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Português New VALORANT Duelist Waylay: Abilities & Impact
Tejo was just released, but VALORANT’s latest agent is already here, and she’s ready to shake things up. Waylay, the new Thai duelist, brings a unique blend of speed and control, giving Jett some serious competition. With her ability to manipulate light and introduce the new Hindering debuff, she has the potential to boost aggressive playstyles and redefine team compositions. Let’s break down everything you need to know about Waylay, from her abilities to her impact on the game’s meta.
Waylay: VALORANT’s Prismatic Duelist
Hailing from Thailand, Waylay is a fast-moving duelist with a sleek holographic aesthetic. Her yellow, navy blue, and black tactical suit reflects her light-based powers, which allow her to dart around the battlefield, disorient enemies, and escape danger effortlessly.
Riot Games officially unveiled Waylay at VALORANT Masters Bangkok 2025, where her agent description set the tone for what she brings to the game:
“Thailand's prismatic radiant Waylay transforms into light itself as she darts across the battlefield, striking down her targets through shards of light before flitting back to safety, all in the blink of an eye.”
Waylay’s playstyle is built around aggressive positioning and quick escapes, making her a high-risk, high-reward agent perfect for players who love taking initiative.
Waylay’s Release Date
Waylay officially joins the VALORANT roster on March 5, 2025. You can get the new Agent immediatelly after downloading the patch by buying her from the in-game store, or via Agent Contract.
Waylay’s Abilities Breakdown
Waylay introduces a fresh take on movement-based duelists, with a mix of mobility, utility, and the new Hindering debuff. Here’s a closer look at her kit:
Refract
- INSTANTLY place a beacon of light on the floor.
- REACTIVATE to teleport back to your beacon as a mote of light.
- You are invulnerable while traveling.
This ability serves as a powerful escape tool, allowing Waylay to push aggressively and then retreat to safety if things go south.
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Light Speed
Similar to Jett’s movement abilities, Light Speed allows Waylay to take unpredictable angles and reposition quickly. |
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Saturate
- INSTANTLY throw a cluster of light that explodes upon impact.
- Affects nearby enemies by HINDERING them, reducing their movement and weapon handling speed.
Saturate is a strong zoning tool, making it difficult for enemies to reposition or fight back effectively.
Convergent Paths (Ultimate)
- EQUIP to summon an afterimage of yourself that emits a beam of light.
- FIRE to activate a powerful speed boost.
- The beam expands and HINDERS all enemies in its path.
Her Ultimate enhances her aggressive capabilities while slowing down enemy responses, making her an effective initiator in key fights.
What is Hindering in Valorant?
Waylay introduces the Hindering status effect, which slows:
- Fire Rate
- Recoil Recovery
- Equip Time
- Reload Speed
- Movement Speed
- Jump Speed
This effect makes enemies sluggish and easier to punish, complementing her aggressive playstyle.
Waylay vs. Jett
For years, Jett has dominated the VALORANT meta as the go-to mobility duelist. Riot Games has now added Waylay as an alternative, offering a more tactical approach to movement, and according to some players, a better way to climb the ranks and reach Radiant. Her Light Speed dash and Refract ability give her flexibility, while Hindering adds a new strategic layer to engagements.
June Cuervo, a VALORANT game designer, explains Riot’s thought process:
“This subclass of duelist that only Jett and Raze occupy has been an essential part of team compositions at all levels of play. We wanted to add something fresh to this gameplay space.”
Unlike Jett, Waylay’s mobility is tied to calculated engagements rather than pure reactionary movement. This means she’ll reward players who can think ahead and use her kit strategically.
Strengths: Where Waylay Excels
- Site Entry and Escape: Waylay’s Refract and Light Speed allow her to take aggressive fights and reposition instantly.
- Anti-Sentinel Plays: She can bypass Cypher’s Trapwires and evade Killjoy’s Alarmbots and grenades, disrupting defensive setups.
- Strong on Tight Maps: Maps like Bind, Ascent, Lotus, Icebox, and Pearl will be ideal for Waylay, as they offer plenty of cover and narrow angles for her to control.
- Retake and Information Gathering: Her ability to gather intel and escape safely makes her invaluable for both attackers and defenders.
Weaknesses: Where Waylay Struggles
- Needs Cover to Thrive: Unlike Jett, who can freely dash in open spaces, Waylay requires cover to move safely.
- Less Effective on Open Maps: Maps like Breeze and Abyss may expose her weaknesses, as she lacks a 360-degree smoke ability like Jett’s Cloudburst.
- Team Reliance: While she has great mobility, she still depends on teammates to follow up on her entries and capitalize on her Hindering effect.
Cuervo notes:
“Maps where bombsites have lots of nooks and crannies to dash to, such as Icebox and Ascent, are where Waylay thrives. However, large open areas like Breeze and Abyss can cause her to struggle.”
Will Waylay Be a Must-Pick Agent?
Waylay brings a fresh playstyle to VALORANT, offering a new alternative for players who love fast-paced dueling. While she won’t completely replace Jett or Raze, she provides a new dimension to the mobility duelist role, making her a valuable addition to the roster.
Her Hindering effect could shift the game’s pace, forcing players to rethink their engagement strategies. If she lives up to expectations, she might just boost the variety of duelists in competitive play and redefine how players approach aggressive skirmishes.
With her official release on March 5, 2025, it's time to see Waylay’s impact on the rank ladder and the professional scene. Get ready to master her light-speed movement and outshine the competition!
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