If you are wondering how to win duels in Valorant, this guide will show you what you need to be aware of.
Whether we like it or not, there are many cases in Valorant where we are in a 1v1 scenario. Those moments are extremely important for us and our team because no one wants to lose a duel. Sadly, this can happen more often than you think, especially if you do not have experience. That’s why this how to win duels in Valorant guide will show you all of the tips and tricks one has to know to be successful.
How To Win Duels in Valorant – The Basics
After covering some of the mistakes that are preventing you from winning, it is time ot see how to win duels. As you can imagine, being in a 1v1 situation is not easy, especially if you are not sure what to do. Thankfully, there are a few important steps that will allow you to win more, and we are about to discuss them.
Know why you are taking the duel
When asking yourself “how to win duels in Valorant”, the first question you need to ask after that is why you are taking the duel in the first place. Do you need to do it so you can win the round or because you just want to flex?
As you can imagine, there are loads of different duels that are not worth taking because you can be much more useful doing other things. For example, your team may rely on smokes or initiations. If you die, you won’t be able to do a lot, and your team will suffer because you’ve lost an unnecessary duel.
As mentioned in the tips to help you win, ideally, you should try to communicate with your teammates. If you do this, you will know whether taking a duel is worth it.
Know the limits of the gun you are using
Everyone wants to win the Valorant duel. However, besides being a good player, you also need to know your gun’s limit. People who are not familiar with this and don’t know what they are doing will have problems because they will take duels that they can’t win.
Learning more information about guns can be achieved by playing or reading guides. We have dedicated guides for the Phantom, Vandal, and the Operator, so definitely check them out.
With that said, when it comes down to how to win duels in Valorant, you have to make sure that your weapon will give you the advantage you need. Also, you have to consider your opponent’s gun and whether it is good or bad against you. For example, when you are taking a duel over a longer range, and you have an Operator, chances are you will get a kill easier if your opponent is using something else.
Always have a plan
One of the first things you need to know before asking how to win duels in Valorant is related to the plan you have. A lot of people decide to take duels and hope to win. Some are lucky and win, but even if that happens, they need to have a plan for what to do after that if they want this duel to matter.
Speaking of plans, ideally, you need to try and think of what you can do if the duel is not going well. Do you have a place to cover? What about a place where you can reload safely and try to peek again? Sadly, a lot of people forget about those things when taking Valorant duels and go “all-in”. If you are not sure how to position in Valorant, check out our guide that will provide you with more information.
Another thing to talk about when it comes down to having a plan is related to the things you should do before taking the Valorant duel. In an ideal situation, you have to make sure that you are in a 1v1 situation. To do that, check all corners near you before shooting and use your agent’s abilities when needed.
Knowing how to move is incredibly important
Valorant is a fast-paced game where people who can move faster and more efficiently around the map will win. It probably goes without saying, but this is extremely important in duels.
A lot of players asking themselves how to win duels in Valorant forget that they need to counter-strafe, do a proper peek, and come up with loads of other things. Those techniques are not easy and take time to learn, but things like our peeking guide can help you speed up this process.
The idea of everything is to make your opponent’s life hard and give you more chances of winning the duel. Once you start staring and peeking properly, enemies should have a much harder time landing that headshot.
Use the appropriate shooting technique
Learning how to aim and shoot in Valorant is incredibly important to be successful in the game. This also applies to duels because you need to know which shooting technique to use in the specific situation.
Learning how to control your recoil, how to burst, and when to try to go for 1-taps can make a huge difference when playing. A lot of players decide to use the “spray and pray” tactic in Valorant duels, but this almost never works unless you are close to your target. Therefore, you need to be more innovative.
Generally speaking, bursting is one of the best options you can go for when you are in a mid to long-range duels. As long as you combine it with strafing and proper crosshair placement, you should be able to win the majority of your duels.