Valorant welcomed the map Pearl into its rotation in June 2022. This ancient Portuguese town is now sitting underwater, kept dry thanks to a massive geo-dome that protected it from rising sea levels. You can enjoy a nighttime setting on this underwater map, which is full of different pathways and an array of opportunities for strategic teamplay.
Pearl has multiple entrances that need to be carefully watched. This is a great opportunity for Killjoy to shine. See the Killjoy setup guide below to learn how to lock down areas and guard sites, and perfect your map control on A Site Pearl.
Updated July 20, 2023, by Sean Murray: Looking to lockdown Pearl with Killjoy? We’ve refreshed this guide with improved formatting and more breakout tips to help you set up your impenetrable defense.
How To Practice Setups In Valorant
To practice the setups, you can enter a custom game and enable cheats for the purpose of practicing.
- Go to ‘Play’, and select ‘Custom Game’.
- Then click on ‘Options’, and ensure to enable turn on ‘Allow Cheats’.
This will allow you to pause time, have unlimited HP, and have an endless supply of weapons so that you can practice for as long as you need to.
Once you start the game and select your hero, wait for the warm-up timer to run out, then open settings once again. You can bind a key to allow you to move around the map as desired so that you can practice more easily.
As above, turn on settings to obtain infinite abilities, ammo, magazines, and creds. Finally, command the game to ignore shopping restrictions.
Ensure to turn on ‘Invulnerability’ (which essentially means you can endure damage without losing any HP).
Top Tips To Setup Killjoy On A Site Pearl Defense
Keep the following points in mind when playing Killjoy while defending on A Site Pearl:
- Use your utilities strategically to cover the multiple pathways that are on this map.
- Where possible, use your utilities together, as it makes them more impactful.
- Change up your setups frequently, so that your gameplay is not predictable.
- Watch how your enemy is playing, and try to adjust your setups accordingly.
- Watch your back when you’re not using utility to do that for you.
Where To Place Killjoy’s Turrets On A Site Pearl
Turret On Top Of The Hut In The Middle Of Site
The first example of where you can place your Turret is on top of the cafe hut in the middle of the site. This may be the most obvious spot; beware, as it will be easy for enemies to destroy once they notice it. However, it covers both A Main and A Link and spots the enemy quickly.
When the game starts, during pistol rounds, it’s strategic to be a bit more predictable with your Turrets and place them in visible spots.
Pushes on pistol rounds are often five-man rushes, and the right Turret placement can detect these early on.
Your Turret is also harder to destroy on pistol rounds, and its damage is more impactful. Your opponents’ armor during a pistol round will likely be light or none. As the game goes on, your Turret can be positioned out of the enemies’ immediate sight.
Turret Placement In The Corner By A Dugout
The next Turret spot is in the corner on the right-hand site. It’s a little more hidden than the first Turret, which was placed in the middle of the site. Enemies will notice the Turret later, giving you an opportunity to peak while they’re slowed down and their aim is displaced. This Turret also watches enemies coming from Mid through A Link.
Killjoy’s Turret In A Link
When the Turret is placed in A Link, it catches any enemies coming from Mid early on. It also sees any enemies pushing A Site once they push out far enough.
Beware — this spot is likely to be smoked off if enemies push through A Main.
Turret At The Back Of Site By A Secret
Placing the Turret on the back of A Site by the green building hides it very well from the enemy. This area is great for stopping the enemy from planting and for combinations with Killjoy’s Alarm Bot and Nanoswarm Grenades.
Be aware that Mid is not watched by this Turret, so it must be watched by you or an alternative ability, like the Alarm Bot.
Once again, a Turret in this position is likely to be smoked off by the attacking enemy.
Where To Place Killjoy’s Alarm Bots On Pearl Site A
Alarm Bot Behind The Corner On Site
If you place your Alarm Bot anywhere around the hut on site where the plant is likely to occur, you’re in a pretty safe position.
The Alarm Bot should be placed around the corner, which is out of immediate sight of the enemy, and will still likely become activated by their surrounding movement.
You can also put it further out so that it sits in the middle of the two walls. It may be slightly more visible, but it will cover a larger area.
Alarm Bot Placed In Default Spot
If you think the enemy is likely to plant further out, you can place the Alarm Bot right in front of the hut, though it will be more easily detected.
Alarm Bot On Top Of Hut On Site
You can also place your Alarm Bot on top, where it is less noticeable and harder to shoot.
On A Link Stairs
Placing the Alarm Bot on A Link Stairs will catch enemies coming from Mid. If you put it further down the stairs, it makes it a little less noticeable and more difficult to destroy.
Behind The Corner On A Main
You can opt for the default position and place your Alarm Bot behind the corner or in front of A Main entrance. It can also work well on the stairs. The purpose of this Alarm Bot would be to capture enemies trying to come in.
Watch For Flank From Mid
Another place you can position your Alarm Bot is on the Mid Ramp to prevent flankers from catching you from behind.
Watch Flank From Spawn
Your Alarm Bot can be placed further out into defenders’ spawn, too.
Near A Dugout
An Alarm Bot placement near A Dugout will help you delay plants near the area and cause extra damage.
