Valorant glossary
Valorant terms explained in plain English, with examples from pro matches.
A
B
- Bonus roundA bonus round in Valorant is when a team that won the first rounds plays on with cheaper saved weapons instead of buying rifles.
C
- ClutchA clutch in Valorant is when the last player alive on a team wins the round.
- ControllerControllers in Valorant are agents who block vision with smokes and shape the map for their team.
D
- DuelistDuelists in Valorant are agents built to take the first fights and make space for the team.
E
- EcoAn eco round in Valorant is when a team spends little or nothing to save credits for a full buy next round.
F
- First bloodFirst blood in Valorant is the first kill of a round.
I
K
- KASTKAST in Valorant is the share of rounds where a player got a Kill, an Assist, Survived or was Traded.
L
- LurkA lurker in Valorant plays alone, away from the team, to catch rotating defenders or cut off the flank.
M
- Map vetoThe map veto in Valorant is the pick and ban process before a series.
O
- Open qualifierOpen qualifiers in Valorant are tournaments any eligible team can enter.
- OperatorThe Operator, or Op, is Valorant's most powerful sniper rifle: one body shot kills.
- OvertimeValorant overtime starts at 12-12: teams play pairs of rounds until one leads by two, with equal credits each round.
P
- Partner teamA VCT partner team is an organization with a long-term agreement with Riot that gets a fixed spot in its region.
- Post-plantPost-plant in Valorant is the phase after the Spike is planted, when Attackers defend it and Defenders try to defuse.
R
- RetakeA retake in Valorant is when Defenders move back into a site after the Spike is planted and try to defuse it.
S
T
- ThriftyThrifty in Valorant is the banner shown when a team wins a round while spending far less than the enemy, such as an eco win.
U
- Ult orbUlt orbs in Valorant are pickups on the map that give one ultimate point.
Valorant terms by topic
Casters and stat sites use a lot of shorthand. Each term here has its own short page with the meaning, an example and a link to a full guide.
| Topic | Terms |
|---|---|
| Player stats | ACS, KAST, ADR, first blood |
| Big moments | ace, clutch, retake |
| Spike and rounds | Spike, post-plant, overtime, ult orb |
| Economy | eco, thrifty, bonus round |
| Roles | Duelist, Initiator, Controller, Sentinel, IGL, lurk, Operator |
| VCT | partner team, open qualifier, map veto |
Reading a Valorant scoreboard
The numbers you will see most often after a map:
| Stat | What it tells you | Good in pro play |
|---|---|---|
| ACS | overall combat impact per round | 220 or more |
| KAST | how often a player helped the round | 75% or more |
| ADR | damage per round | 140 or more |
| First bloods | opening kills | more first kills than first deaths |
No single number tells the whole story. Duelists usually top ACS, while Controllers and Initiators often show their value in KAST and assists. One map can swing every stat; over a full event they say much more.
The four agent roles
Every agent belongs to one of four roles, and most pro teams play at least one of each. Duelists take the first fights, Initiators gather information and set up those fights, Controllers block vision with smokes, and Sentinels lock down areas and watch the flank. Knowing the roles makes it much easier to read what a team is trying to do in a round.
Valorant vs CS2 terms
Many words mean the same in both games: eco, clutch, ace, KAST, IGL and lurk. Others are Valorant only: the Spike instead of the bomb, ult orbs, thrifty and the agent roles. If you know CS2, you already know half of this list. The CS2 glossary has the Counter-Strike versions.
For the basics of the game, read Valorant Rules Explained.
FAQ
What does ACS mean in Valorant?
Average Combat Score: combat score per round for damage, kills, multi-kills and assists. Around 200 is average in pro play, 250 or more is star level.
What does thrifty mean in Valorant?
A banner shown when a team wins a round while spending far less than the enemy, such as winning an eco.
What are the four agent roles?
Duelist, Initiator, Controller and Sentinel.
Are Valorant and CS2 terms the same?
Many are: eco, clutch, ace, KAST, ADR, IGL and lurk mean the same thing in both games. Others, like Spike, ult orb, thrifty and the agent roles, are Valorant only.
