The Ultimate Phoenix guide

Phoenix is a suave and cocky UK agent, that leaves his enemies scorched by his scolding hot fire powers and blinded by his explosive personality.Phoenix's straightforward playstyle and confident attitude have made him the favorite of many. However, as the Valorant cast has expanded and new patches have been implemented, Phoenix has fallen behind other duelists and is now one of the least picked Agents. This guide will walk you through, how to master this versatile, fiery agent and take him back to the center stage as Valorant’s number 1 duelist.

Everything you Need to Know about Phoenix

Phoenix is an aggressive frontline agent that uses his kit to disable enemies and lockdown sites. Phoenix's choice of weapons are his radiant powers, which allows him to manipulate flames into curving flash bombs that blind enemies who see them, a damaging flame wall blocking enemy sight, and a flame bomb that leaves behind a damaging AOE field.Phoenix's role in a game is to lead the push for the site with his team, clearing corners with his flash and blocking off the site using his AOE abilities.

Phoenix is a hot-headed, impulsive, and confident agent who prioritizes style and banter in a battle over all else. As a UK native, Phoenix attended school in London but was expelled after he burned down his science lab using his radiant powers. However, despite his brash and cocky attitude, Phoenix is a seasoned agent who is able to quickly adapt and get himself out of sticky situations.

Released in March 2020 during the Valorant beta, Phoenix was the 9th agent to join the Valorant ranks. With his easy-to-understand kit, and ability to self-heal, Phoenix initially became the favorite of many. However, as the Valorant meta settled and new duellists were released, Phoenix's pick rate decreased as players opted for stronger and more mobile alternatives.

Is Phoenix Right for you?

Phoenix is an aggressive trickster, perfect for those who love rushing sites and hunting for kills. His versatile kit allows, him to disable and box in his enemies, giving him a great advantage in gunfights, but also in a post-plant situation. For those who are a little less confident in their gunplay and reflexes, Phoenix can be a great starting point for new players.

Giving them a greater advantage during gunfights. For more experienced players, Phoenix's kit could be a little too limited and outmatched by other agents. But when paired with the right player, Phoenix is more than able to hold his own in higher-tier play.

Abilities

Blaze

Phoenix's blaze ability summons forth a line of fire up to 24 meters in front of him. Once the line of fire has reached its endpoint, a sight-blocking wall of flame will rise up for 8 seconds. These non-solid walls allow movement through them but will damage enemy agents for 1 damage point every 0.033 seconds they spend in the wall. Phoenix can use his passive to heal 1 point of health every 0.16 seconds when inside the wall.

• $200
• 1 charge
• 5 – 24 meters range
• 8 seconds duration
• 1 damage, per 0.033 seconds
• 1 health, per 0.16 seconds

How to Use Blaze

While blaze is an AOE tool with the ability to deal damage, its true potential lies in setting up pushes and limiting enemy sight. Similar to a smoke, blaze is a visual element that can cover your movement and separate enemies from covering one another.

However, blaze's strength over a traditional smoke lies in its length and its ability to be curved, allowing more options for pushing around dangerous corners or onto open areas such as the site. Therefore, Blaze is a tool best used to section off larger areas such as the site, close off angels, and isolate enemies from their team.

When and Where to Use Blaze

Blaze should be saved for important pushes and holds centered around the site. On attack, Phoenix should use blaze as a wall to section off a site, then pair blaze with his curveball, flashing enemies before finally pushing. Alternatively, on defense, Phoenix should use his wall as a sight denial tool around the site, aiming to shield his teammates from enemy flashes and attacks.

By using blaze to wall off before critical pushes, Phoenix severely limits his enemies' intel and insight. Out of his two AOE abilities, the blaze has the highest self-healing potential and should be used as the main form of healing when Phoenix is in trouble. By placing the wall down before a firefight, Phoenix can use its cover to heal quickly before moving back to deal damage.

Curveball

Curveball is an ability that summons a small flare orb at the tip of Phoenix's fingers. This orb acts as a flash grenade and can be shot in a curve moving forward and to the left or right. Once the orb reaches a certain distance in its curve, It will detonate, blinding all enemies that are within the sightline of the flash. Enemies can be blinded for a max of 1.1 seconds, with the duration of the blind being affected by the enemies' distance and vicinity to the flash.

• $250
• 2 charges
• 1.1 seconds max blind

How to Use Curveball

Curveball is a straightforward ability that allows Phoenix to create an entry point before pushing. By blinding and disabling enemies. Phoenix can then move in and take out an enemy holding an angle. Curveball should be used aggressively in close-quarter situations to ensure maximum blind length.

When and Where to Use Curveball

Curveball's ability to curve around corners makes it a vital tool best saved for closed environments, where Phoenix is limited in how he can move in on opponents. Sharp corners and entries to long, closed hallways are areas where this ability gets the most use.

