VALORANT’s New Agent Iso – Everything You Need to Know
VALORANT has just announced the arrival of a new agent in EP 7 Act 3: Iso, a Chinese assassin. The release trailer was impressive and pumped up the community, especially with the Omen reference at the end.
While we do not yet know the connection between Iso and Omen, it will be interesting to see fans’ theories and speculations regarding the backstory of this new character. What we don’t have to speculate on is Iso’s kit and abilities. He is the seventh duelist on the roster and has an intriguing kit.
What are his abilities? Is he viable? Should I main him? You may have many questions on your mind. Fret not, as in this article we will be discussing Iso in-depth – his abilities, role, and much more.
All images in this article have been taken from Riot’s Iso Official Gameplay Reveal video.
Iso Abilities Explained
The release trailer depicted Iso as an assassin, but his abilities do not quite match what people usually think of when they think ‘assassin’. His kit is designed for players with good mechanics and is more focused on individual skills rather than sneaking around. His arsenal consists of a mash-up of other abilities from various agents, so let’s discuss what Iso’s abilities are.
Contingency (C)
Cost: 250
Charge: 1
You equip a wave of energy and then fire to launch an indestructible wall at the enemy. It works similarly to Harbor’s Wall, except you cannot shoot through it. It is also shaped differently, with the sides protruding inward to provide additional protection. Unlike Harbor’s wall, it does not slow down enemies.
Contingency is useful for taking up space because it shields you from enemy fire. Pair it up with some flashes, and you have an unstoppable attack.
Undercut (Q)
Cost: 200
Charge: 2
You equip a molecular ball of energy, then fire to send it towards enemies. It makes enemies vulnerable on contact for 4 seconds and travels through walls. It works almost similarly to Omen’s Paranoia, but instead of blinding, it makes you vulnerable, similar to Killjoy’s Alarmbot.
Double Tap (E)
Cost: 150
Charge: 2
This is the most intriguing ability in Iso’s arsenal: the Double Tap. After killing an enemy, an orb appears above their head, similar to Reyna’s Soul Orb, which you can shoot to gain a purple shield. This purple shield absorbs the next hit you take.
While Reyna’s Dismiss temporarily makes you invulnerable, Double Tap works by putting a shield on you that absorbs damage for you. It is, however, destroyed after a single hit, no matter what that hit may be. It might block an OP shot, or it might block a stray bullet from a pistol, so use it wisely. The shield lasts for 15 seconds.
Kill Contract (X) – Ultimate
7 orbs to charge
You equip an interdimensional arena in your hands, then fire a column of energy through the battlefield. You and the first target that the wave hits are transported to a separate arena to duel it out to the death. There are no abilities; it is pure skill, and only the best player comes out on top. Think of Warzone’s Gulag here.
It is noteworthy that both players are given maximum hp, regardless of what their hp was before. After the duel, you are returned to your original health.
Iso’s Role Explained
At first glance, Iso’s kit is a bit different from the other duelists we have. His kit gravitates more towards initiator agents. As a result, Iso should be used as an initiator/duelist, setting up plays for entry fraggers like Jett or acting as a second fragger.
However, that does not mean you can’t play him as the main duelist in a team comp. Contingency and Undercut are excellent abilities for gaining early map control. We just think that his kit will be more useful when assisting the main fragger.
Is Iso Viable in Ranked?
Yes, Iso has an impactful and easy-to-learn kit. His kit allows you to make individual plays and support yourself. Due to the lack of communication in standard Ranked lobbies, having an agent who is self-sufficient is extremely beneficial.
When combined with Double Tap, you have an agent capable of conquering solo queue lobbies. Furthermore, unlike Astra or Breach, his abilities do not require a lot of communication. You can play off of your own abilities and provide value to the team in this way.
Iso in the Pro Scene
VALORANT’s pro scene is really complicated, with different teams trying different strategies and overall comps. Yoru was once considered a troll pick, but teams like Sentinels and Paper Rex made him valuable on maps like Bind, so it’s very difficult to predict what Iso will bring to the pro scene.
Iso’s kit is arguably overpowered as of right now, especially with contingency and undercut. Iso can be extremely useful on maps with short entrances, such as Ascent or Bind.
Iso runs into the same problem that Reyna does. His kit is more geared toward individual playmaking, whereas pro teams are more geared towards team play. Secondly, his ult does not provide any significant value. It is not a game-changing ult like Killjoys’ or Viper’s. You are forced into a 1v1 match, and if you lose, you have accomplished nothing, and the maximum you can get out of this ult is a single kill.
Contingency and Undercut can be extremely useful in setting up plays, but they are insufficient to make him viable in the pro meta. But, given how complicated the pro scene is, there will probably be teams running Iso on their comp. It will be pretty interesting to see what the pros do with him.
