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Road2Radiant

Initiator

Sova: abilities and tips

Sova is a Russian Initiator who feeds the team info with his bow: bouncing arrows, a drone and an ultimate that goes through walls.

Origin
Russia
Release
June 2, 2020, patch 1.0
Sova

Playstyle

Sova plays long-range information. Before each entry, you scan the sites with Recon Bolt and Owl Drone to know where the opponents are, then flush out corners with Shock Bolt, which bounces off the scenery. Your teammates enter with known positions, while you stay behind to punish. On defense, you count the attackers from the start of the round and save Hunter's Fury for a confirmed push or to stop a defuse. You need memory of lineups per map and a precise shot to finish the enemies you hit.

Abilities

Key CBasic

Owl Drone

400 credits · 1 charge

You launch a small drone that you pilot remotely. With it, you fire a tagging dart that reveals the hit opponent's position in real time. Enemies can destroy the drone, and you stay still and vulnerable while you control it.

Key numbers

  • Piloting duration: 7 s
  • The drone has 100 HP
  • Tagging dart: 5 s recharge
  • Dart reveal: 0.6 s
  • Take cover or stand behind a teammate before launching the drone: you can't see your surroundings for 7 s.
  • Launch the drone early in the round to decide whether to execute or rotate the team, before the enemies settle in.
Key QBasic

Shock Bolt

150 credits · 2 charges

You fire an explosive arrow that damages players near the impact. Holding fire extends the range, alternate fire adds up to two bounces. This lets you hit enemies hiding behind an angle or slow down a defuse.

Key numbers

  • Damage: 1 to 75 depending on distance from the center
  • Up to 2 bounces with alternate fire
  • Learn a few bouncing shots per map to dislodge an opponent holding a corner, without exposing yourself.
  • Shoot the Spike after the plant to force the enemy team out of its angle or to lose time on the defuse.
Key ESignature

Recon Bolt

1 free charge per round · 1 charge · Cooldown: 50 s

Your recon bolt activates on impact and reveals the enemies in its line of sight. Since it is free and comes back over time, you have information even on an eco round. Opponents can destroy it before it ends.

Key numbers

  • Activation: 3.2 s
  • The bolt has 20 HP
  • Reveal: 0.75 s
  • Vary the bolt's positions from round to round: an opponent who knows the usual shot destroys it before the pulse.
  • Fire it just before the team enters the site, not ten seconds earlier: the info needs to stay fresh.
Key XUltimate

Hunter's Fury

8 ultimate points

You fire up to three energy projectiles that pass through walls in a long straight line. Each shot damages and reveals the enemies it hits. It is used to finish weakened opponents, stop a defuse or clear an area without exposing yourself.

Key numbers

  • 3 projectiles, 6 s duration
  • Damage: 80 per projectile
  • Reveal: 1 s
  • Save the ultimate for a decisive moment: a defuse in progress, a confirmed push or a retake on site.
  • Position yourself so the line covers the Spike location: the enemy defusing is stationary and can't dodge.
Passive

Uncanny Marksman

Sova's bow handles all his shots: you charge the range by holding the key, release to fire, and alternate fire sets the number of bounces off the scenery. This applies to Shock Bolt and Recon Bolt.

  • Practice the bounces in the range before playing them in a match: the same line gives the same result on every try.

Strengths

  • A free Recon Bolt every round: you keep info on the sites even without credits, which helps decide on an execute or a rotation.
  • Hunter's Fury passes through walls and deals 80 damage per shot: it finishes the enemies you hit or blocks a defuse without exposing you.
  • Shock Bolt bounces: a well-learned lineup hits an enemy behind a closed angle, from a safe position.
  • The drone and the bolt give you info before the entry: your teammates open the site with the positions already known.

Weaknesses

  • No flash or stun: Sova doesn't directly help a teammate win their duel, he only gives them positions.
  • Enemies can destroy Recon Bolt (20 HP) before its pulse ends, which cancels the info if the position is known.
  • You are still and exposed while piloting the drone: a flank or a surprise push costs you a life.
  • Lineups require memory per map and a lot of practice; without them, Shock Bolt and the ultimate lose a large part of their value.

Tips

  1. Scan with Recon Bolt before your team enters, then let a Duelist open: you're not there to go in first.
  2. On defense, use the bolt at the entrances to count the attackers, then save the ultimate for the confirmed push.
  3. In post-plant, combine Shock Bolt and the ultimate on the Spike to hinder the defuse without leaving your angle.
  4. Work your aim on stationary targets: the shot that follows a reveal must be precise, often on an enemy who barely moves.
  5. Practice the counter-strafe before shooting with a weapon after a scan: you want to stop dead to hit an enemy who was just tagged.

The aim to train

The Road2Radiant benchmark subcategories that matter most here.

  • Static

    Clicking on static targets

    Sova reveals positions then you shoot an enemy holding an angle: the flick and the click on a stationary target decide most of your duels.

    Drills to improve

  • Precise

    Smooth precision tracking

    You often finish wounded or tagged enemies at range: precise tracking on small targets wins you the long duels.

    Drills to improve
Measure these skills with the benchmark

Synergies

Other agents in this role

Train the aim Sova needs

Sources

Updated on October 13, 2026

Data from patch 13.06. Names, art and weapon stats: Riot Games, via valorant-api.com.