Mastering the art of smoke placement is a crucial skill for any controller main in Valorant. Many players believe that simply throwing smokes in the standard spots is enough to control the battlefield, but the reality is far more nuanced. There are multiple types of smokes, each serving a distinct purpose and requiring different strategies to maximize their value. Understanding these can elevate your gameplay, help you control the map better, and ultimately secure more wins.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down every type of smoke—from the most basic to the more advanced—and explain exactly when and how to use them. Whether you're looking to improve your controller play or simply want to understand smokes better, this article will provide you with actionable insights to get the most out of your utility.

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1. Standard Smokes: The Foundation of Control

Standard smokes, sometimes called flush smokes, execute smokes, or retake smokes, are the bread and butter of any controller player. These smokes are usually placed tightly in doorways or choke points, designed to completely block off enemy movement and vision.

The key to an effective standard smoke is ensuring it is flushed in the doorway. This means the smoke should not bleed out into the entrance but rather fill the choke point entirely. When done correctly, this forces enemies to either wait for the smoke to clear or risk pushing through blindly, often resulting in their deaths.

Why is this so important? When smokes bleed out, enemies can strafe around the edges, giving them more room to maneuver and making it harder for defenders to hold the position. A properly placed flush smoke denies this possibility, making the choke point extremely uncomfortable to push through without utility support.

Example: On maps like Haven, placing a flush smoke in the spawn choke points on A and C can backfire by allowing enemies to swing out and isolate your teammates on the back site or Hell. Instead, placing the smoke slightly differently, such that enemies must peek into the open to fight, can greatly benefit your team’s defense.

Similarly, on Bind A site, the common triple smoke is often placed flush in the back, which pushes defenders away but allows attackers to isolate short. Pulling this smoke closer can prevent attackers from using triple to isolate short, showcasing how subtle changes in placement can have big impacts.

Bottom line: Always think about the space your smokes are controlling and what you want to accomplish. Are you stopping a push, protecting teammates, or setting up for a retake? Your smoke’s purpose should drive your placement.

2. Lurk Smokes: Creating Uncertainty

Lurk smokes serve a very different purpose from standard smokes. Instead of completely denying enemy movement, lurk smokes are about denying information. These are usually placed in the middle of the map or at the front of a site by attackers and intentionally bleed out into the entryway.

Unlike flush smokes that aim to stop pushes entirely, lurk smokes are designed to make it easier for attackers to push through while keeping defenders uncertain. When a lurk smoke is deployed, defenders lose crucial information about whether attackers have crossed or are about to push, forcing them to either waste utility to check or stay nervous about that area.

Defenders often counter lurk smokes with Sentinel utility or initiator tools like Sova’s recon dart or drones to clear the smoke. This highlights how important information control is in Valorant—without it, defenders struggle to make the right call.

However, the effectiveness of lurk smokes depends heavily on timing. Many ranked teams rush sites too quickly, not allowing lurk smokes to create meaningful hesitation. When used mid-round to create openings and question defenders, agents like Omen, Astra, and even Cypher can leverage lurk smokes to great effect.

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3. Site Smokes: Defending and Repositioning on Site

Site smokes are one of the most underutilized but powerful types of smokes in the game, especially for defenders. Unlike standard smokes that block entrances, site smokes are placed directly on the site to give defenders more room to maneuver and reposition.

These smokes allow defenders to play around the smoke, raid inside it, or wait for utility and rotations from teammates. They don’t necessarily stop a push outright, but make it difficult for attackers to deal with site anchors.

Sight smokes also synergize well with other controller abilities like Omen’s blind, Brimstone’s molly, and Viper’s molly. When combined, these utilities can make a site nearly impenetrable.

Additionally, site smokes are useful for saving teammates in sticky situations by buying them time until help arrives, rather than risking a 1v5 death.

4. Flood Smokes: Breaking Through Choke Points

Flood smokes look similar to lurk smokes but serve a different function. They are designed to counter enemy flush smokes by bleeding out over them and effectively canceling them out.

