The full guide to dominate on Pearl in Valorant

Our guide to Valorant’s map Pearl will give any player the tools to rake in the rank-ups.

Released in 2020, Pearl is the eighth map introduced in Valorant. This map, set in an underwater dome, follows a more classic layout than trickier ones such as Icebox and Fracture. When it first came out, Pearl was heavily attacker-sided, with a mix of tight spots and long pathways, and not everyone appeared to like this map. Fortunately, Riot later made some adjustments to even things out. As of Episode 9, Pearl’s still missing from the competitive map pool, and it’s been that way since 2023.

No news yet on when it might make a comeback, but picking up some tips and tricks now in this Pearl map guide will put players ahead of the game when it does.

Pearl map overview and guide

Pearl may appear to be a relatively straightforward map, but the overview reveals a lot of nuance to its simplicity.

Riot Games aimed for a more intuitive design with Pearl. No rotating and breakable doors, ropes, or teleporters, which makes it easy for every first-person shooter fan to get the hang of. The lack of tall structures and surprise holes in some walls, though, opens up room for players to get creative with their utility usage. They can simply throw their abilities over the roof, with or without the help of lineups, and still get value from them.

Pearl feels like a mashup of Split and Icebox with its narrow alleyways and wide open spaces. This only goes to say that players need not just sharp aim, but some clever use of utility and team synergy as well to win on this map.

With so many spots and areas on this map, players need to get well-acquainted with the best guide to Pearl callouts.

How to attack on Pearl

As opposed to Ascent, Pearl is a relatively easy map to attack, but players shouldn’t be too assured even if that’s the case. Here are several tips to secure round wins as the attackers on Pearl.

A site

Players have multiple routes to reach the A site, but the main ones are through A main and A link.

To reach the A site via the first route, attackers will need to navigate through restaurant, crane, and A main. Since A main is closer to the site, defenders can take control of A main and crane more quickly than attackers. This could lead to an early clash, so be sure to use some mollies near the box or pop flashes to counter them effectively.

Now, heading to the A site, the key areas to smoke off are flowers and secret. Surely there will be defenders positioned near A link but players can simply deal with them by having at least one playing pushing from mid towards art. After all, mid-control and split pushing are crucial in this map. Otherwise, they can throw some mollies near A link, or use Sage’s or Deadlock’s walls.

To ensure the site is clear, make sure to check church, back site, and dugout before planting the spike, as these are common hiding spots for defenders.

Meanwhile, the best plant spots on A are anywhere near default. Planting right next to the vending machine offers cover, ensuring that the player planting the spike won’t get shot at by enemies who may be positioned at the back of the site or A link. Players could also opt for a more open plant spot, which allows attackers to play for post-plant positions both at A main and A link. Here’s a quick image guide for the best plant spots on Pearl A site.

B site

B site can be a real nail-biter to deal with on attack. When pushing B site, players have a maze of corners to navigate and plenty of spots to keep in mind.

Prior to reaching B site, attackers need to thread through B ramp and B long, which is quite a bit of distance. Because of this, B site is the perfect home for Operator players. However, there are several workarounds, such as using flashes and dropping smokes to break their line of sight.

On top of that, there are other threats in these areas. Defenders might also hide in B cubby or behind the tall structure at B main, so it’s best to check these spots to avoid getting caught off guard.

As for the controller, there are two major smoke setups they can use.

• B halls and tower
• Tower and B link

Smoking off B halls can prevent players, especially Operator users, positioned there from spotting attackers moving toward the site.

Blocking B link with a smoke can also make it harder for defenders trying to retake from mid or B link. However, this smoke might not be necessary if a teammate is pushing from mid towards B link.

Once the site is secured, players attacking Pearl B site can reference the image guide below for the best spots to plant the spike.

Planting next to the orange crates allows attackers to fall back and position themselves at B main and B ramp, making it more challenging for defenders to retake the site. This strategy is often preferred, as staying on the site and maintaining control can be difficult unless the team still has enough utility to prevent defenders from reclaiming space.

Mid

More often than not, winning on Pearl requires mid control. Simply running towards the site through A main or B main might not be enough. On attack, players can gain more value by securing additional space. While most of the team focuses on the site, one or two players should apply pressure elsewhere.

Mid players can reach A link and B link via art and double doors respectively. By securing more space, the team gains valuable information as well. This is also a huge plus on attack as defenders typically rotate through mid and link. Lurkers in mid can easily pick off rotating defenders and assist in taking over the site from another area. In some cases, they could also let their teammates know when it’s a good time to rotate to another site.

Attacking Mid as five, however, is generally not recommended, as it forces the team into cramped spaces where they risk getting pinched by defenders.

How to defend on Pearl

On defense, there are several formations players could do, depending on the team compositions and setups. However, the standard is one player defends B site, one on B link, mid connector, and double doors, two protect A link, and one holds A site. Although there is only one player on each site, the A link and B link players can still assist their nearest site while ensuring that no one gets through mid.

