Here is all you need to know about the upcoming agent changes in Valorant patch 8.0
As we step into a fresh year, a new Valorant Episode is ahead of us. Like all previous episodes, a huge patch accompanies this one as well. The upcoming update has everything from map changes to the introduction of a new weapon. Yet, amidst the plethora of updates, it’s the agent upgrades that we anticipate will exert the most significant influence on the game’s current meta.
Following Cypher’s powerful buffs in the previous episode, the dynamics when it comes to the Sentinel role have seen a notable shift. This time around, it is time for Deadlock and Killjoy to undergo some changes. While only two agents are getting changes in Valorant patch 8.0, the fact both are Sentinels will undoubtedly impact the game’s meta. To know more, keep up with us as we dive deep into the agent changes in the Valorant Patch 8.0.
Killjoy Nerf- Valorant Patch 8.0
Since Killjoy’s first release in 2020, the German engineer has consistently been the most widely used Sentinel agent both in casual and competitive play. Despite the addition of more Sentinel agents to the roster following her introduction, she has maintained her overwhelming monopoly over this role on most maps. To tackle this issue, Riot Games has opted to buff the other Sentinel agents. For example, the buffs Cypher received recently have done a great job of balancing out the game.
It now seems that Riot wants to take additional steps to balance the meta of the Sentinel role further. According to news and leaks, Killjoy is set to receive a singular yet significant nerf.
- Turret (E)
- The vision radius of the Turret is set to be 100 degrees instead of 180 degrees.
- When Killjoy places her Turret, a representation of its vision cone will be displayed on her minimap.
- Included visual effects and updated the Turret’s animations to illustrate its new vision range.
Even after several nerfs, Killjoy’s Turret remains one of the most broken ability in Valorant. It’s not just for gathering information—it deals damage, has a lot of health, and can be redeployed after a cooldown. It especially gets extremely annoying in the pistol round, where the Turret essentially functions as the team’s sixth man.
KILLJOY TURRET NERF | New Patch
▫️ Rotation Vision Range from 180° to 100°
This change will for sure kill a lot of setups used in pro play and rankeds. Was it needed? pic.twitter.com/kcRxPj99lF
— ʏʌᴏᴛᴢɪN.神 (@yaotziN_twitch) January 5, 2024
The reduced vision radius will limit the Turret’s effectiveness and make it easier to bypass without setting it off. At the same time, the radius is not reduced to the extent that the turret becomes useless. It can still prove beneficial. Players will need to be more cautious in its placement, ensuring no blind spots for lurking enemies. Also, the added VFX will help the player easily understand the turret’s new vision radius.
Deadlock Buff- Valorant Patch 8.0
Valorant has launched 23 agents so far, and none other than the pre-revamped Yoru has seen a pick rate as low as Deadlock. The Norwegian agent miserably fails to outshine popular choices like Killjoy, Cypher, or even Sage across any map in the game. In the Valorant Champions 2023, Deadlock had a pick rate of 0%. That ought to give you an idea of how disliked the agent is to the players.
The reason for this dislike could be that she does not have the defensive ability of traditional Sentinels, nor does she have any ability that allows players to play aggressively with her like we can with Chamber. In this state, a Deadlock buff was imminent, and finally, in patch 8.0, players are getting this much-needed update.
Check out the upgrades that Deadlock is about to receive that will potentially make her viable.
- Sonic Sensor (Q)
- Sonic Sensors can now be recalled in round.
- The pickup distance of the Sonic Sensor is increased: 12m >>> 27m
- It will take less time to concuss once triggered: 1.0s >>> 0.5s
- Once triggered, there will be less time for enemies to break Sonic Sensor: 0.65s >>> 0.5s
- The Sonic Sensor’s audio will be audible(lightly) when Deadlock or her teammates are in its AoE (area of effect).
The Sonic Sensor, Deadlock’s supposed tool for watching flanks, has faced considerable ridicule among the community for being the most useless piece of utility. Due to how easy it is to get past it, relying on the Sonic Sensor for monitoring the flank has become largely futile. As a result, its primary usage has shifted towards stopping rushes in Defense and hindering enemy retakes while in Attack.
While the recent buff hasn’t transformed the Sonic Sensor into the flank-watching ability players had hoped for, with the above-mentioned upgrades, dealing with them as an enemy has become much more difficult. Especially the reduced time to trigger and the decreased time for the enemy to break it can be game-changers when it comes to defending a site. Plus, the ability to recall it has made the usage much more flexible.
DEADLOCK BUFF | #VALORANT
– Barrier Mesh is way bigger
– Sonic Sensor can be picked up
– Sonic Sensor stun faster pic.twitter.com/KAfWKP3Zx6— SK1LLZ (@igsk1llz) January 6, 2024
- Barrier Mesh (E)
- Maximum length Barrier Mesh walls increased: 6m >>> 10m
Barrier Mesh has been called the one good utility of Deadlock’s kit by the Valorant community. Therefore, the fact that it is getting even a further upgrade is massive news for Deadlock-mains. Previously limited to a maximum length of 6 meters, the wall will now expand to a maximum of 10 meters. The ability to block this much area has the potential to be highly impactful in any of the 10 competitive maps of Valorant.
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