Riot Games has recently announced the nerfs to Killjoy and Raze agents in the Episode 6 Act 1 update of VALORANT. The update, released last month, includes a variety of changes that aim to balance and enhance the gameplay meta based on community feedback. The update has been launched just before the VCT International Leagues kick off the following month, and it also features a reworked version of the latest map addition, Lotus.
The Nerfs to Raze and Killjoy
Riot Games’ recent Twitter announcement confirmed that two agents in VALORANT, Killjoy and Raze, will be nerfed in the upcoming update. The changes, despite being revealed on Valentine’s Day, could significantly impact these agents’ pick-rates, particularly Raze, who falls under the duelist category. Only time will tell how the nerfs will influence the current meta.
Since Chamber’s recent nerfs, other Sentinel agents, like Killjoy and Cypher, have come back in the game. Duelists, including Raze, Jett, and Reyna, have increased in popularity and are now considered “stable” picks across all divisions.
In December, the ability draft of Killjoy was buffed, which increased the health of her Nanoswarm and Lockdown, her ultimate ability. These nerf seemed to have adversely affected the competitive matches, and Riot has declared their necessary adjustments.
As for Raze, the Boombot’s active time has been reduced to five seconds from ten, making her less efficient at tracking down enemies during long recon missions.
Other Changes in the Update
Apart from the nerfs, the update also introduces Swiftplay, which has passed the beta check and will soon be shipped out to the main game.
The patch notes for the following 6.03 update are as follows:
Agent Updates
Killjoy
- Turret (E) health decreased 125 >>> 100
- Reducing the total health of the Turret will allow opponents to have an easier time destroying it, particularly with weaker weapons.
- Lockdown (X) point cost increased 7 >>> 8
- We’re happy with Killjoy’s Ult being powerful when opponents don’t have a plan to push or contest it but feel the frequency is too high for the reliability it now offers.
Raze
- Boom Bot (C) duration decreased 10s >>> 5s
Modes Updates
Swiftplay
- Remember when we told you the Swiftplay Beta would end in January. We sorta lied. Everyone decided to just keep it on. Please keep sending us your feedback, though!
Social Updates
- Added Real-Time Text Evaluation (NA only to start) to the Agent Select screen.
Bug Fixes
- Adjusted Sage, Neon, Jett, and Yoru’s hair heights to fit within our standardized vertical range
- AI (such as Skye’s Seekers [X]) will now travel through the crouch-only connection on Pearl near the Defender’s spawn area
- Fixed a bug where KAY/O would sometimes be able to move after being downed during NULL/cmd (X)
Riot Games has taken the community’s feedback into consideration and introduced the necessary changes in the Episode 6 Act 1 update. The nerfs to Killjoy and Raze are expected to bring balance to the game, and the upcoming VCT International Leagues will test the impact of these changes. VALORANT players can expect the game to be more refined and enjoyable, and the new update to take their gameplay experience to the next level.
FAQs
Q: What is VALORANT?
A: VALORANT is a free-to-play online multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Riot Games.
Q: What are agents in VALORANT?
A: Agents are the playable characters in VALORANT, each with unique abilities and playstyles.
Q: What are the VCT International Leagues?
A: The VCT International Leagues are a series of professional esports tournaments for VALORANT, featuring teams from different regions worldwide competing for a prize pool.
Q: What is the meta in VALORANT?
A: The meta in VALORANT refers to the most popular and effective strategies, team compositions, and agents used by players in the game. The meta constantly evolves based on new updates, patches, and changes to the game.
Q: What are nerfs in VALORANT?
A: Nerfs refer to changes made to a specific agent or game mechanic that make it weaker or less effective in the game. This is usually done to balance the game and prevent certain agents or strategies from dominating the meta.
Q: What is Swiftplay in VALORANT?
A: Swiftplay is a new feature in VALORANT that aims to reduce the wait time between matches by automatically queuing players into a new game after their current match ends. It has passed its beta check and will soon be shipped out to the main game.
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