If you think about it, Valorant is really all about the Spike. That said, let's check out what numbers say about how it works!
There's no Valorant without the Spike, and knowing how long it takes to plant, defuse and detonate it is pretty crucial in developing your game sense. And since the official time values are no secret, we've gathered them all in one place!
Valorant Spike Timings
Alright, here is the main star of this article — a table with all the most important time values for Valorant's Spike:
| Interaction | Time Needed |
Planting | 4 seconds |
| Defusing | 7 seconds |
| Half-Defusing | 3.5 seconds |
| Detonation | 45 seconds |
Spike's detonation time is pretty standard, and actually identical to the default one from CS:GO. And if we are already comparing Valorant to its big brother, in our opinion, Riot Games' shooter wins in terms of the ease of defusing the bomb, especially since you have the half-defuse mechanic.
How To Plant a Spike Correctly?
And this is where the end credits could come in, but since you're already in this article, we've prepared three extra tips on how to plant a Spike for maximum effectiveness. For what? Well, so that you win more games and climb ranks. That's how much we like you.
Choose Your Plant Spot Carefully
Choosing the right spot to plant the Spike is crucial, and many players are still doing in randomly as soon as they get on a Spike Site. That's a big no-go!
Before planting the Spike, it is essential to consider where your enemies might be and where your teammates, because that actually defines everything! We look at these things when picking a Spike Site to attack, but we forget about it as soon as we get on it, and then we lose the round despite having a huge advantage on paper. In short, you should always pick a spot that gives you the slightest chance of contact with the enemy, but also a place that is easy for your team to defend.
Play Mind Games with Defenders
If you find yourself in a 1vs5 situation with a Spike planted, your goal should be to distract your enemies and steal their time. Use your movement to throw them off, but don't expect to win by killing all your opponents; your weapon in this situation is your movement. Focus on playing around with the Defender team and not on getting a flashy Duelist ace.
Prioritize Spike Over Frags
After planting the Spike, avoid focusing on getting frags unless it can damage the enemy's economy. Planting the Spike gives you a significant advantage, and it's crucial to hold your angles and take advantage of your position, so don't chase your opponents around the map, as it can lead to throwing the entire round. Winning is more important than being at the top of the scoreboard, for real.
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