8 Essential Skills That Make Top Esports Players Stand Out from Casuals
Mastering Video Games: A Trainable Skill
Many people play video games, but not many people play video games at a high level. Esports are just like traditional sports where the barrier of entry is low, but the skill ceiling is as high as can be.
The truth is that top players use essential techniques to find massive success.
If you’ve ever watched top-tier players like Street Fighter’s Justin Wong, Daigo Umehara, League of Legends Faker, or Valorant’s Tenz, you’ve probably heard people talk about their “strong fundamentals.” But what does that actually mean? And how do players build those core skills?
Fundamentals are the universal abilities that go beyond any single game, making them transferable across titles (typically within the same genre). Top players’ fundamentals often transfers to new games, as seen with Sinatraa’s move from Overwatch to Valorant. But rarely does one see the term “fundamentals” broken down into the details of specific skills, methods of improvement, and how these skills differ from player to player.
For example, Justin Wong’s fame comes from his patience and composure under pressure; he waits for the perfect moment to strike. Meanwhile, Daigo Umehara shines with bold, predictive plays and his ability to innovate within the meta.
Both have incredible fundamentals, but they excel in different areas, which means they also have unique strengths—and relative weaknesses. Defining the skills involved is crucial to understanding what fundamentals are. Here is a list of the following:
1. Reactions
Reactions are probably the most obvious skill, but they’re also one of the most important. They let players respond quickly to in-game situations—punishing moves, fragging a player trying to flank you and your party, you name it. Players with top-tier reactions dominate by reacting to subtle cues in neutral.
Take Xiaohai, for instance. He’s known for his insane ability to react to short hops in King of Fighters, landing a precise crouching normal or an invincible Dragon Punch (DP) with ridiculous speed—something very few players can do.
Reactions can be about raw reflexes, anticipation, or a mix of both. Many players spend hours in training mode practicing regimens to help build muscle memory. The average human reaction speed is around 200-250ms which is 12-16 frames of animation. Top players typically have reaction times around 150-178 milliseconds, which can give them a two-frame edge—the difference between reacting or missing entirely.
2. Execution
Flawless execution is foundational, especially for newer players. If you can’t perform basic inputs like quarter-circle motions, skill rotations, or consistent shots in an fps, you’re effectively playing a different game. Compare beginner level execution to a 3rd grading shooting a free throw and basketball’s Stephen Curry ability to score consistent three point shots. The better a player is at inputting buttons in game, the more possible routes to success open up.
High level execution enables players to cash out the most optimal reward it pivotal times. When a player finds themselves in a key position they are able to complete the game winning combo or hold the choke point long enough for the team to arrive for back up.
Nerves are also a key factor. Top players rarely drop winning situations, and their consistency in execution can be the difference between winning and losing. Valorant Tenz is well known for his amazing flick head shots. He is able to consistently earn the highest benefit for the situation in the high pressure situations.
High Level Execution is often what is responsible for make or break moments in clutch games.
3. Patience (Risk/Reward)
Most people playing video games want to become the action hero their avatar plays. However, that does not always happen. It can be frustrating when a player denies this power fantasy which can lead a player to crack into risky play. Patience is the ability to remain calm and wait for the opponent to make a mistake.
League of Legends player, Faker, grew to fame with his quick stylish plays, but has refined his plays by becoming one of the most patient and explosive players. Players like Faker are experts at, forcing opponents to overextend and punishing them mercilessly. Faker waits even in the most hopeless scenarios, until the right opportunity arises to manifest a comeback. Patience breeds consistancy into a players win/loss ratio.
Patience is often not the flashiest skill, but it builds consistency. Another example is Dragon Ball Fighterz fame Go1 is known for have impecable defense in very disadvantious situations. In his battle with Sonic Fox Go1 blocked a series of strikes for over 3 minutes. He had to react to multiple 50/50 scenarios that would have opened up most players. Go1 was able to retain his composure during high pressure scenarios until he was able to find the win.
4. Mental Stacking (Unpredictability)
Sometimes this is called being random. While "random" often carries negative connotations, the best players can disguise their intentions and make seemingly illogical choices work. “Mental stacking”, or the ability to be unpredictable, is overloading your opponent with information or that makes them slip up or panic.
Making the seemed “illogical” choice is effective because human opponents must juggle large quantities of information to inform their next move. Thowing large quantities of data or something unexpected makes the player react uncomfortably, ruining their muscle memory. In Valorant for instance, players must juggle: vision, economy, sound, cross-hair placement, the mini map, and comms all while focusing on any the screen to handle any players looking for a fire fight. An off flank, or unique use of a characters skills can throw a loop in the players prepared defense.
