Controller

Viper

The American Chemist, Viper deploys an array of poisonous chemical devices to control the battlefield and choke the enemy's vision. If the toxins don't kill her prey, her mindgames surely will.

Abilities

Snake Bite

EQUIP a chemical launcher. FIRE to launch a canister that shatters upon hitting the floor, creating a lingering chemical zone that damages and applies Vulnerable.

Bought with credits at the start of a round, and lost when you die.

Poison Cloud

EQUIP a gas emitter. FIRE to throw the emitter that perpetually remains throughout the round. ALT FIRE to lob. RE-USE the ability to create a toxic gas cloud that Decays opponents inside it at the cost of fuel. This ability can be picked up to be REDEPLOYED before the round starts and can be RE-USED more than once throughout the round.

Bought with credits at the start of a round, and lost when you die.

Toxic Screen

EQUIP a gas emitter launcher that penetrates terrain. FIRE to deploy a long line of gas emitters. RE-USE the ability to create a tall wall of toxic gas that Decays opponents that cross it at the cost of fuel. This ability can be RE-USED more than once.

The signature ability — free every round, and on some agents it recharges through play rather than being bought.

Viper's Pit

EQUIP a chemical sprayer. FIRE to spray a chemical cloud in all directions around Viper, creating a large cloud that Nearsights players and Decays the health of enemies inside of it. HOLD the ability key to disperse the cloud early.

Charged by ultimate orbs, kills, deaths and planting or defusing the spike.

Passive

Toxic

You gradually generate and replenish the toxin that fuels your abilities. Enemies that cross through Viper's Poison Cloud, Toxic Screen, or Viper's Pit are instantly inflicted with at least 30 Decay. Their Decay level increases the longer they remain in contact with it.

Always active. It costs nothing and can't be bought, lost or charged.

What a Controller does

Controllers cut the map into pieces. Smokes and area denial decide which angles exist at all, letting a team take a site while ignoring half the defenders on it.

Controllers are experts in slicing up dangerous territory to set their team up for success.

How Viper’s kit is bought

Two of Viper’s abilities are bought with credits each round and lost on death. Toxic Screen is the signature ability, so it’s free every round. Viper's Pit is the ultimate and can’t be bought at all — it charges through play.

Viper also has a passive, Toxic, which is always active and costs nothing.

Viper FAQ

What role is Viper in VALORANT?

Viper is a Controller. Controllers cut the map into pieces. Smokes and area denial decide which angles exist at all, letting a team take a site while ignoring half the defenders on it.

What is Viper's ultimate?

Viper's ultimate is Viper's Pit, bound to X. EQUIP a chemical sprayer. FIRE to spray a chemical cloud in all directions around Viper, creating a large cloud that Nearsights players and Decays the health of enemies inside of it. HOLD the ability key to disperse the cloud early. Like every ultimate it charges from orbs, kills, deaths and spike plants or defuses rather than being bought.

What is Viper's signature ability?

Toxic Screen, bound to E. EQUIP a gas emitter launcher that penetrates terrain. FIRE to deploy a long line of gas emitters. RE-USE the ability to create a tall wall of toxic gas that Decays opponents that cross it at the cost of fuel. This ability can be RE-USED more than once.

How many abilities does Viper have?

Viper has 5 abilities in total, including a passive (Toxic) that's always active: Snake Bite, Poison Cloud, Toxic Screen, Viper's Pit, Toxic.

Behind the scenes

Development codename: Pandemic
Role: Controller
Abilities: 5 (one passive)
Gameplay tags: Vision Control Specialist

Riot builds each agent under an internal codename before the character exists — Viper was developed as “Pandemic”. The codenames survive in the game files long after release.

Playing Viper

Viper has 4 usable abilities per round. Two are bought with credits and lost on death, which means an eco round genuinely changes what Viper can do — not just what gun you hold.

The habit that separates good controllers from bad ones is spending abilities rather than saving them. They don’t carry over between rounds, so an unused ability at the end of a round is credits you set on fire.

Set up a crosshair before you queue →

Other Controllers