The ability to take and win duels sits at the very core of being a successful VALORANT player, so you have to ask yourself, what exactly goes into being able to accomplish that consistently? How do the best players in the game take advantage of those 1v1 victories? In this article, we will explore just that, breaking it down into 7 key tips that can help you win all of your duels while converting on those wins to impact the overall round.

Purpose of the Duel

One of the most important aspects of taking a duel in VALORANT is understanding the purpose of the duel you’re about to take. You will want to make sure that you are taking risks at the right time, so try to avoid taking bad fights in the first place. This means taking into account the areas of the map that your duel impacts and how it will assist your team in taking control of that area. You will also want to consider what utility you may have that your team would need in the round if you were to get yourself eliminated.

For example, let’s say that you’re playing a controller; your team may rely on your smokes to execute a strat later on in the round. If you were to be eliminated in a duel early in the round, your team could be disadvantaged without your smoke. Taking those duels early on is a bad decision since losing it removes your team’s options if you lose that duel, preventing you from upholding your responsibilities in that specific role.

When you have a good comprehension on the purpose of the duel you’re taking, you can make a more informed decision about when and where you should engage the enemy. This can help to avoid unnecessary risks while also increasing your chance to win all of your duels, securing control of the map each time. As a good rule of thumb, always ensure that you’re taking duels that will provide more map control in your team’s favor.

In addition to understanding the purpose of the duel, it’s also crucial to communicate the outcome of the fight and what that means to your team. This way, if you win the duel, you can make a decision with your team on what to do next.

For example, you may decide to move forward and fight for more space or retreat to play to your advantage and hold the area that you have just won. Alternatively, you may decide to rotate to where the enemy may have left, which will allow you to catch them off guard, seizing control of another section of the map.

When you have a clear plan after taking duels, you will be able to better capitalize on the fight you just won or recover after the fight was lost. If you did lose the duel, you would need to communicate this to your team as well. This can help your teammates adjust their strategies and make better decisions to proceed without factoring you into that round.

Effective communication is key to making the duels that you take worthwhile, as it allows your team to work together and make informed decisions as a team. When you communicate the outcome of your duels and work together to make decisions, you can increase your chances of winning more fights and ultimately securing the win for your team.

Understanding Your Weapons

Having a good understanding of your weapon is another critical factor that will help you win all of your duels. Different weapons excel in different situations, and understanding these situations will help you take fights on your own terms.

For close-quarters battles, SMGs and shotguns are going to be ideal. These weapons deal massive damage at close range and can often drop opponents in just a few shots while also providing more mobility to the user. We would suggest using smokes and flashes to close the distance and catch opponents off-guard to set yourself up for success in these fights. You never want to take a Spectre into a long-range aim duel, as you’ll basically guarantee a loss for yourself.

On the flip side of that, walking into a smoke with your Vandal on the enemy save round could spell disaster for yourself. Additionally, you can use run-and-gun tactics to sway the odds in your favor, as you can do things like running around corners while firing to make it more difficult for your opponent to land a shot on you.

Snipers and rifles, on the other hand, excel at the medium and long ranges. These weapons can deal massive amounts of damage, and they’re also perfect for holding angles and picking off opponents at a distance. To be successful with these weapons, it’s important to avoid being too predictable in your duels. Always have a plan of escape or reposition after winning a fight, as it will help you avoid being an easy target for trade.

When you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your weapons, you can make more informed decisions about when and where to engage in your duels. This will help you take fights on your own terms while increasing your chances to win all of your duels.

Crosshair Placement

Virtually every guide you read or watch about dueling in VALORANT is going to be talking about crosshair placement, but that’s for a good reason. Having good crosshair placement is one of the keys to winning duels in the game. Not only does it improve your aim, but it also increases your reaction time, making it much easier to hit your targets. Good crosshair placement can always help you take fights more consistently, improving your ability to fight multiple targets at once.

To begin working on improving your crosshair placement, you should look for markings and objects around the map that are at head level. Boxes, lines, and architecture are good places to start, and you should practice placing your crosshair in these positions whenever possible. It’s also important to only focus on one angle at a time, as peeking out into multiple enemies can be an instant death sentence.

Pre-aiming common angles through walls is another fantastic way to improve your crosshair placement. By positioning your crosshair at the head level on an angle where an enemy may appear, you can be prepared to fire the moment they come into view. This can give you a massive advantage in duels, as you won’t need to adjust or correct your aim as much.

