By JOSEPH ESKANDER
Screenshot of character teaser image from Valorant showing the new duelist agent, Iso. (JOSEPH ESKANDER, Ethic News image)
Overview
On Oct. 19 “Valorant” officially released a character trailer for their new Duelist in the game: Iso. Iso has powerful abilities with being able to isolate him and an enemy player from everyone. This article will be breaking down his abilities and how they work.
Abilities
Iso Ability: Contingency (C)
“EQUIP to assemble prismatic energy. FIRE to push an indestructible wall of energy forward that blocks bullets,” as described by Mike | Valorant Leaks & News on Twitter @ValorLeaks. Contingency costs 250 credits and can only hold one charge max. Contingency is a buffed up version of Harbor’s “cascade” ability but instead of slowing allies, it blocks bullets. Even though Contingency is smaller than Cascade, blocking out bullets and rushing opponents can gain players an upper hand in battle.
Screenshot of Iso using contingency to form a wall to push enemies shooting at him. (JOSEPH ESKANDER, Ethic News image)
Iso Ability: Undercut (Q)
“EQUIP a molecular bolt. Fire to throw it forward, applying a brief FRAGILE to all players it touches. The bolt can pass through solid objects, including walls,” as described by @ValorLeaks. Undercut costs 200 credits and can hold a max of two charges. FRAGILE is basically VULNERABILITY, but for players that don’t know, FRAGILE is a debuff that increases damage received from all sources of damage. To put simply, undercut is Omen’s “Paranoia” ability but instead of blocking your vision, you take more damage.
Screenshot of Iso firing an Undercut through Mid Doors at Sage and Chamber. (JOSEPH ESKANDER, Ethic News image)
Iso Ability: Double Tap (E)
“START a focus timer. Once completed, enter a flow state during which downed enemies you kill or damage generate an energy orb. Shooting this orb grants you a shield which absorbs one instance of damage from any source,” as described by @ValorLeaks. Double Tap costs 150 credits holding one base charge and being able to max at two charges. From @ValorLeaks, Iso was able to take Raze’s “Showstopper” ultimate ability head on, which on direct hit or splash (if very close), can eliminate a player with or without shields. To add on top of that, if Iso buys shield before the round starts and is hit with Double Tap activated, only the shield retrieved from Double Tap will be damaged and the shield bought before will remain unaffected. Be careful when you have it though, as fall damage or getting hit by an ally’s ability will get rid of Double Taps shield.
Screenshot of Iso shooting an energy orb, gaining a shield from his Double Tap ability after eliminating an enemy player. (JOSEPH ESKANDER, Ethic News image)
Iso Ultimate: Kill Contract (X)
“EQUIP an interdimensional arena. FIRE to hurl a column of energy through the battlefield, pulling you and the first enemy hit into the arena. You and your opponent duel to the death.” This ultimate could possibly be one of, if not the most overpowered ultimates in the game. Being able to force an enemy player into a 1v1 trapping them into a different arena can be game changing depending on certain situations. Kill Contract takes seven ultimate points to use and lasts for 15 seconds. If you and your opponent don’t kill each other within the 15 second time limit, both players will die. Players are also unable to use abilities when inside Kill Contract. Do be aware that moving around inside Kill Contract, and if winning the 1v1, pulls you back to where you activated the ultimate. Think of it as using Phoenix’s “Run it Back” ultimate, but no respawn and you come back to where the ultimate was activated.
Screenshot of Iso and Phoenix in an interdimensional arena made from Kill Contract. The agents fire at each other to see who will be the last one standing. (JOSEPH ESKANDER, Ethic News image)
Conclusion/Possible release date
To conclude this article explaining Iso’s abilities, some other articles have been thinking that Iso will come out on Oct. 31, 2023 which is the same day Episode 7 Act 3 is scheduled to be released.
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