Any tips on flashbang use?

[Malamasala]

I've been avoiding flashbangs because they never want to work well for me.

For example I can throw it towards the enemy, turn around to avoid getting blinded, and I still get partial effect on myself. I think I also tried looking down on the ground, which also gave similar effect.

Are you supposed to need to run around a corner after tossing them? Or how do you use them in a proper way to not mess with yourself?

Also, do they blind your teammates? I would assume not, as that would lead to griefing. So perhaps the strategy is to not care that I get blinded, to help my teammates.

[Shurenai]

No they don't blind team mates(thank god), but the general consensus I've personally seen is "Don't use flashbangs" for exactly the reasons described. They're as likely to ruin your day as your enemy's.

If you're going to use them, I find generally, you want to be facing away, but also keep your camera away (Ie, dont' turn 180, turn more like 90-120 degrees), And I do find that being around a corner helps too.

Try to avoid using them solo if you can. Use them in team fights to let your team members capitalize and be ready to react to the split decision when one of two things happens
1: You get flashed too, even partially, Don't engage, Just wait it out, There's no guarantee the enemy got flashed as much as you did, they may've ducked around a corner in time to be unaffected and peeking while affected yourself could mean death. Doubly so if there's an active enemy sniper.
2: You don't get flashed, help engage.

[Afangun]

Originally posted by Malamasala:

I've been avoiding flashbangs because they never want to work well for me.

For example I can throw it towards the enemy, turn around to avoid getting blinded, and I still get partial effect on myself. I think I also tried looking down on the ground, which also gave similar effect.

Are you supposed to need to run around a corner after tossing them? Or how do you use them in a proper way to not mess with yourself?

Also, do they blind your teammates? I would assume not, as that would lead to griefing. So perhaps the strategy is to not care that I get blinded, to help my teammates.

throw the flash behind you and to the left or right so that it is behind you
very convenient when the enemy pushes you

[Malamasala]

I should probably also ask, what happens during string mode. Does your camera or your front face count for being flashed?

[Shurenai]

Originally posted by Malamasala:

I should probably also ask, what happens during string mode. Does your camera or your front face count for being flashed?

I haven't personally checked? But, Most other effects are based on camera position and facing (IE, smoke bombs, Maddelena's blind bubbles, meredith ult, etc), So I would lean towards flashbangs most likely being based on camera position/facing as well.

[MinKsTeR]

tip: dont... they are garbage there are better utilities like slow nade and explosive

[Afangun]

Originally posted by Malamasala:

I should probably also ask, what happens during string mode. Does your camera or your front face count for being flashed?

you and your opponent will only be flashed when you look at the flashbang no matter where your character is looking if your camera is turned to the flasbang you will get a flash
even if you are standing behind a wall and looking at the flashbag, you will still get blinded by this grenade

[Afangun]

also if I'm not mistaken now flashbang does not blind your allies

[Luxaeterna]

Originally posted by MinKsTeR:

tip: dont... they are garbage there are better utilities like slow nade and explosive

It could deal real damage to certain people IRL causing visual seizures.

[Nepnep]

best nades if you want to annoy people. Definitely does the most mental damage.

[Flukeyluke]

best way to use flashbangs is to duo

Player 1 on celestia flashbangs and throws armor
player 2 who is immune to friendly flash bang takes advantage of the blinded players

[Shiro♌]

The tips are the same as they'a in Counter-Strike, I'd say.
That includes pop flashes, flashbangs behind yourself and then cutting the corner to blind enemies who'd decide pursuing you in case of being outnumbered, and so on..

- The most optimal use of flashbang should replace the effect of controller's ability for at least a while and grant you or your team mate the opportunity to peek and fight back that Kanami or Kokona who forced you to retreat into a really uncomfortable corner with no other way of getting out.
Flashbangs are there to provide you with such opportunities and forcing the enemies to fall back, hence how and when that opening begins.

The key is to know how to throw it properly while minimizing the odds of blinding yourself.
From my experiences, the duration can even reach three to four seconds, and that's a long time to spray down an enemy or reposition to catch them off-guard.
- Another thing worthy mentioning is, flashbangs do deafen the enemies around their radius, so it's not all about blinding, but also about the opportunity of allowing your team mates to reposition despite not being the primary reasoning and target for the usage of it.


You can do nothing wrong if you keep using them just like in Counter-Strike. Such would be the optimal use, and if it's true that they don't blind team mates.. Then that will make them all the more versatile, allowing for some crazy opportunity creations.

Flashbangs are Audrey's, Kokona's, and Kanami's biggest enemies, along with smokes and other devices that'd obscure the vision.
Kanami could still get around it with her AoE reveals, but the other two.. Welp, those will have to wait it out or reposition entirely.


The strategy for their usages is therefore tied down to the personal x supportive usages.
- Personal, to get away from situations and reposition without the enemies knowing;
- Supportive, to ease up the initial contact for your entry fraggers or for the rest of the team.

My own side notes..
-> If you wish to duel Kokona or Kanami, side to side variable, you need flashbang to force the loss of the advantageous position;
- If you wish to play it more risky and more self-sufficiently, you do need flashbangs to provide yourself with the opportunities.

--> Whether the enemy gets blinded doesn't matter.
What matters is that they will either get blinded or look away, both of those windows being the openings for you to capitalize on, even if you blind yourself with it.
Just be cautious when it comes to blinding yourself with them, as they can do more harm than good if not used properly.

[Weh-Ohhhh]

Its best use is probably for escapes when you are getting ape'd. If you happen to be a roamer or just find yourself in a solo situation.

[Luxaeterna]

Or flanking with Galatea and you and the enemy team to suffer visually before deleting their HP.