-Before I start, please understand that this is my opinion-

So, Valorant, we love this game (or so I hope) I've been playing since beta and have been enjoying it, but lately I've noticed something with one of my personal favorite characters.

Phoenix is bad, he feels clunky to use, and overall he just doesn't feel like a good addition to a team.

Let's now see what makes phoenix not as useful or effective as other agents as of Sep/2021

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Blaze/Flame wall

Phoenix's wall is (IMO) his hardest ability to use since it's a soft wall that both heals him, and stops info.

now why his wall might be bad, honestly it's mostly used as pseudo cover to flash through, but its more useful as a post plant wall to cover sightlines and to heal him a bit, but it's just trash at that, and the damage it does have is not a deterrent, viper's wall was the same until they added the -30 hp as soon as you touched said wall.

now it does have a fast animation, and the ability to curve, which can come in handy, but it feels more like a gimmick and not a useful part of the ability which is saddening. The only way to make real use of this ability is using good communication, but for a duelist agent which are supposed to be self sufficient, it doesn't completely match his character.

(completely since I see him more as a supportive duelist, you'll see)

P.S. pro tip, get your sens to like 16k DPI and use it as a pseudo smoke, it's actually kinda funny

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Now some ideas for a buff that might stay in character might be.

-Some sort of tick damage after walking through his wall.

What can that achieve: This can give a bit more of a deterrent to just waltz walk through the wall, and can also counter some healing agents, to have a bit more utility and that "carry" role that duelists strive for, plus it'd stay in character since "el fuego" (fire)

-A price reduction to his wall to make it more cost effective.

What could this achieve: This can make him more effective in him being able to buy a cheap wall, at it's 200 credits price it's too expensive, and for what you get out of it, it feels like a scam, plus if the price gets reduced, being able to buy a flash + wall and being able to flash your own wall and go in on enemies might just make his entry fragging abilities better on pistol rounds.

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Curveball/Flash

Phoenix's main utility are his flashes, so why are they so bad? the problem with his flashes is that they last no time, and if you evade them, you're microflashed, plus the angle from which he flashes makes it he has to popflash by flashing behind him for real utility making him a human bait, plus on most new maps, there are huge areas with some cover, which allow people to sheild themselves from phoenix flash, making his main utility and site taking utility kinda bad and situational.

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the good thing about his flashes though is that they're a great punish to op and campers, since they'll be watching one corner if you can take them by surprise you'll be able to really punish them, but that's too situational to really be worth most of the time, one thing tho is that his flashes can be used in creative ways, now not grim wall creative, but somethings can take players by surprise.

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Now some ideas on how to potentially buff his flash, we do need to keep in mind that if they get ovebuffed he will be busted broken.

-Make the flash last longer

What will this acheive: This can make his entrying a bit scarier, and he'll be able to compete with the other duelists, plus, he won't be left completely in the dust compared to initiators, even if in all honesty he shouldn't be compared with them as a duelist.

-Make it cheaper

Do I need to tell you why it'll help? in short, cheeper flash = better cost efficiency, and better eco options making him more efficient

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Hot hands/Molly

honeslty... his molly is quite good, I can't find real drawbacks, the only con is it's limit range, but without that he becomes a swiss knife agent and is just skye v2.0.

so... yeah umm epic gamer molly

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Run it back/entry fragger's wet dream

Phoenix's ult is what ties his ult together, but if you open a site with it, you're left behind and need someone to guard your body for an eventual flank which leaves you very vulnerable.

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Now his ult does heal you, and can get you some picks, but it's mainly used for info gathering and to let your enemies rotate off your initial push.

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Now, to be completely honest, I'm dry... I've got no clue how to potentially buff his ult, maybe make his abilites come off cd so like he gets his molly back but that might be broken idk, I'd love to hear your opinion on it!

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Overall

Phoenix is this weird agen rn that was got tier in beta, but with powercreep he lost his edge, and he's left as this weird supportive dueslist that can frag out if a lot of variables are put together, but what do you think about my ideas and opinion on the subject matter?

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TL;DR

buf fenixe plese

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Have a great day!