Controller Agents in VALORANT are generally known as “smoke Agents.” Due to their ability to cover and support their teammates with various types of smokes.
VALORANT is a role-based tactical shooter. Agents in VALORANT are equipped with distinctive abilities to perform their roles. The role of a smoke Agent is to block a certain point and provide cover. Without proper smokes, it’s easy to get eliminated by enemy Operators and Defenders.
The smoke Agents in VALORANT are mainly from the Controller role. While Brimstone, Omen & Astra are the primary smoke Agents, Viper and Harbor also do the same with different kinds of abilities. However, a few Agents from other roles also possess abilities to block off enemies’ visions.
In this guide, we’ll list the best smoke Agents based on their impact, abilities, smoke durations, and presence in competitive VALORANT.
Note: We updated the article on July 7, 2024
How Many Smoke Agents are There in VALORANT?
In VALORANT, all 6 Controller Agents are mainly considered the smoke Agents. Apart from them, Jett also has smokes in her arsenal.
Note: Cypher, Phoenix, and Neon also have abilities to block points. But in this article, we are not considering them as those who do not pass traditional ‘’smoke’’ abilities. For the same reason, Harbor’s High Tide and Viper’s Toxic Screen are out of the list.
Best Smoke Agents: Abilities and Duration
Here, we will list the best smoke Agents in VALORANT based on their ability. We will list the details of the smokes and the reason behind their ranking. However, the rank is based on the smoke’s usefulness, not the Agent’s. Meaning the agent with the most effective smoke will be ranked higher. That does not set the bar for the Agent overall.
1. Brimstone
Brimstone is the only Controller Agent you get access to when you first start VALORANT. According to the lore, Brimstone is a founding member and leader of the VALORANT Protocol. He can deliver 3 clouds of smoke known as the Sky Smokes. These smokes are dense, brown in color, and can be delivered precisely on the map with his tactical map. Once inside the smoke, players are left with minimal vision, which turns off the option to hide inside the smoke to catch someone off-guard.
Sky Smoke
Brimstone’s Sky Smoke is currently the best smoke in the game. With almost five seconds more longevity than others, the Sky Smoke feels like it lasts forever. Besides that, it creates an Obscure block that is concentrated and not hollow.
- Max cast range: 55 meters
- Radius: 4.1 meters
- Duration: 19.25 seconds
- Cost: 100 Creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Easy to use | 1. Limited range |
| 2. Smokes last longer than any other smoke in the game | 2. Comparatively smaller smoke radius |
| 3. Costs cheaper than any other smoke in the game | |
| 4. Can cast up to 3 smokes at once |
2. Astra
Astra is a member of the Astral Guardian who can manipulate space itself using her Radiant powers. She is the 16th Agent to join the VALORANT protocol. Her smoke is designated as “Nebula.” Nebula’s outline and color are inspired by the stars & outer galaxies. She enters into Astral form to place her stars anywhere on the map. Astra can instantly activate a star to turn into Nebula to work as a Vision Blocker.
Nebula
Astra can activate Nebula anywhere on the map, placing her stars. Although Nebula lasts a lot less than Brimstone’s Sky Smoke, it is still on par with Dark Cover. Moreover, she doesn’t have any range limit like Omen or Brimstone. Astra has a bit more of a learning curve among all the smoke agents. But once you master her, she can be a nuisance for your opponents.
- Max cast range: Full map
- Radius: 4.75 meters
- Duration: 14.25 seconds
- Cost: 150 Creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Can precisely place anywhere on the map | 1. Hard to master |
| 2. Has limited cooldown. So, you can use smokes more than once in a round | |
| 3. Can fake enemies using stars and smokes |
3. Omen
Omen is a mysterious figure with a tragic backstory. He is the first Radiant to join the VALORANT Protocol. Omen’s smoke is known as Dark Cover. He enters the mirror counterpart of the map he is currently on to cast the smoke. With a Violet outline and a hollow inside, the Dark Cover allows for a good amount of flexibility.
Dark Cover
Omen’s Dark Cover is not less effective by any means. Nevertheless, the range limit and a slightly shorter smoke duration give him the third position in our list.
