October 5, 2023
A good Valorant player must know how to communicate! Like any team-based shooter, Valorant has its own lingo when it comes to maneuvering around the map. You may have heard terms like “entry fragger” or “counter strafe” that have left you wondering what was going on.
It may take a little time to fully grasp what is going on in the heat of battle. However, this guide will help explain what “economy” is and how to keep your team from yelling at you when you’re not “shift walking.”
Ace
When one player gets all five kills in a round, they get an ace. It is common to see other teammates back off to let them get the ace rather than let someone else get the kill. So don’t be the person who steals the ace!
A team ace is when all the players on a team each gets a kill in during the round.
Counterstrafe
This technique takes advantage of the movement to make a shot more accurate. The first bullet out of your weapon is always more accurate. Counter strafing is the result of a player stopping their movement with either the ‘A’ key or ‘D’ key and then immediately changing direction. When a weapon is fired during the midpoint of this action, before you start to move in the other direction, it helps the aim become more consistent.
Cubby
A small nook or cutout in a wall where a player can wait for an enemy to cross their path. There are usually multiple cubbies per site and map, so it is ideal for learning the maps to know best where an enemy may be hiding. This could be the difference between a win or a loss when you hear a teammate call “cubby.”
Double Up
This requires two players, usually defenders, to stack on the same spot to try and overwhelm a peeking enemy.
It is best to stack where there is a quick exit option so one player can rotate if needed while the other stays behind to defend. A common stacking site is on the map “Split,” where the middle area contains a long line of sight. Stacking here will give them an advantage of starting the round without having to peek.
Double Swing
An aggressive move where two players swing out from cover to try and force a pick or trade. This can be used offensively as a first peek strategy or defensively when outnumbered to try and win quickly.
Two targets can overwhelm the opposing team and cause some players to hesitate or focus fire which will give you or your teammate the opportunity to pick them off.
Economy (Econ)
The money a player has access to and how they distribute it. This is affected by kills, plants, assists, and round wins for each round. If you aren’t cautious in your spending, it can cost you the ability to purchase higher-tier weapons during pivotal rounds.
A common tactic is to start a round with a pistol and loot higher tier weapons like an Operator or Vandal from enemy players to improve your team’s econ. You can also work with your teammates and pick up discarded weapons when a teammate upgrades instead of buying your own to help save credits.
Entry Fragger
A role usually taken by a duelist character. The entry fragger will lead the team in a fight by being the first one in. This role usually comes with a high death rate, but a successful run can open up a space for their team and try to get a trade on the way down.
Force Rotate
Applying pressure to one of the bomb sites forces the other team to react to your play to pull opposition from another site. This is usually done as a feint, so a smaller faction of the team can plant at the soon-to-be-vacated site.
Frag/Pick
A kill can be called a frag or pick, depending on preference.
Full Buy
Usually done when you have enough economy for a late-round rifle, full shield, and all of your abilities. Full buys usually occur after the first three rounds after teams have saved up the economy through the pistol and mid-price weapon rounds.
Heaven/Hell
A term used to differentiate high and low spots on maps. Maps with a sniper nest or somewhere a player can camp from both high and low ground will have this term used a lot.
A common tactic for defense is to split resources between watching heaven and watching an entry point. On the other hand, offensive teams usually like to take heaven early to eliminate the enemy team’s advantage from that angle to take the high ground for themselves.
Hookah
The short side position near the b site on bing. It’s a small room across from the teleporter exit that allows the attacks on high ground on b site.
Molly
A throwable ability that lingers. Killjoy’s nanoswarm or Phoenix’ throwable fire could be considered Molly. It is a play on the word molotov since it is like a grenade, but it has an afterburn, space-clearing effect.
Money in the Bank
Building up money to help your teammates. A team that has won a few rounds will not need to resupply as often which leads to an excess of econ, which caps at 9000. Richer players will usually buy for the ones who have died in previous rounds.
You can build up your money by buying cheap weapons, a light shield, and minimal abilities.
The first step to becoming a great player is learning the lingo. This guide will help you understand what is going on and help you decipher different calls you are likely to hear about during a round.