Valorant’s Newest Hero Harbor Controls Water To Block Foes And Defend Allies

Valorant’s hero for Episode 5, Act III is a water-bending Controller. From India’s coastlands, Harbor uses ancient radianite technology to control water, defending his allies and drowning his foes.

With Harbor’s ability Hide Tide, equipped with E, players can draw a wall of water with their cursor. The wall will slow players hit by it. With Cove, equipped with Q, Harbor spawns a sphere of bullet-blocking water. The sphere can be thrown (with the fire button) or underhand thrown (with the alt fire button). The ability Cascade, equipped with C, sends a wave of water rolling forward until stopped by the player. Just like High Tide, players hit with the wave are slowed. Harbor’s ult is called Reckoning. After equipping with X, players can summon a geyser pool that will send out waves of watery attacks. Players caught in the area of effect will be concussed.

Included in his contract are three sprays, two player cards, one gun buddy, two titles, the sheriff skin, and the hero himself, of course.

As for Harbor’s broader role in Valorant’s meta, designer Alexander Mistakidis has this to say, “We set out to create a Controller that didn’t have to go off into another world or look at a map to place their vision block. We also wanted to create an Agent that could compete with Viper on the maps where she is almost exclusively played.” In theory, drawing walls with High Tide will allow some playful and improvisational blocks. Testing showed this off. According to Mistakidis, “… we had a few bugs allowing super bendy walls. People would make walls that looked like scribbles on a page, or loop de loops.”

To create Harbor, Riot worked with external consultants and Indian employees in Los Angeles and MENA offices. According to narrative designer Joe Killeen, “we were inspired again by the many objects of power and mystery that are scattered throughout Indian legends and stories.”