- Max cast range: 80 meters
- Radius: 4.1 meters
- Duration: 15 seconds
- Cost: 150 Creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Does not need a lineup. Can place anywhere accurately within 80 meters range | 1. Cannot place two smokes at once |
| 2. Smokes have cooldown. So, you can reuse them after a certain period of time | 2. Not that easy for use if you’re new to Omen |
| 3. Smokes are transparent inside. Good opportunities for Omens to lurk or teleport inside |
4. Viper
Viper is also a controller agent, even though her abilities are different from the previous three. She is a scientist focused on the use of toxicants. Her primary ability is a wall that also blocks off the vision. But the smoke in her arsenal is the Poison Cloud. Viper throws a gas emitter and activates it to create a green cloudy ball full of toxin gas. This ability deactivates when the fuel is empty. Viper can always reactivate the smoke upon recharging the toxin bar.
Poison Cloud
Viper’s Poison Cloud has a great ability to block off an angle. But it is limited by the fuel consumption. Also, you may need to learn some lineups and use it effectively. However, its damage ability provides an upper hand over Harbor’s Cove.
- Max cast range: Lineup based (medium-long-range)
- Radius: 4.5 meters
- Max Duration: 15 s
- Cost: 200 Creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Can use for a longer duration | 1. Can be used for a longer duration |
| 2. Can throw really far, using a lineup | 2. Has only one charge |
| 3. Reusable after a cooldown time |
5. Clove
From a completely smoke perspective, Clove is not a great Agent compared to most Controller Agents in the game. However, Clove can use their smoke even after their death, which makes them really valuable in a team.
- Max cast range: 55 meters
- Radius: 4.72 meters
- Duration: 13.5 seconds (includes 0.75-second formation time)
- Cost: 150 creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Easy to use | 1. Lasts only 13.5 seconds |
| 2. Can use nearby, even after death | 2. Can be used only in short-medium range |
| 3. Reusable after a cooldown time |
6. Harbor
Harbor is similar to Viper in terms of abilities. His primary ability also works as a wall that can slow enemies. However, Harbor also equips Cove, which effectively works as a smoke. The Cove is a large sphere of water shield that Harbor can throw to cast. Apart from blocking vision, it can also block bullets till a certain damage point.
Cove
Just like the Poison Cloud, Cove is a throwable. But its range is much shorter. Even lineups won’t take you much further. Its use is mainly limited to creating temporary cover for situations like defusing or planting the spike. It may be less effective than smoke, but it can still do the job.
- Max cast range: Lineup based (short-medium range)
- Radius: 4.5 meters
- Max Duration: 15 s
- Cost: 350 Creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Can be beneficial for planting or defusing the Spike | 1. Costs 3x the Omen and Astra’s smokes |
| 2. Can not be thrown in longer distances |
7. Jett
Jett is a Duelist. But she is equipped with a self-defensive smoke known as Cloudburst. She can throw and control the trajectory of the Cloudburst. Compared to the Controller’s smokes, Jett’s Cloudburst is not that durable. But it is still a smoke and serves like one.
Cloudburst
Jett is the only agent in our list who is not a controller. Cloudburst is more useful for her self-defense than covering for her teammates. Well, it can still do that, but the duration is too short, and the point needs to be in Jett’s line of sight.Therefore, it lies at the bottom of our smoke list.
- Max cast range: N/A
- Radius: 4.5 meters
- Max Duration: 2.5 s
- Cost: 200 Creds
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Can be used for fast entries | 1. Short duration |
| 2. Costs 200 Creds | |
| 3. Difficult to block off certain angles from far distance |
Final Verdict
VALORANT is entirely based on teamwork and coordination. Picking a smoke Agent will require you to be communicative, responsible & cautious. Unlike the Duelists tasked with entry fragging, a Controller Agent must act smart and deliver smokes where necessary. It’s not always up to individual skill levels and prowess; playing a Controller requires you to think critically. So, based on your team composition and map, choose your smoke Agent wisely.
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