Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Ability is a powerful molly-type ability that can be manually activated from almost anywhere on the map. The manual activation gives Killjoy plenty of post-plant options that she can use to secure the bomb plant safely from a distance.
One cool trick to Killjoy’s Nanoswarm is its ability to tuck itself into small cracks between boxes and walls. Placing the Nanoswarm Grenades between small cracks makes it virtually invisible and indestructible to the enemy team.
Let’s take a look at some post-plant hidden Nanoswarm setups for Ascent!
Ascending Ascent
Ascent is a beautiful map set in San Marco, Venice, Italy. The map even features landmarks from some iconic sites found in Italy, such as St. Mark’s Campanile and St. Mark’s Basilica.
Ascent is the first-ever map made for VALORANT. Although it was the first map ever to be made, Ascent would, later on, end up as the fourth map to ever be released in-game. The dev team took their sweet time with Ascent, polishing and revising a ton of in-map elements before its official release.
Ascent has a standard two bombsite layout that many Tactical First-person Shooting game enthusiasts have already seen before. The most interesting characteristics about Ascent are the mechanical doors (one for each bombsite) that cut down entryways into the bomb sites.
A quick look at the loading screen for Ascent will have players wondering about the reasons why the whole map is, quite literally, in the air.
According to VALORANT lore, Ascent’s location is a victim of a deliberate Spike Bombing set up by mirror Agents from an alternate Earth, which resulted in the whole city being brought up into the air.
German Efficiency Child Prodigy: Killjoy
Killjoy belongs to the Sentinel class of Agents. As such, her abilities allow her to lock down bombsites completely on her own. Allies can rely on the German Prodigy to stall or even stop an enemy team’s push on her own to buy her teammates enough time to rotate over to her bombsite.
Killjoy uses her superior knowledge and skill to employ robots and gadgets to fight on her behalf. Her skill set consists of nanobots, an alarm bot, and a sentry bot she can set up to give her the best chance at holding down a bombsite. Her ultimate ability allows her to cover a large enough area to cover entire bombsites, giving Killjoy the ability to detain anyone caught in her ultimate.
In the VALORANT lore, Killjoy is known to have a father-daughter relationship with Brimstone. While neither character is related, Brimstone still sees fit to act as a guide to Killjoy.
Killjoy is in-charge of almost all of the non-Sentinel VALORANT Agents’ tech. She oversees repairs and tech innovation for every Agent. Taking some of the Agents’ voice lines into context, Killjoy seems to be a natural-born tactician, using data she gathers from engagements as inspiration for her next inventions and strategies.
Killjoy Nanoswarm
Killjoy’s Nanoswarm is a molly-type ability that deals quick damage over time to a large radius. Killjoy’s Nanoswarm ability can be equipped at the beginning of each round for just 200 credits each and a maximum of two charges.
What sets Killjoy’s molly ability apart from other molly-type abilities like Phoenix’s Hot Hands, Viper’s Snake Bite, and KAY/O’s FRAG/MENT is Killjoy’s ability to place the grenades before the start of the round and activate them at any time within the same round. After placing the Nanoswarm Grenades, they will become completely invisible until enemy players stand next to them.
Among the other molly-type abilities present in VALORANT, Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Grenade is the only molly ability in VALORANT that does not activate upon landing. However, a slight caveat is that KJ’s Nanoswarm Grenades shells can be destroyed when damaged by gunfire or damaging abilities. Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Grenades also emit a subtle buzzing noise when enemy players stand close enough to the Nanoswarm Grenades.
Ascent B-site Post-plant – B-Default Plant Hidden Nanoswarm
B-site’s default plant spot is a small area around the stacked Radianite boxes on-site. This spot is the most preferred plant area for most Attackers because of how close to the boxes it is.
The angle forces any diffuser to face the boxes, which then makes it difficult for the defuser to scan around for enemies.
There is a small space between the three Radianite boxes where Killjoy can place her stealthy Nanoswarm Grenades.
- Tuck yourself into this small corner between the Radianite boxes:
2. It’s subtle, but look for this small round indentation on the left Radianite box:
3. Place your crosshair right in the middle of the round indentation:
4. Left-click-throw the Nanoswarm Grenade:
The Nanoswarm Grenade should settle in the middle of the Radianite boxes:
We can place both of our Nanoswarm charges on the same spot and activate them one after the other so we can secure the bomb plant much longer.
