In Valorant, you have the choice of several agents, each bringing their own strengths and weaknesses. Phoenix’s abilities remind one of a CS:GO soldier and can create quite a chaos for the enemy team. Learn everything here about his nasty fire tricks and some good tactics.
Who is Phoenix? The duelist from the tough shooter Valorant loves playing with fire and is full of confidence. He is one of the starter agents and plays most like a classic shooter soldier with his skill set.
This fiery agent relies entirely on your gunplay skills. Although his skills can deal damage, they work better as cover or to scare opponents out of hiding spots. With his tricks, you can gain a brief but strong advantage in the fight, but you also need to secure the kills.
On top of that, he has strong self-healing powers. With his Molotov (Hot Hands) and the Firewall, he can heal himself, and his ultimate ability is a true respawn.
What role does he play in the team? As a duelist, Phoenix is always on the front lines and is expected to ensure a successful entry into the fight. He works best with an initiator like Sova, who provides him with the positions of the enemies, so he can start the fight with his flash grenade (Nasty Toss).
Here you can find some tips & tricks for the fiery daredevil Phoenix, one of the best agents of the Valorant beta.
Phoenix – Strong Front Agent with a Flair for Gunplay
Is Phoenix right for me? The duelist is suited for aggressive players who are always looking for the next kill. You are the first the opponents encounter and hopefully the last they see in this round. If you prefer to pull the strings from the background or are into precise sniper kills, you’d better choose one of the other agents.
But even though Phoenix focuses on offense – Valorant is a tactical game, and you shouldn’t always go in headfirst through the Firewall. However, when action is required, you should be ready to step up first with Phoenix to give your team an early advantage in the round.
Phoenix gives you the opportunity to outsmart your opponent and dictate your playstyle. However, you must always be ready to take the next step yourself and still keep a cool head.
Agent with Abilities like a CS:GO Soldier
Timing and communication are key to successfully playing with Phoenix. Learn the quirks of his abilities and use them efficiently. Here are the functions and some tips for using Phoenix’s fire tricks.
Passive Ability – Fire Healing
What does this skill do? Phoenix can heal himself using his damage abilities. “Hot Hands” and “Firewall” restore hit points to the duelist and prepare him for the next firefight.
How strong is the healing? The healing strength of the abilities is inversely proportional to their damage potential. “Hot Hands” deals more damage to the opponent but heals less. While the Firewall heals you heavily, it causes only minor damage to enemies:
- Healing from Hot Hands: 39
- Healing from Firewall: 69
Do my abilities heal teammates? No, it’s a pure self-healing skill. In fact, you even damage your teammates if you set them on fire.
Hot Hands – E-Skill
How do you get this skill? All Valorant agents have a signature ability that automatically charges each round, and for Phoenix, it is “Hot Hands”.
What does Hot Hands do? The ability is comparable to a Molotov cocktail and leaves a burning area at the impact site for about 4 seconds. It is Phoenix’s strongest damage ability.
When you activate the skill on E, you will be shown two throwing variants: “Normal” and “Lob.” When you throw the fireball normally, the projectile flies with good momentum and fairly straight in the desired direction. With the secondary throw, you have the option to throw the fireball in a high arc over nearby walls or the like.
What is this skill good for? Essentially, you have 3 application possibilities here:
- Dealing damage to enemies in the area
- Blocking a zone to restrict enemy movement
- Using the flames for self-healing
However, you should only use the skill to force a trapped enemy out of cover or for self-healing. Blocking a zone with it on a hunch or using the fire circle to block a passage usually isn’t worth it. Other agents are better at that, and Phoenix can calmly heal himself.
What creative applications does this skill offer? Grenades with AoE effects provide many interesting opportunities to outsmart or scare away enemies. Despite the relatively straight flight path of this nasty projectile, you can reach almost any point close by.
The ball will fly for a maximum of 3 seconds through the air and then crash directly onto the ground. This way, you can throw over cover and, with a little practice, achieve precise hits. While the enemy won’t be taken out, they often leave their position, allowing you to strike at the right moment.
What you need to keep in mind: The burning area also damages your teammates. If you want to use the skill for support in a fight, be mindful of your allies’ positions. Even if you throw the ball on the ground in front of you to grab some healing, take into account your comrades. The enemies will take more damage than your allies.
Nasty Toss – Q-Skill
What does Nasty Toss do? It is a classic flashbang. Players hit by the “flash beams” are severely blinded for nearly 2 seconds and can see nothing. Simply turning away does not help at all. The flash effect is weakened by this, but still affects vision for a moment. Blinded enemies can be recognized by a yellow marker above their heads.
