Welcome to our guide to mastering Neon in VALORANT, Riot Games’ tactical first-person shooter (FPS)! First, an introduction: The developers unleashed Neon with the v4.0 update on Jan. 11, 2022. Neon’s full name is Tala Nicole Dimaapi Valdez, and she hails from the Philippines.
As the sixth Duelist Agent in Valorant, Neon is fast and furious, and you can use her speed to your advantage. We’ll explain how you can dominate the competition and climb the competitive ranks with our in-depth VALORANT Neon guide. We outline how to use her abilities properly on attack and defense, her best weapons, and, ultimately, how to slay the competition.
Mastering Neon In VALORANT
What Are Neon’s Abilities?
Neon’s abilities in VALORANT are electrifying—literally. The Agent discharges bursts of bioelectric radiance at lightning speed. This translates to a Duelist who’s perfect for fast picks (enemy kills) and timely retakes on defense. This also makes her a go-to choice for players who love fast-paced gameplay.
Let’s take a look at Neon’s electric arsenal.
Relay Bolt (Basic Ability)
Neon’s “Q” ability sees the Agent throw an energy bolt, which bounces, at the cost of 200 Credits. On the initial bounce and when it lands, the Bolt electrifies the ground below. Enemies caught in its blast suffer the Concuss (stun) effect for three seconds.
Using Relay Bolt to score an early kill on the attack is highly effective, as you can peek around dangerous corners if enemies are hit. Relay Bolt is used on defense to delay pushes into Spike Sites, stopping attackers for three valuable seconds.
Fast Lane (Basic Ability)
Fast Lane (default key C) is one of Neon’s most-used skills, effective on offense and defense. It costs 300 Credits to cast and has a six-second cooldown. Players can throw out two energy lines, which extend for a short distance or until they hit the surface. These lines then rise into static electricity walls, blocking vision.
On offense, players can use Fast Lane to block enemy vision from a specific angle as they attack the Spike Site. On defense, Fast Lane is highly effective at retakes and creating choke points. Remember, only Neon is immune to Fast Lane’s damage—it impacts both your enemies and your allies.
High Gear (Signature)
Neon’s Signature ability, High Gear, provides the Agent with improved mobility, which is ideal for the Duelist role. Pressing “E” channels Neon’s power into increased speed, and when the channeling completes, your Alt Fire turns into a slide. You cannot cancel the slide effect, and it recharges once you score two kills.
Neon players use High Gear to get early kills in a VALORANT match, in combination with Relay Bolt. Throw the Bolt and slide around a corner to catch an enemy off guard, use High Gear to escape danger, or go to a Spike Site the enemy is attacking.
Overdrive (Ult)
Activating Overdrive by pressing the “X” key constantly consumes Energy. It costs seven Ultimate Points to use. With great power comes great responsibility, as you will have only a limited time—20 seconds at max Energy—to use Neon’s Ultimate ability. Once in effect, Overdrive allows Neon to shoot a lightning beam from her hand, which deals devastating damage at close to medium range.
Since Overdrive’s cooldown resets when scoring a kill, we suggest VALORANT players use Neon’s powerful ultimate in teamfights or to finish off an opponent in a duel. Use Neon’s speed to get close and zap your enemies with lightning! You can also pre-spam the lightning as you move around corners, because it has unlimited ammo.
Energy (Passive)
If you use High Gear or Overdrive, Neon consumes Energy. The Agent has a maximum of 100 Energy, and Overdrive consumes all your Energy in 20 seconds while High Gear consumes your Energy from 100 to 0 in 10 seconds. That’s where Neon’s Passive ability comes into play. If you kill an enemy Agent, your Energy instantly refills.
How to Play Neon on Offense
Neon is a Duelist Agent on the attacking side who can get quick kills at the start of a match, thanks to her mobility and blocking off reinforcements with Fast Lane. When attacking a Spike Site, Neon is invaluable. Use Relay Bolt to provide teammates with safe passage to their objective and then dish out severe damage with Overdrive.
You can pair Neon’s Relay Bolt with Viper’s Toxic Screen to stop or, at the very least, delay defenders’ retake attempts. As an attacker, surprising your enemy around a corner is an excellent move, and Neon’s slide from her High Gear ability provides multiple opportunities if correctly timed.
How to Play Neon on Defense
Playing Neon on defense is an exhilarating experience that can provide a wealth of benefits for your team.
First, you can block vision with the Relay Bolt walls, cutting off the enemy line of sight at a Spike Site entry point as they begin to attack. With her Overdrive ability, you can give your squad a numbers advantage in teamfights by quickly picking off an opponent.
Listen to your teammates and use Neon’s fast movement to support your team when a Spike Site is under siege. For example, if your team spots an enemy push in A Site, you can get there relatively quickly on most maps—even if you are on B Site with Neon. This makes Neon a great Duelist on defense for several lineups. Remember, Neon is suited for an aggressive playstyle using High Gear to slide around corners, including on defense.
What Are The Best Guns for Neon?
Neon’s ability kit allows fast movement and combat at close to medium range. That’s why we suggest not using the Operator, even though we know it’s at the top of most “best weapon” tier lists. You’ll find the best guns/weapons for Neon below.
- Phantom
- Vandal
- Spectre
Do you love sliding and shooting with Neon while using her High Gear ability to get into close-range engagements? Then we suggest using Judge or even Bucky shotguns to get the job done. Most Duelists, such as Jett or Phoenix, do not have this luxury.
Is Neon In VALORANT Good For Beginners?
For beginners, Neon’s fast movement and slides can prove challenging to master. This is why she’s widely considered one of the best Agents for intermediate to veteran players.
Using this guide, however, we believe new VALORANT players can thrive with Neon. Remember: practice makes perfect. Once you familiarize yourself with her speed and abilities, Neon is highly effective.
Slaying The Competition With Neon
Our Neon tips and strategies in this VALORANT Agent guide provide valuable info for players to digest and should go hand-in-hand with practice. To conquer your opponents, you’ll also need to study the various competitive VALORANT maps, such as Haven, Ascent, Breeze, and Bind.
Combine this guide’s knowledge with map awareness and learn when to rotate on defense. Always strive to improve your aiming skills, crosshair placement, and headshot percentage as you electrify a VALORANT match with Neon. Good luck, Agents!
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