Agent Astra

Agent Astra Abilities Overview

Basic Gravity Well Ability Uses and Tips

Astra is an exceptional Valorant agent for defending and holding sites after planting bombs. An easy way to use Gravity Well on offense after planting the bomb is to place the star next to it to prevent enemies from defusing and making them vulnerable in the process.

Astra’s Gravity Well pulls enemies toward the center. This means it can be used on stars placed next to planting sites to pull the planter out into the open. However, because Astra’s stars can be seen, to properly execute this strategy, players should first see where the bomb is being planted, quickly move into Astral Form to place a star, and immediately trigger the Gravity Well.

Advanced Gravity Well Ability Uses and Tips

On attack, good Astra players will use Gravity Well next to common defensive positions used to hold angles. In doing so, Astra can pull defenders out of their position and into the line of fire. But the best Astra players will also use this common tactic to their advantage and simply place stars in those positions as bait to prevent defenders from holding those positions. If Astra knows where most players default to when they fall back, she can pretend she would Gravity Well the first angle, and assume defenders hold their secondary position.

A more advanced way of using Gravity Well while on defense is to use it in combination with her Nebula. Astra should use Nebula near-site entrances and have a second star placed just outside the Nebula in case attackers attempt to position inside the Nebula. This allows Astra to activate Gravity Well and pull the unsuspecting attackers right out from the smoke and into her sights.

Basic Nova Pulse Ability Uses and Tips

On Offense, Astra can place a star in a more defensive defender position to detonate her Nova Pulse and concuss players while she swings the corner.

On Defense, Astra should be placing stars meant for Nova Pulse in positions where enemies cannot see until it’s too late. The effects of Nova Pulse have a fixed radius, uninterrupted by structures. Astra can use this to her advantage by placing her star just to the side of a site entrance to concuss attackers as they enter.

Advanced Nova Pulse Ability Uses and Tips

A cool trick for Astra players while on attack is to use Nova Pulse to force defenders to reposition. The short period of the Nova Pulse animation can provide enough time for Astra and her teammates to push a separate route unbeknownst to her enemies.

An advanced, and aggressive tactic with Astra is to combo two stars in a location commonly rushed by attackers. This allows Astra to combo her Gravity Well with her Nova Pulse to practically guarantee concussing enemies. Immediately after detonation, Astra or her teammates can swing the corner and capitalize on her enemies’ mistakes.

Basic Nebula / Dissipate Ability Uses and Tips

Astra’s Nebula / Dissipate is integral to her kit and the easiest way to differentiate between the good and great Astra players. On attack, Astra should almost always use Nebula in default site positions to block commonly held angles.

On defense, Astra can use a star near her held position so she can easily Dissipate for a brief smoke and quickly reposition leaving attackers none-the-wiser. This also works to mess with her opponents by Dissipating and staying in the same position, leaving attackers assuming she has repositioned.

Advanced Nebula / Dissipate Ability Uses and Tips

On attack, Dissipate is a unique ability that is essentially a free, 1-second smoke. A great way to use this for more advanced Astra players is to use a star and Dissipate for a brief smoke for pushing past certain defensive strategies. To defenders, Dissipate will be mistaken for a Nebula because the animation is the same, it just fades after 1 second. But 1 second is all that’s needed to rush through an entryway and onto the site.

On defense, the best Astra players that are aware of her one-ways can use Nebula one-ways to pick off attackers without any return fire. If her enemies are aware these one-ways exist, at the very least, they know they can’t really do much about it and it will waste their time.

Basic Astral Form / Cosmic Divide Ability Uses and Tips

On offense, Astra can use Cosmic Divide to split a site however she pleases. This is a fantastic option for an easy site rush and plant. In this strategy, Astra should look to split off most of the site from defenders except a small portion where the bomb can be planted without intervention.

On defense, Astra can use Cosmic Divide in the same manner, but for defusing the planted bomb. Since Cosmic Divide also dampens audio cues, Astra or her teammate may be able to get to the bomb and defuse it before her enemies have even caught onto the plan.

Advanced Astral Form / Cosmic Divide Ability Uses and Tips

An advanced way to use agent Astra’s Astral Form is to play a supportive role and quickly place stars and use abilities while having a ‘bird’s eye view’ of the site. When properly piloted, Astra can watch the site and see exactly what her allies do and quickly respond to defensive movements or tactics made by her opponents.

On defense, agent Astra should look to use her Cosmic Divide in a retaking scenario where an enemy with an Operator’s position has been identified. She should use the Cosmic Divide to wall off that player to force them to either come into close quarters where the Operator is useless or must push through the wall and defend in a bad position.