Killjoy Swarm Grenade Setups For A Site Pearl
A Hidden Swarm Grenade That Will Stop The Plant
To execute the first Nanoswarm Grenade placement, stand behind the hut on site (facing A Main). Position yourself on the right side and align your crosshair so that your Swarm Grenade will land inside the circle.
When you detonate this Swarm Grenade, it covers the radius of this common plant area. The nade is not easily noticeable, so the chances of your enemy destroying it in the first few rounds of using it is low.
Hidden A Dugout Swarm Grenade
Place your Swarm Grenade in the corner of A Dugout. Upon detonation, the ‘pink circle’ of this Swarm Grenade is not visible from the other side, as the Grenade is deep in the ground. This deals more damage to unsuspecting enemies who want to plant or hide in the area.
Another Swarm Grenade For A Dugout Area
Stand in the corner of the wall that is on the other side of A Dugout. Aim at the window sill and right click.
This can be used as an alternative to the first A Dugout nade.
For example, let’s say a Raze has figured out your other A Dugout Swarm Grenade placement and keeps throwing her Grenade in the area to destroy your utility. You can also use this Swarm Grenade as a bait if you combine it with the other A Dugout Swarm Grenade placement.
You’d set off this nade first, and once the enemy thinks they’re safe to plant, set off the other Swarm Grenade in A Dugout.
Swarm Grenade To Prevent Push From A Link
Placing your Swarm Grenade on A Link stairs can work well, especially combined with an Alarm Bot. This will at the very least deter enemies from pushing, if not deal damage.
Swarm Grenade To Cover The Left Side Of Site
It may be that your enemies realize that you’re putting most of your utility on the right side of the hut. To prevent a plant on the other side, place your Swarm Grenade behind the corner.
This will work well with a Swarm Grenade that covers the right side of the hut. It will completely delay a plant in the area.
Killjoy Example Setups On A Site Pearl
Killjoy Setup To Detect Enemy Early On And Prevent Default Plant
This setup may be ideal for the first few rounds. It completely prevents a plant around the default plant areas of A Site Pearl.
First, the Turret will detect Attackers early on, while slowing them and dealing damage. This can allow your teammates to rotate. The Alarm Bot is placed in the middle of the two walls on the right. It will spot to detect any enemies who have pushed into the area and double any damage dealt.
Upon Alarm Bot detection or upon plant sound, you can detonate your Swarm Grenades.
To successfully play Killjoy, ensure that your gameplay is unpredictable and change up your setups regularly.
This will stop enemies from expecting to find your Swarm Grenades at common plant spots and from smoking off your Turrets.
The first Swarm Grenade is placed on the side of the cafe hut inside the circle on the right. The other is placed inside A Dugout. This forces the enemy to delay the plant.
The hidden Dugout Swarm Grenade combined with the Alarm Bot is also a great opportunity to deal extra damage to the enemies. Especially during pistol rounds, when they will have light armor or no armor at all.
Killjoy Setup With Full Control Of A Dugout
Want to prevent plants near A Dugout? This setup will be the perfect strategy. The Turret placed at the back of the site is not easily spotted but will deal damage to anyone peaking the right side of the site, slowing them down.
The Alarm Bot will be set off when anyone gets near the A Dugout area. Be careful as this setup doesn’t watch Mid or flank. The Turret placed at the back of the site can also be easily smoked off.
Killjoy’s utilities often work best when they’re combined. The Turret slows enemies and deals low damage, which is doubled when combined with the Alarm Bot when it’s activated.
Killjoy’s Nanoswarm Grenades can impair enemies significantly if they’re detonated as soon as her Alarm Bot signals that there are enemies in the area.
In this setup, both Nanoswarm Grenades are targetting A Dugout. You can use both Swarm Grenades at the same time. Or, you can use your first Swarm Grenade placed on the window sill as bait, to make enemies think it’s safe to plant after it detonates.
Then, your Swarm Grenade in A Dugout can be detonated, dealing damage or preventing a plant in the common plant spot near the wall.
Killjoy Setup To Prevent Mid Push And Flank
This may be the ideal Alarm Bot and Turret placement if you want to prevent enemies from pushing Mid and flanking.
In this instance, your Turret is hidden in the corner by the wall opposite A Dugout. It still detects anybody coming through from A Main, and also sees deep into A Link. Your Alarm Bot in this instance watches for flank, meaning you can securely watch the site without worrying about your back.
The first Swarm Grenade is once again placed inside the circle on the right of the hut. The second swarm grenade is placed behind the corner of the left side of the hut.
Enemies who do manage to push through Mid won’t be able to plant immediately and will have to either take damage, wait for the Swarm Grenades to finish detonating, or plant somewhere else.
Killjoy Setup To Prevent Mid Push Through A Link
Use this setup if you want to prevent a push from Mid through A Link, while still keeping A Main under control. The Alarm Bot will set off if an enemy pushes stairs, while your Turret is watching both A Main and Mid. The Turret will work with your Alarm Bot and Swarm Grenades to damage enemies and push them back.
Your flank is not watched by utility, so you have to be careful that no enemy pushing through Mid gets to spawn and attack you from behind.
The first Nanoswarm Grenade placed by A Link can be combined with the Alarm Bot and Turret. It will either deal damage to enemy or force them to fall back.
The second Swarm Grenade covers the default plant area on the right side. Placing it in A Dugout or on the left side of the hut could be suitable too, depending on where you predict the attackers might plant.