Ascent is a bit of a gift for Defenders, while Attackers are going to have a tough time. Ascent follows a classic three-lane layout, with two spike sites at A and B and a wide courtyard in the centre. Attacker Spawn sits on top, while Defender Spawn is at the bottom, each site has an irreversible bomb door that prevents thoroughfare once sealed. Although it can be challenging to turn the tables on this map, it’s not impossible. The more you know about this map, the better your chances of springing a successful trap and avoiding the enemy. In short, it’s a great map to start with if you’re moving over from a similar game like CS:GO, but at higher levels it should be attacked with a thorough understanding of its quirks.
It’s hard not to get distracted by the gorgeous Venetian location on Ascent. According to Valorant lore, the city of Venice rose into the sky, splintering into floating islands, of which Ascent is the largest. Many classical ruins litter the map, from A site’s fractured church to B site’s beautiful murals. Italian culture shines through in the tight streets, packed with small shops selling local produce, pizza and books.
The Ascent map is currently in rotation.
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A Main
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A Peek
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Wine
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A Switch
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Tree
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Generator
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Hell
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Heaven
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Tetris
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Heaven Pillar
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Pillar
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Mid Cubby
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Catwalk
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Mid Top
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Subroza
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Courtyard
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Screens
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Market
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CT Spawn Wall
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Pizza
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B Switch/Button
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Workshop
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CT/Spawn
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Market Stairs/Platform
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Market Doors
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Wood
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Boathouse
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Camp Pillar/Long Boxes
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Triple Box
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Stairs
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Spam Box
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Alley
Omen is a fantastic pick for Ascent due to his ability to close off spaces and keep enemies from choosing their own path. He’s a great ally in controlling mid, while the rest of the team push. Use one-way smokes liberally and keep Paranoia trained on your opponents to reduce their vision, then use From the Shadows or Shrouded Step to get around them with ease.
Killjoy’s efficiency means she can keep control of the situation, even on a map like Ascent. As long as you plan ahead, her abilities could solve any incoming issue. Nanoswarm and Alarmbot can be used against opponents trying to sneak around, Turrets can keep an area clear if you haven’t got Agents to spare, and Lockdown is a great way to prevent a spike plant going the wrong way for your team.
We love Jett’s ability to scoot out of a crisis unharmed, and in Ascent, you’ll put these skills to good use. Break away from close-quarter skirmishes with Updraft or Tailwind, fight back from a safe distance using Blade Storm and hide allies with Cloudburst – Jett can do pretty much anything on a map like Ascent. Even if you’ve not picked her, the other team will.
Sova brings more than just a touch of drama to the occasion, his abilities give you an insight into the enemy team on a map that requires significant recon as a priority. Old-school layouts like Ascent require meticulous planning, and Sova’s Owl Drone and Recon Bolt are perfect tools to expose even the best laid enemy plans.
Karmine Corp know their way around VALORANT’s maps
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Ascent map tips and tricks
If you’ve played a game along these lines before, you’ll know how important forward planning is on a map like this. With such a traditional layout and very few gimmicks, Ascent makes for both a brilliant training map and a challenging competitive arena. Giving up any ground can be enough to see the whole game flip, so prioritise fast and efficient strategies rather than anything that takes time or involves risk/trapping.
The two irreversible blast doors can be a help or a hindrance depending on how prepared you are to use them. One technique is to get your controller to smoke off Mid Cubby, then rush everyone through mid to Pizza before smoking the CT Wall and clearing the market. You’ll then be able to use Market as a path to B site, and close the Market Door.
Alternatively, if your opponents are watching for you to close Market Door this way, you can try using Jett’s Updraft into Market while your team covers Mid, to catch your opponents off-guard and flank them at the B site. Defenders will often keep an eye on A Switch, waiting for the Market Door to close, so take advantage of this and approach from an angle in their blindspot.
If your opposing team has played Ascent many times, they’ll know what to watch out for, so try something unusual when you can. A useful alternate positioning to have in the bank involves placing a member of your team on B Main, another on B Link, one in Mid Top and a pair of players on A Main. Keep quiet and peek, this is a great way to secure a first kill and make your opponents gather together in one spot, only to surprise them from an alternate angle. If you find yourself in a tight spot, be aware of it. Being knowingly concealed in a small space could be advantageous, but being backed into a corner could be fatal.