Turkish initiator Fade has already begun to see use in the VCT, thanks to her terrifying information-gathering abilities that allow her to excel on smaller maps.
She is also shaping up to be a potential replacement for Sova, the Russian initiator that has dominated the Valorant meta so far with one of the highest pick rates in ranked play and pro games.
In fact, she may even have an edge over the blue-eyed archer, at least according to Sentinels star Tyson “TenZ” Ngo.
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Fade outclasses Sova after the patch 4.08 nerf
“I actually think Fade is way better than Sova, especially after the nerf,” said the 21-year-old pro in a recent stream. “She outclasses Sova pretty hard, particularly on maps that require a Raze.”
This means that the Turkish agent should thrive on the same maps where Raze is favored, he added, such as Fracture and Bind. These maps feature narrow choke points that Raze can clear using her Boom Bot and Paint Shells grenades, similar to Fade’s Prowler.
In addition, Fade’s Seize tether can be combined with Raze’s grenades to deal more damage to opponents and secure kills.
While Raze is also a strong pick on Split, and Fade’s utilities can be used to clear areas like Vents and A Ramps, TenZ is still on the fence about how good the erstwhile blackmailer is on the map.
“Wall hacks aren’t that great on Split because you don’t really wall bang anybody,” he explained. In comparison, Fade will do better on Ascent. The Venetian map has multiple areas where you can get wall bang kills, such as at B Main.
Fade is already carving out a niche for herself on smaller, open maps with roofs that lend themselves to Haunt lineups. Other than Bind and Ascent, her abilities are well-suited for Haven as well.
Riot Games may have designed Fade as an initiator who is less dependent on lineups than Sova, but you can be sure that the best players will have the nerdiest lineups to land Haunt on a ledge or roof you’ll never expect.
