How to play Viper on Pearl: The best wall and smoke spots

Updated on April 8, 11:48 a.m. (GMT+8): Improved relevancy.

Valorant map Pearl has adds dynamic strategies and setups for players, with its tight corners, long narrow walkways, and a sprawling Mid area.

A hybrid agent like Viper — a unique controller that can block off multiple sightlines with her Toxic Screen wall and prevent rushes with her Snake Bite molly like a sentinel agent — has a lot to offer to agent compositions on Pearl.

Knowing where to place her smokes will help your team find success around a map of this size, similar to the value she gets on maps like Breeze and Icebox.

Her versatile wall can block off multiple chokepoints around the map, for starters, allowing your team to take and hold space more easily.

All the Viper smokes you need to know on Pearl

Attackers

A Site

At the start of the round, go to A Restaurant. From there, aim her Toxic Screen toward A Secret where the smoke will cover A Link and A Flowers.

Before entering A Site, you can also throw her Poison Cloud at A Secret to block the defenders’ vision.

However, because of her higher fuel drain, you only have a short window to execute onto the site once both your wall and smoke are up. She may be best paired with a second controller like Astra or Omen for better effect.

Mid to A and B

First, make sure to take Mid Plaza control. If you’re going from Mid to A, you’re going to want to cut A site diagonally with your Toxic Screen. To do this, cast Viper’s wall from Mid Plaza to A Secret.

You can use her Poison Cloud smoke at Mid Connector before activating her Toxic Screen to help you secure Plaza.

By splitting the site with her wall, defenders near A Main won’t be able to see you coming from A Link, allowing you to sneak onto the back of site. At the same time, your team can then sandwich your opponents from A Main as well.

Viper’s Toxic Screen is also perfect for a Mid to B push on attack. After taking Mid Plaza control, go through Mid Doors and get to the platform on the left of the entrance of Mid Connector.

From there, aim her Toxic Screen toward the entrance of B Hall right by B Screen. The wall smoke will cover half the B Site, including B Tower and B Halls, allowing your team to push from B Main.

B Site

To properly smoke B Site on attack, you can cast her Toxic Screen right before you go down B Ramp. Aim the wall smoke toward the middle of B Hall, and throw her Poison Cloud by the side of B Hall near B Screen.

Once again, make sure to time your execute properly and keep track of your fuel gauge. The last thing you want is to be caught out in the middle of the site when the wall and smoke go down

Defenders

A Site

You can have an impact on several angles and choke points on defense with her Toxic Screen. To block off the vision for attackers at A Main and A Art, cast her wall from Mid Doors while aiming toward A Main.

This blocks off Mid Doors, A Link, and A Main all at once, which is useful for slowing attackers attempting a split push.

B Site

With the B site being so open, Viper’s Toxic Screen is best utilized to block attackers’ vision from B Ramp. To do this, go to the left of the entrance to Mid Connector and cast her wall toward B Main.

However, you should also coordinate with your team about when to put the wall up. Your wall could allow opponents to take B Main for free, so if someone on your team is holding B Main with an Operator, drop your wall to allow them to deny the enemy team space first, and only put it up if your opponents have already closed the distance to the site.

If the attackers are looking to rush either site, make sure to use her Snake Bite molly to keep them at bay.

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