KAST in Valorant tracks how often a player takes part in key actions during rounds.
It calculates the percentage of rounds where the player gets a kill, assists, survives, or gets traded.
Counting these actions gives a clearer picture of performance than only tracking kills.
Valorant players and stat lovers, take note! KAST is more than just kills and deaths.
If your impact in a match isn’t clear from the scoreboard, this stat can help. Let’s break it down and see how it enables you to improve.
What Does KAST Mean in Valorant?
KAST stands for “Kill, Assist, Survive, Trade.” It measures how much a player contributes beyond just eliminations.
The percentage reflects rounds where a player does at least one of these:
- Kill: Eliminating an opponent
- Assist: Helping a teammate secure a kill
- Survive: Staying alive until the round ends
- Trade: A teammate eliminating the enemy who just killed you
A higher KAST percentage means a player consistently makes an impact. It highlights players who help their team even if they don’t get the most kills.
How KAST Works in Valorant?
Riot Games has not shared the exact formula, but the general method for calculating KAST is known.
Formula:
KAST % = (Rounds with a Kill, Assist, Survival, or Trade ÷ Total Rounds Played) × 100
For example, if you played 20 rounds and contributed to 16, your KAST would be (16 ÷ 20) × 100 = 80%.
Key Points About KAST Calculation:
- You only need to meet one of the four conditions (K, A, S, or T) for a round to count.
- Multiple contributions in the same round (such as getting a kill and surviving) do not increase the score for that round.
- The ‘Trade’ factor usually has a time limit, about five seconds after death.
Ways to Increase Your KAST
Want to improve your KAST? Try these tips:
- Support Your Team: KAST favors teamwork. Help teammates instead of chasing solo kills.
- Stay Alive: Survival matters. Play smart, especially in post-plant situations.
- Use Abilities Wisely: Assists count toward KAST. Help teammates secure kills with your agent’s utility.
- Communicate After Death: Call out enemy locations to increase the chance of getting traded.
- Play Your Role Well: Different agents affect KAST differently. Sentinels focus on surviving, while duelists go for entry frags and trades.
- Avoid Reckless Aggression: Pushing without impact lowers KAST. Play intelligent, not just aggressive.
- Stay Consistent: KAST rewards steady performance rather than occasional standout plays.
- Improve Aim: Better crosshair placement leads to more kills and assists.
- Learn Trade Positions: Understand where teammates can trade your death effectively.
- Analyze Your Matches: Review rounds where you missed KAST contributions and adjust your gameplay.
Related Terms
When discussing KAST in Valorant, you may come across these terms:
- ACS (Average Combat Score): Measures performance based on damage and kills.
- ADR (Average Damage per Round): Tracks the average damage a player deals each round.
- KDA (Kill/Death/Assist Ratio): A common stat in many games.
- Entry Fragger: The player who takes the first fight, often impacting KAST.
- Lurker: A player who plays away from the team, affecting KAST differently.
- Clutch: Winning a round alone guarantees a KAST contribution.
- Economy Rating: Measures how well a player manages in-game money, indirectly influencing KAST.
- Impact Frags: Kills that heavily affect the round’s outcome, boosting KAST.
- Util Damage: Damage from abilities, which can count as assists.
- First Blood: The first kill of a round, crucial for entry fraggers.
- Post-Plant: The phase after planting the spike, where survival boosts KAST.
- Trade Efficiency: How often a team successfully trades kills, affecting the ‘T’ in KAST.
KAST shows that Valorant is a team-based game. Winning is not just about flashy plays or getting the most kills. It’s about making a difference every round.
Whether you get kills, support teammates, survive clutch moments, or secure trades, every action helps.
Next time you play, focus on contributing in multiple ways, not just the scoreboard. Now, get out there and raise that KAST!