Ascent is Valorant’s most prized map. The map has been around since the beginning, and most players know the map well already.
Ascent has a well-balanced attacking and defending side compared to other maps. But it still slightly favors the defending side more on equal skill levels.
Apart from skill levels, map knowledge and perfect team play will be the key to winning in Ascent.
These are the things we will improve on as you read the guide.
We will discuss all the strategies and agent synergies for you to practice. By the end, you’ll learn how to play Ascent the right way.
Map Overview
Ascent has a wide mid area that can access A Site and B Site. Because of this, gaining mid-control to push B Markets requires you to commit deep into the defender’s territory.
The width of the map isn’t as wide as other maps, so defenders and attackers can rotate fast. Rotating from mid as an attacker won’t make any sounds if you walk through B Link to A Tree because the defending play is always defending deep in B Market.
It takes a short time to walk, so it is easy to rotate. You can confuse the defenders by smoking mid, so they won’t know any rotations until the team gets there.
The map is simple because you only need to control a few areas as a defender.
Both sites have door switches that can close entries from attackers or suffocate the defenders by closing an angle for defending.
The latter is more beneficial, so defenders try to turn the switch on and destroy the door immediately before the push comes.
For example, if the attackers push the A Site, you want to close the door in A Tree. You don’t want to push A Main while getting shot from A Tree, A Site, A Rafters, and even the triple box on the right.
The door shuts one of the angles down.
The map is balanced for both attackers and defenders. Some team compositions would even favor the attacking team.
If you are in a mirror match, defenders would have a slight advantage.
Callouts
- A Lobby
- A Main
- A Wine
- A Site
- A Rafters (A Heaven)
- A Tree
- A Garden
- A Window
- Mid Cubby
- Mid Catwalk
- Mid Top
- Mid Courtyard
- Mid Link
- Mid Bottom
- Mid Pizza
- Mid Market
- B Lobby
- B Main
- B Site
- B Boat House (B Back Site)
Other callouts
- A Switch – A Tree Switch
- B Switch – B Market switch
- Subroza – the sneaky cubby below Mid Top
- A Main Cubby – Small cubby near the orb
- B Main Cubby – Small cubby near the orb, close to B Site
- Wood (Logs) – The tiny corner under B Market outside the gate/door
- B Speedway (Lanes) – the shortest pathway from B Main to B Site
- B Defender Spawn (B CT) – Directly across B Main going to B Site
- B Stairs – Stairs going down to B Site (common defending spot)
- A Generator or Genny – Tall generator in A Site (common defending spot)
- A Hell – Directly under A Rafters (A Heaven)
There are a lot of callouts in Ascent that isn’t seen on the map. These are all the common callouts you should know.
Other callouts will just describe a specific spot in an area, like the double boxes (middle of A Site).
Attacking Strategies
Fast and coordinated B Site pushes
B Site is extremely hard to push. But you might catch the defenders off guard. If they commit at least three defenders in A, one in mid, and one in B (3-1-1), B will be much easier to push.
This situation happens a few times in a match because A Site is hard to defend alone.
As your team pushes B Main, there are so many angles to check. Smoking B Defender Spawn and B Market is mandatory.
You will still be left with B Stairs, Logs, Lanes, and B Switch to clear. After clearing, you still need to take B Site and B Boat House.
The strategy is to coordinate your utilities like flashes, stuns, and recons and push the site fast.
As your team pushes, you want to close the door to B Market and start clearing fast.
Spreading out on A Site pushes
When you push the A Site, you also want to close the door as fast as possible. But, this leaves the person closing the door open to A Rafters and A Generators.
Here is the most important tip. Spread out and leave at least one or two players going for the switch. You don’t want everyone clumping up in one area.
The others, preferably duelists, can clear the site. Jett can smoke in the middle and dash in. Raze can nade the generator and fly in from the other side.
You can also smoke A Tree, but they can still shoot through the smoke on entries.
Slow mid control
The strategy here is to play around and gather information. Learn where the enemy sentinels like Chamber, Killjoy, or Cypher are and try to avoid them.
Since you are playing slowly to gather information, you should also take more space in mid. Keep the defenders on their toes while playing for picks.
Smoke Mid Bottom or Mid Cubby. Clear the area which isn’t smoked to take mid control.
Rotate your team around and position for a two-pronged attack on a site. Taking control of A Tree while attacking in A Main leaves the defenders with no space.
They will most likely play for a retake at this point.
Force enemy utilities
As you threaten to push any site, defenders will be forced to use utilities like flashes, mollys, and stuns.
You want to bait these abilities before pushing. In high-ranked lobbies, teams tend to trade utilities. If the attackers throw a smoke and a flash, the defenders will return with a smoke and a molly.
Your goal is to force more utilities out of the opponents than your team. They will eventually run out, and you can push with more utilities ready.
Defending Strategies
Shoot down the doors
If you hear them doing a fast push, you can use a utility to delay them. Switch on the switch and destroy the gate as it closes.
