VALORANT’s New Agent Waylay: Abilities and Overview
Waylay is the latest agent to get added to VALORANT‘s ever-expanding roster. As the newest duelist in the lineup, she brings a fast, movement-heavy playstyle that makes her stand out from the rest. Coming from Thailand, she introduces Hindering, a new debuff that slows enemy movement, fire rate, and other actions, making her a strong pick for disrupting opponents and taking control of fights.
In this article, we’ll explain how Waylay’s abilities works and how she can fit into the meta.
Waylay’s Abilities Explained
Waylay’s abilities focus on movement, disruption, and positioning. While she shares some similarities with Jett in terms of dashing, her ability to hinder enemies and teleport safely out of fights makes her a more tactical entry duelist. Players who enjoy playing fast and aggressively but want a safer way to escape will find her kit rewarding.
Saturate (C)
Cost: 300 credits | Charges: 1
Saturate allows Waylay to throw a cluster of light that explodes upon contact with the ground, Hindering all enemies caught in its radius. The Hindering effect is a unique debuff that slows enemy movement speed, fire rate, reload time, recoil recovery, and jump height. This ability is best used for controlling tight spaces, stopping enemy pushes, or punishing opponents who are holding angles. Unlike a flash or stun, Hindering does not completely disable enemies, but it does make them significantly easier to deal with in fights.
Light Speed (Q)
Cost: 300 credits | Charges: 2
Light Speed gives Waylay a double dash, with the first dash allowing her to move upward if needed. This ability is her main mobility tool and works similarly to Jett’s Tailwind but with an additional burst of movement. Players can use it to quickly reposition in fights, take aggressive peeks, or dodge incoming utility. The first dash being able to go upward makes it especially useful for escaping tight situations or gaining an unexpected height advantage.
Keep in mind that there is no way to use just one dash. Once you activate the ability, Waylay will dash twice.
Refract (E) – Signature Ability
Cost: Free (Recharges after 2 kills)
Refract allows Waylay to place a beacon of light on the ground. At any point, she can reactivate the ability to instantly teleport back to the beacon, becoming invulnerable while traveling. This mechanic is similar to Chamber’s old teleport but with the added advantage of making her untouchable while repositioning. This makes it an excellent escape tool, allowing Waylay to play aggressively, take duels, and then retreat before the enemy can punish her. The ability has a two-kill recharge, meaning players will need to get eliminations to use it repeatedly.
It’s pretty similar to Tracer’s Rewind in Overwatch 2, if you have played that.
Convergent Paths (X) – Ultimate Ability
Cost: 8 Ultimate points
Convergent Paths allows Waylay to create an afterimage that projects a beam of light across the battlefield. After a short delay, she gains a significant speed boost, and the beam expands, hindering all players caught in its range. This ultimate is a powerful zoning tool that can force enemies out of positions, slow down rushes, and create openings for her team to push or retake a site. While it does not deal direct damage, the Hindering effect makes opponents significantly weaker in fights, giving Waylay and her team a major advantage.
Waylay’s Role Explained
Waylay is a fast-moving duelist made for aggressive site entries. She can dash in, slow enemies, and teleport out, making her a great pick for players who like taking the first fight. She’s best for fast, high-action combat and smart repositioning. Unlike Jett, who escapes instantly, Waylay needs a bit more planning with her teleport, but she makes up for it with better control over fights and enemy movement.
Even though she’s mainly an entry fragger, she’s also useful for retakes and defense. Hindering can delay enemy pushes, and her teleport lets her play unpredictably. Teams that coordinate around her movement and zoning tools will get a huge advantage when breaking through enemy setups.
Is Waylay Viable in Ranked?
Waylay is solid for ranked. She’s got self-sufficiency, mobility, and a way to disrupt enemies before taking fights. Her kit lets her play on her terms, which is great in ranked since teammates aren’t always reliable. Hindering slows enemies down, making fights easier, and her teleport gives her one of the safest disengages in the game.
A lot of duelists struggle when they overcommit, but Waylay can get out of bad fights fast. Refract lets her push aggressively, get a kill, and then escape safely, making her a high-reward agent for players who know when to take risks. She’s a great pick if you like taking space without instantly dying.
That said, she takes skill to play right. You have to manage movement well and position yourself smartly. If you misplace your beacon or dash at the wrong time, you’ll get caught and die fast. She’s not as forgiving as Jett, so bad movement decisions will punish you. If you can master her mobility and timing, she’s one of the best duelists for solo queue.
