September 28th, 2023
The popularity of Counter-Strike 2 knows no bounds, and this has been proven on many occasions during the past 12 years since the game’s initial release in August 2012. It is an unstoppable force that has made its company billions of dollars in the long run. For the past 5 years, the player base has continued to increase and has now exceeded 1 million, making this online first-person shooter the most highly played game on the Steam platform. Although there have been many competitors during this time which seemed to shake the gaming scene in different ways, CS2 has stood strong and seems to continue this trend in the coming years as well. A large part of this success goes to the Arms Deal update which was introduced a year after the game’s launch.
This update introduced cosmetic items for the in-game weapons, which are commonly referred to as ‘skins’ by the community. Although people were initially skeptical, the introduction of the Community Workshop put those fears to rest as time went by. The Workshop provided an opportunity for members of the general public to develop their own weapon skins, and earn a percentage of revenue from sales if they were chosen and released in the game by Valve. Over the years, the skin market has continued to grow, and the range of cosmetic items available has also expanded. Today, you can find a wide variety of cosmetic items for in-game items such as stickers of various types, skins for your knives, graffiti, gloves, capsules, and more.
List Of The Best CS2 CT Agents
The latest cosmetic item to be added in CS2 were skins for agents, introduced with the launch of Operation Shattered Web in 2019. Although Valve had initially upgraded some of the default player models to bring them up-to-date, they eventually decided to make agents purchasable through Operation. This practice continued with the next two operations as well, which has brought the number of agents’ skin types available to a total of 63 for both CT & T sides.
While there are 29 different Counter-Terrorist agents to choose from, we have narrowed down a list of the 10 best agents you can buy. The list consists of agents we consider to be the best in terms of value for money and overall appeal. So without further ado, let’s roll!
1. Special Agent Ava
Special Agent Ava is not only one of the first agents to be introduced to the game, she also happens to be the first ever female agent in CS2. Ava is a strong female veteran of the force who has an assertive personality, evident from her voice-over lines.
She wears a navy-colored jacket with the words AGENT on either sleeve, and FBI written on the front of the jacket, in a bright yellow color. You can further upgrade the agent by equipping her with the Specialist Gloves Field Agent, which perfectly complement the overall theme. Additionally, the best knife to go with the agent can be anything in a Doppler Phase 4, finish or the Night finish as a cheaper alternative.
Special Agent Ava | FBIStarting at$12.72-24%2. Lt. Commander Ricksaw
Lt. Commander Ricksaw is one of the best-designed CT agents and one of the few that comes with short sleeves, a POV option that you might prioritize if you want to see your gloves in full during gameplay.
He has a nice personality to go with it, and his voice-over lines and acting are evidence of this. It’s as if you have an agent that was taken straight out of an action movie when playing with him equipped. Ricksaw is one of the few agents in the game who has a pair of gloves specifically designed for their model, which are the Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander and have the same Camo pattern that the agent has on his cap. An M9 Bayonet in a vanilla finish perfectly complements this look.
Lt. Commander Ricksaw | NSWC SEALStarting at$9.44-30%3. 1st Lieutenant Farlow
1st Lieutenant Farlow from the SWAT team is another solid female addition to the CT side who can pretty much hold her own against anything thrown her way. Although she is a hostage rescue specialist, Farlow is known to be a versatile operator in any role. The wry smile she wears on her face is a testament to the immense amount of confidence she possesses in her own abilities.
To complete the look, you can equip her with the [Hand Wraps Spruce DDPAT]((/items/hand-wraps-spruce-ddpat) which match the various shades of green on her uniform, and any knife in a vanilla finish.
1st Lieutenant Farlow | SWATStarting at$4.78-25%4. Seal Team 6 Soldier
The Seal Team 6 Soldier is another well-designed agent model that is a very affordable option for your CT slot. He stood out when he was first introduced with the release of Operation Shattered Web. To get a complete look for the agent, you would want to upgrade him with a pair of Specialist Gloves Forest DDPAT, and an M9 Bayonet Forest DDPAT.
