What Is KAST in Valorant Gameplay?

KAST in Valorant is a performance metric that tracks the percentage of rounds where a player earns a Kill, Assist, survives, or gets traded, giving a more complete picture of their overall impact beyond just eliminations.

Hey, Valorant players and stat fans! Today, we’re diving into a stat beyond simple kills and deaths: KAST.

If you’ve ever felt like your scoreboard doesn’t reflect your full contributions, KAST is the stat you need.

Let’s look at how this metric can help you improve your performance and elevate your game!

How KAST Affects Gameplay in Valorant

KAST, short for “Eliminate, Assist, Stay Alive, Avenged,” is a metric to assess a player’s influence throughout a match, beyond basic kills and deaths.

It calculates the percentage of rounds in which a player plays a role in at least one of these actions:

• Eliminate: Achieving an opponent’s removal

• Assist: Supporting a teammate in securing an opponent’s removal

• Stay Alive: Remaining in the game until the round ends

• Avenged: A teammate eliminates the opponent shortly after the player’s removal

KAST is a percentage, with higher values indicating a more consistent contribution throughout the rounds.

It highlights players who, while not always on top of the leaderboard, actively help the team succeed.

How the Game Calculates the Contribution Score?

Although the developer hasn’t shared the exact formula, the general principle behind the contribution score calculation is well understood.

Calculation Formula:

Contribution Score % = (Rounds with a Positive Action / Total Rounds Played) x 100

For example, if you contributed positively in 16 out of 20 rounds, your contribution score would be (16/20) x 100 = 80%.

Key Notes About Contribution Score Calculation:

• You count a round if you contribute significantly, such as a kill, assist, survival, or trade.

• Multiple actions in a single round (e.g., scoring a kill and staying alive) won’t increase the score for that round.

• The “Trade” action usually has a short time limit (often around 5 seconds) after your elimination.

How to Improve Your Contribution Score

Want to increase your contribution score? Here are some tips:

• Focus on Team Support: The contribution score rewards consistent teamwork. Contribute to your team’s efforts, not just by getting eliminations but by supporting others.

• Stay Alive: Prioritize surviving the round. Staying alive, especially in crucial situations, is essential.

• Utilize Your Tools Effectively: Assists matter! Use your character’s abilities to help others secure victories.

• Provide Information on Eliminations: If an enemy eliminates you, quickly communicate their positions to help your team respond.

• Play to Your Strengths: Different characters play different roles. Support specialists focus more on surviving, while aggressive roles aim for elimination and trade.

• Avoid Risky Moves: Being too reckless can lead to early eliminations, hurting your contribution score. Play wisely to minimize risks.

• Aim for Consistency: The contribution score values steady performance over rare high-impact moments.

• Improve Your Accuracy: Better targeting leads to more eliminations and assists, boosting your score.

• Know Common Engagement Spots: Learn where your team will likely support you after engaging an opponent.

• Review Your Actions: Analyze rounds where you didn’t make a significant impact and think about how you could improve next time.

Other Related Concepts

When talking about KAST in a tactical shooter, you may come across the following terms:

• Combat Performance Score: This metric measures your overall efficiency, focusing on the damage you deal and the eliminations you make.

• Round Damage Average: This tracks the typical damage you inflict during each cycle.

• Performance Ratio: A standard measurement based on eliminations, deaths, and support actions.

• Lead Attacker: A player who seeks to secure the first elimination in a round, often impacting your performance rating.

• Flanker: A player who moves away from the leading group, affecting their impact score differently.

• Game-Winner: A player who clinches the round as the final survivor, improving the overall performance score.

• Resource Management Rating: This assesses how well you handle your in-game resources, which can affect your overall performance indirectly.

• Critical Eliminations: Kills that have a significant influence on the round’s outcome, boosting your score.

• Skill Damage: The damage dealt using special abilities can add to team support actions and influence your score.

• Initial Kill: The first elimination of a round, often crucial for the lead attacker’s performance rating.

• Post-Objective Phase: After completing a key mission task, survival becomes critical for your performance.

• Kill Exchange Efficiency: Your team’s elimination exchange success rate directly impacts your performance rating.

To sum up, while significant eliminations and high frag counts may be exciting, the performance score highlights the importance of teamwork.

Your impact comes in many forms—whether you’re securing kills, helping teammates, winning critical rounds, or executing perfect exchanges—every action you take influences your overall performance and your team’s success. 

So, next time you’re in action, think beyond eliminating enemies and consider how you can contribute in various ways.

Improve your performance and help your team achieve success!