All CS:GO/CS2 Roles and Positions

No matter how good you are, most competitive first-person shooter games require solid teamwork. Some games are more teamwork-oriented, like Rainbow Six Siege or Overwatch, and some revolve around individual skill, like Quake Champions. However, when it comes to Counter-Strike, it is a mixture of both. 

Some might say that in CS2 you can 1v9 each round without comms and with no regard for team strategies, but that’s only possible in low rate lobbies. Players who want to climb ranks should be aware of all intricacies and mechanics in the game, and knowing what roles are there is one of them. In this article, we’ll cover all the main roles and their purpose in the game. 

The six core roles in CS2 are the following:

• Sniper (AWPer)

• In-game leader (IGL)

• Entry Fragger (Rifler)

• Lurker

• Support

• Anchor

These are the main primary CS2 and CSGO roles. Obviously, there might be other less significant roles in CSGO and CS2, but that only will matter if the meta drastically shifts in CS2. 

Entry Fragger

Oftentimes doubling as riflers, entry fraggers are extremely important for fast pushes and overtakes. This role is responsible for creating opportunities for teammates by initiating a push on a bombsite, or by leading the charge before anyone else. As an entry fragger, your playstyle is usually very aggressive and you should probably have a good situational awareness, because one of your priorities is to lead the way, clear corners and peak, so there’s an obvious risk of being killed first. After being taken down, entry fraggers share the information regarding enemies’ position so that there’s a possibility for an even trade.

Pros

• Ability to initiate fast pushes and punishing outnumbered defense players

• Initiation of team fights and overtakes

• Creating openings for your team

Cons

• High-risk position with a high chance to be taken down early in the round

• Can be frustrating to play if the enemy team has a solid defense on both sites

• Inconsistent performance due to high-risk nature of position

• Requires good reflexes, concentration and situational awareness to be able to cover all the possible danger areas

Preferred weapons:

AK-47, M4A4, MP9, Glock-18, Tec-9 

Sniper

A role that unlocks the full potential of AWP, the most sought-after weapon in the game and the holy grail of damage and impact. A sniper in the team can make or break the game, as his long-range coverage of a map allows to one-shot targets standing far away. An experienced and skilled sniper is hard to get, as his reaction time might be faster, and it only takes one hit to leave your teammates one man down. However, should you miss a close-range shot, it is extremely hard to survive when your enemy has a full-auto rifle or a shottie while you’re trying to reload.

Pros:

• One-shot potential

• Range and precision advantage over any other class 

• Can lock down huge areas of map, punishing enemies in open areas

• AWP has only five shots, reload time

Cons:

• Expensive weapon, resorting to less powerful SSG 08 if economy’s not good

• Heavily reliant on team support, vulnerable in short-mid range

• Highest skill ceiling in CS2

Preferred weapons:

AWP, SSG 08

In-game Leader

An in-game leader is akin to a captain/quarterback in a sports team. IGL’s main task is to make the right calls and mid-round decisions, introduce necessary correctives to salvage the unwinnable rounds. The entire team coordination is on IGL’s shoulders, so this person should possess strategic thinking and strong leadership qualities. IGLs may not always be the best marksmen on the server and can have a pretty mediocre ADR, but a game-winning call from a battered IGL is what matters most.

Pros

• Providing directions and vision for the game

• Can lead the team to victories by the right strategy

• A good role to test your strategic prowess

Cons

• Responsibility and pressure for the wrong calls

• Underwhelming impact, relying on team’s performance

• Can be distracting to concentrate on personal performance

Preferred weapons:

Pretty much any weapon, depending on the economy and each separate round

Lurker

If you’re looking for a role with some notes of stealth action, RPGs and cloak and dagger action, then the Lurker might be just the ticket. Lurker is the one who hides in the plain sight and the one who’s itching to zap you with Zeus when you least expect it. This role is responsible for creating chaos, making the enemy team lose their composure and catching them off-guard. Lurkers are also useful for providing information, catching enemies on bad rotations and taking down crucial players. This role is just asking for a few voicelines from League’s very own Twitch, “I was hiding!”

Pros

• Extremely fun to play

• High-impact plays and opening kills if played right

• Can be very stressful to play against

Cons

• Hard to play isolated from your team

• There’s only so many unexpected plays you can make in one game

• Leaving teammates in unfavorable situations due to multiple early deaths

Preferred weapons:

CZ-75, P90, MP9, XM1014, Zeus, Knife

Support

Support player is the most versatile role in CS2, as you can cover pretty much any existing position. Supports double as riflers, but can also play as AWPers, anchors or even try their luck with lurking. Usually, supports provide utility on bombsites and cover passages with smokes and flash the enemies so that their team can initiate the attack. Support is the Swiss army knife of Counter-Strike.

Pros

• Extremely versatile role

• Creating opportunities for your team

• High-impact role without the same risk of an AWPer or a Lurker

Cons

• Hard to play 1v1 against a player with a specific role

• Requires the basic utility knowledge – one bad flash or a smoke can ruin the entire team’s efforts

• Should be able to handle a various set of weapons

Preferred weapons:

AK-47, M4A1-S, Galil, Famas

Anchor

The Anchor player is the last line of defense in the face of an incoming rush on a bombsite. Essentially, the anchor’s role is to hold the bombsite or a place where the bomb has been dropped, to prevent the enemy team from accessing the bombsite and planting the bomb. Anchors can single-handedly ruin a round or two for the enemy team just by finding the right spot to engage from. Anchors usually execute the role of a last stand, can often be seen in various Pro highlights where they pull off a ninja defuse or hold the bombsite against three enemies.

Pros

• Providing defense and information on a bombsite is extremely valuable in winning rounds

• Allowing teammates to approach different tasks

• Can hold the line against multiple enemies, set up traps and execute ninja defuses

Cons

• Defense-oriented role, not very useful for the attack

• Predictable positioning after a few rounds for the defense

• Highly reliant on team’s efforts

Preferred weapons:

AK-47, M4A1-S, Negev, Deagle

How to Choose Your Role in CS:GO/CS2?

You should be aware of all your advantages and weaknesses when it comes to pure skill, tactics, preferred playstyle and many other factors. It’s all revealed in practice, the more you play in matchmaking vs players of your level, the sooner the realization will come to you. Try out all the above-mentioned roles to find the one that suits you the most. There are no clear rules as to positions in CS2, so don’t worry too much about this classification and just enjoy the game!