Valorant Episode 2 Act II has arrived, and with it, the latest Agent to join the game’s existing roster. Riot has previously said that the studio plans to “take more risks” with their Agents this year, and Astra is the first example of this intention; an Agent who focuses heavily on foresight and map control.
Valorant Agent Astra’s Special Abilities
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Astra gives gamers a brand-new way to play Valorant. The Ghanaian Agent’s abilities grant map control abilities which literally allow players to get a bird’s-eye view. Respawn describes her as somebody who can; “harness the energies of the cosmos to reshape battlefields to her whim,” and who has; “a talent for deep strategic foresight.”
Astra’s four abilities synergise in an usual manner. Players can enter her Astral Form by pressing X, wherein they can set up her other abilities for later use. When she enters her Astral Form, Astra gets a top-down view of the map layout. From this position, she can place Stars with her Primary Fire button. These Stars remain on the map once she returns to normal, and can be used in conjunction with her other abilities. For example, her Nova Pulse (Q) ability, allows Astra to activate a Star. The Star subsequently explodes, causing a concussion effect on all enemies in range.
Alternatively, Astra can activate a Star with Nebula (E). This ability causes the Star to burst into a sphere of opaque purple smoke. Players can alternatively press F to dissipate a Star, which returns it to Astra’s stockpile while causing a brief false Nebula to appear. Finally, she can use C to activate Gravity Well on a Star. The Star will pull nearby players to its location, whereupon it will explode, inflicting the fragile condition on all damaged victims.
Astra’s ultimate ability is Cosmic Divide, which can only be used while she is in her Astral Form. When the ability is charged, Astra can use Secondary Fire to mark two spots on the map. A Cosmic Divide will instantly appear on the map, connecting the two marked locations with a huge opaque barrier. While players can pass through the Divide, bullets cannot. Additionally, sound is heavily muffled, making it difficult to be sure what’s on the other side of the wall.