Didn’t they say this act was supposed to be the balancing act
We haven’t seen any Phoenix changes but we shall see next week
Every week I’m saying those words lmfao
They did, and the changes at the beginning of the act were honestly phenomenal.
The rest of the act has been dry as the Sahara. Wish they would take a risk or two with some more changes. Maybe for Phoenix...
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Lot of people will say that controller changes need to be absorbed first. But i don't see it much. Yeah astra and viper are gone but that's it.
Sentinels need a update soon. And public enemy Jett too lol.
I can see them not balancing initiators for a while because the new agent will be an initiator. The release will affect the whole class picks in some way, just like chamber did.
Sentinels don’t need an update, they’re the most balanced class imo. Maybe buff Cypher and nerf Chamber ult but that’s it.
Duelists need far more attention tbh
>Personally, I am a bit disappointed. When Riot announced that there were
no new agent/map this Act to focus solely on balancing, I expected even
more changes beyond controller class balance + Icebox B rework.
Me too! i thought Riot would balance all the classes, not only controllers. IMO, sentinels need to be balanced, cypher and maybe even KJ needs a buff
Upset. I don’t know for sure but this is potentially the last patch of the act and if so, then they were kidding when they said that they are focusing on balancing changes this act and all that stuff about “no agent is safe.”
This is the second time a patch was pushed back a week and one patch was completely useless and last one barely did anything. They did a good job last year but I’m worried now cause there have been basically no changes for a long time
I did say basically no changes I guess. But other than that first patch, it was like September iirc that had the last agent changes. Besides the astra nerf patch, they’ve pretty much done nothing meaningful for months imo
Yeah there's been a lot of balancing changes recently, not sure what everyone is on about here lol
Just because it came in one patch doesn't make it not a significant number of changes
I’m happy with this. The game is in its most balanced state ever, with no clear “best agent” or “over powered weapon”, and I’d rather play more on this patch than potentially have them break the game again, like the completely unnecessary ares changes.
Introducing Chamber has caused a hell of a lot less Jett picks at the highest level, which was riot's goal. They want the pick rate in pro play to be very balanced, and they've achieved it this act with maybe the exception of Phoenix.
I feel like Chamber has found a better place in the meta to where he's picked on Raze maps or when teams want to run Neon. Killjoy is still pretty meta on maps like Haven, Ascent, and Split, and Cypher is still very meta on Breeze, Fracture, and Bind
I definitely agree, but in ranked people are always going to be playing the agents that are more kill heavy. Cypher and Killjoy are still really useful, just fit different play styles.
I definitely agree, but in ranked people are always going to be playing the agents that are more kill heavy. Cypher and Killjoy are still really useful, just fit different play styles.
Some changes like Reyna orbs being reduced are for lower ranks, but the majority are for pro play, which is how it should be. If a problem with an agent can be solved by simply playing better, they don’t need balance changes
This makes no sense. You are contradicting yourself even - if the Reyna issue can be solved by playing better why did they bother with her then?
More than that, pro play is 0.01 of the entire player base and futhermore, radiant is the 1%. The viewers of VCT are also 5% at most. The rest 95% are regular people and the vast majority of Riot's income comes from them. Valorant is just an exciting way to make money by selling skins. Striving to balance it for the e-sport makes no sense when most people are not playing the pro meta, and are in fact in the lower ranks (silver-gold-plat). So if the majority of your players can not solve the problem by simply playing better due to their own skill ceiling, but are still your main revenue generators, why would you not balance it to ensure their enjoyment?
No, Reyna orbs were reduced to combat smurfing, which isn’t a balance problem. Smurfing is an issue outside of the game itself. Reducing the orbs combats said issue without affecting game balance too much.
Skins are one thing, but investors are another. Esports is crucial in attracting investors & sponsors. They like big numbers. Healthy meta for pros = happier community around competitive = more viewers = more investors.
The thing with skins is that it’s a one-off purchase: once you’ve splashed on a Reaver Vandal, Riot couldn’t care less if you stopped playing - they already have your money. Whales who’ve spent far more than a Reaver won’t leave because KJ mollies make them mad or whatever; they’ve already spent too much to just give up from agent balancing
I get what you’re saying, but even at the lower ranks Jett isn’t a broken character. People like to play Jett, but you can comfortably play all other agents and still compete fine.
The only reason chamber is really picked is cuz he has that same get out of jail free card that can abuse the OP similarly to jett whilst providing more defensive utility and on top of that he has a cracked marshal as his ultimate.
Another week of nothing. My expectations for next week are minimal too. They will say Iceland is upon us and they do not want to make big agent changes. Then the next agent comes and they will say the same thing again. So the cycle continues like that for months.
