Kanga – VALORANT’s latest video covers the new patch 8.11 for Valorant, which introduces several changes to agents’ abilities and the map pool. In this patch, Neon, Reyna, Iso, and Raze receive buffs and nerfs that aim to balance their gameplay and enhance the overall experience for players. Additionally, there are updates to the buy menu UI, map pool changes, and improvements to the radio command wheels. Let’s dive into the key takeaways from the video:
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Key Takeaways:
- ISO receives a shield forming sound at the end of the channel when the shield is activated, and the charges are reduced to one, but players now get a kill reset on the ability.
- Clove’s pickme up ability has its cost increased and duration decreased, and the ultimate now has a longer unequipped delay.
- Neon’s wall duration is reduced, but it fades slower, and her stun now activates 3 seconds faster. Her high gear sprint no longer reduces strafe speed, and her fuel reach charges refill three times faster.
- Raze’s blast pack no longer explodes for damage or knockback if an enemy destroys it, and her horizontal velocity while satcheling is slowed. However, her blast packs are more audible from further away.
- Reyna’s devour healing is decreased, but the full heal time is reduced. Dismiss has a higher top speed but a shorter duration. Her ultimate, Empress, no longer has a timer and remains active until she dies or the round ends.
- The buy menu UI receives an update, allowing players to see their teammates’ abilities and the shield icon updates based on remaining health.
- Map pool updates remove Split and Breeze from competitive, while Haven returns and a new map, Abyss, will be released in the next patch.
- Riot is cracking down on AFK players at the start of the game, resulting in remade matches with more severe consequences for the AFK player.
- The radio command wheels have been improved, offering more voice lines for agent communication and strategy.
ISO Buffs and Changes:
ISO, one of the agents in Valorant, receives several buffs and changes in patch 8.11. When using the double tap ability, a 1-second animation now plays before a shield is formed. This shield formation is accompanied by a sound that can be heard by enemies. Additionally, ISO’s charges have been reduced from two to one, but players now receive a charge reset on the ability if they secure two kills in a round. The degree of tag received by ISO when the double tap shield is broken has also been decreased, resulting in less slowdown. ISO can now recast double tap while it’s already active to refresh the shield’s duration, providing more flexibility in combat situations.
Clove Nerfs:
The agent Clove has received several nerfs in this patch. The cost of the pickme up ability has been increased from 100 to 200, and its duration has been decreased from 10 seconds to 8 seconds. The damaging assist time to activate the ability has also been reduced from 10 seconds to 6 seconds, meaning the enemy must die within 6 seconds of being tagged for the ability to activate. Clove’s ultimate ability, the cost of which has been increased from seven ultimate points to eight, now has a longer unequipped delay of 8 seconds, making it take slightly longer to equip a gun after using the ultimate. A bug where Clove could survive the fighting state of their ultimate if they got a smoke assist has been fixed.
Neon Buffs and Nerfs:
Neon, another agent in Valorant, has received both buffs and nerfs in this patch. The duration of Neon’s wall ability has been reduced, but it now fades slightly slower, allowing for more strategic play. The number of charges for Neon’s stun ability has been decreased from two to one, but the wind-up delay has been reduced, resulting in the stun activating 3 seconds faster. The duration of the concuss ability has been increased from 3 seconds to 3.5 seconds, providing more crowd control for Neon. On the buff side, Neon’s sprint no longer reduces strafe speed, allowing her to travel at full speed while moving sideways. Her fuel reach charges now refill three times faster, taking only 20 seconds instead of 60. Additionally, Neon now has two charges for the slide ability, and there is no weapon movement error while sliding, enhancing accuracy during sliding. The gun now equips instantly after sliding, with a 2-second buffer before shooting begins.
Raze Nerfs:
Raze, an explosive agent in Valorant, has received some nerfs in this patch. Her blast pack ability no longer explodes for damage or knockback if an enemy destroys it. However, if Raze pops the blast pack midair, she can still knock back enemy players. Raze’s horizontal velocity while satcheling has been slowed, reducing the overall distance she can cover and making it easier for enemies to track her in the air. Additionally, Raze’s blast packs are now more audible from further away, allowing enemies to hear her approaching more easily.
Reyna Buffs:
Reyna, the self-sustaining agent in Valorant, receives some buffs in this patch. The healing provided by her devour ability has been decreased from 100 to 50, but the full heal time has been reduced from 3 seconds to 2 seconds. Any armor that Reyna overheals will no longer decay and will remain for the duration of the round, providing more durability. Reyna’s dismiss ability now has a higher top speed, increasing from 9.1 m/s to 12 m/s. However, the total duration of dismiss has been reduced from 2 seconds to 1.5 seconds. This change technically results in a slightly lower max distance covered with dismiss, but the increased movement speed allows players to cover gaps and perform jumps that were previously not possible. Finally, Reyna’s ultimate ability, Empress, no longer has a timer and remains active until she either dies or the round ends.
Buy Menu UI Update:
In patch 8.11, the buy menu UI in Valorant has received an update. Noteworthy changes include the ability to see teammates’ abilities on the left side of the menu. The shield icon in the buy menu now updates dynamically based on how much shield you have remaining, providing a clearer visual representation of your current shield status.
Map Pool Updates:
Map pool changes have been made in patch 8.11. Split and Breeze have been removed from the competitive map pool, while Haven makes its return. Additionally, a new map called Abyss will be released in the next patch, although it will have a delayed release into the competitive map pool.
Cracking Down on AFK Players:
Riot is taking action against AFK players at the start of the game. Previously, players could go AFK at the beginning of a match, and their teammates could remake the game without severe consequences for the AFK player. However, Riot has increased the intervention severity for AFKs, resulting in remade matches and harsher punishments for those who go AFK.
Improved Radio Command Wheels:
The radio command wheels in Valorant have been improved in patch 8.11. Players now have access to more voice lines, allowing for better agent communication and strategizing with teammates. These improved command wheels enhance coordination and teamwork during matches.
