What is Raze‘s ULT line?
As a long-time Valorant gamer and content creator, few abilities quicken my pulse like hearing Raze‘s excitable call of "Fire in the hole!" followed by a deadly rocket careening across the map. As Raze‘s signature ultimate ability, Showstopper exemplifies her explosive, reckless style of play and can single-handedly win rounds when used properly. Let‘s break down the blazing blast that is Showstopper!
Meet Raze: Valorant‘s Explosives Expert
Hailing from Brazil, Raze is Valorant Protocol‘s resident demolitionist, wielder of heavy ordinance, and bringer of beautiful chaos. She specializes in custom explosives designed for maximum damage, utilizing her arsenal of grenades, rockets, and paint shells to overwhelm enemies. This often reckless, aggressive playstyle perfectly suits her ultimate ability Showstopper.
Raze‘s Kit and Abilities
As an initiator, Raze specializes in aggressively pushing into contested territory to open up sites for her team. Her full kit includes:
- Blast Pack – An explosive charge that propels Raze in the direction she‘s facing when triggered.
- Paint Shells – Explosive projectiles that splatter damaging paint on impact.
- Boom Bot – A recon robot that chases down enemies before exploding.
- Showstopper (Ultimate) – Fires a rocket-propelled grenade that does heavy splash damage.
Raze can use these abilities together to boldly entry frag onto sites and explosively catch enemies by surprise. Now let‘s focus on Showstopper!
Spotlight on Showstopper
Upon activation, Showstopper equips Raze with a rocket launcher from which she can fire off a single rocket-propelled grenade. This explosive blast is capable of taking down multiple enemies if aimed properly. Some key details:
- Damage: Direct hit deals up to 145 damage, with damage falloff down to 72 based on distance from blast epicenter.
- Blast Radius: 4.75 meters
- Cost: 7 ultimate points
- "Fire in the Hole" Voice Line: Heard by all players whenever Raze activates Showstopper.
Proper timing and placement of Showstopper can wipe an entire enemy team off a contested site. The blast radius covers nearly a full site, making it extremely difficult to avoid. Enemies caught within line-of-sight of the launcher will be instantly killed by a direct hit.
Using Showstopper Effectively
As a Raze main myself, here are some tips to utilize Showstopper effectively:
- Communicate to your team before using so they can trade kills or follow-up onto site.
- Only use at start of rounds or during executes onto site – don‘t waste navigating narrow hallways!
- Shoot Showstopper at the default plant position to catch planters by surprise.
- Launch over tall boxes/structures to hit cheeky off-angle spots.
- Don‘t be afraid to use your mobility (Blast Packs, Satchels) to chase down kills!
With some practice, Showstopper can easily net you ace clutches!
Comparing Raze‘s Ultimate to Other Damaging Ultimates
While extremely deadly, Showstopper has some tradeoffs compared to other damaging ultimates:
| Ultimate | Damage | Blast Radius | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showstopper (Raze) | 145 direct hit | 4.75m | Single explosive shot |
| Blade Storm (Jett) | 50-150 based on range | Precise, aimed | 5 throwing knives |
| Empress (Reyna) | 160 headshot | Normal gun shots | Enhances firing speed/recoil |
Compared to Jett‘s pointed Blade Storm knives and Reyna‘s rapid-fire Empress shots, Showstopper provides extremely high burst damage potential but is harder to consistently land shots with.
The Art and Design Behind "Fire in the Hole!"
Beyond raw damage stats, Raze‘s excited yell of "Fire in the hole!" upon Showstopper activation has become iconic in Valorant‘s soundscape. According to interviews with the audio design team, several key goals drove the voice line‘s creation:
- Make an adrenaline-pumping, exciting callout to pump up Raze players
- Give enemies a warning to build tense anticipation of the coming explosion
- Capture Raze‘s daring, fearless personality
- Reflect the Brazilian Portuguese origins of Raze‘s native language
Earlier versions of the voiceline were more aggressive, but the final delivery strikes the right balance of giddy excitement and explosive danger. Pairing this bold audio design with the firing rocket makes for an incredibly satisfying user experience each time Showstopper is activated!
The Future of Raze‘s Ultimate
Despite complaints from some players about Showstopper‘s damage, Riot has not significantly changed Raze‘s ultimate since Valorant‘s launch. Given her lackluster pick rates in professional play, I anticipate buffs to Showstopper‘s blast radius or cost in future patches to increase Raze‘s viability.
Reducing the ultimate point cost from 7 to 6 would allow Raze to activate it more frequently during games. Increasing the explosion radius would make the rocket more consistent at flushing enemies out of corners and cover.
Of course, we may also see nerfs if average players find success overwhelming with Showstopper at lower skill levels. I‘ll be eagerly awaiting the first sight of patch notes either way!
The Booming Blast of "Fire in the Hole!"
From its adrenaline-fueled voice line to earth-shaking, site-clearing explosion, Raze‘s Showstopper ultimate perfectly encapsulates her character while also making a major impact in matches. While tricky to master, a well-placed rocket can single-handedly win your team the round.
After analyzing all these facets surrounding Showstopper – from stats and design insights to strategic advice – I hope you feel prepared to unleash explosive success with Raze next time you queue up! This is Raze main RandomRhetoric signing off…and remember, the next time you hear "Fire in the hole!" blast your way to victory!