Seal Team 6 Soldier | NSWC SEALStarting at$5.59-30%5. 3rd Commando Company
The 3rd Commando Company is one of the earliest agents developed for the Counter-Terrorist side, a time when Valve hadn’t really prioritized giving cool names to agents. He resembles the Seal Team 6 Soldier to a great degree, and seems to be his equivalent in the German Special Forces, KSK. What sets him apart, though, is that he is one of the few agents who have a matching pair of gloves specifically designed to go with their player model.
If you want to upgrade the look, you can equip the agent with a pair of Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company and an M9 Bayonet Forest DDPAT.
3rd Commando Company | KSKStarting at$6.59-26%6. Cmdr. Frank ‘Wet Sox’ Baroud
Cmdr. Frank ‘Wet Sox’ Baroud from the SEAL team is another recent addition to the CT lineup, released with Operation Riptide. He is a special forces operative specializing in underwater warfare, and this is reflected in the Scuba Diving suit he wears. Baroud is the same agent featured in the Operation Riptide video which was shown at its launch, where he catches a pebble thrown by a bunch of terrorists while underwater, then emerges and fires his M4.
He can be equipped with any knife in the Night finish to match the color of his diving gear. With gloves, you have a wide variety to choose from owing to the versatility of the agent model. A cheaper option are the Moto Gloves Eclipse, which match the color of the scuba suit, or you can go with the Specialist Gloves Field Agent if you want them to match with the overall theme of the uniform and equipment on the agent. However, if you are not someone to hold back, then you have the option of equipping Baroud with the more expensive Sports Gloves Amphibious.
Cmdr. Frank 'Wet Sox' Baroud | SEAL FrogmanStarting at$37.16-20%7. Operator
The Operator from FBI’s SWAT team is a distinguished veteran who has a vast experience in his field and is proficient in everything from hostage rescue, to bomb defusal, and counterterrorism. He is an especially good option on maps such as Ancient where the color of his uniform allows him to blend in with the surroundings, providing a tactical advantage.
Operator | FBI SWATStarting at$5.20-25%8. Michael Syfers
Michael Syfers is one of the earliest agent models to be introduced in the game. According to lore, he was a proficient athlete recruited into the FBI after suffering from an injury that put his prospects in sports in jeopardy. His habit of wearing the cap backward gives the overall feel of a coach watching his team from the sidelines and passing tips. The only aspect that differs from this description, though, is the fact that he is doing the same with a precision rifle in hand now.
Michael Syfers | FBI SniperStarting at$4.68-22%9. Primeiro Tenente
Primeiro Tenente was released with the introduction of Operation Riptide in 2021. He is a Brazilian Special Operations Soldier who specializes in Jungle and Swamp warfare, mainly operating in the Amazonian rainforest.
The agent is well-designed and would look even better when paired with the Specialist Gloves Forest DDPAT and an M9 Bayonet Forest DDPAT, which would perfectly complement the overall theme of the uniform.
Primeiro Tenente | Brazilian 1st BattalionStarting at$21.05-30%10. ‘Blueberries’ Buckshot
‘Blueberries’ Buckshot is a weapons specialist in the SEAL branch, dressed in the US Navy uniform with a camouflage pattern consisting of varying shades of blues. Worn on top of the uniform is a light brown kit with different assortments such as a backpack and magazine pouches.
‘Blueberries’ is one of the more popular CT side agents owing to the Camo pattern on his uniform which is among the best from a player’s POV. He is also one of the few agents who can be equipped with matching gloves, knives, and weapons. If the budget allows and you want to go for a complete look, you can equip Buckshot with the Specialist Gloves Mogul, any knife with the Bright Water finish, and the M4A4 Bright Water, all of which match the overall theme of his uniform.
'Blueberries' Buckshot | NSWC SEALStarting at$6.50-30%Concluding Remarks
And that concludes our list of the best agents you can buy for the Counter-Terrorist side in CS2. As we have already mentioned, the supply of agents is limited owing to the fact that they don’t drop like cases. So far, agents have only been released as part of Operations, obtainable through earned stars by completing objectives or through the purchase of stars and exchanging them for agent skins. This means they will only tend to decrease in number and increase in price going forward. Whether you are buying only one as a playskin which goes best with your overall loadout, or buying multiple agent skins as an investment, you can’t go wrong either way.