Curveball can also be paired with a blaze to push larger areas such as the site. By using blaze as cover to section off a site and move closer, Phoenix can then send curveball through the wall, flashing enemies repositioning.

Hot Hands

Phoenix's Hot Hands ability allows him to form a ball of flames in his hands. This ball acts as a Molotov grenade, that can be thrown and bounced on walls. The ball of flames will then explode went its timer runs out or when it hits the ground.

After exploding, hot hands will create a 5-meter wide circle of fire, damaging enemies who stand on it for 1 damage every 0.176 seconds and healing Phoenix for 1 health every 0.08 seconds.

• Free
• Rechargeable
• 5-meter radius

How to use Hot Hands

Hot Hands serve as Phoenix's main area denial tool, It should be used to limit and slow the movement and push of enemies. However, with some clever line-ups, Hot Hands can also be thrown from cover and be used as a way to push enemies off important angles and site locations.

When and Where to Use Hot Hands

Hot Hands should be used in entryways and enclosed spaces where its radius allows it to cover the whole path. Its use becomes significant during the late game in a post-plant situation and early game during site defense, when Phoenix needs to limit the movement and slow the push of the enemy.

Run it back

Run it back is Phoenix's ultimate ability. Upon activation, run it back will create a respawn point that Phoenix will teleport back to after he is killed or once 10 seconds passes. During this time, Phoenix is able to deal damage to enemies and will spawn back with full health once he is killed.

• 1 charge
• 6 ultimate points
• 10-second duration

How to Use Run it back

Run it back is one of Valorants best ultimates. It gives Phoenix a lifeline, that he can use to gather intel and damage enemies without consequences. It should be used during very significant pushes, giving Phoenix the chance to locate hidden enemies on-site post-plant.

Furthermore, it's important to note that enemies can rotate to Phoenix's spawn point and kill him upon respawn. So it is essential to place the re-spawn point in a covered, safe location.

When and Where to Use Run it back

Run it back is best saved for the late game in a post-plant situation or when you need critical intel before pushing on to claim site. Run it back gives Phoenix an indispensable lifeline that, allows him to safely push into large open areas, where is much more difficult to cover all angles. It is best used when holding or pushing onto the site, where more enemies will be grouped up.

Best and Worst Agent Compositions for Phoenix

Phoenix is a very versatile duellist that can play well with the majority of agents. However, Phoenix deeply benefits from supportive play styles such as intel gathering and healing. Agents like Sova and Cypher feed Phoenix with significant intel, allowing him to save his abilities for late game and make more informed decisions when pushing site.

Agents, like Sage, can stay close to Phoenix, using their abilities to keep him alive as he engages enemies. However, When paired with other duellists or damage dealers, Phoenix can become redundant and will only act as a supportive damage dealer moving with stronger agents. While phoenix can support with his area denial and sight blocking, he is easily outperformed by controllers like Viper and brimstone.

Best and Worst Maps for Phoenix

Phoenix benefits from closed, tighter spaces where his shorter ranged abilities reach their full potential. Maps like Ascent and Haven have a lot of tighter enclosed spaces that Phoenix can flash, wall off, or burn. These areas also complement Phoenix's more aggressive playstyle, allowing him to come up close to his enemies with shotguns and assault rifles. Larger maps with more open spaces, limit the use of Phoenix's abilities, forcing him to be much more dependent on his ULT and intel gathering teammates.

Best and Worst Guns for Phoenix

Phoenix is best paired with closed-range weapons that he can pair with his curveball flashes and blaze wall. Shotguns and assault rifles are the best options, allowing Phoenix to use his flashes and wall to get close then deal a lot of quick damage. Longer ranged weapons are less compatible with this playstyle as Phoenix doesn't have the time or space to line up shots.

Attacking Tips for Phoenix

• Use phoenixes ult to scope out and weaken the site before pushing for a plant
• Use blaze to section of the site during a push, limiting available angles and separating the enemy team from each other.
• Save Hot hands for post plant situations, then use it to block site entry points.

Defending Tips for Phoenix

• Use blaze to slow and disorganize the enemy's push onto the site.
• Save Phoenixes ult for a post-plant situation, then use it to gather intel and weaken the enemies' hold on site.
• Stay close to walls and corners, where you can surprise attackers pushing aggressively.

Learn How to Set your Competition Ablaze.

Phoenix is a fairly simple agent to understand and play, he is all about aggressive plays centered around blinding and hindering enemies. Giving him and his team the advantage during Gunfights. His versatile kit allows him to play both as a duellist and partly as an area denying controller. To master Phoenix you should focus on teamwork and group fights rather than solo engagements. As a duellist it's your job to lead the way, using your abilities to create opportunities for the rest of your team.