Valorant's Least Played Agent: Who Is It – And Why?

The least played Valorant character is still a valuable part in pro play!

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Viper is considered a niche choice. ©Riot Games

Valorant by Riot Games has rapidly gained traction in the esports scene, becoming increasingly popular. With a variety of characters to choose from, each with unique traits that emphasize teamwork, this tactical shooter has received praise from millions of players worldwide.

However, among the vast selection of distinctive Agents, one character stands out for being less frequently chosen: Viper. In this article, we will delve into the reasons why Viper is the least-played character in Valorant and discuss whether she deserves more attention.

Who Is Viper?

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Viper possesses a respectable skill set but is overshadowed by other Agents. ©Riot Games

Viper is one of the original Agents introduced with the launch of Valorant. She is a toxicologist who excels in controlling and manipulating poison to gain an advantage. Viper's kit consists of abilities centered around her toxic themes, including a ground-based cloud and a screen that can divide a site in half, both obstructing enemy vision.

She also wields a poison grenade for damaging enemies, while her ultimate ability, Viper's Pit, creates a substantial area of toxic gas that impairs vision and inflicts ongoing damage. As a Controller, Viper excels at defensively securing sites or making swift entries.

Why Viper Is The Least Played Character

Despite her unique abilities, Viper remains the least-played character in Valorant.

Too complex

Viper, as a Controller, depends heavily on resources, making it difficult to grasp her abilities at first. Timing her poison wall, poison cloud, and using grenades effectively in post-plant situations adds to the challenge of mastering her. As a result, many players choose not to invest the time and effort required to learn her abilities.

Too immobile

Viper lacks the fancy movement abilities of other characters like Omen's teleporter, Jett's dash, Chamber's rendezvous, Neon's sprint, Raze's satchel, or even Sage's wall that let them reach various locations. As a result, she is often seen as less exciting to play and faces challenges when it comes to flanking or catching enemies off guard.

Limited range

If you don't position yourself well, Viper's poison cloud and toxic screen don't reach very far. You also need to practice your aim to throw her poison grenade accurately. Viper is mostly suited for holding down a specific area, which makes it difficult for her to engage enemies who are far away.

Limited flexibility

Viper is a character who doesn't move around much. For instance, once you set up her toxic screen, you can't relocate it for the entire round. While the poison cloud can be retrieved, doing so exposes you to risks. If the enemy changes their position, you'll be at a significant disadvantage and have to rely solely on your aiming skills.

Should Viper Get More Attention?

Although Viper may not be a popular choice, she can be an excellent pick in the right hands. When used correctly, her abilities can be devastating, allowing her to control and manipulate areas of the map like no other Controller can.

Viper is a great option for players who enjoy a strategic and methodical play style, and she can bring valuable assets to any team. In professional play, she plays a central role in the current meta, which is dominated by two Controllers. Unfortunately, this means that more nerfs are likely on the way for Viper.

Additionally, Viper is an excellent counter pick Agent. As a Controller with numerous ways to disrupt visibility, she's the perfect counter for characters like Jett or Chamber. Her Poison Cloud instantly denies healing abilities, causing problems for characters such as Sage, Reyna, and Skye, as their healing-over-time effects are immediately stopped.

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Viper's Ultimate ability, Viper's Pit, can be used to force enemy teams to either rotate, allowing your team to set up beforehand, or compel them to engage in dire circumstances. Despite being one of the least played characters in ranked matches, Viper has recently undergone some changes. She can't maintain Viper's Pit for as long as she could in the past, and both her Poison Cloud and Toxic Wall have longer recovery times. These adjustments require Viper players to be more strategic when utilizing her toolkit.

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Viper’s skill set may lack certain areas where other Agents excel. I ©Riot Games

Viper is currently the least played character in Valorant due to several factors, including her complexity, lack of mobility, limited range, and inflexibility. However, despite these limitations, she is still a powerful Agent in capable hands and can be a valuable asset to any team. She possesses unparalleled control and manipulation abilities on the map and can counter other popular characters in the game.

Furthermore, Riot Games has made changes to Viper's kit to enhance her viability, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring that all characters in Valorant are enjoyable and effective to play. So, if you're seeking a more strategic and methodical play style, give Viper a try and see how her poisonous abilities can be used to control the battlefield.

With her skills and importance in pro play, you could say "Viper is a 10, but..." same goes for Jedi Survivor:

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