Valorant is a tactical shooter that is all about strategic thinking, and trading blows with enemies. However, not all agents in the game are meant for the team fights. Viper is one of the most prominent characters in that list of playmaking agents. Whether she is buffed or nerfed, pro players always prefer a Viper in the team for most of the Valorant maps. But like all other agents in Valorant, you need to learn how to best play her. To help you out with just that, we have compiled the best tips and tricks for Viper for you to master in Valorant. So let’s begin!
1. Ideal Post-Plant Agent
In our best Valorant tips and tricks guide, we have mentioned that relying on post-plant lineups is not as rewarding all the time. However, that changes if you’re playing Viper. Ater you plant the spike, make sure you put the Poison Cloud on top of it. You can now either throw a huge Snake Bite lineup from a safe place on the spike or play around with iut and throw the Snake Bite when the enemy taps the spike.
The cloud already decays the enemy’s HP to 1, which means even standing on the Snake Bite for one second can kill an enemy. If you can attempt this strategy properly, you can secure most of the post-plant rounds. Make sure you are at a safe distance from the enemy pushing you while you play post-plants.
2. Lurk When Required
While lurking is not ideal for most of the controllers in Valorant, Viper is again the only exception. In maps like Icebox or Lotus, you can use your cloud to cross chokepoints or crossing spots and lurk behind enemy defense lines.
However, enemies will read this tip, so do not attempt to lurk in every round. If you are good with taking duels and enemy rotation reads, this can help you win a significant chunk of them.
3. Don’t Forget Your Team
Speaking of lurking, as Viper, you do not need to be around teammates to assist them. You can activate your Toxic Screen or Poison Cloud anywhere on the map. This means using the smoke to assist your teammates while you are on the lurk is a good option. Viper is also slightly easier in this situation than Omen, thanks to her smooth usage of the Toxic Screen.
4. Communicate with Teammates
As a Viper, being alone is ideal but that does not mean you could do it without teammates. Controllers are always required to communicate about smoke and vision control. In the case of Viper, you have control over your smokes, so it is better to warn teammates about your Toxic Screen or Poison Cloud timings.
Viper’s Snake Bite also damages her teammates, so try to keep it away from your allies as much as possible. If you can communicate properly with your teammates as a Viper while using your abilities, victory will be easier.
5. Hold Attacks Using the Abilities
On the defensive side, it is always better to use Viper as a passive play. Remember to use your Snake Bite to keep enemies away from pushing into the site. You should also put the Toxic Screen and Poison Cloud in separate places to cover as much vision as possible.
When it comes to the rounds to use your ultimate, do not use it early. It might lead enemies to different sites and waste your Viper’s Pit. If you want to commit to the Viper’s Pit early, ensure your teammates control other parts of the map.
6. Do Not Be Overaggressive in the Pit
While you are in the pit, you can move around and position yourself better. Although it is good to stay on top of your enemies and get an early kill when they enter the pit, it is recommended to stay alive for as long as possible.
As Viper is the only agent who can see enemies in highlighted colors inside the pit, it is better to capitalize on that. Remember if you die, the pit will fade away. This can cause you a round loss, too.
You can also occasionally exit the pit and relocate or get some kills if your intuition calls for it. In that case, predicting enemy movements or positioning plays a huge role. That is why we recommend you stay inside the pit and not be too aggressive all the time.
7. Check Toxin and Viper’s Pit Bar
While this tip might sound common, you’d be surprised how often players don’t follow it. Unlike any other controllers, Viper gets a toxin bar to see how long the Poison Cloud or Toxic Screen will stay up. You will also hear Viper giving a voice note when the bar is near its end. The toxin bar regenerates after a while so you can use it again after a while.
Unfortunately, the same case is not applied to the Viper’s Pit. When you leave the pit, a timer starts. In case you do not enter the pit again, it will run out and the pit will vanish. So, keep checking the bar once you exit the pit.
8. Push Smokes Occasionally
Pushing smoke is a high-risk high-reward move that can be a good or bad tip with any controller. However, Viper is again the exception to that trick. If you are playing Viper, you can occasionally push the smoke and turn off your Poison Cloud to catch enemies off guard.
The key to this trick is that Viper gets a slight peeker’s advantage when the smoke turns off. This allows her to see enemies slightly earlier from inside the smoke. You can also use the Toxic Screen to create cubbies where you can camp or hide to ambush enemies effortlessly.
Overall, Viper is for the big-brain players who love to take control of the game. So, if you also want to become a master at Viper, use these tips and tricks and dominate Valorant lobbies now.
Have even more tips for us? Drop them in the comments below and we just might add them!
