With over 20 Agents to choose from in Valorant, it can be hard to pick ones that best suit your skills and knowledge of the game. Even after many patches and new releases, however, Sova remains to be one of the favorite Initiators in the game. The problem is that although he’s one of the first characters to launch for Valorant, his difficulty curve is still higher than most.

As expected, a higher difficulty means that the character usually has a better and more effective skill set than most characters in the game. That said, you should take the time to learn and master one of the original Agents of Valorant.

What is Sova’s Role?

Sova is an Initiator. As an Initiator, it’s Sova’s job to track enemies and possibly pick one off. The Initiator role is all about utility which luckily, Sova’s entire skillset is rich in. If you think that you can’t handle the pressure of being an Initiator, then Sova might not be the character to pick for you.

A good Sova can easily scout the enemy and prepare his teammates for the round. Before we talk about how you can play as Sova, let’s first talk about his strengths and weaknesses first.

Sova’s Strengths

• Ultimate ability is very powerful when it comes to catching enemies off-guard. In the right hands, it can turn the tides of the round quickly.
• One of the best vision providers in Valorant right now, thanks to his scout-centric kit.
• Aside from being an amazing scout, Sova is also effective at picking off enemies safely behind cover.

Sova’s Weaknesses

• Despite being one of the very first Agents playable in Valorant, Sova is actually very hard to play. His skills benefit from precise aim and map awareness.
• Although his drone ability is amazing for scouting, it’s easy to kill due to the fact that it has a low HP and it’s very easy to spot.
• Sova can struggle against teams that are aggressive and won’t hunker down into a specific part of the map. He’s better when he’s on the offensive and is trying to take out enemies by surprise.

Sova’s Abilities

Like all agents, you’ll need to understand how Sova’s abilities work, as well as know when they’re best used. In the case of Sova, good skill placement can greatly restrict the movement of the enemy team.

Owl Drone

With this ability, Sova summons a drone that can scout ahead. This ability is one of Sova’s best abilities as it helps him scout corners and possible chokepoints. The drone can also fire a dart that marks the location of the enemies. What’s great about Owl Drone is that it can scare away enemies out of their hiding spots. The most common reaction when enemies are spotted by the owl drone is that they move to another spot instead.

Owl Drone is best used when you want a more precise idea of where the enemy is located. It’s usually used after Recon Bolt and you’re still not sure where the enemy team is. When using Owl Drone, make sure that it’s flying below head level. Majority of the time, your enemy’s crosshairs are going to be at head level. Moving the drone below gives it less visibility.

Shock Bolt

With this ability, Sova equips a Shock Bolt to his bow. Once done, you can fire that arrow. This explodes on collision and can damage any nearby enemies. For maximum efficiency, you’d want to shoot the bolt once the enemies are all huddled together. Make sure to hit one of the targets directly so that they take the most damage.

You can use Shock Bolt to force enemies off of a specific location. For instance, if they have control over a choke point and your team is having a tough time moving forward, use Shock Bolt on them. Their choice would be to stay and take damage or to leave and avoid the attack.

Either way, they’ll be left with a huge opening once you use Shock Bolt.

Recon Bolt

This time, Sova will equip Recon Bolt to his bow. The bolt can’t deal as much damage as Shock Bolt but it’s going to be very helpful when it comes to tracking enemies and revealing their location. The range of the bolt is very long so you can use it to scout ahead. Alternatively, it’s an excellent scouting tool that prevents enemies from locking down a specific area. Keep in mind, however, that enemies can also destroy the bolt.

Recon Bolt is best used in A and B sites – or in areas where it’s certain that the enemies are going to be. You can use it to bait enemies, or you can use it to prevent them from making a push towards a certain area. 

Hunter’s Fury

This is Sova’s Ultimate ability which is very devastating in the right hands. Once activated, Sova equips a bow that can be fired 1-3 times. The arrows deliver a wall-piercing energy blast that deals damage and reveals the location of any enemies that are within range. You can use the bow up to 3 times during its duration but even one fired arrow can do a lot for your team if it’s used correctly.

It’s best to use Hunter’s Fury alongside Recon Bolt and Owl Drone so that you can get the most out of Hunter’s Fury. It’s also best to save this build for important scenarios such as when the spike is being planted. Due to its damage, Hunter’s Fury can effectively clear our areas on the map.

Hunter’s Fury can be used offensively and defensively. Still, you should always put this skill on reserve and let your teammates use their Ultimates first. Hunter’s Fury can be great even when used on its own.

Best Picks And Counters Against Sova

Sova is best used alongside Agents who are more damage-oriented such as Duelists and Controllers. The intel Sova provides on the field is very useful as it helps those heroes make picks and take out enemies from the other side. The Ultimates of Jett, Reyna, and Reyze can work well with Sova’s Recon Bolts and Owl Drones due to the vision they give.

On the other hand, Sova typically has a hard time against other support Agents – like Sentinels and Initiators. It’s best to have Sova alongside other Agents and not to leave him to fend for himself alone because the utility of his skills is best used in tandem with others.

Lastly, Sova should never stray away from the team. His skills are going to be useless without teammates who can act make the push after Sova gives the important intel the team needs.

Best Maps For Sova

Ideally, Sova should be used in maps with a lot of vertical room as Recon Bolt covers a large area when used. He’s also great in maps that have weaker walls because of his Ultimate. As for maps to avoid, Sova shouldn’t be in tight maps with limited range as it’s fairly easy for Recon Bolt and Owl Drone to get destroyed.

Sova Tips For Defend

1. Shock Bolt is best used to keep attackers off of important entry points and spike locations. This can force enemies out of position too. If they try to power through Shock Bolt, you and your team can finish them off instead.
2. Once your team plants the spike, make sure to use Recon Bolt at key entry points in the site. This will prevent flanks from the enemy team. 
3. Hunter’s Fury can turn things around for your team. It’s best to save it as a last resort and let your teammates use their Ultimates first. It’s one of the best abilities in the game when it comes to pushing back enemies.

Sova Tips For Attack

1. When attacking, make sure to have Sova accompanied by a Duelist at all times. Sova’s main role here is to feed the Duelist with intel, while the Duelist uses that intel to take out an enemy.
2. Recon Bolt can also be used as a bait. Ideally, you should place it on a site to make the defending team think that you’re pushing there. Once the bait is placed, move to the other site. This can save you and your team a lot of time.
3. You should use Hunter’s Fury once the spike has been planted. This is a good tool that will help you deny any defuses. Enemies are likely to step away from the spike once they see your arrows from Hunter’s Fury there.

Sova is one of the best Agents in the game despite nerfs and new additions to Valorant. You’re probably very excited to jump into the game to check out Sova. If that’s the case, you should check out this cheap Valorant account shop so that you’ll have extra accounts to practice with.