Fade
Fade, the VALORANT Agent that was released to widen the Initiator span within the game. In this Fade VALORANT guide, we will show you every skill the Agent has in their arsenal, as well as tips and tricks on how to get better with the Initiator.
Initiator Agents are a versatile class in VALORANT, with their main goal being to gather as much useful information about the enemy team as possible. Their abilities and identities are often focused on revealing the enemy’s location. There are currently six Initiator Agents in VALORANT: Sova, Breach, Skye, KAY/O, Gekko and Fade. Each Agent is useful in their own way, and the correct choice of Agent for the Initiator class will depend on your playstyle, map, and team composition.
Initiator Agents in VALORANT are a vital component of any team composition, just like Sentinels Agents. These agents excel at initiating engagements, gathering information, and disrupting the enemy's positioning. With their arsenal of abilities designed for map control and setting up plays, Initiator Agents play a crucial role in creating opportunities for their team. The debate on Fade VALORANT presence, strengths and weaknesses, and whether you should master them or not will be answered today, as well as the Agent’s role.
Even though there are several Initiators, today we will talk about Fade, VALORANT agent that has the combined abilities of almost every other Agent in the class. Let’s see if Fade is good in VALORANT!
Fade Abilities VALORANT guide
Just like any other agent, Fade VALORANT abilities are separated into four different key bindings. The Initiator can near sight enemies, gather intel, and do much more. Here are Fade's abilities in VALORANT:
- C - Prowler - EQUIP a prowler. FIRE to send the prowler forward. HOLD FIRE to steer the prowler towards your crosshair. The prowler will chase down the first enemy or terror trail it sees and near sight the enemy on impact.
- Q - Seize - EQUIP a knot of raw fear. FIRE to throw. The knot drops down after a set time. RE-USE to drop the knot early. The knot ruptures on impact, holding nearby enemies in place. Held enemies are Deafened and Decayed.
- E - Haunt - EQUIP a haunting watcher. FIRE to throw. The watcher drops down after a set time. RE-USE to drop the watcher early. The watcher lashes out on impact, Revealing enemies in its line of sight and creating terror trails to them. Enemies can destroy the watcher.
- X - Nightfall - EQUIP the power of nightmare itself. FIRE to unleash a wave of unstoppable nightmare energy. Enemies caught in the wave are Marked by terror trails, Deafened, and Decayed.
How to use Fade abilities
Prowler
Think of Fade's Prowler as a more accessible version of Skye's Seekers. While it may not be as robust, it boasts the same speed and the ability to near sight enemies. What sets Prowler apart is that it's an ability, meaning you can use it more frequently. Plus, it works seamlessly with Fade's Terror Trails, adding an extra layer of strategy to your game.
Prowler shines when paired with Haunt and Terror Trails. It reveals enemy identities, impairs their vision, and tracks their movements. This not only makes it easier for Fade and her team to push objectives or eliminate enemies but also allows her to create distractions and catch foes off guard by forcing them to shoot at the Prowler. It's a win-win situation for Fade, as it marks the enemy and puts her in a favorable position.
Seize
Seize is Fade's crowd control ability, and while it doesn't naturally synergize with Terror Trails, Haunt, or Prowler, it can still be a game-changer. Use it to trap enemies you've located with your previous abilities, or coordinate with your teammates for a well-timed combo. Seize is versatile, helping you block enemy advances or escape routes, giving your team the upper hand.
Haunt
Haunt is what sets Fade apart from other Initiator agents. It's a unique ability that synergizes with her entire kit. Haunt involves tossing a watcher ball that activates upon hitting the ground or can be triggered immediately to fall straight down. When the watcher activates, it marks any enemies within its line of sight and range with a Terror Trail. This makes Haunt a pivotal tool for gathering information and keeping tabs on enemy movements.
Nightfall
Fade's ultimate, Nightfall, is a game-changer. It unleashes a wave of nightmares, similar to Breach's ultimate. Any enemies caught in Nightfall are deafened, debuffed with Decay, and marked with a Terror Trail. The Decay effect is stronger than Seize and takes longer to recover. Nightfall can create Terror Trails, and Fade will announce how many enemies she's caught in her nightmares.
Ascent, Haven, Bind are the best maps for Fade, as you can attack the bombsites easily on all three maps. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t pick the Agent in any other maps. They may not be one of the best agents on Fracture, but you can surely try your luck on other maps!
- Read Also: VALORANT Agent Neon abilities
How to play Fade in VALORANT
First things first, you need to have Fade in your Agent arsenal. You might want to learn how to unlock Agents before reading more into it. Fade is an Initiator who can use her abilities to gather information about the enemy's location and strategy and disrupt their vision and movement.
