Valorant how to peek guide - Everything you need to know before peeking!

The free-to-play game has been embraced quickly by legions of players across the world because of its explosive 5v5 action. In Valorant, you can find some elements from other games like Overwatch or Counter-Strike GO, however, the game still has a unique personality. All Agents, weapons, and abilities work together to give you a fast pacing shooter with a lot of things to explore, but that still feels like home for veteran players.

Aim Straight, Agent

The characters at Valorant are called Agents (what other games may call Heroes), and every one of them has different personalities, types, and abilities. That means each one has to consider different aspects when talking about aiming and peeking.

So, in order to get ahead of other players, you'll have to pay attention to the way your character moves and the way to approach angles with each one of them, also remember Valorant is a team-focused game, so the right way to peek around is with good company, always.

Valorant matches 101

Game dynamics make this game different from other shooters. While many other games reward you for walking while shooting, that’s a big no-no for Valorant; and that is because the main objective in Valorant is not to get more kills, but to make the best team play. Think of it closer to a chess match, than to an alley shooting.

And that is the reason why peeking right is so important here. You have to move in a focused, well-thought way and watch your step!

Check your settings

A lot of players underestimate the power of a well-configured mouse, keyboard, and crosshair. Before trying to improve your peeking skills, stop. Take a moment to look deep into your settings. Ensure your mouse has the right sensitivity and DPI’s and that you can see your crosshair no matter what’s in front of you. We have an extensive guide to find the best crosshair placement for you.

Do not rush!

There are two kinds of people: Those who already committed every rookie mistake possible, and those who will. 

The most common one is to try to rush. It's far better to sneak around the corners and make a slow, steady advance than to jump into it. Here it goes again: do not shoot while moving. Just don’t.

Read the field

Sometimes you need to peek to know what’s happening out there, but there are many situations where you can have a pretty good idea of what might be happening around the corner by other means. Pay attention to any Icewall appearing on the field. It will give you Sage’s position. Did your partner just die? Where did the shots come from? Do you hear footsteps? You can know the position of the enemy player, and even the number of them, in many other ways than looking. Think creatively and start using your surroundings.

Peek as you mean it

So let’s get into the peeking aspect of this guide. As we stated, peeking is a crucial part of Valorant since the game rhythm makes it necessary almost all the time. Knowing how to peek and check corners may be the top valuable assets a player can learn to get better at Valorant.

So, why is it so important to learn how to peek, right? As said above, shooting and running don’t mix in Valorant, since all weapons accuracy drops dramatically. On the other hand, you cannot just standstill in the middle of the courtyard because that's like holding a sign that says “Someone, please shoot me”, so the second-best solution is to use your surroundings. That is why, compared to other FPS, Valorant maps, like Bind or Split, have a lot of corners. And when you know how to use them, corners help you win matches.

Corners and angles

Most of the shooting at Valorant will happen around corners; that’s why you need to adapt your playing style to approach them with caution and find the best angle.

When shooting at a distance, it is a little easier to be aware of the corners since you can cover many of them without turning around. In this case, just remember to keep your crosshair at head level in case someone comes out.

Never run out of a corridor with two corners at the end. Approach with caution, and stay close to your teammates. Check first the closed rooms and corridors, since the number of enemies is limited; and next check open spaces and courts.

When approaching, you have to be very careful and pay attention to your angles. The closer you move to the corner, the more exposed you are. Try to stick to the opposite wall where you think there is an opponent, so you can broaden your angle and be able to see them before they do. And remember to peek slowly.

Reloading time

In many other games, it may be right to reload after every kill. It is not the case in Valorant. Sometimes, you can kill an enemy with just a bunch of bullets and do not need to think about reloading every time. But the most important thing is, many times you will find one player right after another, and if you reload after each kill, chances are you're going to be caught with your pants down every now and then.

In Valorant, you should always expect more than one enemy around the corner, so if you manage to put one down, do not reload yet! Their partners could be waiting to peek while you do it. 

Ways to peek

By now you know how the enemies could be waiting for you behind every corner, and that you shouldn’t rush into it, now let’s get a look at a brief guide about the ways to peek around.

Pre-Fire. Shoot at the edge of the corner in the direction where the enemy is hiding, then move slowly around that point, shoot a couple of times, and cancel as soon as you have a clear shot. With this movement, you have a good chance to get them and hide back if you didn't like what you see. It also works excellent as bait to spot snipers.

Wide peek. Stick to the opposite wall of the corner you want to peek in, and take a few fast steps around before firing. It could be a risky maneuver and works better if you have backup or if you know for sure there is just one guy there.

What will give you good chances to hit is to be unpredictable. Try out the different peeking methods and think strategically. Most of the time you will peek to get a kill, but sometimes you will have to do it just to bait or gather information for your team… and the best advice we can give you is to play as a team.

I got your six!

As we mentioned above, sometimes peeking works for more things than just get you kills. Get yourself a wingman and hold hands to peek around corners. One of you can peek to reveal the enemies’ position, while the other one shoots them. You can take turns peeking or peek at the same time to lower the possibility of getting shot.

Peek the peekers.

When you are playing on the defense side, you will be holding ground instead of going out looking for enemies, so this is the best moment to practice all that you know - your enemies will fire-peek when they are too close; they will be looking for your head, and they will try to bait you. So what you need to do is to become unpredictable. Look for new angles to peek, use your special abilities to see them through walls, blind them, or find creative ways around. 

Call them out!

Callouts exist for a powerful reason. In Valorant, information is a weapon. Get to know every map the best you can. There are some basic callouts you want to learn so that you can share the information with your team, Knowing how to peek is great, but knowing when not to peek is far better. Take a look at our Valorant Callouts guide (link) if you want to know more about how to use all the callouts correctly in this game.

Summary

Now you have all the information you need to peek like a pro in this long-expected game, remember to set up your hardware and your crosshair settings, don't rush and hit the training ground every now and then. Remember Valorant is a shooter, but also a tactical game, so plan ahead, communicate with your team as much as possible, and go get some nasty headshots out there!

FAQ

How do I get better at aiming Valorant?

Set up your mouse, keyboard, and crosshair. Keep your aim at a head level all the time and learn how to peek around corners. We have guides that can show you all of that, check them out.

How do you practice aim in Valorant?

Get to know the recoil and spray patterns in your weapons. Something you can do is to hit the training ground often. Watch some videos on Youtube, sometimes helps.

Is there counter strafing in Valorant?

Yes, but you have to assess every encounter. Peaking slowly will work better most of the time. Check the full Valorant Peeking guide

Are there peekers advantage in Valorant?

Yes. Valorant’s gameplay makes peeking a basic skill. Running around trying to rush the enemy won’t help you win the round.

How do you play Valorant tips?

Place your crosshair at head level. You have to remember not to walk and shot, need to learn how to peek properly, and foremost, you have to play as a team. Check out our Valorant Tips and Tricks guide