Update on the recent VALORANT patches

VALORANT patch 3.0 was maybe one of the most important patches in the game’s short history. Almost every agent in the game received major updates and changes, especially to the cost of their weapons and their running accuracy. We wanted to go give you a rundown of some of the biggest changes in the game.

Agent Updates

The following changes affects all agents:

• Signature abilities now only provide a minimum of one charge per round instead of accumulating a charge every round.
• Charges gained from cooldowns are now always temporary.
• Visibility returns faster during the fadeout period of all flashes.

Astra

The changes made to Astra have changed her ability to apply map-wide pressure. She now has more counterplay on barrier drop and longer and clearer cooldown windows after Astra uses or recalls her Stars.

Breach

They have removed his third flash charge in an attempt to spread impact across his kit. Some abilities are getting shorter cast commitments and the speed of his Flashpoint projectile is being slowed to give Breach a chance to re-equip his weapon and work off his tools.

Brimstone

• His Incendiary cost has increased from 200 to 250.

Cypher

• The Ultimate points cost for Neural Theft have decreased from 7 to 6.

Jett

• They have reversed the Jett/Cypher trapwire interaction in response to the community’s ability to better deal with Cypher’s traps.

Killjoy

• The cooldown after pickup for Alarmbot has risen from 7 seconds to 20 seconds.
• The cooldown after pickup for the turret has risen from 10 seconds to 20 seconds.

Omen

• His Shrouded Step cost has increased from 100 to 150.
• His Paranoia cost has decreased from 400 to 300.
• Dark Cover has seen some significant changes, the cooldown time has increased by 5 seconds, the signature charges granted has been dropped to 1 and Omen now must buy his second smoke for 100.

Phoenix

• His Curveball cost has increased from 200 to 250.

Raze

• Her in-game model has been updated.
• The cost of Boombot has been bumped to 400.
• The Ultimate points required for Showstopper has increased to 8.

Reyna

• Her Leer cost has increased from 200 to 250.

Sage

• Her Slow Orb cost has increased from 100 to 200.
• Her Barrier Orb cost has increased from 300 to 400.
• The number of Ultimate points required for Resurrection has increased to 8.

Skye

Skye is losing her third flash charge but regaining charges on a cooldown for her signature. She no longer needs to put her gun down to activate Guiding Light. Guiding Light has also received some quality of life improvements when guiding the projectile or letting it fly free.

Sova

• His Shock Dart cost has increased from 100 to 150.
• The cooldown for Recon Bolt has risen from 35 seconds to 40 seconds.
• His Owl Drone cost has increased from 300 to 400.
• The number of Ultimate points required for Hunter’s Fury has increased to 8.

Viper

Outer edges of Viper’s acid patch form faster to ensure it is lethal if an enemy sits in the entire duration. They have increased the cost of Snake Bite to reduce its power and popularity.

Yoru

• His Blindside cost has increased from 200 to 250.
• The cooldown for Gatecrash has risen from 35 seconds to 40 seconds.

Weapon Updates

All Weapons

• Bullet tagging changed from 75% slow to 72.5% slow.
• “Tagging” is the slowing effect you feel when hit by bullets.
• Weapon Deadzones changed from 30% to 27.5%
• “Deadzone” in VALORANT refers to the movement speed a player becomes inaccurate.

All Rifles

• Walking inaccuracy changed from 1.3 to 2.0
• Running unchanged at 5.0

All Heavies

• Walking Inaccuracy changed from .5 to 2.4
• Running unchanged at 6.0

All SMGS

• Walking inaccuracy changed from .3 to 1.0
• Running inaccuracy changed from 2.0 to 2.5

Classic

• Walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to .84
• Running inaccuracy changed from 1.5 to 2.1

Frenzy

• Price decreased 500 to 450
• Walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to .8
• Running inaccuracy changed from 1.0 to 2.0

Ghost

• Walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to .92
• Running Inaccuracy changed from 1.85 to 2.3

Sheriff

• Walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to 1.2
• Running inaccuracy changed from 2.0 to 3.0

Judge

• Price increased 1600 to 1850
• Damage falloff at 10m changed from 13 per pellet to 10 per pellet.
• Damage falloff at 15m changed from 10 per pellet to 7 per pellet.

Bulldog

• Hip-fire (full auto mode) firing rate increased from 9.15 RPS to 9.5 RPS
• Price decreased 2100 to 2050

Shorty

• Price decreased 200 to 150

Stinger

• Price decreased 1100 to 950

Bucky

• Price decreased 900 to 850

Marshal

• Price decreased 1000 to 950

Ares

• Price decreased 1600 to 1550

Operator

• Price decreased from 5000 to 4700

Guardian

• Price decreased 2400 to 2250

Comment from the designers

Max Grossman and Sal Garozzo, Co-Lead Designers of VALORANT, issued a statement about the major changes in the recent slate of patches:

“When we think of VALORANT, we consider every map, weapon, and character to be a part of an ever-changing sandbox where you can use your skill and creativity to overcome any challenge you face. We believe VALORANT is at its best when you face a wide variety of unique challenges and are forced to make hard choices about tools and strategies, you’ll use to overcome them. To that end, we have taken a pass at the entire economy of the game, changing weapon and ability prices so they better suit their impact on a match and allow players to create more dynamic, varied loadouts, and strategies.

Game-spanning changes like these can be painful as we are asking you all to relearn many things that you’re now comfortable with. There will be times when you are forced to make harder choices about what you bring into battle each round or forced to engage with an opponent differently—but just know that your enemies are facing the same challenges.”