Ascent B-site Post-plant – Chiuso Post-plant Hidden Nanoswarm
Chiuso is a not-so-common plant spot in the lower tiers, which is honestly a shame since a Spike-plant in Chiuso can easily be wall banged from both the Switch and through the double Radianite boxes.
A couple of sneaky Nanoswarm Grenades can be tucked in nicely just behind the Chiuso signage, which will make the defuser’s life even more miserable.
- Stand close to the wall towards the left-side of the Chiuso sign:
2. Aim along this thin line on the wooden board and a little to the right of this small dent:
3. Right-click-throw the Nanoswarm Grenade:
When done properly, the Nanoswarm Grenades should settle just behind the Chiuso sign:
Ascent B-site Post-plant – Wallbang Nanoswarm
B-site’s Wall Bang is another underrated Spike plant spot in Ascent B-site. Because the wall that surrounds Switch is thin, guns such as the Vandal, Phantom, and Odin can penetrate the wall slightly.
There is a small crack between the small box and the large box at Wall Bang that we can use to hide Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Grenades. We can use this to position our Nanoswarm Grenades for post-plant play.
- Ask your teammate to plant in this corner of Wall Bang:
2. Look for this small space between the large box and the small box:
3. Tuck yourself in the corner between the small box and the large box:
4. Aim for the small space then right-click-throw the Nanoswarm Grenade:
The Nanoswarm Grenade should settle nicely inside the small gap:
The Nanoswarm radius should be enough to cover the Spike during post-plant:
As a nice little bonus, this Nanoswarm placement also covers some of Lane.
Ascent A-site Post-plant – Generator Ledge Nanoswarm
For A-site, ask your teammate to plant in front of the Generator. We can place Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Grenades in the small corner between the ledge and the steps.
This plant spot is also very easy to defend since your team will likely be playing at A-Main after the Spike is planted. You can delay the Defenders’ bomb defuse through these Nanoswarm post-plant setups.
- Look for this small corner in front of the Generator:
2. Right-click-throw the Nanoswarm Grenades into the corner:
Ascent A-site Post-plant – Hell Hidden Nanoswarm
This Nanoswarm Post-plant setup is a multi-purpose Nanoswarm that covers these areas: A-Heaven, Hell, and a small spot behind Generator.
Ask your teammate to plant just behind the Generator to take advantage of this post-plant Nanoswarm setup.
- Stand in this corner inside A-Hell:
2. Turn around and face these bricks:
3. The first layer of bricks from the bottom will have a small V-shaped crack between them:
4. Take the rightmost Health Indicator HUD line and place it on the tip of the V-Shaped crack:
5. Left-click-throw the Nanoswarm Grenade:
When done properly the Nanoswarm Grenade should tuck nicely inside this small crate:
When activated, the Nanoswarm Grenade will affect these areas:
The Space Directly Above Hell:
Just Behind Generator:
We can use this space behind Generator to play post-plant with the Nanoswarm Grenade:
Ascent A-site Post-plant – Dices Hidden Nanoswarm
The Radianite + solid boxes in the middle of A-site is another common Spike plant spot in Ascent A-site. This spot is great if your team decides to play post-plant back at A-main.
The open bomb plant location allows your team to actively check for enemy players from the safety of A-main. Agents such as Sova and Viper might even have lineups to secure the bomb plant.
Killjoy can join in on the party by placing her double Nanoswarm Grenades just on top of Dices to further secure her team’s chances of winning the round.
- Ask your teammate to plant the Spike in this corner of Dices:
2. Stand on the right side of Dices:
3. Right-click-throw your Nanoswarm Grenades so that it lands on top of Dices:
Smooth Criminal
Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Grenades are a multi-situational utility that Killjoy can use to defend the post-plant, stop enemy team rushes, and cover spots that her Ultimate ability cannot cover. The manual trigger is an awesome mechanic that Killjoy can use to activate her Nanoswarm Grenades remotely from a safe distance.
Post-plant is one situation where our German Prodigy’s Nanoswarm Grenades truly shine. Keep in mind that Nanoswarm Grenades can be destroyed by enemy utility and gunfire. However, through these hidden Nanoswarm setups, we can make sure that the enemy team will never find our Nanoswarm Grenades until it’s too late.
