How to play Yoru in Valorant: Abilities, tips & tricks

Andrew Amos
Yoru in Valorant

Yoru is Valorant’s fifth Duelist, however the Japanese Agent brings more to the table than just a meme, with plenty of utility to play with and flanking abilities that will really stump your foes.

There’s not really an Agent like Yoru in Valorant. While you can make some arguments for some Agents playing out like others, Yoru is a truly unique addition to the roster. He has filled a void in the line-up that has needed some fleshing out since the game’s release.

If you love playing on the flank and sending enemies on a rat race to nowhere, all while your team takes all the objectives they could want, then Yoru is for you. How does his kit work exactly though? Read on to master Yoru in Episode 4, especially after his much-anticipated rework.


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Valorant Yoru: Abilities

Yoru allows you to get behind enemies, close and personal, all without being seen.

Yoru’s kit might seem selfish ⁠— after all, he is a Duelist ⁠— but it contains a lot of power for the team. He has a flash in his Blindside, which bounces off walls to create interesting angles. His footsteps can be set up pre-round to sell fakes, and his ultimate is perfect for scouting ahead.

  • First Ability ⁠— Fakeout (100 Creds): EQUIP an echo that turns into a mirror image when activated. FIRE to instantly activate and send the image forward. ALT FIRE to place an echo in place. USE the inactive echo to convert it into another mirror image and send it forward. Mirror images explode and cause a blinding flash whenever destroyed by enemies. Mirror images can exist for up to 10 seconds from being activated.
  • Second Ability ⁠— Blindside (250 Creds): EQUIP to rip an unstable dimensional fragment from reality. FIRE to throw the fragment, activating a 1.5-second flash that winds up once it collides with a hard surface.
  • Signature Ability ⁠— Gatecrash (Free, 30s cooldown, 2 Kill recharge): EQUIP to harness a rift tether. FIRE to send the tether out moving forward. ALT FIRE to place a tether in place. ACTIVATE to teleport to the tether’s location. Yoru can reactivate Gatecrash while in Dimensional Drift
  • Ultimate Ability ⁠— Dimensional Drift (7 points): EQUIP a mask that can see between dimensions. FIRE to drift into Yoru’s dimension, unable to be affected or seen by enemies from the outside.

While he can utilize all of these abilities for himself, great Yoru players will be able to combine this with other utilities to make space for the team. Selling a few fakes on a Reactor Site with his mirror images can draw enemy attention ⁠— especially if you use it to rush.

He can also gain lots of ground quickly on the map with his Dimensional Drift and Gatecrash. While Duelists typically make space with their impressive fragging ability, Yoru actually has the ability to do that by flanking unawares into the backlines and creating a pincer.

Yoru firing Judge in Valorant
Yoru specializes in tricking enemies and catching them by surprise on the lurk.

How to play Yoru in Valorant

Yoru excels at one thing in particular: lurking and flanking. He’s the first Valorant Agent with a dedicated kit for the role. The duties previously fell to Cypher, but Yoru is properly built for the job.

His mirror images can sell fakes really well, and you can even use them to “reverse-fake” your opponents if they’ve cottoned on. You can lead with your clones and walk quietly behind them, then quickly strike from around a corner when the flashes go off with your team behind you.

When he’s on the site, he can still be a nuisance. His flashes are super flexible to get some funky angles, and his kit allows him to force out reactions from his enemies without putting himself at risk. Keep an eye out for the line-up kings like AverageJonas to find some amazing entry flashes with the bounce mechanic.

That doesn’t mean Yoru’s kit is infallible though. If you’re using the Agent after a while, you do have to be mindful of Yoru’s rework in Episode 4 when you’re breaking onto a site ⁠— an enemy hiding might choose to not shoot your mirror images and wait for you to actually reveal your actual Agent. Make sure you aren’t too reckless with Yoru or it can turn the tides against your team.

Also, his flashes take a while to get used to. The bounce can be awkward, so considering the flash now lasts for 1.5s be mindful to not flash your own team. Practice will make perfect.

Yoru in Valorant
If you like tricking your enemies and staying one step ahead in the mind games, you’ll love Yoru.

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