When you focus on your crosshair placement and practice it regularly, you can greatly improve your ability to win all of your duels in VALORANT. Whether you’re taking fights head-on or peeking around corners, good crosshair placement can make a world of difference.

Set Up for Success with Utility

One of the keys to consistently winning duels in VALORANT is making sure that there is utility preparation in every duel that you take. Depending on what agent you’re playing, the way that you approach duels is going to be different. Duelists may want to use their utility to flash, stun, or outmaneuver the enemy, while controllers may want to take the duels based on their duelists in more of a trade situation. Whatever your role is, it’s important to make sure that you have the proper utility to give yourself the advantage in each duel.

Another crucial aspect of utility prep is making sure to eliminate as many angles as possible before taking duels onto the site. For example, if you’re taking A site on Haven, you want to smoke window and consider darting the back site for information. The more information you have, the more you can focus on one engagement at a time. This can be the difference between a successful take and running into a brick wall.

It’s also important to know what duels you should take in your role. If you’re a duelist, ask your team to help you gain as many advantages as possible. If you’re a sentinel, only take duels on your own terms and preserve your life so your team has options to traverse the map safely. Remember, every duel you take should be calculated and have a specific purpose behind it. Don’t take fights just for the sake of doing it; make sure that you have a plan of action and that you’re using your utility effectively.

Movement in Duels

We may sound like a broken record here, but movement is yet another key to winning all of your duels in VALORANT. It’s important to learn how to move and counter-strafe properly to make yourself a more difficult target as you peek your angles. Counter-strafing is the act of stopping abruptly by pressing the opposite direction key and shooting immediately after, which can help your shot accuracy as well, which will give you a significant advantage in battles.

To improve at movement and counter-strafing, practice in the shooting range and in deathmatches. You can also watch Pro players to learn from their movement and positioning.

Another important factor with movement is peeking angles correctly. When you are peeking an angle, you should try to move out quickly before moving back in quickly as well. This will make it more difficult for opponents to land their shots on you.

We would also suggest practicing strafing back and forth while shooting at a target to improve your accuracy while moving. Additionally, try to incorporate jump peeks and crouch peeks into your gameplay to make yourself even more unpredictable. However, you will need to be aware that these movements can also make you more vulnerable if you’re not being cautious.

The best way to peek angles is to establish a line of sight you want to peek down and form a “strafe line” where you can swing out by either pressing the A or the D keys. You almost never want to take a fight while you’re pressing W or S since it’s extremely hard to stop, and you are moving in a straight line toward or away from the enemy.

The most common problem Low ELO players will have with their movement is the lack of establishing one duel at a time by controlling the situation with their movement. Establish that common angle and swing from right to left in order to retain good crosshair placement as well as solid movement mechanics.

Overall, improving your movement and counter-strafing can make you a more well-rounded VALORANT player, and it gives you an edge in your gunfights. Keep practicing and experimenting with different movements to see what works best with your playstyle.

Patience and Controlling Aim

Knowing when to burst and strafe instead of crouching with some spray and pray is another critical thing to consider in your duels. While spraying can be effective in certain situations, it is generally less accurate and harder to control than burst fire. Bursting involves firing a short, controlled burst of shots, allowing you to maintain accuracy and control over the recoil. Additionally, strafing or moving side-to-side while shooting can make you much harder to hit.

To practice this, try to engage in more controlled gunfights where you take your time to line up shots instead of just spraying and hoping for the best. Focus on your crosshair placement, burst with the right timing, and strafe so you’re not giving your opponent a stationary target. It may take some time to get used to, but with enough practice, you’ll find yourself winning significantly more battles.

Patience is key in any engagement in VALORANT. While it may be tempting to panic and unload a magazine as soon as you see the opponent, controlled bursts with solid accuracy will almost always be more effective. You have way more time than you might think, especially in Low ELO matches, so take your time and make your shots count.

Ultimately, remain calm and composed in your battles, as it can make all the difference. Take your time, work on your accuracy, and don’t panic when things escalate. With practice, your burst fire will improve, your ability to take shots between strafing will get better, and you’ll find that this technique will help you win all of your duels.

Aim Training

The final tip we have to help you win your VALORANT duels is to practice in aim trainers such as Aimlabs. This will help with your overall mouse control, consistency, target acquisition, and your ability to react. By practicing exercises such as 6 shot, you can improve your ability to perfect the small movements necessary when swinging angles and taking duels. Aim trainers can also help you train the muscle memory required for different types of weapons, so you can react faster with better accuracy in the heat of battle. With consistent practice in aim trainers, you can gain the edge that you need to increase your chance of coming out on top.