VALORANT Patch 13.09: New Agent Hush, Warden Buffs, and UI Standardization

VALORANT Patch 13.09 introduces the telekinetic Agent Hush, implements key clarity updates across Agent abilities and buff HUD indicators, delivers stability and handling buffs to the Warden, and brings major bug fixes across all platforms.

Below is a breakdown of everything included in this update.

New Agent Arrival: Hush

The headline feature of Patch 13.09 is the arrival of Hush, a new Agent hailing from Guangdong province. Utilizing telekinesis, Hush disrupts and displaces enemies in midair before suspending them for elimination.

Her kit is based completely around this telekinetic identity. Her passive, Telekinesis, can pull items from range, while Displacement pulls and concusses enemies, Flashbulb delivers steerable blinds, Flow grants aerial mobility, and her ultimate Suspension levitates targets for easy picks.

Be sure to check out our full Hush breakdown for complete ability details!

Agent Updates

• Ability descriptions and tooltips have been updated across the game for improved clarity and readability. 

• Passive ability descriptions are now explicitly detailed in Agent Select, the Agent Hub, and Ability Tooltips (including previously unlisted passives like Neon's Battery). 

• The redesigned tooltip displays key details such as Agent name, role, and keybinds during relevant contexts.

New ability descriptions for Phoenix in Patch 13.09 (Image Source: Riot Games)

Official Buff & Debuff Terms: Haste & Snapshot

Patch 13.09 formally categorizes two official buff and debuff terms to reduce clutter and standardize HUD feedback across the Agent roster:

• Haste: Defines an increased movement speed buff, distinguishing it from Combat Stim buffs (which boost fire rate, equip speed, reload speed, and recovery speed).

• Snapshot: Refers to still-image silhouette reveal debuffs, such as Cypher’s Neural Theft or Spycam.

Several Agents now display the official Haste buff indicator:

• Brimstone: Stim Beacon

• Clove: Pick-Me-Up

• Miks: Harmonize

• Neon: High Gear and Overdrive

• Waylay: Convergent Paths buff has been renamed to Haste.

Balance Adjustments

• Clove: To standardize movement speed bonuses across the roster, Clove's Pick-Me-Up bonus movement speed is decreased from 15% to 10%. 

• Additionally, killing Clove after they cast Not Dead Yet now awards an ultimate point and a signature refresh point to the attacker who secures the kill.

• Jett: Jett’s passive has been removed from the Buy Menu for consistency with other non-purchasable passives.

Weapon Updates: Warden Buffs

To better match its 2900 credit pricing, the Warden receives handling and recoil improvements aimed at making the weapon feel more controllable:

• Pitch Recoil: Smoothed out for the first few bullets in a firing sequence.

• Spread Reduction: Follow-up shot spread error has been reduced:

• 2nd bullet error reduced from 0.25 to 0.20.

• 3rd bullet error reduced from 0.60 to 0.50.

Competitive & System Updates

• Performance Score: Hush is the first Agent launched under the new Performance Score system, and scores may calibrate over her first few days. 

• PC players gain end-of-game trade information via hover text on the scoreboard, along with a dedicated "Learn More" explanation screen.

Detailed Performance Score preview in Patch 13.09 (Image Source: Riot Games)

• Map Rating: Act Best Match performance now carries greater weight toward Act Map Ratings to highlight player consistency and peak games.

• Accolades: The threshold for earning the First Blood Accolade has been increased to make it harder to obtain (historic accolade counts remain unaffected).

Store & Regional Updates

• South Korea: Players in South Korea can now purchase Radianite Points directly within the in-game store.

Bug Fixes

Agent Bug Fixes

• Fixed Vulnerable VFX placement on Wingman, Turret, and Boom Bot. 

• Corrected placement indicators for Guided Salvo and Orbital Strike. 

• Fixed Chamber/Omen minimap reveals after teleports. 

• Fixed Buy Phase barrier line-of-sight bugs for Cypher, Vyse, Viper, and Killjoy abilities. 

• Updated Veto and Vyse interaction text to "RECALL".

• Apart from these, a whole host of Agents have had bug fixes related to their respective abilities.

General, Spectator, and Platform Fixes

• General: Resolved ability map charge duplication, cursor disappearance, minimap nearsight reveals, and flash concealment bugs.

• Spectator & Customization: Fixed Neon’s Fast Lane VFX invisibility for spectators watching the Spike, and corrected notification icon positions on new Player Cards.

• PC Only: Fixed mouse cursor disappearance outside ability map boundaries.

• Console Only: Fixed missing controller haptic feedback for Miks' M-Pulse and Bassquake abilities.

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Featured image credit: Riot Games

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