Icebox returned to the competitive map pool of VALORANT with the new Episode 8. Here are the best Agents you should play to win most of your matches on this arctic-themed map.
Icebox was originally the 5th map to be released in VALORANT. The map is located on an ice-trapped island of the Arctic Ocean. It features a modern ship as an attacker spawn and various shipping containers all around the map.
The layout of Icebox is pretty straightforward, with two bomb sites. There are no gimmicks like rotating doors or teleports. However, the specialty of this map lies in its verticality. The overall map design allows multiple ascended places you can play from or even plant the spikes.
With the new changes in the map design, most of the areas now feature tight angles and corners. However, you will also find yourself in long-range duels in both the bomb sites and mid areas. So, you will need a fast-paced Duelist Agent who can take early peeks and can safely retreat.
Icebox has a few pathways for attackers to enter. So, you should always be aware of your flanks. Playing more than one sentinel will only give you an upper hand against enemy lurkers and allow you more map controls.
For Controllers, traditional smoke Agents fall a bit short in Icebox. Rather, Agents who can hold chokes and cover a large portion of the map should be your best bet. To make your composition whole, only one Initiator should be enough to set up attacks.
10 Best Agents to Play on Icebox
In the previous section, we talked about what types of Agents fit well in Icebox and how many of each role you should have in your team. But there are many Agents to pick from, and choosing the best one is crucial to winning a match in Icebox.
Overall, the game environment and meta have changed since Icebox has been absent from the competitive map rotation for quite some time now. Although previous Agent compositions can still work, you should pick your team based on the ongoing game mechanics. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Best Duelists
Jett
- Abilities:
- Passive: Drift
- Basic: Cloudburst, Updraft
- Signature: Tailbind
- Ultimate: Blade Storm
Despite Jett’s previous nerfs, she can still be a good Duelist for you or your team in Icebox for so many reasons. Her updraft will allow you to take advantage of the elevated spots in Icebox. With it, you can peek from unexpected angles, which most of the other Agents won’t be able to. Adding her ability to create fast attack pushes and being invincible with Operator makes her the most viable Duelist you can play in Icebox.
Reyna
- Abilities:
- Passive: Soul Harvest
- Basic: Leer
- Signatures: Devour, Dismiss
- Ultimate: Empress
Unlike Jett, Reyna can’t take advantage of Icebox’s elevated spaces. But you can use her Leers to help your team in fast attacks. Moreover, you can take risky duels with her and use dismiss to retract safely.
Best Controllers
Viper
- Abilities:
- Passive: Fuel, Toxin
- Basic: Snake Bite, Poison Cloud
- Signature: Toxic Screen
- Ultimate: Viper’s Pit
Icebox’s site layout doesn’t have traditional choke points to block off like other maps. Therefore, conventional smoke Agents can’t properly ensure coverage in an attack. This is where Controller agents like Viper come into play. Viper was always the Controller meta Agent in Icebox, and the latest Icebox update did not affect that much, making her the best Controller Agent on the map.
Clove
- Abilities:
- Basic: Pick me Up, Meddle
- Signature: Ruse
- Ultimate: Not Dead Yet
Clove is undoubtedly one of Icebox’s best Agents right now. You can select just one Duelist for the team if you pick Clove. With the additional space on your team, you can add a Controller or, better yet, a Sentinel Agent to your team.
Omen
- Abilities:
- Basic: Shrouded Step, Paranoia
- Signature: Dark Cover
- Ultimate: From the Shadows
Even though traditional smoke Agents may fall a bit short in Icebox’s multi-layered layout, Omen can use this as a strength. You can use Shrouded Step and reach unconventional angles that your enemies can never even expect. There are a lot of boxes to help you create innovative one-way smokes. So, even if you can’t control as much map as Viper can, you can still be effective with creative and unpredictable plays.
Best Initiators
Sova
- Abilities:
- Basic: Owl Drone, Shock Bolt
- Signature: Recon Bolt
- Ultimate: Hunter’s Fury
Although some things have changed in Icebox, the original map layout mostly remained the same. Moreover, no modification has been made to the A-site. So, all of Sova’s lineups that worked previously will still work on the new Icebox. Not only that, you can find new lineups that can make Sova more impactful in the new Icebox for both defenders’ and attackers’ sides.
KAY/O
- Abilities:
- Basic: FRAG/ment, FLASH/drive
- Signature: ZERO/point
- Ultimate: NULL/cmd
If you prefer to stay close to your team and support them continuously, then picking KAY/O over Sova might be more effective. To play Sova, you need to learn a lot of lineups and spend a lot of time in practice mode. However, with KAY/O, you can go with the flow. Just make sure that you have decent teammates with you who can take advantage of you.
Best Sentinels
Deadlock
- Abilities:
- Basic: GravNet, Sonic Sensor
- Signature: Barrier Mesh
- Ultimate: Annihilation
Deadlock received some major changes to her abilities in patch 8.0. Her Sonic Sensor is much faster now, and the Barrier Mesh is bigger. You can easily close site entries or mid-tube, just like Sage’s wall. This will leave you with less angle to worry about. You can place the Sonic Sensors in elevated angles to catch off Jett’s dash or Omen’s Shrouded Step. With the latest buff, you can be a nuisance for enemies with Deadlock in the new Icebox.
Chamber
- Abilities:
- Basic: Trademark, Headhunter
- Signatures: Rendezvous
- Ultimate: Tour De Force
Chamber is a sentinel who can add some extra firepower to your team. You can lock in a site and watch flanks like other sentinels. But in need of time, you can even act like a secondary duelist. You can also take long-range fights and use the unconventional versatility of Icebox. The tight angles allow you to teleport to safety with his Rendezvous. However, due to Trademark’s range cap, you may struggle to check flanks if you are playing as a solo sentinel. Moreover, if your team doesn’t have Jett, you can play Operator instead.
Killjoy
- Abilities:
- Basic: Alarmbot, Nanoswarm
- Signature: Turret
- Ultimate: Lockdown
Killjoy has been nerfed quite a bit in Patch 8.00. Her turret now sees a shorter angle. However, she is still viable in Icebox. Her turret now sees a shorter angle. Most of the sites and mid are long pathways, so it should not be a problem. Even the changes in B-site help with that. Nevertheless, you may need to find new locations to use the turret more effectively. But with Killjoy’s other abilities, you should still be able to lock down a site on your own
Best Team Compositions in Icebox
We’ve given you some ideas regarding what Agents to pick in Icebox. Now, let’s talk about the team composition. Good or bad, not every Agent syncs with other Agents. For example, if you have Skye on your team, then there’s almost no point in picking up Sage. Instead, go for the other two Sentinels that we recommended and vice versa. The same rule applies to flash and smoke Agents.
With that in mind, here’s our recommendation for the best team compositions in Icebox:
- Team composition 1: Jett, Killjoy, Deadlock, Viper, Sova
- Team composition 2: Reyna, Chamber, Killjoy, Omen, Sova
- Team composition 3: Jett, Chamber, Deadlock, Viper, KAY/O
- Team composition 4: Reyna, Killjoy, Deadlock, Clove, Sova
Final Verdict
Every Agent has unique and useful abilities in VALORANT. If utilized properly, any Agent can lead you to a foolproof win. However, some Agents are always preferred over others for particular maps. This article on Haven is based on the Agent’s abilities and how well they fit with the map’s layout and structure. So try them out and see what works for you best. Good luck!
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