Liam Byrne A.KA Brimstone, a VALORANT playable character, originates from the United States and has a unique background that sets him apart from the rest of the agents. Before joining the VALORANT Protocol, he worked as a firefighter for the BFD (Bureau of Fire Department) and served as a member of a Special Forces unit called the Ragged Ravens, as part of his professional background alongside a close childhood friend. Throughout his career, he became involved with the Kingdom Corporation, becoming a veteran of one of their subsidiaries. This diverse range of experiences has undoubtedly contributed to his skills as a fighter and made him a valuable asset to the VALORANT team. Brimstone is a commander-type agent specializing in controlling the battlefield and supporting his team with various abilities. Brimstone’s arsenal includes a smoke screen that can obscure enemy vision, incendiary grenades that can deal damage over time, and a stim beacon that can increase his teammates’ movement speed and firing rate. We’ve got you covered with our comprehensive guide on effectively using Brimstone’s unique abilities and taking your gameplay to the next level. So buckle up, grab your weapons, and dive into the action!
Brimstone Abilities
STIM BEACON (C)
Brimstone’s Stim Beacon (C) is an ability that can boost the stats of any allied player within its area of effect (AOE). Once activated, the AOE lasts for 12 seconds and provides increased equipment speed, reload speed, and recovery speed by 10%. Additionally, it grants a 15% increase in fire rate and a 15% speed boost to any player within its range. It costs 200 credits per round, and Brimstone can only purchase one Stim Beacon per round.
Our recommended strategy for utilizing Brimstone’s Stim Beacon (C) is to force a push on the attacking side or when holding an open angle. This tactic can be particularly effective when defending a location like Heaven on Bind. For instance, if you are watching over both A Cubby and A Showers, activating the Stim Beacon can give you a speed boost and increased fire rate, allowing you to quickly take down your opponent and take cover. Using this ability strategically, you can gain a significant advantage over your enemies and secure a victory for your team.
INCENDIARY (Q)
Brimstone’s Incendiary (Q) ability launches a grenade that explodes after bouncing, creating an area of effect (AOE) that burns anyone who enters the flames. This AOE lasts 7 seconds and deals 60 damage per second, making it a powerful tool for denying enemy movement and controlling the battlefield.
One of the most effective ways to use the Incendiary grenade is by firing it into your Sky Smoke (E) to damage enemies as they push through it. Brimstone’s focus on AOE denial makes him a formidable opponent, and the Incendiary (Q) ability is a key part of his arsenal. For example, you can use it to prevent enemy agents from peeking at A Site Heaven on Haven, which can be especially useful if you don’t have maximum Sky Smoke (E) available.
SKY SMOKE (E)
Brimstone’s smoke abilities can be deployed by using up to three smokes at once or throughout the round. Each smoke charge lasts for 19.25 seconds and costs 100 credits. To maximize the effectiveness of this ability, we recommend purchasing at least two smoke charges every round, and three if possible. Using Brimstone’s tactical map, you can select where to place the smokes by left-clicking, and then confirm the placements and fire by right-clicking. By mastering this technique, you can create a wall of smoke that can provide cover, obscure enemy vision, and disrupt their movements.
A useful tactic for Brimstone’s Sky Smoke (E) is to place them at the beginning of a round, preferably in entryways, to obscure vision and prevent bleeding onto the site. However, avoiding all the smokes at once is important, as enemies can wait for them to dissipate. Another useful strategy is to place two smokes on core entryways and save the third for later use when there’s more intel available. This is especially effective on maps like Bind where smokes can be placed on both spike sites..
ORBITAL STRIKE (X)
Brimstone’s ultimate ability, Orbital Strike (X), enables him to bring up his tactical radar and target a location for a large damage-dealing AOE circle. With a 2-second wind-up time, enemies have a chance to move before the strike occurs, but it can deal up to 120 damage if they stay in the area. The ability costs 7 ultimate points to use.
For attacking, it is recommended to save the powerful Orbital Strike (X) for a post-plant situation to prevent enemies from defusing. On the other hand, when defending, you can use it to prevent spike planting or against enemies stuck in a chokepoint. This tactic has been proven effective in winning rounds multiple times.
Best and Worst Maps for Brimstone
Brimstone performs well on the defensive side of Bind due to his ability to smoke A and B Sites from B Site using Sky Smoke (E). Brimstone effectively blocks A Cubby and B Hookah, two main choke points on the map. Brimstone can also use Incendiary (Q) and Orbital Strike (X) to flush out enemies camping inside the teleporters on Bind.
On the other hand Brimstone’s effectiveness could be limited on Icebox due to the map’s small size and the abundance of angles that enemies can attack from. His ability to smoke off only three of these angles further hampers his ability to control the battlefield. As a Controller, Astra is a better pick for Icebox because of the ability to move and replace stars, which gives her greater flexibility and control.
Recommended Team Composition for Brimstone
- Brimstone
- Raze
- Sky
- Omen
- Cypher
Raze and Skye are effective when paired with Brimstone because their abilities, Boom Bot and Trailblazer, respectively, can ambush enemies hidden in his smoke. Omen can use the smokes to teleport aggressively, while Cypher can keep an eye on the spike sites without exposing himself to danger.
Tips and Tricks
- Block the main entrance to the spike site with a smoke! Use one smoke for each site, and save the last one for the site you’re playing on.
- Locate suitable spots on the map where you can deploy Sky Smoke (E) on both attacking sites, as it is essential to cover all areas of the map if you have only one Controller. For example, you can use this tactic on Bind’s B Site.
- It is important to learn post-plant lineups to be safe in a post-plant situation. Remember practice makes perfect.
- Utilize Sky Smoke (E) to safely enter the site by placing smokes covering the entryway and creating a path onto the site. Ensure that the smokes obscure vision and provide cover.
- Make sure to reserve a smoke in case you need to rotate, as using up all your smokes too early could leave you vulnerable when pushing a site.
We hope you now understand how to play as Brimstone in VALORANT, so we’re excited to see some fantastic gameplay highlights from you!
Get ready to dominate the battlefield with Brimstone by your side! This American Controller is a game-changer with his strategic smokes that provide an edge on both sides of the map. So gear up, pick Brimstone on your next VALORANT match, and be prepared to experience the thrill of victory! Remember to share your epic gameplay moments in the comments below!
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