Split is a challenging map demanding absolute teamwork, patience, and strategy to snitch victory.
Split might not be a community favorite map, but the map itself has many unique characteristics. Many professional teams have taken advantage of the map’s special attributes in the past. Teams like Team Liquid & Sentinels have decimated their opponents in Split in multiple VCT events through uncommon agent compositions and highly thought-out strategies.
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Although you might not be getting a full stacked Team Liquid lobby in your next ranked game, you can still settle on a promising agent for your playstyle. Choosing the ideal agent is crucial, especially for ranked matches where your teammates are less likely to be reliable. Even outside of ranked matches, practicing a particular agent for a long time will deliver the best possible result.
Also, playing with different agents at times will give you a broader perspective of the mindset of other players. Ultimately, it’ll contribute to your overall game sense and ability to stay calm under pressure. In this guide for Split, we will discuss and rate agents based on their abilities, utilities & team values.
Best agents for Split
Duelist
- S-Tier: Raze, Jett
- A-Tier: Phoenix
- B-Tier: Reyna
- C-Tier: Yoru
Raze & Jett
Through her incredible arsenal of utilities, Raze can make things uncomfortable for her foes in Split. Raze’s Paint Shells & Boom Bot are generally the best options for clearing choke points and forcing defenders out of common positions. The best part about Raze in Split is her Ultimate ability; Showstopper, unlike other maps, Split offers the most value for this specific ability due to its short size. Jett fulfills the tasks of a dedicated Operator. Through her Tail Wind and Updraft, Jett is quickly able to shoot and relocate in Split while dealing with enemies simultaneously.
Phoenix
Phoenix once again occupies our A-Tier. Split has close conjunctions, multiple choke points, narrow corners, and corridors. Clearing them easy is a difficult task. Phoenix’s Curve Ball is a huge helping hand in that manner. Additionally, his Blaze and Run It Back abilities offer good cover for the team.
Reyna
Although Reyna and Phoenix have many things in common, her inability to support and lead a team through her utilities is painful in Split. Reyna can go all out and frag on her own, but when it comes to teamwork, Reyna offers very little in terms of abilities or utilities.
Yoru
Yoru’s newfound fame in recent VCT matches does prove some points, but he is still not ready for Split and its obstacles. Individual players might benefit from studying Yoru for a long time, but for the majority of the player base, playing Yoru in Split is a gamble.
Controller
- S-Tier: Astra, Omen
- A-Tier: Viper
- B-Tier: Brimstone
Astra & Omen
Astra in Split is a true overkill. Her Nova Pulse, Nebula, and Gravity Well are equally robust on this map to flush out opponents. Astra can blow a hole through the toughest of defenses. Astra’s Cosmic Divide is so effective on Split that it can almost guarantee a round when the teamwork is solid. Omen, however, offers a different approach to the situation. Omen’s Dark Cover & Paranoia are extremely useful in Split. Additionally, omen’s Lurking potential in Split is formidable.
Viper
Although a Controller, Viper can perform the tasks of a Sentinel on this map. Her Poison Cloud and Snake Bite can bring massive advantages while defending sites. Similarly, Viper’x Toxic screen and Ultimate are also equally capable of securing rounds on the attacking side.
Brimstone
Compared to the dynamic abilities offered by Astra or Viper, Brimstone falls short due to his one-dimensional abilities. Although capable of brute-forcing through enemy defenses, Brimstone’s abilities are not impressive enough for the current meta.
Sentinel
- S-Tier: Killjoy
- A-Tier: Sage
- B-Tier: Cypher
Killjoy
Killjoy has all the abilities required to uphold sites in Split. Besides that, while attacking, Killjoy’s Lockdown is a one-way ticket to enter any sites with relative ease. Also, anchoring sites with Killjoy is a decent way to fight against well-coordinated opponents. During the First Strike event in December, players like 100T Steel showed us the true potential of Killjoy on this map.
Sage
Sage’s Barrier Orb is an outstanding utility to take early-mid controls while defending. Likewise, she can also block incoming charges with her Slow Orb. Unlike other Sentinels, Sage’s Resurrection and Healing Orb makes her more unique and efficient.
Cypher
Cypher’s can gather information, defend sites and play offensive when required. Even though Killjoy offers more value than Cypher on Split, many professional teams are still relying on Cypher and his abilities in VCT tournaments. After the release of Patch 3.0, Cypher received a heavy nerf; even after that, he is still capable of turning the tides of a match.
Initiator
- S-Tier: Skye
- A-Tier: Kay/O
- B-Tier: Breach
- C-Tier: Sova
Skye
Skye can carry out a plethora of responsibilities on Split. While in the offense, her Guiding Light and Trailblazer can gather information about the opponent and make room for movement at the same time. Simultaneously, she can heal wounded teammates and initiate a round with maximum effectiveness.
Kay/O
While Kay/O doesn’t particularly shine on other VALORANT maps, the agent’s strongest arena is definitely in Split. Kay/O’s Duelist-like attributes also help to bring more dynamics in agent compositions. Utilities like Flash/drive, Frag/ment, and Zero/point can provide early-round advantages by driving out enemies from encamped locations.
Breach
Mid control in Split is crucial to guarantee map control. Without sufficient map control, winning a map of Split becomes a hefty task. Breach’s After Shock & Fault Line are normally used to clear ways for the rest of the team. The Flashpoint and Rolling Thunder are very effective due to the short size of bombsites in Split.
Sova
Sova’s utilities don’t really make much sense in Split. His Owl Drone might be useful in specific moments, but the Recon Bolt won’t giveaway enemy locations much easier. Similarly, his Shock Bolts are extremely hard to utilize too. Sova’s Ultimate ability is also not a reliable way to neutralize anything on this map.
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Split has a reputation for sheltering dark horse teams in VCT. Once a team or player figures out Split’s formula to win, they become a formidable force. In the case of Team Heretics during First Strike, they put an end to G2’s triumph in Europe on this very map. However, based on your preference, trying out agents like Skye, Raze, Killjoy or Astra will develop your skill ceilings. Similarly, keeping track of popular agent compositions will make you more aware of what agent to choose in your next ranked match.