Take Fighting Game player Nemo, who excels at mixing up his opponent's expectations. His Rolento in Street Fighter 4 was known for his erratic movement with his pogo leap, a move in neutral that can add unnecessary risk if used repeatedly. Nemo spammed this move as a way to get around the screen and trick his opposition. On paper, using the move as he does adds no additional benefit to Nemo, He could just walk or jump at the other player, but ingame, it made his movement harder to predict.
Players who excel at taking advantage of the “mental stack” thrive on exploiting mental gaps in high pressure scenarios.
Mobility and Positioning
Top level players know how to do two things very effectively: how to move and where to position themselves. Mobility and positioning is the “how” a player can get into winning scenarios because it sets the player up to make game winning plays. It may seem simple, but play any competitive game during your early hours, it is common to hear statements like “your out of position.” or “Fall back!” These are common because the player has positioned themselves in a place that is extremely dangerous and/or they do not have the mobility to maneuver out of the situation.
Mobility is the way a player utilizes the way a characters movement in order to get into advantageous scenarios. For example, rounds in the fighting game Tekken are often decided by key ducks or sidesteps into a large combo. High level play also utilizes an advanced movement technique known as KBD (Korean Back Dash) that involves a certain input to increase the speed or distance of a players back dash. This helps players sway in and out of their opponents effective ranges.
Overwatch’s character, Wrecking Ball utilizes grapples and unique wall jump mechanics to launch opponents up for some crowd control.
Positioning is the when a player sets their character in a specific location that gives them the highest probability for success. Think a sniper getting into the perfect location. They would need as much distance as possible with a clear range to hit their target or a wrestler who’s effective range is a close as possible. Both characters have an optimal place to stand in order to be most effective. A player needs to assess how close or far away does my character need to be to have the highest chances of success. Tactical shooters like and Valorant are known for players needing to hold the right corner with their cross-hairs at the perfect location. In this genre especially, positioning is a key ingredient for victory.
6. Knowledge and Awareness
This skill goes beyond just logging hours in a game. It’s about understanding and leveraging mechanics to play optimally. These players understand game mechanics and how they ebb and flow in real time. Often times players who excel at this are the strong support or selfless team players because they see the long term necessities of a match. They are tracking the other teams ultimate usage, proper team comps, individual match ups and maps that bring a higher rate of success. Support League of Legend star Mata is known for his ability to make impactful swings by providing vision and strength to the rest of his team.
Players who excel at this method tend to understand what each team’s win condition and each players needed role. They understand which team comps are best for what specific scenario. They understand frame data, or where an enemy may like to hide on the map.
This is one the most unique skills to have that can only be grown by many hours of play and research. Very methodical, science-savvy players tend to fit this category.
7. Innovation
Innovation involves discovering and applying advanced tech or strategies. Lab monsters excel at finding new setups, combos, or exploits that redefine the meta. These are the players who know who is top tier, what weapons are the best and which maps are advantageous during a games launch or when there is a new balance patch. Players like Leffen or Sonicfox epitomize this with their methodical approach to dissecting games and defining the competitive meta. Having deep game knowledge allows players to predict and adapt to unfamiliar situations, giving them a strategic edge. It's about more than instinct—it’s about calculated decisions
Rocket League player Zen is one of the fastest players to ever rise to success, who was able to succeed in winning 3 major tournaments with a change in the ruleset that shifted the meta. These players are the innovators who push new oppressive strategies into a games lifespan.
8. Unique Playstyles
These are the weird exceptions that exist in a competitive meta. A unique playstyle can make a player exceptionally difficult to counter. Players like Amsa (Super Smash Bros.) and ZBRA (Overwatch 2) have become iconic for their unconventional approaches, which force opponents to adapt to something entirely unfamiliar. These are the low tier heroes that find success in competitive play. Their uniqueness isn’t about optimal play—it’s about leveraging unconventional tactics effectively. Its when League of Legends players utilize champions with off builds in lanes that don’t fit them. These are the fighting game players who commit hours to very unpopular difficult characters only to find success on the big stage.
Players in this category succeed because they outside of meta at the highest skill level.
Summary
In the world of esports, the difference between casual players and top performers boils down to consistent habits and intentional effort. By adopting these 8 essential habits, you can elevate your gameplay, improve your mindset, and position yourself to compete at a higher level. Whether it’s honing your skills, maintaining focus, or fostering teamwork, these principles are the foundation of success in esports. Remember, greatness isn’t reserved for the few—it’s achievable for anyone willing to put in the work. Start building these habits today, and who knows? You could be the next name rising to the top.
These traits, to some capacity, have carry over into all competitive video games. They are the foundations to playing video games at a high level. With new Esports such as Marvel Rivals and Deadlock coming into the near future, these tips will surely support ones growth in become a top player.