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Valkyrie Guide: Abilities & Tips - Apex Legends Wiki

Oct 19, 2025 • by

Table of Contents

Overview

Valkyrie (real name Kairi Imahara) is a high-mobility Recon Legend who dominates vertical space with a jetpack inspired by her father’s Northstar Titan. Introduced in Season 9, she excels at rapid rotations, aerial scouting, and breaking entrenched positions with precision missile strikes.

Valkyrie portrait

Class: Recon • Age: 31 • Homeworld: Angelia • Moniker: Winged Avenger • Voice: Erika Ishii

Abilities

Missile Swarm (Tactical)

Fire a clustered volley of mini-rockets that damage and disorient enemies on impact.

  • Launch pattern: 12 missiles in a 4x3 grid (explosion radius roughly 1.25m per missile).
  • Typical damage: first hit ~25, subsequent hits ~3 each on the same target.
  • Effective range: ~12m minimum to ~100m maximum (needs clear overhead space).
  • Cooldown: ~30 seconds.
Tip: Angle the targeting reticle just over cover (like boulders) so the outer columns land behind enemy positions rather than overshooting.

Missile Swarm icon

VTOL Jets (Passive)

Engage a jetpack midair to hover, climb, or strafe. Fuel regenerates after a short delay.

  • Activation: press jump while airborne to boost; can be set to hold or toggle in settings.
  • Fuel use: short bursts are efficient; full fuel provides roughly 5 seconds of sustained flight.
  • Handling: ADS for level flight; slight delay before weapon readiness after using jets.
  • Recon HUD: while skydiving, enemies in direct line-of-sight within ~250m are highlighted for your squad.
Tip: Use quick bursts as a “second jump” to reach rooftops, cancel fall stun, or make micro-dodges in duels.

VTOL Jets icon

Skyward Dive (Ultimate)

Prepare a launch sequence that catapults Valkyrie (and nearby teammates who join) into a skydive for rapid repositioning or macro-level scouting.

  • Two-step cast: prepare (cancelable) then launch; teammates can interact to join.
  • Requires vertical clearance; behaves like a portable jump tower.
  • Charge time: ~3 minutes (partial refund on cancel).
  • Excellent for zone rotations and scouting with VTOL HUD intel.
Tip: Use as a fast recon ping—launch briefly to reveal LOS targets with the jet-fighter HUD, then redirect or abort if reposition isn’t needed.

Skyward Dive icon

Legend Upgrades

In Battle Royale, leveling your Evo Armor unlocks perk choices that refine Valkyrie’s kit.

Level 2

  • Afterburners: ~15% higher Skyward Dive launch.
  • Aerial Expert: Improved VTOL Jet handling.

Level 3

  • Full Coverage: Missile Swarm pattern adjusts from 4x3 to 3x5 for wider area denial.
  • Fuel Tank: +25% VTOL fuel capacity.

Lore

Bold, brash, and unflinchingly independent, Kairi grew up idolizing her father—Viper, a legendary pilot. After his death, her life drifted into smuggling by day and hard-fought nights in outlaw bars. The trail of responsibility led to Kuben Blisk, whom she found in the Outlands. She proved she could take him out—but chose not to.

Using Viper’s Northstar flight core, Kairi engineered a jetpack that let her finally soar on her own terms. When she confessed everything to her mother, she was met with unwavering grit and a dry, cutting humor that made it clear: Kairi had always been Viper’s daughter—and it was time to write her own story in the Games.

Cosmetic Items

Valkyrie’s collection spans Mythic, Iconic, Legendary, Epic, Rare, and Common tiers—featuring flight-inspired armor, festival themes, and mech-influenced silhouettes. Highlights include her Mythic Prestige skin set and a distinctive heirloom.

Prestige Skin Set

  • Mythic Skin: Apex Interceptor (Tier 1 unlocked instantly; Tier 2 at 30,000 damage as Valkyrie; Tier 3 at 100,000).
  • Mythic Universal Skydive Trail: Bladed Descent (instant).
  • Mythic Finisher: Bladed Barrage (unlocked at Tier 3; usable when any Apex Interceptor tier is equipped).

Apex Interceptor Tier 3

Heirloom Set

  • Banner Pose: Angel's Arrival
  • Melee Skin: Suzaku
  • Intro Quip: “This little viper's got her mom's fangs.”

Valkyrie Heirloom Set

Finishers

  • Turn and Burn (Default)
  • Hard Landing
  • Bladed Barrage (Prestige finisher)

Voice Lines

Valkyrie’s quips reflect sharp wit, ace-pilot bravado, and occasional nods to Viper. From swaggering introductions to cutting mid-fight remarks, her voice pack is equal parts daring and heartfelt.

History

Notable Balance Changes

  • Missile Swarm: reduced slow duration and explosion radius; removed aim/turn slow (balance pass).
  • VTOL Jets: increased fuel activation cost; slightly reduced initial acceleration; added clearer fuel UI states.
  • Skyward Dive: height and ascent speed tuned; pre-launch spin restrictions; partial charge refund on cancel.

Teasers

  • Early concept nods included art of Viper’s Northstar being repaired, hinting at Valkyrie’s arrival.
  • Celebration video featuring a glimpse of Valkyrie in flight was shared as the game reached 100M players. Source
  • Manga and Angel City references appeared in a “Searching the Stars” image drop. Source
  • Additional teaser posts built momentum ahead of the launch trailers. Source
  • Season 9 trailers spotlighted her kit and mobility. Gameplay Trailer

Trivia

  • Her kit is thematically inspired by the Northstar Titan’s flight core and missile platform.
  • Several lines echo Viper’s iconic quotes, reinforcing the father–daughter connection.
  • The jet-fighter HUD marks enemies in LOS while skydiving; squadmates benefit when attached.

Videos

Images

Valkyrie Legendary skin Titan Tested

Valkyrie Legendary skin Omatsuri Fury

References