VALORANT Yoru Guide: How to Play Yoru

Yoru, VALORANT's fifth Duelist, joined the roster from Japan. After his release, he didn't get the attention players hoped for, so a rework was discussed and planned, and he received an update in the previous patch, VALORANT 4.04. That patch also marked the release of Episode 4 Act 2, and with it Yoru became far stronger than before, quickly earning a spot on the strongest-Duelist lists. We kept seeing questions about what Yoru is, who he is, and how to play him, so to answer them we've put together a VALORANT Yoru guide for you.

VALORANT Yoru: What Are His Abilities?

Yoru's kit can look selfish – he is a Duelist, after all – but it holds a lot of power for the team too. His movement can be set up pre-round to sell fakes, and his ultimate is excellent for scouting ahead.

• Ability 1 ⁠— Fakeout (100 credits): When activated, it creates a mirror image that echoes footsteps. This echo is your copy and looks just like you to opponents. If your opponents shoot it, it triggers a flash that will blind them. Watch out — if you look at it too, you'll be blinded as well.
• Ability 2 ⁠— Blindside (250 credits): This is what we'd call Yoru's flashbang ability. He has 2 charges of it. It can't be thrown in a straight line — it has to be bounced off a surface.
• Signature Ability ⁠— Gatecrash (Free, 30-second cooldown, 2 kill charges): This is what we'd call Yoru's teleport, letting him blink to a location. If you release this ability with right-click, it stays in place; if you release it with left-click, it will travel straight ahead until it hits an obstacle. Since the latest update, you can now press F while looking at one of these teleport markers to create a fake teleport.
• Ultimate Ability ⁠— Dimensional Drift (7 points): Since the latest update, Yoru's ultimate no longer restricts his vision while active. In fact, while it's active you can throw a flash and then use your teleport ability on top of it. Also, you take no damage while the ultimate is active.

While he can use all of these abilities on his own, great Yoru players will combine them with other tools to create space for the team. Selling a few fakes with mirror images at a Reactor Site can draw the enemy's attention – especially if you use it to rush them. He can also gain ground on the map very quickly using his ultimate and E ability. Duelists typically create space with flashy entry abilities, while Yoru actually does it by slipping into the backline unnoticed and forming a pincer.

How Should You Play VALORANT Yoru?

We want to continue our VALORANT Yoru guide by answering how you should play Yoru. Yoru particularly excels at one thing: lurking and flanking. He's the first VALORANT agent built with dedicated tools for that role. That job used to fall to Cypher, but Yoru is properly built for it.

His mirror images and fakes can sell really well, and you can even use them to "counter-bluff" opponents if they've given up on pushing. You can lead with your clones and quietly walk in behind them, then quickly pick off a corner when flashes go off with your team behind you.

While on-site, he can still be a nuisance. His flashes are super flexible for getting some unusual angles, and his kit lets him force enemy reactions without putting himself at risk. We recommend watching a few YouTube videos for details and tactics on how to throw his flashes.

It takes a bit of time to get used to Yoru's flashes. The bounce can feel strange, so keep in mind the flash now lasts 1.5 seconds and be careful not to flash your own team. Practicing with Yoru on the shooting range will serve you well.

See you in our upcoming VALORANT Agent guides.

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