Out of all the duelists in VALORANT, one of the least played but useful agents is Neon. While her kit isn’t nearly as useful on all maps as Jett’s or Raze’s can be, she can still use her speed and stuns to get easy kills in Ranked play. She’s more common on maps like Fracture and Lotus, but her skillset can translate well against ranks that don’t see her often.
A YouTube video from May 30 by VALORANT player and coach royalG showed his attempt of learning Neon from scratch, even with his extensive experience in the Riot shooter.
He got coaching from Radiant Neon main and VALORANT streamer Shiro, learning tips from the best to learn how to play Neon right.
How to master Neon in VALORANT with Shiro’s tips
High Gear is the movement ability Neon revolves around
Neon’s main ability is High Gear, which allows her to sprint and slide for a limited time based on her Energy.
This is the defining ability of her VALORANT kit, especially because it allows her to move much faster than any other hero—even quicker than Brimstone with his Stim Beacon or Jett with her dash. This consistently increased movement speed allows Neon to run to the site faster and jump gaps few others can.
This movement is what makes or breaks Neon players, as many just use it to get to sites or rotate on defense. What people don’t realize is the threat of movement is just as powerful as the movement itself, making enemies play differently and more predictably.
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Early in the video, Shiro quickly states how Neon should be used passively at times, simply due to the fact that sprinting into site every time on Attack will eventually lead to your opponents expecting you and playing accordingly. So, mix it up from time to time, sometimes running in and other times taking duels and using it afterward to cut distance. On top of that, her slide is a great way to swing into enemies and avoid bullets, as your model hugs the ground more, possibly avoiding where enemies would expect your head to be.
How to use Relay Bolt properly
Other utility, like her Relay Bolt, allows her to get a stun off both on a surface and at a location it then bounces to. Using it to hit where enemies would normally peek early on in a round can lead to easy kills for either you or your teammates, on top of slowing enemies down.
Be careful not to waste both your bolts though, as the stun can almost guarantee a kill in a fight where you can easily hit an opponent with the stun.
How to use Fast Lane to get value
Her wall, known as Fast Lane, is unique. Not only is it a wall, but it puts two sides up, creating a little tunnel. This ability is tough to master, as you have to calculate where to put it up to get the most value, plus give your opponents as little information.
One of the best examples is on Pearl, on attack towards B site. That long stretch that attackers have to get across is a lot easier when a Neon wall pointed straight towards halls comes up, leaving enemies worried that someone is already behind them while giving your team space to use utility like a Sage wall or a Harbor cove to plant safely.
Does Neon have lineups for her stun?
Lastly, when it comes to lineups, Neon is a lot more forgiving, as her stun covers a decent area. Using it near chokes is always a good idea, or somewhere that it can bounce twice and cover two areas right beside each other, like off of two walls or the ground and a wall.
Using all of these tips, you might be able to start learning how to play one of the toughest duelists in VALORANT, much like royalG is.