Activate this skill with Q, and the game gives you 2 directions. Left mouse click for left, right for right. The small burning ball flies around the corner like a curveball. You cannot influence its flight path, only the direction. You can also throw it upwards, for example.
How do you obtain this skill? You must purchase this ability for 100 credits in the match shop. You can carry a maximum of 2 of these nasty flashbangs.
What is this skill good for? With the flashbang, you force the enemy into an uncomfortable position.
- They have to dodge the ball and rethink
- The opponent accepts the blinding and is briefly unprotected or can only shoot blindly
- The enemy briefly turns around to minimize the effect and then does not know what is coming at them
You can use each of these situations to your advantage in a firefight. Remember how enemies react in different situations and learn to predict their behavioral patterns.
As with Phoenix’s other abilities, do not use the “Nasty Toss” on a hunch. Let a scout support you or blind rushing enemies.
What creative applications does this skill offer? This flashbang is a nasty toy and one of the best abilities to assist during the combat entry. If you have a rough idea of where an enemy is located, you can take them out of action for a brief moment and secure the frag.
With the right movement, you can benefit from the smaller blinding effect when turning away from the ball. Instead of waiting behind the corner, you go around the corner with the flashbang, quickly turn around, and then back. This way, you are directly in the fight and might already spot the precise position of the enemy and take them out.
What you need to keep in mind: The “Nasty Toss” also affects your teammates. A quick blind to support them in a fight is not a good idea.
Firewall – C-Skill
What does Firewall do? The ability creates a tall wall of flames that towers over every agent. The wall doesn’t deal too much damage, but is several meters long and provides reliable cover for 6 seconds, with several possible applications:
- With the long wall, you can obscure areas
- If you stand inside the wall, you receive healing
- Players standing directly in the wall are blinded
- Protects against optical abilities, such as the “Nasty Toss”
Firewall is activated with C and can then be released with a left mouse click. The wall does not appear directly, but first needs to build up to the endpoint. During this time, you can shape the wall, but you must hold the mouse button down.
If you move left or right with the crosshair, the wall’s trajectory will also change. You can even make an S shape if you move quickly left and right or draw a semicircle with a quick motion in one direction.
How do you get this skill? This blazing pleasure can be purchased in the match shop for 200 credits. You can carry one ability of this kind in each match.
What is this skill good for? The Firewall acts as a long smoke grenade and works best to cover your area of action from the gaze of curious enemies. You can block a corridor, split a room, or use the moment to take a new position. As long as you are near the wall, you even receive significant healing.
The wall also allows you to interrupt enemy advances. For example, if you are playing against another Phoenix who wants to blind you with their “Nasty Toss”, the Firewall will act like a real wall and block the flash.
What creative applications does this skill offer? Together with some scouting, this cover can work wonders. With the right mouse movement, you can secure a specific area for your team and position yourself well for an attack or shoot through the wall.
When attacking larger groups of enemies, a well-placed Firewall separates the team from each other. The enemies would have to accept a flash in order to reunite and are forced to act. You can then target the isolated prey.
What you need to keep in mind: The Firewall damages your teammates and can blind them. When used properly, this cover becomes a strong ability with many applications. However, without a specific plan, its effect quickly dissipates, and the use is in vain.
Revenge – Ultimate
What does Revenge do? This ultimate gives you a genuine respawn. With X, you immediately mark a location, and a timer starts. If you are eliminated now or the timer runs out, you respawn at the marked location.
How do you get this skill? Like all ultimates, you cannot purchase Revenge. You must charge the “respawn” with a total of 6 points before it is ready to use. You earn points through kills, collecting ultimate orbs in the match, achieving a point at the end of a round, and placing a spike. After that, the skill remains ready to use until you use it. After use, the ultimate can charge again.
What is this skill good for? The planned respawn provides you with many possibilities and is one of the strongest ultimates in the game. You can secure and scout areas aggressively for a while and then simply respawn at the marked location.
What creative applications does this skill offer? Don’t see the respawn solely as an opportunity to secure frags. When you go into battle with the confidence of “invincibility” and encounter an enemy who is still recovering from a nasty flash, you are practically always at an advantage. Unless a pro takes you down with a headshot while philosophizing about the Phantom and Vandal.
Set a goal for your respawn attack and think about how you can make the most of this strong advantage. If you have a location where enemies are present, set the spawn, aggressively take down one of the enemies, and scout for your initiator the other opponents. Gather not only frags but also important information for your team.
What you need to keep in mind: Revenge costs you your shield. If the fight doesn’t come down to life and respawn, you will lose your shield upon resetting. However, if you don’t have full health when resetting, you will return to 100 health.
