On paper, Phoenix has all the tools to make him a great entry fragger but there are some great strategies where Phoenix can shine the most. It requires synergies from different agents and knowing how to use Phoenix alongside them that makes his style of play very distinct from other agents. This Phoenix character guide will focus on his abilities and his synergies.

Phoenix’s Abilities

AbilityButtonCostDescription
Hot HandsEFree – 1 chargeEQUIP a fireball. FIRE to throw a fireball that explodes after a set amount of time or upon hitting the ground, creating a lingering fire zone that damages enemies.

Used mainly to block areas for a short time and also force enemies in corners to reposition. Can be alternately used for self-healing.
CurveballQ200 – 2 chargesEQUIP a flare orb that takes a curving path and detonates shortly after throwing. FIRE to curve the flare orb to the left, detonating and blinding any player who sees the orb. ALTERNATE FIRE to curve the flare orb to the right.

Used mainly at corners of entry points because of its short range. Blinds the enemy and is perfect for an entry frag.
BlazeC200 – 1 chargesEQUIP a flame wall. FIRE to create a line of flame that moves forward, creating a wall of fire that blocks vision and damages players passing through it. HOLD FIRE to bend the wall in the direction of your crosshair.

Used mainly to prevent entry in a line. Can also be used for self-healing.
Run It BackXUltimate – 6 PointsINSTANTLY place a marker at Phoenix’s location. While this ability is active, dying or allowing the timer to expire will end this ability and bring Phoenix back to this location with full health.

Used mainly to try and pick off enemies with no risk. Can be alternately used for scouting.

How to Use Curveball

Curveball has evident strengths and weaknesses. It has a short range and at the same time hard to execute because of the delay in which Phoenix draws his weapon after throwing the Curveball. The strength lies where it is hard to dodge the flash once you see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gba9tUazeiUu0026amp;feature=youtu.be

From the video, you can see that there is a slight delay before you can start shooting after throwing the Curveball because you are positioned at an angle where you are far enough to not get self-flashed. This makes it better to have a teammate around to do the peek.

The synergy here is to use an agent like Jett and have her pair with Phoenix for the combo. This makes Phoenix’s role a bit more of a support than an entry fragger. As long as Phoenix hits and times the Curveball perfectly, Jett can have at least a second to pick an enemy off. If she fails to hit the target, she can immediately Tailwind out.

It is also great to devise a plan with your team. A team can further utilize the use the of the Curveball if paired with a line of sight blocking ability. A Cyber Cage or a Sky Smoke can push the boundary of where the Curveball can be thrown.

You can throw the line of sight blocking ability near the exit point of the site you want to push and have Phoenix position himself inside the it. You can perfectly time your Curveball to just outside the edge of the Sky Smoke or Cyber Cage. This gives the enemy team no time to react to the Curveball and will eventually lead to them giving up their positions or even die while blinded.

How to Use Hot Hands

Hot Hands is Phoenix’s free ability. It is quite strong because it acts as a controlling ability at the same time, it can be a healing ability for Phoenix. It is typically not recommended to use the alternate fire as it just lobs the fire down to the ground much slower.

You can freely use this ability each round to filter out enemies hiding in tight corners. It is also a great way to deter enemies from peeking on the high ground.

How to Use Blaze

Blaze is used to mainly block entry ways but the way it is thrown makes it harder to pull off. A great strategy to use when using Blaze is knowing that it can cut an area in half.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDTnaL1pFnou0026amp;feature=youtu.be

Here is a way you can use it in the C Site of Haven. If your team is low on vision blocking abilities, you can have just one smoke on the left side of the wall shown in the video and have the team conquer half of the site first.

Combine the strategy of the smoked Curveball and you will almost have a guaranteed C Site take over.

How to Use Run It Back

Run It Back is a strong ultimate that the round is almost considered a 6v5 once used. Always make sure that you are in the frontline when Run It Back is used. It lessens the risk for your teammates and they could easily know where the bullets are coming from when your ultimate is killed.

This is why it is also a great scout if you can telegraph your opponents after usage. Remember that you are vulnerable once you return to the marker after the ultimate so always use it in a safe location.

Phoenix Agent Tips and Tricks – Summary

  • Curveball as a support for teammates
  • Use Blaze to cut areas in half
  • Run It Back is mainly a scouting tool that you can get kills out of

Overall, Phoenix is an extremely versatile agent. His kit allows him to do mixed roles such as being a support or an entry fragger and has a great free utility. He should be in the conversation when trying to pick a good team composition as he has a great combo with most of the agents available.