This will open up a new angle in A Tree for the attackers to cover. Even if it is smoked, they will feel pressure from A Tree because defenders can still peek out.
Defenders can also throw utilities from A Tree with the gate opened. However, the perfect defense is coordinating with your Initiator.
As the attackers push out, you want to recon the site with Fade or Sova as the attack is happening. Even if they smoke it out, you can shoot through it once the enemies get scanned by your teammates.
However, this is only done if the gate is open. Cypher playing A can also work if they step on the wires.
Play positions where you can hear rotations
When you go cover B Site from B Stairs, you won’t be able to hear sounds in B Lobby. For mid, you can go as far as Mid Pizza. If you overextend, you might get stuck if an enemy sees you in Mid Bottom.
But, agents like Chamber or Omen can overextend as they can back out safely. You don’t want to expend a smoke in Mid Bottom to help a teammate get back.
In A Switch or A Tree, you can hear players in A Lobby or A Main. If you defend all the way back in A Rafters, you won’t know a push is coming until you are bombarded with utilities.
Play safely to gather information and adjust.
Utilize your Sentinels
When you have a strong defending Sentinel like Killjoy or Cypher, you can adjust your defense to 3-1-1 occasionally.
Most of the enemies will try to avoid pushing a site with a lot of traps. If they push the other site, they will be fighting against three players anchoring.
Traps can give a lot of time for rotations. If they push through them, they will fight at a disadvantage against your team’s Sentinel.
Defend deeper when you are down players
Losing players is unavoidable. You’ll have teammates taking risks to get more space. Enemies will win picks at times.
With a few teammates down, you need to defend a lot deeper and smarter. This strategy is situational.
Let’s assume that you are in a 3v4 situation where you are down one player while defending. The only information you know is they are still playing it slowly in B Lobby and Mid Top.
The best play is to defend deep by just guarding the sites. You can leave the middle open, but always take angles where you are only open to one area.
You can commit two defenders covering one site you think they will attack. If they go the other way, you can just save if your other teammate fails to pick off one or two players.
Agents
Killjoy
Ascent is one of Killjoy’s best maps. Her kit alone can make B Site impenetrable because of the narrow pathways.
It will be hard for the enemy to clear all KJ’s utilities while clearing all the angles when entering the site.
Her ultimate can also clear the whole B Site. It forces all the defenders to play for a retake unless they trade ultimates.
Even if Killjoy plays on A Site, it will also be hard to clear all the utilities. Killjoy’s traps can force the enemies to go to one side and fight at a disadvantage.
Sova
Ascent is arguably Sova’s best map. With a well-placed and well-timed Recon Bolt lineup, Sova can scan the big open space in A Site or B Site.
There are also a ton of lineups where Sova can support both sites from almost anywhere on the map.
He can also play with Shock Dart lineups for post-plant situations. Owl Drones can scout ahead or even go with the push.
Hunter’s Fury can be used on a fast A Main push since it is a very narrow pathway. You can even use his ultimate the first second you hear footsteps on A Main.
Omen, Brimstone, or Astra
Omen has great smoke because he can smoke both sites from almost anywhere on the map. He can also throw flashes to support from random angles.
For example, Omen can flash from B Market to B Link while a defender from Mid Cubby peeks.
Omen can also go for aggressive peeks and disengage with Shrouded Step.
Brimstone can also smoke both sites, but he has to play around Mid Pizza to do so. His stim can be used for a quick rotation.
Brimstone’s strongest ability is his ultimate. He can use this to clear one part of a site, destroy KJ ultimates, or play for post-plant situations.
He can use his ultimate to clear B Market on fast B pushes.
Astra has no problems with smoking, regardless of her position. She has great utilities to support the team from anywhere.
Her ultimate can cut the A Site in half (horizontally), where your team can play for a post-plant from A Main.
Jett
Jett is a great Duelist regardless of the map. She can enter at will with her Cloudburst and dash in.
She can Updraft with her ultimate on A Main or A Site to try and pick enemies off from above.
Her kit makes her a dangerous Operator user because she can play aggressively and back out.
There are a ton of good attacking plays that only Jett can do. You can Updraft and dash to B Site in an instant. You can dash to the B Switch and close it as you Cloudburst for safety.
You can use her smokes if your controller is down and play fast on attacking.
Fade
Fade’s ability to recon a site and throw Prowlers to clear corners makes her one of the strongest Initiators out there.
Always time your Prowlers with a teammate who can push behind it. Time your Haunts when your team starts to enter. This helps recon enemies while a push is happening at the same time.
It isn’t mandatory to throw your Haunt before the push, as defenders can easily destroy it. The perfect play is throwing the Haunt while a Jett Cloudbursts and dashes in.
The defenders will get pressured by Jett’s entry, and your Haunt won’t be destroyed immediately.
Her Seize can delay or stop fast pushes if needed too.
