After a flurry of leaks plus an amazing trailer, VALORANT has officially dropped the details on its newest agent, Neon, alongside other updates in Episode 4: Disruption. The new Filipino agent—the first of her kind in the game—comes with an electrifying arsenal that you can now test out on the PBE. (Some gamers are already calling her overpowered!) So here's a guide to Neon, her abilities, what they look like, and strategies and tips for how you can make the most out of Neon in-game.
VALORANT Neon guide: Abilities and strategies
Neon is a Duelist character, similar to the likes of Jett and Reyna. So anyone who wants to main Neon should expect to be going in on fights and dishing out the damage—as well as making use of her high mobility. But to do that, you'll need to learn to maximize Neon's abilities to their full potential. Part of that will involve managing her “Charge” well, since her abilities will rely on how much charge she has stored up (quite similar to Viper's poison). Speed's the name of the game for Neon, so you'll be zapping in and out of fights, making space by firing lightning bolts and getting resets.
C – Fast Lane
- FIRE two energy lines forward on the ground that extend a short distance or until they hit a surface. The lines rise into walls of static electricity that block vision and damage enemies passing through them.
By creating not one but two walls, Neon can protect her team against attacks from dangerous angles, providing an avenue to move through the tiny corridor made. You can use this to try to help your team invade a key area and head straight to an A or B site plant if you're attacking or reposition for a retake on the defensive end. Though you'll have to watch out for sprays, if used well, you can dash fast enough through the hallway and ideally enter an area safely. Plus, with the static electricity also dealing damage, you dissuade enemies from coming closer or deal a first blow before they even enter the fight.
Q – Relay Bolt
- Instantly throw an energy bolt that bounces once. Upon hitting each surface, the bolt electrifies the ground below with a concussive blast.
Ooh, explosions—but make it electrifying. Quite similar to Raze's grenades, your opponents will be in for quite a shock if you toss Neon's bolt right up their alley. Use this ability to clear tight spaces or to scout ahead, especially if you're approaching from a corner. You'll either scare your enemies into scampering away to avoid the blast, or you stun them and give yourself and your team a chance to head in for the kill.
E – High Gear
- Instantly channel Neon’s power for increased speed. When charged, ALT FIRE to trigger an electric slide. Slide charge resets every two kills.
High Gear doesn't seem like the flashiest of abilities, but speed is an invaluable asset in VALORANT. Combined with the fact that you can trigger a slide, similar to a dash, and Neon's E makes her a lot more powerful as a Duelist. It gives a high mobility advantage when you find yourself in duels, whether you're playing aggressive or you need to retreat. By repositioning quickly, you can make space and put your enemies at a disadvantage, leaving them vulnerable for your teammates to attack. Pair this up with Relay Bolt and Fast Lane as you're rotating around the map to ensure your team can head to a new location unscathed.
X – Ultimate: Overdrive
- Unleash Neon’s full power and speed for a short duration. FIRE to channel the power into a deadly lightning beam with high movement accuracy. The duration resets on each kill.
Neon's ultimate is like an upgraded version of High Ground, because you get a speed boost plus you can deal deadly damage. If Jett's Blade Storm took opponents out by throwing blades, Neon's Overdrive lets you fire electrical beams to snag frags. Plus you can also activate the slide while doing so, which gets reset when you get kills. You'll be a bit like the Greek god Zeus, sending measly earthlings to their demise with just a zap from your fingers.
Based on what we've seen, Neon is definitely at the top of the charts when it comes to powerful agents. Her kit combines gaining access into space, scouting ahead, mobility, and resets. It's definitely powerful not just for Neon herself but the rest of her team as well. That said, you'd best have teammates with a reliable flash or smoke to really ensure that you can enter (or exit) areas safely—and that when you do head in, you have a way to stay alive or get your team in position for a counter-kill if you get knocked off.
Neon will officially be released alongside Episode 4 when it goes live on January 11. But before then, you can test out the new agent for yourself on the PBE and get the hang of those blast-bolts and speedy sliding.
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