Best Duelists for Valorant Map Pearl

Valorant’s map Pearl presents a unique blend of old-world architecture and futuristic technology, set within an underwater city in Omega Earth Lisbon. A towering, Radianite-infused dome shields the city from relentless waves, creating a dramatic, yet visually stunning, battlefield. This map’s intricate design captures the essence of a dystopian world grappling with the effects of cataclysmic climate events.

Navigating Pearl requires a clear strategy and selecting the right duelists is crucial for gaining an advantage. The map's classic three-lane layout, devoid of teleporters and ropes, emphasizes the importance of movement abilities. With its narrow corridors, sharp corners, and a twisted Mid area, selecting the ideal duelists can be the key to dominating this challenging environment.

Top Duelists to Play on Pearl, the Underwater Map

Neon

Neon is emerging as an exceptional pick on Pearl, particularly due to the map's extensive Mid area and numerous sharp corners. Her High Gear sprint and slide abilities allow her to make swift mid-round rotations and catch enemies off-guard. These qualities are invaluable for navigating tight angles and connecting the various sections of the map efficiently.

Her Fast Lane wall is another crucial ability for Neon players. When attacking from B Main, the wall can block key sightlines, providing a safer route to the bomb site. This is particularly useful in the open pathways of B Main, which are prime locations for snipers.

Neon's speed also benefits her team in A Main. Though A Main isn't as exposed as B Main, her ability to quickly put pressure on defenders prevents them from taking early control. On A site, she can deploy Fast Lane to rapidly reach the back of the site, creating significant space for her team to follow up.

Raze

Raze performs exceptionally well on Pearl thanks to her mobility and area control abilities. Her Blast Packs allow her to cover large distances quickly, making her an asset when transitioning through B Main and B Hall or reaching the back site of A swiftly.

The map’s Mid area, with its twists and tight angles, benefits from her Boom Bot. This tool can clear precarious spots at Mid Doors, B Link, and Mid Connector effectively. Additionally, her Boom Bot is crucial for securing spaces like A Art, where defenders might be lurking in close corners.

Her Paint Shells grenades are perfect for dislodging enemies from difficult positions like A Dugout and the pocket at B Main. Combining grenades with team abilities, such as Fade’s Seize tether, maximizes their damage potential in Pearl's narrow lanes and confined areas.

Yoru

Yoru’s Dimensional Drift ultimate can clear risky areas, providing his team with essential intel to decide their next move. This ability to safely scout and gather information makes him a valuable asset.

His Blindside pop flashes are particularly effective in Pearl’s tight corners, allowing for safer pushes around the map. In Mid, where the layout allows for hearing rotations without always seeing opponents, a Fakeout clone can deceive enemies using false audio cues.

Yoru’s Gatecrash teleport enhances his map presence, allowing him to either sell a fake or maintain map control. With its help, he can swiftly teleport to assist his team when needed. Gatecrash also takes advantage of Pearl’s interconnected corridors, letting him sneak into Mid and flank unsuspecting opponents.

Using these duelists optimally on Pearl involves leveraging their unique abilities to navigate and control the map effectively. Pearl’s design with its open areas, tight corridors, and complex mid-section makes duelists like Neon, Raze, and Yoru particularly potent when played strategically.

What about Jett, Reyna, and Phoenix?

Jett might not be the most favorable option for Pearl. Although a skilled player can still utilize her effectively, her capabilities are mostly confined to the A site. She can independently handle B Screen and B Hall with her smokes, but her overall impact is limited elsewhere on the map. The limitation of her dash distance means she requires assistance to gain control of B Main and struggles to clear corners in Mid unassisted.

Reyna also faces challenges on Pearl. Her Leer ability is advantageous primarily at A and B Main. However, it loses effectiveness at Mid where its Nearsight debuff struggles against opponents holding close corners. This limitation makes it harder for Reyna to initiate duels reliably in the central part of the map.

Despite being a classic pick, Phoenix remains at a disadvantage on Pearl. His kit, consisting of abilities such as the Curveball flash, Hot Hands molly, and Blaze wall, feels outdated. Other agents can replicate or even surpass these utilities, making Phoenix less desirable. His abilities don't provide the same level of site control or support compared to other agents, keeping him at a lower tier in terms of pick rates on Pearl.

In summary, while Jett, Reyna, and Phoenix have their niches, they encounter significant limitations on Pearl, affecting their overall effectiveness in competitive matches.