Omen dominates VCT Stage 2 agent picks, Breach and Tejo among the least picked

VALORANT Stage 2 has finally come to an end across all regions, and there’s no doubt that Omen and Neon dominated agent picks throughout the competition. On the other hand, Breach was among the least-picked agents, alongside Brimstone, Tejo, and Veto.

The data reveals some interesting regional trends that help explain these results, so let’s take a closer look at the current meta as we head VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai very soon.

VCT EMEA

In EMEA, the Americas, and Pacific, the overall trend remains the same, with Omen, Neon, and Sova dominating agent picks throughout Stage 2. However, what sets the regions apart is their respective pick rates.

Unlike the Americas and Pacific, VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - EMEA Stage 2 recorded a significantly lower pick rate for Neon, highlighting the greater importance of other agents in team's compositions and strategic choices.

As for the bottom three agents, Tejo, Brimstone, and Veto were the least picked throughout the stage. Since Tejo’s nerfs, he has been slowly disappearing from teams’ Initiator picks, now appearing primarily on specific maps such as Abyss.

Brimstone, meanwhile, has struggled to find a place in the current meta, with Omen offering a more versatile kit for competitive play. His ability to combine smokes, a flash, and teleportation into a single agent makes him one of the most valuable controllers in the current meta.

VCT Americas

As for the VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Americas Stage 2, there is not much difference among the top three agents, but the bottom of the rankings tells a different story. Instead of Brimstone, who saw slightly more play throughout the stage, Breach appeared among the least-picked agents.

Overall, both the Initiator and Sentinel roles have been heavily affected by the nerfs introduced during the 2025 season, making it difficult for several agents to find their way back into the meta.

Although Initiators received a small buff in 2026, the changes were not enough to bring all of them back into the meta. In the Americas, both Breach and Tejo saw limited play, being primarily selected on specific maps such as Haven and Summit, respectively.

Breach did not receive any major nerfs, but he does not fit as well into the current meta and map pool, making him less viable than other Initiators such as Sova, Fade, and Skye.

VCT Pacific

The Pacific region is known for giving less popular agents some time in the spotlight, being one of the first regions to experiment with Miks and Veto when they were introduced. However, in VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Pacific Stage 2, Miks was the least-picked agent, reinforcing the trend seen across other regions.

As a Controller, Miks is not as viable as the other available options, while the rest of his kit is not particularly well suited for competitive play. Although he offers both healing and a stun ability, both can be easily destroyed and, in some situations, can even benefit the enemy team.

Since his release, Veto has struggled to establish himself as a viable pick in the competitive meta. However, players like Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto continue to bring him out on various maps, which helps explain why Veto does not rank as the least-picked agent in the region, unlike in EMEA and Americas.

In fact, f0rsakeN is the only player to have picked Miks across all regions, allowing him to set the record as the only player to have chosen all agents in official matches throughout his career.

VCT China

The biggest surprises come from VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - China Stage 2. As has become a recurring trend, China often takes a different approach to the meta, with teams developing their own interpretations of which agents are most effective.

Unlike the other regions, Sova drops out of China’s top three most-picked agents, with Cypher taking his place. Despite Sentinels not being as dominant as they once were, Cypher remains a popular choice, with teams favoring him across almost every map except Split and Breeze.

Breach, Clove and Iso find themselves among the bottom picks. Clove is perhaps one of the biggest surprises, especially considering how rarely she is viewed as a viable competitive option.

Many teams still consider her unreliable despite her strong self-sustain and ability to deploy smokes after death. Overall, her kit makes her feel more like a duelist with smokes than a traditional Controller, making other options far more appealing in the competitive scene.

As for Iso, his position among the least-picked agents is hardly surprising. The current double-duelist meta does not favor him as either a first or second choice, with teams generally opting for duelists that provide greater firepower and utility for the team. Agents such as Phoenix, Neon, and Jett offer fast entries and, in Jett’s case, strong Operator-focused play.

Iso, whose kit is more centered around individual plays and self-sustain, has struggled to find a place in the current competitive meta.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image by Riot Games