Valorant dev clarifies “inconsistent nerf” that has killed “uniqueness” of popular agent

by

As a dedicated Valorant player with countless hours under my belt, I have to say that the recent changes to Omen in update 9.10 have left me a tad disheartened. While I understand the need for balance and fairness in the game, the nerf to Omen’s Dark Cover feels like a step too far, particularly given his unique role as a controller agent.

Last week, Valorant introduced update 9.10, which brought various modifications to agents and the game in general. After this patch was released, there have been some online criticisms regarding the adjustment made to Omen. In light of the feedback received, a Valorant developer has explained an “uneven nerf” that some perceive as having diminished Omen’s distinctive qualities.

For Valorant enthusiasts, there’s much excitement brewing. Riot Games has announced that they’ll be toning down an overly powerful agent in update 9.11. Moreover, the team has spoken about transitioning the game from UE4 to Unreal Engine 5, while unconfirmed leaks hint at a significant feature found in League of Legends being worked on as well.

Currently, Riot Games has explained an adjustment (nerf) to a widely favored character that not all players are pleased with at this moment.

Valorant dev clarifies smokes update for Omen nerf

In the Valorant update 9.10 patch notes, Riot delivered the following nerf for Omen:

  • Dark Cover:
    • Dark Cover will now always fall to level geometry where players can stand similar to other spherical smokes like Brimstone’s Sky Smoke, Clove’s Ruse, etc.
    • This should prevent Omen from placing one-way smokes on small ornamental pieces of Geometry, like the fuse boxes in the main of Split B and only allow him to place smokes where players can stand.

After the latest update, I, as a fan, noticed streamer flexninja voicing his concerns about the adjustments to Omen’s Dark Cover. He pointed out that “after the Omen nerfs, his smokes are becoming unreliable.” In more detail on X, he expressed, “I believe it’s strategic, but the explanation given for the nerf is that you can no longer stand in one place while placing smoke, yet it appears that Omen can still do so on several walls. So, it seems that Omen can only smoke where Brimstone, Astra, or Clover can.

Responding to the adjustment, a user expressed sarcasm by saying “I’m really thrilled they took away Omen’s distinctiveness and the main reason to play him.” Another user mourned by writing “Farewell Omen (2020-2024)”. Yet another commented, “Don’t worry, it will take Riot Games several months to rectify this minor modification they made.

Many responses to flexninja suggest that players are hoping for the reversal of the nerf, yet it seems like this isn’t in the works. In contrast, Valorant’s game designer, Penguin, has been trying to make things clearer about the current state of affairs.

In response to flexninja’s comment, Penguin acknowledged that the patch notes could have been clearer and stated they would be revised for improved clarity. To help players grasp and adjust to the change more easily, Penguin clarified that the red triangle should correctly indicate when smoke will descend instead of staying suspended.

Read More

2024-11-27 15:40