When your team is locked behind a tight enemy smoke, a flood smoke can create a new space for you to push through, enabling rapid site access or helping you assist teammates.

Flood smokes are especially valuable against AWPers, as they help close the distance safely, reducing the sniper’s effectiveness at long range.

The timing of flood smokes is critical—they work best when you need immediate access to a site or want to prevent attackers from establishing strong post-plant positions.

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5. One-Way Smokes: Vision Control and Ambush

One-way smokes have become less common after certain nerfs but remain an important tool in the right spots. These smokes are placed on elevated surfaces like double-stacked boxes to create situations where defenders can see enemy feet while remaining hidden.

Classic one-way spots include Ascent A main and Sunset A main. These smokes force attackers to either use a utility to clear the area or risk walking into a deadly ambush.

One important rule: smokes are neutral utility. The team closest to the smoke is usually at a disadvantage. For example, if you set up a one-way from far back, it benefits you. But if you push up into that smoke, it can work against you.

Therefore, before placing a one-way smoke, consider your positioning and plans for the next 15-20 seconds to avoid turning it into a liability.

6. Spike Smokes: The Retake Weapon

Spike smokes are essential for defenders during retakes. Instead of smoking entrances, these smokes focus on smoking off the spike itself.

By doing this, attackers face a difficult choice: either spam through the smoke, revealing their position and risking vulnerability, or rush blindly into the smoke, which is dangerous.

This technique is especially powerful in clutch situations, like one-vs-two scenarios, where controlling the spike can force attackers into uncomfortable decisions.

For attackers, spike smokes are rare and situational, since maintaining vision on the spike is crucial to prevent defuses.

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7. Line Smokes: The Long-Range Control of Viper and Harbor

Line smokes, deployed by agents like Viper and Harbor, differ from standard smokes by covering more ground in a linear shape. These smokes are particularly effective on large maps like Breeze and Icebox.

While line smokes cover more area, they come with the limitation of a fixed shape and often require specific throwing positions, making them trickier to use.

Top Viper players use line smokes similarly to lurk smokes—cutting off multiple sightlines and creating massive knowledge gaps for the enemy team, forcing them to take risky pushes to gain information.

Harbor’s wall can curve, offering more flexibility in smoke shape and coverage, but both agents’ line smokes are typically used to enhance map control and unpredictability rather than for execution.

FAQs about Smoke Types

What is the main difference between standard smokes and lurk smokes?

Standard smokes are tightly placed to block enemy movement and vision in choke points, while lurk smokes are used to deny information by bleeding into entryways, creating uncertainty for defenders.

When should I use flood smokes?

Flood smokes are best used to counter enemy flush smokes when your team needs to push through choke points quickly or close distance against snipers like AWPers.

Are one-way smokes still effective after recent nerfs?

Yes, but they are less common and situational. One-way smokes still work well in specific spots, especially when you don’t intend to push through the area soon after placing them.

How do site smokes help defenders?

Site smokes create space on the site itself for defenders to reposition, delay enemy pushes, and synergize with other utility for a stronger defense.

Why are spike smokes important during retakes?

Spike smokes force attackers to make tough choices about whether to spam through or push into the smoke, often revealing their positions and giving defenders an advantage.

Conclusion

Understanding the different types of smokes and their specific uses is essential for any player looking to improve their controller gameplay in Valorant. From the foundational standard smokes to the nuanced spike and line smokes, each type plays a unique role in controlling the map and dictating the flow of the round.

Remember, smoke placement is never just about copying popular spots. It’s about understanding the space, timing, and purpose behind each throw. Whether you’re stopping a push, creating uncertainty, or setting up a retake, using smokes effectively can be the difference between winning and losing a round.

So next time you pick up your controller, think beyond the basics and start experimenting with these smoke types to gain the upper hand and climb the ranks with confidence.

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