CS:GO: Overview of the Roles in CS:GO

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive might seem like a pretty straightforward game where people have to buy a weapon and try to win a specific round. Like most other games, CS:GO also has its specifics, especially if you decide to play competitively. Make sure you know about the roles in CS:GO with the help of this overview. 

While CS:GO may not have defined roles like in say LoL, there are a series of roles within the game. Once 10 players want to play on the given map, they are split into two teams of five. From here you'll need to find your role, though you might need to communicate with your team to do that.

Unfortunately, “securing” a role while playing with random people is easier said than done, especially if you are in the lower MMR brackets. People do whatever they want, so you need to adapt and be flexible to succeed. 

The good news is that every pro team respects each player’s specific role and tries to adapt according to it. Since some people might not be aware of the different roles in CS:GO, this article will briefly go through each one and explain everything people should be mindful of.

Support

Before we share some information about this role, it is important to know that we’ve done a full guide. So, make sure to read everything there if you want to know the ins and outs of the position.

As its name suggests, the support position is there to help others succeed at what they do. In most cases, this is achieved by throwing grenades in specific spots that will let others push or take a defensive position.

To be an effective support player, you need to know the ins and outs of every map. Usually, people who take this role are more relaxed and focus on teamwork rather than fragging. In fact, many of the support players are not as mechanically skilled at the game as others, especially the entry fraggers. 

The Entry Fragger

The second position in CS:GO is crucial, which is one of the reasons why it is given to some of the best players in a given team. The Entry Fragger requires the person to be the first one to enter a given bombsite or an objective. Needless to say, the team expects this player to get at least a few kills or provide them with enough information so that they can get the needed kills.

Besides being an excellent aimer, the entry fragger needs to have amazing reactions to be successful. Since this is the first person to enter a given bomb site, the player will often die much more than others. In other words, don’t expect to have an exceptional KDA if you are an Entry Fragger.

Everyone who has to fill in this role needs to try to secure as many kills as possible. 

The Leader/IGL

Unsurprisingly, every team-based game requires people to know what they’re doing in order to be successful. However, achieving good coordination is not easy because people usually want to do different things. That’s the reason everyone needs to have a leader.

The in-game leader has one of the most critical roles in every CS:GO team. He is the person responsible for the team’s tactics, its movement around the map, and much more. Every in-game leader has to decide whether the team will buy weapons, push a given bomb, throw grenades, etc. In other words, this person needs to have a lot of experience and know what he’s doing to be successful.

Some teams have more than one leader because each one is responsible for something specific. However, this is typically not a good idea because the two leaders may not be on the same page regarding their tactics. Needless to say, this will have a negative impact on the team as a whole.

AWPer

This is probably one of the most sought-after and interesting roles in CS:GO. There are many iconic weapons in the game, but the AWP is the one that stands out because it allows people to secure kills with a single shot. However, due to this weapon’s specifics, not everyone can use it to its full potential.

The fact that a given team has an AWPer means this person knows how to use the “green gun”. In most cases, the given player uses the AWP to hold a specific position ot secure crucial kills that will allow his team to push a given bomb site.

Despite AWP’s advantages, this weapon has one major drawback – its price. It is one of the most expensive weapons in the game, which means that teams have to be careful when they go for it and whether it is worth it.

Aside from the main AWPer, some teams also have a secondary AWP player. This person’s job is to help the main sniper and take his role when needed.

Lurkers/Assassins

Even though almost every CS:GO player calls this position Lurk (and the people lurkers), some players might know it as assassins. Hence, we’ve decided to include both terms.

Some people might think that Lurkers are not that important. However, those people have a key role in every team because their job is to secure sneaky kills. As the role’s name suggests, lurkers need to make sure they secure essential kills. In order to do that, they usually have a different positioning than the rest of their team. For example, they often stay in weird sports that allow them to pick rotating players.

To be successful in this position, you need to have a lot of experience and predict your opponent’s movement. What’s more, you need to be disciplined and wait until the right moment comes to start attacking your opponents. There will be cases where you won’t be able to kill anyone, but if you play your card right, you can easily win in many situations. 

Unfortunately, not everyone can fulfill this role. Some people simply don’t have the patience, whereas others prefer to stick to other in-game positions.