Valorant Split map guide: tips, strategies, spike sites
Split is composed of two separate sections. It has a very contested Mid and two back routes. Gaining Mid control is crucial to attack or defend each site, so Mid fights are guaranteed in almost every round.
Defenders have a huge advantage because they can reach their positions and set up before attackers can even peek in. However, playing aggressively as a defender from A or B is almost impossible because of the conformation of the map.
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While explaining the map strategies, I might use the most common callouts to indicate each placement.
A Site - Attack
Attacking A Site is a smart move during the pistol round, as the positions that the enemy is likely to use to defend from are very limited.
With only two well-placed smokes, you can block off a half of the map, allowing for an easy push onto site.
After gaining control of the site, it is crucial that you clear Heaven, as defenders travel through it most of the time to reach A Site.
Holding Ramp can secure you the round because you can see the entire width of Heaven without moving or risking being shot from behind, but it is a small window of opportunity, and is often the first place defenders check when attempting a retake.
The best places to plant the Spike are either on the back corner of the site or near Elbow. They both offer some cover, and you can easily throw there incendiary or cluster grenades to push enemies away without a fight.
A Site - Defense
If the enemy team has a Viper that knows how to play, they can place a toxic wall that removes visual ability out of both Ramp and Heaven. This can be achieved also with Brimstone or Omen’s smokes.
They force you to either push out of Heaven or Ramp and expose yourself, or to sit back and allow the enemy to push onto site freely, and then attempt a retake.
It is generally ideal to have one player in Screens behind A Site, to negate this effect and have a strong visual of the A Main crossing.
This player can call out how many enemies there are and which direction they are headed, without risking much.
They can also try taking a shot, and generally this strategy is quite efficient when using a Marshall on round 2 for easy picks.
The other ally should play aggressively at the top of A Ramp, and fall back to Heaven when overwhelmed or in danger. Be cautious of enemies pushing in from Mid, as this player can be an easy pick if they are not paying attention.
In the image above, the green dots represent the starting positions of the two defenders. If the enemies push towards A Main, the player on A Ramp should fall back to A Rafters, outside of Heaven.
The player in Screens will call out what information they can gather, and depending on it the player on Heaven could decide to rotate from Rafters to the lower point of Heaven, peeking towards Ramp, and trying to stop the push. Otherwise, they could fall back even further to get healed if needed, and prepare for the retake.
B Site - Attack
B Site is a little more tricky to get onto, however, it is generally easier to hold.
The corridors are tight and the corners are sharp, allowing for easy picks on players who don’t clear rooms. In particular, the corridor onto B Site is very narrow: an ideal place for Cypher and Raze to take advantage of stacked enemies.
Try to push in quietly, and bait out enemies’ utility, while having a fixed eye on the right side of Hallway towards the center tower, and the left side of Hallway towards the double boxes and the wooden cabinet in the back of the site.
Enemies positioned behind the wooden cabinet are easy to pick, as they can be flushed out, and wall banged, so be sure to fire Recon Bolt or Flashpoint to check this area before moving forward with the attack.
Once on site, be sure to check the area immediately to the left of Hallway, Heaven, and then the corner below Heaven, as it is very easy to hide from enemies there. Once those are cleared, set up defensively to protect the site from Defender’s spawn, Mid, and Garage.
Utilize the center pillar to stall the point in one versus one scenarios, as it cannot be shot through, and it is pretty easy to hear players’ footsteps from a mile away on that metallic floor.
B Site - Defense
B Side defense is based around Mid control. Having two players watching Mid from both Mail and Vent allows for peace of mind when holding the site against Garage pushes.
Generally, you want your strongest defensive character holding B Site alone, as Mail can always rotate to help if there is no action on Mid.
Cypher and Sage can stall the enemy long enough to allow for a rotation from your team, and Raze/Reyna can keep enemies at bay with their utility.
Brimstone is also a good choice here, as his smoke and incendiary grenades can stop a push in its tracks. However, Brimstone usually benefits from A and Mid defense more often than not.
Be sure to have an escape plan, as B rushes hit hard and heavily in most cases. This will usually result in a 1 on 4 situation. Don’t take on challenges, attempt to stall, and wait for backup. Fall back if you must, and allow the enemy to take the site, for a retake attempt.
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Credit to Drowsy Boar who provided information and images for this article.
