Harbor
Harbor is one of the coolest Controllers we have on the VALORANT roster, being able to control water and waves throughout his whole kit, and whilst this is not a guide on his abilities, we believe they are some of the most fun in the game!
Harbor Abilities in VALORANT
Harbor has some of the most unique abilities in the game, with a lot of his kit revolving around making space with walls of water, and whilst we will give you a brief rundown of them here, if you want a full guide on Harbor’s abilities, we have that, so check it out!
Cascade (C)
You can buy Cascade for 150 credits. It allows Harbor to create a moving water wall that can pass through obstacles. You can stop this wall any time by pressing the ability button again. This wall makes it hard for enemies to see through and also slows them down. This ability is great for moving forward or defending a spot by changing how the enemy sees the battlefield.
Cove (Q)
Cove costs 350 credits. When you use this ability, Harbor throws an orb that turns into a big water bubble. This bubble can stop bullets but lets some other abilities pass through. You can use Cove to protect teammates from shots while still being able to see through the bubble. It's useful for both attacking and defending.
High Tide (E)
High Tide comes back every round for free. Harbor can create a long wall of water that changes the way the battlefield looks. You can also control where this wall goes while it’s moving. This wall blocks the enemy’s view and slows them down. It's a powerful way to control how and where enemies can move.
Reckoning (X)
Reckoning needs seven points to use. It creates a big water pool that targets enemies with water geysers. These geysers make enemies dizzy and show their location. This is very useful during team fights because it can confuse many enemies at once, helping your team during critical moments.
How to play Harbor in VALORANT
When playing as Harbor in VALORANT, it's essential to understand how to best use his abilities to control the battlefield and protect your team. Here are straightforward strategies for using Harbor effectively, whether you're on the attack or defense.
Attacker Tips
- Vision Control: Use Cascade to block what the enemy can see. This moving water wall helps you and your teammates move safely and can surprise enemies.
- Area Denial: High Tide allows you to control enemy movements. You can use it to block access to critical areas or to stop enemies from escaping.
- Strategic Protection: Deploy Cove when you're planting or defusing the spike. This bubble blocks bullets and helps keep you safe during these vulnerable times.
Defender Tips
- Delay Tactics: Cascade and High Tide are great for slowing down the enemy. Use them to block paths and view angles, which can frustrate attackers and waste their time.
- Retake Support: Use Reckoning when you need to retake a site. This ultimate ability makes it easier to clear sites by stunning and revealing hidden enemies.
- Protective Measures: Keep Cove ready for times you need quick cover, like during a spike defuse. It creates a bullet-proof barrier that can be crucial in tight situations.
So if you want to get good at Harbor, there are two styles you can pick from! The first is a more aggressive style, that has you playing alongside your Initiators, which is the style you will often use for when you are pushing on attack, or playing retake on defense.
The second style of play on Harbor is the defensive style, which is the best way from preventing an enemy push as a Controller. This means that you put up your Cascade and High Tide in chokepoints around the map - usually to get onto a spike site, and stall for your team to rotate!
You can also use this defensive style to help plant a spike and hold a site in a post-plant situation, with your ultimate ability, Reckoning being one of the best in the game for preventing enemy retakes!
Where is Harbor from in VALORANT?
Harbor’s ethnicity is Indian. He is actually the first Indian agent and character that Riot Games and VALORANT introduced into the FPS title, which a lot of people had called for! Released alongside the map of Pearl, and just before the map Lotus, to keep the South Asian theme, Harbor was a great addition to the roster when he was released!
Riot Games also kept continuity by having Harbor voiced by an Indian voice actor, and if you want to find out who that was and what other big characters he has voiced, check out our article on Harbor’s Voice Actor in VALORANT!
Harbor voice lines
Some of Harbor's most notable voice lines are awesome, and we are sure if you love the agent you will recognize them immediately! Whilst he has too many to name, here are some of the most notable ones, and some of our favorites:
- "Flooding them!"
- "Wave crashing!"
- "Well equipped, well rested, and well fed. Couldn't ask for a better start!"
- "Look at us! I've never seen a more beautiful group of heavily armed soldiers."
- "I've done a thousand missions like this before. Today is no different!"
- "Someone showed up to fight us. They're either stupid, or very stupid."
- They have radianite, we have a spike. Sounds like a perfect match to me!."
- "Hey, let's keep that spike safe. I'm told it's terribly expensive."
- "History is full of senseless aggression. Some things don't change."
- "Hmph, they're still after our radianite? Ah, they get a gold star for persistence."
- The pillars on that domed building are Corinthian, the last of the three classical orders. How are you not excited?!"
- "That old wall by the trees was part of a Casbah once. Still majestic after all this time."
- "Who builds a neoclassical mansion in the middle of an ocean? Obnoxious."
- "Will you look at those basalt columns?! You know those hexagonal shapes form naturally."
- "Your mind is just as dangerous as your weapon. Use it."
- "How's everyone feeling? Good? Because you look great."
- "Conflict is not my first choice, but that choice was made."
- "Anyone dehydrated? Need a quick rinse? Just checking."
- "Occupational hazards aside, I do love how much we travel."
What role is Harbor in VALORANT?
Harbor is a Controller in VALORANT. Controllers are vital for managing the game's flow. They make safe areas for teammates and dangerous ones for enemies. Harbor’s abilities let him change how enemies see and move around the battlefield. His skills are perfect for protecting important areas, initiating attacking tactics and more.
Sometimes you can play Harbor like an Initiator, starting off fights and pushes with his aggressive vision-blocking abilities, meaning you can run in, wall of entryways and chokepoints and then get your team onto a spike site!
He plays a lot more aggressive than Controllers such as Astra and Viper, so if this is your playstyle, then look no further!
After being released in Patch 5.08, Harbor was the fifth Controller to join the VALORANT Protocol’s roster, and he certainly shook up the Controller Meta, with all of his AOE abilities, so hopefully you can use them to dominate after this article!
Here are more guides for you to check out: