them into a corner ready to roast with a click of your fingertips by chaining together Blaze to construct a wall, then a Hot Hands to ensure foes don't peek out of any concealed nooks.