There’s no denying that retakes can be super frustrating to play in VALORANT. When your team loses site control and attackers plant the spike, a retake is often the best way defenders can flip the round. Even if it’s executed out of desperation, retakes require smart utility usage and coordinated pressure to be successful. In This guide we’ll break down the fundamentals of how to play retakes in VALORANT, including when to go for it, how to plan your push, and which tools can give you the upper hand.
By the end, you’ll have a solid idea of how to turn a lost site into the most effective counterattack.
Table of Contents
What Are Retakes In VALORANT?
A “retake” in VALORANT describes a situation when the defending side tries to reclaim a site after the attacking side has planted the spike. Whether it’s intentional or not, a retake is almost always characterized by defenders losing control of the site and playing the post-plant.
This often involves defenders falling back after an attack and regrouping. From there, defenders must devise a plan to re-enter the site and defuse the spike before the timer runs out. You can think of retakes as counterattacks, flipping the script on the attacking team by foiling their post-plant setup.
Why Would You Play A Retake In VALORANT?
There are plenty of reasons a team might choose to play a retake in VALORANT, but the most straightforward is simple: to win the round. Once attackers take control of a site and plant the spike, a retake becomes the defenders’ only path to victory, unless they manage to eliminate the entire enemy team!
Having said that, defenders can also intentionally lose site control and play a retake for tactical reasons. Let’s say the attacking side relies on heavy execs for a push. In this case, allowing them to waste valuable util like smokes and mollies means defenders will have an easier fight during the post-plant.
This strategy is often used on sites like Ascent B or Split B that are hard to hold. In such cases, retakes are the smarter play than dying early and wasting resources. Beyond that, certain agents like Killjoy and Breach have ults with strong zoning potential, which can make retakes easy round wins.
A retake might also be necessary if your team is outnumbered or split up. In this scenario, defenders can retreat to preserve their numbers and retake a site as five to improve their odds of success. Even if it fails, retakes can force attackers to spend extra utility, weakening their economy in future rounds.
Top Tips on How to play Retakes In VALORANT
Got the basics down? Let’s break down some expert tips to help you pull off clean retakes in VALORANT like the pros!
Plan The Retake With Your Team
The best retakes in VALORANT start well before the round begins—not when the spike is planted! By pre-planning your exec with your team, you not only have more control of the round but also save critical utility while forcing attackers to waste theirs on the plant. Remember: the point isn’t to win the site, it’s to win the round.
When it’s time to counterattack, sync up with your team. For example, wait for a teammate’s smoke to pop before pushing the cleared side, and when the spike is tapped, pre-aim the push. These kinds of plays are hard to exec without a premade lobby, but shouldn’t be an excuse for poor comms in solos.
Don’t Rush In Solo
Speaking of which, never go in alone unless the situation demands it. To restate the previous point, a retake should feel like a coordinated attack, not five players trickling in from spawn one at a time. Always wait until your teammates are close enough to swing in or use utility together.
Also, don’t throw smokes, flashes, or darts mindlessly. Use them strategically to block off-site players or to force enemies out of power positions. For instance, smoke Heaven or molly backsite to expose hidden attackers. If you’re flashing, let your team know so they can swing with you and avoid getting picked off in crossfires.
Decide If The Retake Is Worth It
You don’t have to retake a site in VALORANT every single time. So before you rush in blindly, stop and ask yourself: Are the odds stacked against you, and does your team have a fighting chance? If it’s the former, play for the exit and regroup for the next round instead of tossing away your weapons.
Some factors that should deter a retake in VALORANT are (i) if you’re down in numbers, (ii) have no util left to clear angles, (iii) your economy is low and you’re holding expensive guns, (iv) you’re low on health, or (v) there isn’t enough time to defuse the spike.
Play For Numbers
Only play a retake if it’s beneficial to you. Depending on how many players are still alive on your team, you’ll have to decide whether or not to take the risk. For example, if it’s a 2v3 situation, then it’s worth proceeding because you can’t afford to let attackers set up. Look for stray enemies or force a fight.
If you’re up 4v2, then you probably shouldn’t overpeek. Rather, cover all the angles and play for trades. In this case, staying alive will likely win you the round. If you suspect attackers are playing lineups, smoke off spike sightlines, use utility to push them off those spots, and tap the spike to bait out early util or peeks.
Burn The Attackers’ Utility
If you’re planning a retake, make sure your site anchors do the most to delay the plant. Your team shouldn’t give up the site easily! Focus on wasting the attackers’ utility as it will give you a huge advantage in the post-plant. Play for time and stall as long as possible. If you can, try to nab a kill and fall back.
The more utility the attackers burn, the less they’ll have to stop your retake. Think of it like a reverse tug-of-war: the longer you drag out the push, the better your chances will be on the retake. Just make sure you don’t cut it too close, as you’ll still need enough time to regroup and defuse the spike.
Our Final Tip For Retakes
To really learn how to pull off an effective retake, you need to both practice your strategies and watch how the pros do it. That way, you can learn the ins and outs directly from the pros. And what better place to follow your favorite esports teams than at Thunderpick?
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