Enjoy strategic advantage over your enemy with this Agent comp on Icebox
Icebox is back in the map rotation with Patch 8.0, and several changes have been made on the mid and B main. This map’s most unique feature is its verticality, and that’s why an uncommon Agent composition is required to dominate on Icebox.
The last time Icebox was played in international matches was at LOCK//IN 2023, where it was the second-most played map with 13 picks. It is a balanced map when it comes to the question of which side it favors.
In the current meta of the game, here’s our thoughts on the best Agent comp on Icebox:
Best Agent Comp on Icebox
- Duelist: Jett
- Initiator: Sova
- Controller: Viper
- Sentinel #1: Sage
- Sentinel #2: Killjoy
This composition has been the bread and butter of Icebox for a long time, and it is one of the only maps in pro play where using Sage has been a viable option. Sage helps block down areas and slow enemies, but her most crucial role in this map revolves around planting the Spike.
Regular Controller Agents like Omen or Brimstone are not very useful on Icebox due to the map’s vast open areas and vertical landscape. As a result, Viper plays the role of the Controller.
Agent Breakdown
Let’s break down each Agent and their role on Icebox:
Jett
Jett is the only Duelist in this composition. The Agent’s Tailwind dash allows her to take aggressive angles during defense and make space on the attack. Moreover, her passive, paired with Updraft, is a blessing on this map due to the verticality of different areas.
If you’re playing Jett on Icebox, your duty on attack is to go in first to make space. Use her Tailwind (E) and Cloudbrust (C) to get into sites or get out of fights. On defense, you can take aggressive angles with the help of your teammates and also use the Operator for holding down a site.
Sova
While professional teams tried using Agents like Skye and KAY/O on this map, Sova remains the best Initiator for Icebox. However, with only one Initiator, you do not have any flashes to peek corners with. Therefore, gathering info is going to be the most critical role, making Sova a paramount member of the composition.
As a Sova player on Icebox, your primary responsibility is helping your team with information. During defense, you can gather early info with your Recon Bolt, which can assist again during site retakes. Winning the information game lets your team stack a site where enemies are likely to go, increasing your chance of winning the defensive half.
During the attacking half, your job is to get your team set up on A, B, or mid with your Recon Bolt (E) and Owl Drone (Q). For example, if your team decides to go B, you will have a critical role in clearing out B main with your drone and land a recon on site to clear as many angles as possible. Therefore, learning lineups will make your job much easier.
Viper
No other Controller can provide as much value as Viper on Icebox. Long smokes provide a competitive edge on this map due to the vast open areas of the B site, and that’s why Viper’s Toxic Screen provides the cover teams need to execute a site take. Moreover, her Toxin passive allows you to punish anyone pushing through Viper smokes, which is a valid reason why she is considered a better pick compared to Harbor, a newer Agent that can offer similar vision-blocking abilities.
During the defense, your main objective as Viper is to provide your team with a Toxic Screen (E) on A that will help them defend it better while you use your Poison Cloud (Q) on B to stop and stall pushes. Utilize her Snake Bite (C) abilities to stall pushes further, and punish the Spike planter on the other team.
In the attacking half, it’s always better to use Viper’s Toxic Screen on B, even though your team might decide to go to the other site. This prevents the opponents from getting information and stacking a site. You will also be responsible for controlling mid with a Poison Cloud (Q).
Sage
As we have mentioned before, Icebox is one of the only maps where having Sage is a viable option. In most cases, replacing her with a second Initiator or Duelist makes more sense. However, Icebox’s unique map design and open areas make Sage’s barrier highly valuable for stopping pushes, planting the Spike and even defusing it.
During the attacking half, your job as Sage is to go behind your teammates and then put down your wall with Barrier Orb (C) to provide cover while planting the Spike. Slow Orbs (Q) should be used to slow down retakes.
On defense, you can place down your wall inside the tube or stop A pushes. If you manage to have it saved in the late rounds, using it to defuse the Spike is an excellent strategy.
Killjoy
Due to the verticality of Icebox, Cypher isn’t the best Sentinel on this map. Moreover, Chamber and Deadlock’s weaknesses compared to other Sentinels prevents them from being in the meta. Therefore, Killjoy is the best Sentinel to use on Icebox to get early information and hold down sites.
On defense, Killjoy is best used to hold down B and also get information on mid. Her Turret (E) could be placed on B, either on top site or top tube, to get information on pushing enemies. Having an Alarmbot (Q) inside the tube allows you to have information on lurking enemies and lets your team play heavily on A.
Killjoy’s Turret does an excellent job to get information on flank. Her Nanoswarms (C) are used to prevent defuses. However, her most powerful utility is the Lockdown (X), which clears an extensive area of a map.
Check out our Agent comp guides on other maps, including Breeze, Split, and Valorant’s most recent map, Sunset.