Every agent in VALORANT carries an assigned function, both as a duelist, initiator, controller, or sentinel. But the dynamic of the sport on the highest stage reveals much more hidden roles—maybe none so coveted because the in-game chief.
In-game leaders (or IGLs) have quite a lot of duty on their shoulders. Their job is to formulate methods and direct their teammates the place to go, taking the lead at each level within the recreation. Uncooked goal and a excessive kill depend aren’t at all times required from an IGL—so long as they lead their group to victory.
Studying to be an IGL is a course of that includes understanding the ins and outs of each side of VALORANT. We’ve outlined some suggestions for beginning your journey as an IGL, and in addition consulted the experience of among the finest within the recreation—DRX’s Kim “stax” Gu-taek.
“The IGL’s function at DRX is to rapidly analyze the opponents’ playstyle and provides our group an opportunity to strategy the sport in a neater vogue,” stax informed Dot Esports. “My function is to ensure the group is ready to maximize our potential in recreation.”
In different phrases, the IGL places all the items of the puzzle collectively to present their group the very best probability of successful. Being an IGL is way from simple, however there are some things you are able to do to get began heading in the right direction.
Tip One: Know the sport
It is advisable to have a good elementary understanding of VALORANT earlier than you even try and information your group in the proper course every spherical. This implies you need to be caught up on not solely each agent’s talents and each map’s design but additionally how completely different parts of the sport work collectively to create an optimum technique.
For instance, you need to know off the highest of your head that Sova’s Hunter’s Fury final is among the greatest counters within the recreation to Killjoy’s Lockdown. So should you instruct your Killjoy participant to position her Lockdown to enter right into a website, however the different group has a Hunter’s Fury prepared, you must count on the power to be countered instantly.
Remembering small issues like this and having this intuitive recreation information is what guides IGLs in the proper course for calls which are made in the midst of a match. Bigger meta methods and big-picture executions are a distinct story, however if you wish to check out calling the photographs in a ranked recreation, for instance, understanding fundamental talents and their interactions is a should.
So how are you going to start racking up all of this in depth VALORANT information? The reply, so simple as it sounds, is to simply proceed enjoying the sport. The extra hours you’ve gotten, the extra you’ll know. But, there are definitely extra environment friendly methods of enjoying than others. Listen every spherical to your group member’s and opponent’s talents, potential weapon loadout, and positional methods. It doesn’t enable you to study the sport should you’re insta-locking Reyna and going off by your self each spherical.
It’s also possible to do some studying exterior of the sport to familiarize your self with widespread methods, particularly these primarily utilized by brokers you don’t play your self.
Tip Two: Be Assured
Confidence is a key trait for robust in-game leaders. When you doubt your self and your decision-making, how will you persuade your group to observe your calls? Although this seems completely different in an informal ranked recreation, in a delegated group setting confidence is a should. You’re setting an instance of management on your teammates.
“I feel IGLs should have a assured thoughts,” stax stated. “When you make a name, persist with it even when it fails. Don’t blame your self if it goes incorrect, however relatively study from it and play much more confidently instantly after.”
Having confidence doesn’t imply you at all times assume your calls are the be-all-end-all, or that you just blame your teammates when a method doesn’t work out.
A key ingredient of confidence stax outlines is persistence. Even when your technique doesn’t work out one time, you must maintain considering and innovating by means of misplaced rounds. If you’re the chief, you merely can’t hand over.
As well as, stax emphasised that the mentality of an IGL is strikingly essential in additional than only one approach. Along with being assured within the choices that you just make, you additionally must know that you’re the proper particular person for the job.
“It issues the way you strategy it,” stax stated. “When you assume that IGLing is straightforward, you may discover it fluid. However should you inform your self that it’s a laborious function, then it’s possible you’ll hinder your self on this spot.”
Doubting your self in a management function is a quick observe to undermining your personal success. At its core, the function of IGL shouldn’t be simple. However should you assume that it’s, it would assist choices come extra naturally to you.
Tip Three: Communication is essential
The top of management in a tactical recreation like VALORANT is communication. Your calls must be clear and concise. There must be no doubts left within the thoughts of your teammates as to what their function is in each the bigger scheme of the group but additionally in every second of each spherical.
“IGLs should have glorious communication abilities,” stax stated. “Not solely do you must discuss rather a lot, however you even have to ensure what you say goes by means of to your group.”
It is advisable to name talents and positions with velocity and accuracy, whereas additionally ensuring that your teammates actually hear what you’re saying. And no, we don’t imply “Please ensure that your microphone is related to Discord,” we imply that it issues how you say issues simply as a lot as what you say.
As well as, stax additionally talked about that in-game leaders want to speak a lot. When you’re on the shy facet, this function is perhaps harder for you. Not unattainable, however you’ll should get used to listening to the sound of your personal voice rather a lot. Whereas each group environment is completely different, the IGL must be speaking essentially the most.
Stax additionally emphasised another essential facet of speaking while you’re within the management seat—even should you don’t know what to do, don’t cease. “Even when you’re caught, you’ll be able to’t falter, and roughly endure each ups and downs all through the matches,” he stated.
No match goes to be good. You’ll make errors, you’ll make unhealthy calls, and also you may even ship your teammates straight to their deaths. But these ups and downs are simply part of enjoying VALORANT, a recreation the place the end result is so closely dictated by momentum.
Being an in-game chief is a job that takes plenty of time and follow to do properly. A very powerful tip we may give you is to not hand over.
Concerning the writer