They might not be the best VALORANT Agent for most players, but Fade is a very important pick for any VALORANT team because she can provide intel, vision denial, and mobility. She can help her team gain an advantage over the enemy and execute coordinated attacks. However, she also requires skill and timing to use her abilities effectively and avoid being caught off guard. Fade is not an easy agent to master, but she can be very rewarding for those who do.
Here are three tips that will make you a better Fade player overall:
Always communicate with your teammates
You can gather a lot of intelligence as an Initiator Agent, but not from everywhere. You may choose the best location to take this information on the map by communicating your round strategy with your teammates. Fade’s Haunt lets your teammates see enemies. If you communicate with your entry-fragger and use the skill effectively, you will help your Jett, Raze, or Reyna to get the first kill to open the bomb site for you.
If you have successfully acquired your ultimate, inform your squad via communications and organize a push that begins with you deploying at nightfall. It will be simpler for you to decide where the ult should be placed, increasing your chances of success if your teammates can use Sova to gather reconnaissance on the whereabouts of the adversaries on the battlefield.
Blind spots
Almost every map has small gaps where your skills will benefit you and your teammates more. If you use Fade’s intel-gathering “eye” on top of roofs or small gaps that will be harder for your opponents to see, you will have a better chance of revealing their locations. One of the most important Fade VALORANT abilities, the “eye,” lets you see where other players are, and if you throw to a place where the enemy team can easily see it, they will much more likely shoot it, and you will lose your chance to get intel. Prowler works best in cramped areas like tunnels and tight hallways because of its very limited angle of detection.
Use Prowler before attacking a bombsite
Prowler is similar to Skye’s wolf, and it is a text-book Initiator skill that lets you get intel of the enemy team. Use Prowlser before you execute an attack on the bomb site; this way, you will both know your enemy’s position and near sight them, making your entry-fragger’s job easy.
How to play Fade on attack
Haunt: The Ultimate Recon Tool
Fade's Haunt ability is a game-changer on the attack. It deploys an orb that reveals enemy positions within its line of sight. The orb stays active for two seconds after landing, providing invaluable intel. If opponents try to destroy it, they'll give away their positions by shooting.
To maximize Haunt, learn lineups to place it on rooftops, giving you a wide view of the battlefield. Unlike Sova's dart, Haunt quickly reveals enemies, increasing your chances of spotting them before they can react. You can also use Haunt in smoked areas. For instance, when defending Heaven on Ascent's A site, wait for enemies to smoke your location, then toss Haunt toward the site and take shots at revealed targets through the smoke.
Turn the map into hell for the opposing team with your ultimate
Fade's ultimate ability, Nightfall, is a game-changer. It creates a large area on the mini-map and inflicts decay, deafening, and marking on enemies within it. This combo makes opponents easy targets for your team.
Nightfall's deafening effect is its standout feature. It silences footsteps, allowing you to approach opponents without alerting them. This advantage lets your team play more aggressively and take on opponents head-on.
How to play Fade on defense
Delay Enemies with Seize
Seize is a valuable defensive tool. Use it to slow down enemy advances, buying your team time to react. It can also deter enemies, making them rethink their approach. This way, you could demolish your opponents’ plans. IF they don’t have a good IGL, they will eventually stumble, and then you can get your enemies one by one as they won’t have another plan to execute in a short amount of time.
Gather Intel with Prowler or Haunt
Deploy Prowler or Haunt early to gather intel on enemy positions. This information is crucial for making informed decisions and adapting your defense. Just like the first tip, you can confuse your enemies and damage their decision-making, and this way, you will have the upper hand on defense as your opponents will not have a solid plan on the attacking side.
Secure Early Picks with Seize
Combine Seize with other damage-dealing abilities to catch opponents off guard and secure early eliminations, giving your team an advantage. If you secure an early pick, you will get the advantage for your team to play 4v5, which is crucial in every FPS game. Numbers advantage has always been very important as it means extra firepower on the battlefield. If you can take an enemy down at the beginning of a round, you will again demolish your opponents’ plans and force them to make mistakes while on the attacking side.
When did Fade come out in VALORANT?
So, when is the Fade release date? The Turkish agent was released on April 27, 2022, during Episode 4 Act 3. Since then, the Agent has been one of the most picked Initiators both in the professional scene and ranked games.
Where is Fade from?
Fade is from Turkey, and there aren’t any other Agents from the country. There is a big VALORANT audience in Turkey, and that is why Riot decided to develop an agent with roots there. Fade’s voice and lines are all in Turkish.
Who is the Fade voice actor in VALORANT?
Fade is a Turkish female agent, and the voice actor behind the Agent is Selin Çuhadaroğlu. All the lines of Fade, including round starts, ends, and other small interactions, are voiced by the Turkish voice actor Çuhadaroğlu.
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