If you’ve just downloaded Valorant and jumped into your first unrated match, you’ve probably noticed you only have a small handful of agents available to pick from. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a teammate lock in a flashy duelist or support with abilities you’ve never even gotten to test yourself. We’re breaking down exactly how to unlock agents in Valorant, no hidden catches or unnecessary spending required, so you can build a roster that fits how you like to play.
How to Unlock Agents in Valorant: Core Methods
There are two primary paths to unlock new agents, and neither will lock you out of core gameplay content if you don’t want to spend real money. The first path uses free currency you earn just from playing the game, while the second uses paid currency for players who want to skip the grind. All agents can be unlocked for free if you put in consistent play time, so you never have to spend cash to keep up with friends or compete in ranked play.
Every agent (outside of the 5 starter agents you get automatically) is tied to a character-specific contract. You can activate these contracts from the agent selection menu, and earn experience for them every time you complete a match or mission. Once you reach tier 5 of an agent’s contract, you unlock the character permanently for all game modes. You can also use agent unlock tokens, which are occasionally given out as event rewards, to skip the contract grind entirely for any agent of your choice.
If you do choose to spend real money, you can use Valorant Points to unlock agents immediately, no contract progress required. This is a good option if you want to support the game developers, or if you need a specific agent for a team scrim or tournament right away, but it’s never a requirement to enjoy the game fully.
Fastest Ways to Earn Unlock Currency Without Spending Money
Kingdom Credits, the free currency used to unlock agents and contract tiers, are easy to earn if you know which activities to prioritize. You don’t have to sink hours into the game every day to build up enough for a new agent, even casual players can unlock 2-3 agents a month with minimal effort. Prioritize daily missions first because they reset every 24 hours, and you can knock out 2-3 in just one or two matches if you plan your play.
The highest payout activities for free Kingdom Credits are:
- Complete 3 daily missions every day: they give 2,000+ Kingdom Credits total, and take less than 30 minutes to finish on average
- Grind weekly missions before their 7-day reset: each weekly mission gives between 4,000 and 8,000 Kingdom Credits, making them the highest single payout you can get for free
- Play Swiftplay or Spike Rush for short sessions: both modes have shorter match times, so you can progress through missions faster than you would in longer unrated or competitive matches
You should also make sure to claim all rewards from free event passes. Most in-game events give out chunks of Kingdom Credits, contract XP boosters, or even free agent unlock tokens as you level up the free track, so don’t sleep on these limited-time rewards. You don’t need to grind 8 hours a day to unlock agents – even 30 minutes of play a day will get you a new agent every 2 to 3 weeks, depending on event rewards.
Which Agents Should You Unlock First?
It’s easy to waste your hard-earned currency on an agent that looks cool, only to find out their playstyle doesn’t fit what you enjoy. The best order to unlock agents depends entirely on your preferred role and skill level, not just what’s popular in pro play at the moment. Unlocking agents that match your current skill level will make your first few months of play far more fun, instead of forcing yourself to play a high-skill duelist like Jett before you're comfortable with movement and aim.
If you’re new to FPS games or prefer supporting your team, start with easy-to-learn supports like Sage or Killjoy. Both agents have straightforward abilities that have a clear impact on round wins, and they don’t require perfect aim to be useful. If you like leading the charge and getting frags, unlock duelists like Reyna or Phoenix first, both have self-sustain abilities that forgive small mistakes and let you learn aggressive play without getting punished too hard.
You can test every agent’s abilities in the practice range for as long as you want before you unlock them, so take advantage of that feature. Always test an agent’s abilities in the practice range for 10 minutes before you spend currency to unlock them – it saves you a ton of regret later. You can also ask friends who own the agent to let you try their character in a custom match if you want to get a feel for how they play in real game scenarios.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Unlocking Agents
Most new players make at least one avoidable mistake when they first start unlocking agents, and it can set back their roster progress by weeks. The biggest mistake new players make is wasting currency on agents they can get for free. The new player account contract gives you two completely free agents when you hit account level 5 and level 10, so don’t spend credits on those agents first. Never unlock the two agents available from the new player contract first – you get them for free just by leveling up your account, so save your credits for other agents.
Another common mistake is unlocking agents just because they’re considered meta in high elo or pro play. What works for a professional player with thousands of hours of practice won’t necessarily work for you as a new player. For example, Chamber is an incredibly strong sentinel in high ranked play, but he requires great map awareness and sharp aim to be useful, so he’s a terrible first unlock for someone still learning the maps.
Don’t waste agent unlock tokens on low-priority agents either. Save those tokens for agents that require more contract XP, or for new agents that drop mid-act, when you don’t have time to grind their contract before they become meta. You only get a handful of these tokens each year, so make sure you use them on characters you actually want to play long-term.
At the end of the day, building out your Valorant agent roster is supposed to be part of the fun of progressing through the game. You don't have to rush to unlock every agent as fast as possible, take time to test different playstyles and figure out what works for you. Whether you're grinding free currency or picking up a few agents with real money to support the devs, knowing how to unlock agents in Valorant lets you make smart choices that fit your budget and play schedule. Next time you log in, take a minute to check your weekly missions, test a new agent in the range, and pick the next unlock that will make your matches more fun.