Alternatively, they could opt for a 2-1-2 setup with two players on each site and one mid player.

A site

A site players could choose a more aggressive play on A. After the barrier drops, one or two defenders can push up A main to try and pick off opponents. Besides potential kills, the team could delay pushes or gain early information, which is valuable for teammates who are anchoring the other site. Alternatively, the A defender can just stick to the site and hold their ground with backup from the A link or art player.

A site has a tight, narrow chokepoint, so using mollies can be really effective to either stall attackers and buy more time for retakes or even punish them as they push in. Additionally, since A site is fairly small, sentinels can place their traps here to do some serious damage to the enemies.

Mid

As defenders, it is likely that they will encounter enemies running down mid or late lurkers. Having that said, it is vital to have at least one person guarding mid. It could be a sentinel like Killjoy who could place her bots near double doors and art to alert teammates about the presence of mid attackers. Prevent the attackers from sneaking into double doors and art at all costs to deny them information, and avoid teammates from dying to them.

For a more aggressive approach, players could smoke off top mid or shops to gain control of the entire plaza.

B site

B site used to be quite controversial due to it being too attacker-friendly, often turning into a rush-prone area. Additionally, there really isn’t a narrow chokepoint on B-site where defenders can dump their abilities.

Worry not though, as defenders are not entirely helpless. Thanks to the Pearl map changes introduced in Patch 6.11, which aimed to make the site more defender-friendly, there are now more ways to deter enemy pushes.

One of the best ways to scare attackers off B site is to have someone with an Operator. The long sightlines make it easier to pick them off from a distance. This can force them to rotate or use their abilities early. Even if they push through, defenders will still have the number advantage if they manage to get at least one kill.

Without an Operator, there are still plenty of hiding spots on B site where players can catch opponents off guard if they don’t check their corners. Plus, there are several angles where two players can set up crossfires to take out attackers.

Here’s where to smoke on B Pearl.

For a quick guide to retakes, start by gaining control of Pearl halls with flashes and mollies, and make sure no one has snuck up B link.

If the enemy team sets up for post-plant at B ramp and B main, defenders can use smokes to cut off their line of sight or put up Sage’s Barrier Orb, Astra’s Cosmic Divide, or Harbor’s Cove to block their bullets. Alternatively, they can engage them head-on or try flanking for a surprise attack.

If the enemy team has post-plant abilities like Viper’s Snakebite or Sova’s Shock Dart and Hunter’s Fury, a fast retake becomes even more crucial. The less time the team has to defuse the spike, the more effective the opponents’ lineups will be.

Who are the best agents to pick on Pearl?

The best agents to pick on Pearl are Jett, Killjoy, Astra and Kay/o.

Jett

Jett is the go-to agent everywhere, but on Pearl, she totally outshines the rest of the duelists. The Korean quickshot’s Tailwind lets her jump into fights and quickly disengage. Also, with all the vertical angles and high ground on the map, Jett players can use these spots for sneaky off-angles. On top of everything, Jett is the perfect choice for using an Operator, whether she is holding down B site or A site.

Killjoy

Killjoy takes the spot as the best sentinel agent in Valorant. Chamber used to hold that title on Pearl, but patch 5.12 changes have gutted him out of the meta.

Especially on defense, Killjoy adds insane value with her bots. On a map where split pushing and lurking are common, having reliable bots spread across the map helps the team track enemy movements and anticipate their plans. As an attacker, her bots are great for countering flanks, and her Nanoswarm is ideal for post-plant situations. Whether attacking or defending, her ultimate, Lockdown, makes entering and retaking sites much easier.

Astra

For the best solo controller on Pearl, players can’t simply go wrong with Astra.

In the right hands, Astra could provide the exceptional map control the team is looking for with her kit, provided that they can play around with it. Besides her smokes, Gravity Well and Nova Pulse could disorient opponents or flush enemies out of an area. Even during post-plant situations, she can pull the enemy attempting to defuse away from the spike.

What makes Astra stand out among all controllers in Valorantis her Cosmic Divide. Without a doubt, this ultimate ability is the perfect counter to attackers playing for post-plant, especially at B ramp. Astra can cast her wall that blocks all incoming bullets, making it tough for enemies to take out the defuser. The only ways attackers can get around it are by using damaging abilities or trying to walk past the wall which can take a while if they’re far away.

Kay/o

Got enemies flooding the site with abilities? Kay/o is the answer to that.

Kay/o’s Zero/Point is an excellent choice to guide any team on Pearl. His signature ability could also give the team early information when used at the start of the round. More importantly, Kay/o can shut down abilities, forcing the team to push in without utilities or at least make them think twice before doing so. On maps with tight spaces like Pearl, his Frag/ment molly is perfect for clearing out all those sneaky corners.