- Valorant's Spike is the equivalent of the bomb in search-and-destroy mode from other games like Counter-Strike or Call of Duty.
- Planting and Defusing the Spike is a primary objective to win games in Valorant where knowing about the 7-second timer is crucial.
- You can do a lot of interesting things with the Spike, such as planting it with Wingman, dropping it to a teammate, using smokes to defuse it sneakily, and more.
Call it a search and destroy or plant and defuse, the classic bomb planting and defusing game mode is a favorite among all FPS gamers. This is why when Riot Games revealed their FPS game, we were eager to know if it would have a bomb similar to Counter-Strike or Call of Duty. Valorant answered that question with the Spike. This triangle-looking object is the key to gamers’ ticking adventures in the infinite hours of chaos. In this guide, we have discussed the important things you need to know about the Spike in Valorant.
What is the Spike in Valorant?
Spike, also known as the bomb, is the device that helps you win games in Valorant. The attackers plant this spike and defenders defuse it to win the round. The Spike has a sound cue every time it is triggered on the plant or the defuse location. This sound cue is loud enough to alert anyone from a distance. We have discussed everything related to the Valorant Spike planting and defusing below.
Also, you get one ultimate point every time you plant or defuse the Spike in Valorant. This helps you reach your ultimate faster than others. If the defenders fail to defuse the spike, it creates a black sphere which will instantly kill any player caught in it. This black sphere extends to 35 meters and is impossible to dodge (except for some abilities).
Spike Planting Guide in Valorant
1. Spike Planting Timer
Every round in Valorant starts with a default timer on top, which is 100 seconds. That timer defines the time you have to plant the Spike. If you fail to plant the Spike within that time, you will lose the round.
Once you reach a site with the Spike, you can hold 4 (default button) on your keyboard to plant it on the ground. It takes 4 seconds to plant the Spike in Valorant. If you leave the button before the plant, the planting process will cancel, and you will have to restart the four second process.
2. How to Drop the Spike?
In Valorant, support role players (see list of Valorant characters) are usually tasked with the role of the planter. In case you are a duelist and focus on the fights, you can pass the Spike onto your teammates. You can also drop your Spike in a safe place before going on a lurk in Valorant. Follow this guide to know how to drop the Spike in Valorant.
- First, click the 4 key (default) on your keyboard to equip the Spike.
- After the Spike is in your hand, click the G key (throw weapon) on your keyboard.
- Now, your teammate can grab the spike by looking at it and pressing the F button (interact) on their keyboard, or they can simply walk over it.
3. Plant Locations (Sites)
Valorant offers a lot of different kinds of maps. Some of them are huge and some are smaller in size. Unfortunately, attackers cannot plant the Spike just anywhere on any of the Valorant maps. That is why there are certain places on the map called site or plant locations.
When you are in a game, press M to open the map. On the map, you will see zones highlighted in yellow (see the image attached above). Those are the only locations where you can plant the Spike in the game. Some maps contain more than two sites or locations to plant the Spike.
4. Planting Spike with Wingman
Scared of getting shot while you plant the Spike? Well, thanks to Riot Games, Valorant now has an agent called Gekko who can help you avoid that misery. All you have to do is send in the Wingman, your cute yellow blob-shaped pet, to plant the Spike.
To plant a Spike using Wingman, pick Gekko because he has the Wingman ability! Once you equip the Wingman in your hand, then look toward the Spike location and press the right mouse button (alt fire). This will send the Wingman to plant the Spike for you.
Wingman takes the same time (four seconds) to plant the Spike as any other character. You have to remember that if enemies kill Wingman while it’s running toward the plant location or planting the Spike, the Spike will drop at the location immediately.
Spike Defusing Guide in Valorant
5. How Long it Takes to Defuse Spike?
Once enemies plant a Spike, you have 45 seconds to defuse it in Valorant. This timer is critical as it also includes the Spike defuse time. When you are on top of the spike, press the 4 key on your keyboard to defuse the Spike.
Once you start defusing, it will take 7 seconds to defuse the Spike fully. The 7-second timer plays a crucial role in the game and is important to keep in mind, read why under the next heading.
6. Fake and Half Spike Defuse
One thing Valorant will not explain to you during the tutorial is the Half Defuse mechanism for the Spike. The Spike takes a total of 7 seconds to defuse but there is a half point that you can trigger after leaving the defuse process.
Unlike the planting process, where leaving the plant button will reset the plant, you can take a break during the defusing process and perform it in two steps. This means you can start the defuse and do a half-defuse by sitting on it for 3.5 seconds and then continue it later on to complete the remaining 3.5 seconds.
You can also press and leave the Spike during the defuse to confuse enemies on your commitment to the Spike and expose their cover and location.
7. Ninja Defuse in Valorant
Defusing can become hard when you have almost all the enemies alive and covering it. That is why there are lots of agents who can deny enemies covering the Spike. In Counter-Strike, you can smoke the bomb or enemies and defuse the bomb. However, in Valorant you can not only smoke but also throw abilities like blind or protective smokes.
Some of the agents who can also deny the sound of the Spike are great in this situation such as Fade or Omen. You can also use the latest Valorant agent ISO and shield off the spike while you defuse it.
8. Defusing Spike with Wingman
Finding it hard to defuse the Spike even after learning about the Ninja Defuse method? Don’t worry, as Wingman comes to the rescue again. Yeah, same as planting, Wingman can defuse the Spike too.
All you have to do is look at the Spike while Wingman is in hand and press the right mouse button. Wingman will run towards the Spike and defuse it. Same as planting, Wingman can be shot dead to stop the defusing process. However, Wingman can defuse the spike to half duration and the rest can be resumed by someone else.
If you are looking to climb the Valorant rank ladder, it’s important to know all these facts about the all-essential Spike.