Agent Astra Strategies Overview

Basic Strategy for Pistol Round

On defense

Astra should invest in two extra stars and Light Armor. Since Astra has an exceptional ability with her Nebula to smoke off a single entryway for 45 seconds (using all three stars), she can stall out a round with ease. With the added benefit of Light Armor and enemies needing to come to you, the added lethality of a better gun is not important.

On offense

Astra should purchase two extra stars and a Ghost. Having this combination, Astra will have three stars which is enough to provide the necessary utility for the team if they go into the round with a plan of action. Post-plant, when Astra has unused stars, she can easily reposition them to defend the site where she performs best. The more stars Astra has available after planting the bomb, the higher the chance of her team winning the round (it’s that good).

Basic Strategy for Economic Round

On defense

Astra’s safety is crucial for using her Astral Form, and so she should not be in close quarters with enemies unless required. Combining that with the impact her stars have on a round, Astra should prioritize using her credits to purchase stars. With remaining credits, agent Astra should look to purchase longer-ranged weapons. A great option is the Marshal, where Astra can keep her distance to enter Astral Form while still impacting the fight safely.

On offense

Astra has the same priority of staying far away but still having an impact. Astra should use her credits for her stars and a Marshal. She won’t need Light Armor because she shouldn’t be in a position where the Light Armor will make a difference.

Basic Strategy with Full Purchase

On defense

As always, Astra should be purchasing her stars. With her capability to impact anywhere on the map in Astral Form, it’s important to stay alive and have longer-ranged firepower. Purchasing Heavy Armor and an Operator is a great option with Astra. Astra can use her abilities to take 1-on-1 long-distance fights with a clear advantage.

On offense

Astra will likely be focused on setting up her stars to get onto the site and initiate the play. However, she should never be the one pushing first. As such, Astra can either play with a similar long-range style, purchasing Heavy Armor and Operator, or she can cover her team’s flank with a more utility weapon like a Phantom or Vandal.

Advanced Strategy for Pistol Round

On defense

Like any controller, Astra should prioritize using credits for her abilities. She has so much utility to offer her team and holds a site by herself, so stars are a must. With the remaining credits, depending on the map and if any allies are helping her hold the site, Astra can purchase a Shorty and use a star out of sight at an entryway to either Nova Pulse or Gravity Well opponents where they will be vulnerable to her. This strategy is risky and should only be done when another ally is there for support and should only be used to catch enemies off guard.  

On offense

Astra must purchase at least two other stars if she is the primary utility of her team composition. If Astra’s team has another Controller, she can opt into purchasing a more aggressive setup with two additional stars and a Frenzy, or two additional stars and a Shorty. Both options are not for the faint of heart but can combo with a teammate’s abilities to be incredibly lethal in close-quarter areas of the different maps.

Advanced Strategy for Economic Round

On defense

Astra’s life is precious. Since enemies will be coming to her, she has the luxury of being able to position herself more passively or aggressively. When passive positioning is preferred, Astra will need to prioritize ranged weapons like a Marshal or a Sheriff and purchase at least two additional stars. This then gives her the flexibility to use all three of her abilities if the situation calls for it. She can quickly move in and out of Astral Form when needed.

On offense

Astra should prioritize her stars. If winning an economy round is vital to her team’s chances of success, it will be much more likely when Astra has the utility and options of her abilities. If Astra has credits left over, she can purchase a Spectre/Ares (for short-range combat) or Sheriff/Marshal (for long-range combat), depending on Astra’s playstyle preference.

Advanced Strategy with Full Purchase

On defense

Astra should look to purchase all her stars as expected. The differences in the weapon selection depend on the plan for the round and the map. Astra is best holding long positions where she should obviously look to take an Operator and Heavy Armor. She is incredibly impactful at 1-on-1 long-range duels with her abilities, so she should look to place stars near enemy angles to pull them out into her line of fire or set up one-way smokes to pick off attackers.

On offense

Astra wants to set up her team’s entry strategy and play for long positioning or a more supportive role by following up on the play. Thus, all abilities and Heavy Armor are a must purchase, and depending on her plan, an Operator (for long-range) or Phantom/Vandal (for follow-up) will be great options.

Final thoughts on Valorant’s Agent Astra

Astra’s presence in Valorant is not just out of this world in the literal sense but also in the competitive sense because she has so many options for messing with enemies’ minds and reacting to the game’s flow with her stars. She does take control of the game when piloted well, so players that prefer the Controller role will need to put in the time to master her gameplay. Astra players will surely enjoy how creative they can be with her kit and can easily find themselves on Astra time and time again.  

“I am on a higher plane, chale. Literally”

Astra