If you are new to mouse and keyboard games, I suggest spending some time using Aimlabs or Kovaaks to improve your aim. Valorant was the first mouse and keyboard game I had ever played, and the time I put into these aim training programs early on in my experience has paid dividends and allowed me to compete in higher ranked lobbies.
One of the most important things to know in Valorant is that you should generally be walking. The game auto-binds walking to your Shift key, however, I have adjusted my keybinds to set walking as my default and I run when holding down the shift key. I suggest beginner’s try out this type of setting if they aren’t already comfortable with their current binds.
When shooting, it is important to stand still. This may be a tough lesson to learn if you’re coming from a game like Fortnite or Call of Duty. Your bullet spray/pattern gets increasingly wider if you are moving while shooting, making it very unlikely you’ll be able to hit your shots.
Abilities are just as important as good aim. Train in custom matches to learn how to use abilities properly. (Keep an eye out for future Valorant content where I highlight how to use each Agent and the best Agent’s for each map.)
Always keep your crosshair in line with where an enemy's head would be. Headshots do significantly more damage, so it is important that your first shot is always at the enemy's head. This was something that took me a little while to get used to when I first started, but is key to winning your 1 v 1s.
Communication is key. One of the main aspects new players struggle with is learning location names. Studying map location names / nicknames is critical to helping your team win the round and relay information.
Coordinate “full-buy” rounds with your teammates. You only are given a certain amount of money to spend each round on weapons and abilities. If a team is not in-sync with their buys, they will struggle against an enemy that is coordinating their buys. Be aware of how much spending you and your teammates are doing each round.
Learn to crouch after your first shot. This is a more advanced piece of Valorant gameplay but is critical for a couple reasons. First off, weapon recoil generally will drift up. This means, after your first bullet, by crouching you increase your chances of landing more shots on an enemy if your crosshair drops to their midsection. In addition, enemies are generally aiming for your head. By crouching, you are occasionally able to dodge enemy shots, giving you a higher percentage chance of winning the fight.
