The Best Strategies for Defending on Haven
Defending on Haven in VALORANT can be challenging due to its three sites. Rather than relying solely on offensive strategies, here are a few different approaches you can take to strengthen your defenses and win more rounds.
First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand the unique characteristics of Haven. The three sites require your team to spread out, with two players on A site, one on B site, one in C garage, and one holding C site. This ensures that each entry point to a plant zone is guarded: A long, A short, B main, C garage, and C long.
This defensive strategy allows you to gather information from multiple areas of the map. However, it also means that your team will often have fewer players in engagements. Therefore, strategic rotations are essential. Instead of quickly abandoning a site at the first sign of enemy presence, focus on gathering information and relaying it to your team.
When defending on Haven, it’s important not to exhaust all of your abilities too quickly. If you use up all your utilities early in the round, your opponents can simply rotate to another site, leaving you with no means to counter them. Preserve your utility for crucial moments and communicate effectively with your team.
Haven’s small sites and tight corridors work in favor of defenders. This allows you to choose agents that excel in holding angles and engaging in close-quarter combat. Agents like Sage, Omen, KAY/O, and Astra offer self-sustainability and flexible utility, making them strong choices for defending on Haven.
The Best VALORANT Agents for Defending on Haven
Sage is a great option for holding the B site on Haven. Her wall can block off the entire entry point, forcing attackers to flank. Additionally, Sage can heal herself, allowing her to survive engagements and rotate strategically. Her Slow Orbs provide valuable utility for delaying enemy pushes.
Omen is an ideal controller for Haven. His smokes recharging ability allows for versatile smoke placements on multiple sites. Omen’s paranoia flash works effectively in Haven’s tight spaces. He is excellent for retaking sites and disrupting enemy movements.
KAY/O excels in defense due to his information-gathering capabilities. His knife reveals enemy positions and helps decipher their intended site of attack. KAY/O’s ultimate can create game-changing moments in Haven’s small sites and tight spaces.
Astra is a flexible agent who can use various utility options anywhere on the map. She can support her teammates across different locations, providing smokes and other valuable tools. Although she can be challenging to play, Astra’s abilities make her an excellent pick for Haven’s defense.
The Worst VALORANT Agents for Defending on Haven
While all agents can be viable in certain situations, some are less suited for defending on Haven. Brimstone, for example, relies heavily on his smokes, which are limited and cannot be replenished. Predictability and lack of flexibility are his weaknesses on this map.
Reyna’s lack of utility and information-gathering abilities make her a weak choice for defense on Haven. Her aggressive playstyle is less effective when defending a site with limited manpower. Reyna’s killing potential is not enough to compensate for her other shortcomings.
Viper’s main drawback on Haven is the limited duration of her poison fuel. Despite strategic setups, her fuel may run out before executing all desired plans. Her ultimate’s high cost and rotating enemy teams further limit her effectiveness.
Choosing the right agents and implementing smart defensive strategies can significantly improve your performance on Haven. Remember to adapt to the map’s unique challenges and communicate effectively with your team to achieve victory.