Phoenix Gameplay – Tips & Tactics for the Duelist
How should I proceed with Phoenix? Duelists are the fraggers on the team, and you need to play aggressively. Unlike the nimble duelist Jett, who provides more lone wolf gameplay, Phoenix works particularly well in a team. However, this comes with the drawback that you can also hit your allies with your abilities.
Still, make sure to get support and strengthen your team with advantages in gunfights. But always be ready to take the reins yourself. You are the killer on the team and ensure a successful entry into the fight. However, Phoenix relies heavily on your gunfight skills. He does not slow down or weaken enemies; rather, he applies pressure and shoots them down mercilessly.
If you go in too boldly and recklessly, you can quickly disadvantage your team if the opposing duelist takes you out directly. Find the balance between attacking and waiting with Phoenix, and you can become really strong with him.
If you want to see Phoenix’s tricks in action, check here:
What should I watch for with Phoenix/how can I counter him? The duelist is strong in gunfights, but he can’t do everything perfectly. There are some weaknesses that you should know as both a Phoenix player and opponent.
- If misused, the abilities quickly fizzle out. If you can provoke Phoenix, he will soon be left without skills.
- His abilities reveal his position. If the enemy sees the flight path or effect direction, they know Phoenix’s position.
- Since you can see where, for example, the flashbang is coming from, you can effectively block the possible attack path with automatic weapons. Simply spray a few bursts in the direction despite the flash or Firewall.
- His abilities can blind, block vision, and deal a little damage, but they only affect you briefly. If Phoenix and his team do not capitalize during this time, they need a new strategy quickly.
How does Phoenix function in a team? You ensure a good entry into firefights and are expected to weaken the enemy with your solid abilities. Let yourself be supported by an initiator or tactician.
The duelist can be quite strong as a lone wolf, but with the right support, he becomes truly powerful. Always go in pairs, communicate the enemy’s positions, and set accents at the right moment.
As a team, take advantage of his strong ultimate and try to charge it as quickly as possible. When playing defense, always grab the ultimate orb with Phoenix. Even if there are no kills, after 3 rounds, you will have your first respawn, and with the “Revenge”, you can significantly influence the round.
Which agent goes well with Phoenix? All agents that can help Phoenix scout enemy positions and put even more pressure on the foes enhance the fiery duelist’s gameplay.
- Sova – The scout can share enemy positions with the team better than any other agent and provides Phoenix with the information he needs to initiate his attack plan. A great agent to start with in Valorant.
- Viper – The nasty snake strategist can block large areas with her attacks and push the enemies in the desired direction. Together with Phoenix’s fire attacks, one can exert great dominance.
- Cypher – This guardian helps to hold or scout enemies. A slower opponent is an easy target for a trigger-happy Phoenix, and if they are also blinded, they stand no chance.
Phoenix: Start-Setup and Suitable Weapons
What starting setup is recommended? Avoid going for an overly expensive weapon with Phoenix and instead invest in abilities. Feel free to fill your slots and invest 400 of your 800 starting credits in the match shop. This way, you can support a teammate trying to secure one-shot kills with the Sheriff.
If you want something powerful right from the start, try the Frenzy. The automatic pistol delivers quick kills at close range but has a decent range as well. Exactly your effective range.
Which weapon suits Phoenix? The choice of weapon type is often a matter of taste but should match the strengths of the agent.
Phoenix excels in close to medium-range combat but not as close as Jett, making shotguns a poor choice here. However, anything that fires automatically and possibly is quiet is fun to use with Phoenix.
- Bulldog – Strong automatic assault rifle with the option to switch to a three-shot mode via zoom. Optimal for taking precise aim at separated enemies with the “Firewall”.
- Phantom – The suppressed weapon is very expensive but also powerful. A mobile all-round assault rifle with an automatic firing mode and a zoom level.
- Spectre – A fast and relatively cheap weapon that is also silenced. A mobile, fully automatic SMG that only has some weaknesses in range and loses damage after 20 meters.
Where does Phoenix stand compared to the other agents? The duelist is considered a strong character and can be hugely helpful to his team in gunfights. In our tier list, MeinMMO ranks him in category A. He is strong but not irreplaceable. A more defensive team can also acquire flash grenades or cover from other agents.
What makes him unique and incredibly strong, however, is his ultimate. The little respawn in between can be used for attacking, scouting, and can provide an advantage in virtually any situation.
How can I get better at Valorant? The shooter can be tough and particularly frustrating in the beginning. Soak up all tips & tricks for Valorant and learn the game’s little mechanics to gain an advantage. This way, you can quickly become a valuable part of your team.