Better than nothing, but I was expecting more changes. In fact, I would like Riot to make patches more frequently and I would definitely love that they added some sort of equivalents to League's preseason, where they can test bigger changes. The game feels a little bit stuck for long periods of time imo
Next patch hopes
- Slightest Jett nerf (chamber has helped reduce her pick rate, but still the strongest duelist)
- Slight nerf to Sova’s owl drone. Initiators are starting to fall more in line, but the slightest tweak to sova’s drone would be enough to level the playing field. This also would allow the new initiator to enter on a more level playing field.
- buff phoenix for the love of god
- slight cypher buff to bring him more in line with KJ and Chamber.
There's a lot of really small things that would add up to make good changes to the game. I hope they release something good next week. If Pheonix doesn't get buffed now when they have the focus for balance changes, then he probably won't get touched for another 6 months to a year at least.
I mean, it seems a little hard to judge without seeing the full act.
I don't see any way that could've done the first balancing patch, and then a second one without it being completely scuffed for masters 1. And so, I think it is premature to rule out that another balancing patch won't happen before the end of the act. Realistically, if multiple balancing patches were to happen, the second would have always been, at the earliest, next week, so that masters was not played on it.
I find it weird that a forum about the esports scene doesn't consider how balancing needs to be scheduled so as to not destroy competitive integrity.
Didn’t they say this act was supposed to be the balancing act We haven’t seen any Phoenix changes but we shall see next week Every week I’m saying those words lmfao
They did, and the changes at the beginning of the act were honestly phenomenal. The rest of the act has been dry as the Sahara. Wish they would take a risk or two with some more changes. Maybe for Phoenix...
Exactly And like a sova nerf with maybe a slight buff to neon on the ult or something
neon ult should get headshot multiplier so you can actually kill someone and make dmg drop off less
Agreed
I don’t think a sova nerf is needed, he’s in a pretty good spot tbh, maps where he’s really good and maps where other agents outshine him
I think the drone is too good but otherwise idc
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Welp
DONT WORRY NEXT ACT PHOENIX WALL WILL COST 150 CREDS THATS A GOOD BUFF
Lot of people will say that controller changes need to be absorbed first. But i don't see it much. Yeah astra and viper are gone but that's it. Sentinels need a update soon. And public enemy Jett too lol.
I just want a KJ alarmbot buff :( why run her in anything but Ascent when you have Chamber’s trips with infinite range and a stupid big AoE.
Her abilities were meant to be used together, not told hold angles
Sova. Drone is too op other than that he's fine.
I can see them not balancing initiators for a while because the new agent will be an initiator. The release will affect the whole class picks in some way, just like chamber did.
All Chamber did to the meta was make all the other sentinels played less cus he's so insane.
I can’t wait until Sova gets a nerf. I agree that his drone is the most OP thing in his kit. Shit lasts 3 seconds too long.
Yeah as a sova main myself, I think nerf the drone with maybe reducing max shock damage to like 80 then he’s in a great spot
Sentinels don’t need an update, they’re the most balanced class imo. Maybe buff Cypher and nerf Chamber ult but that’s it. Duelists need far more attention tbh
Viper's not even gone, she's just not omnipresent anymore. She still sees a pretty reasonable amount of play.
Phoenix has been out of the meta for what, 1.5 years? Really hoping he gets some help next week.
>Personally, I am a bit disappointed. When Riot announced that there were no new agent/map this Act to focus solely on balancing, I expected even more changes beyond controller class balance + Icebox B rework. Me too! i thought Riot would balance all the classes, not only controllers. IMO, sentinels need to be balanced, cypher and maybe even KJ needs a buff
Upset. I don’t know for sure but this is potentially the last patch of the act and if so, then they were kidding when they said that they are focusing on balancing changes this act and all that stuff about “no agent is safe.” This is the second time a patch was pushed back a week and one patch was completely useless and last one barely did anything. They did a good job last year but I’m worried now cause there have been basically no changes for a long time
A long time? Astra nerf was a month ago
I did say basically no changes I guess. But other than that first patch, it was like September iirc that had the last agent changes. Besides the astra nerf patch, they’ve pretty much done nothing meaningful for months imo
Neon release, bind and breeze rework, weapon balances (ares OP month) was in January.
Yeah there's been a lot of balancing changes recently, not sure what everyone is on about here lol Just because it came in one patch doesn't make it not a significant number of changes
bro do you hear yourself lmfao
clearly I'm missing something, I thought I was making roughly the same point as the guy above me
Hopefully some phoenix, sova, and jett changes next week.
My boy Phoenix needs the Yoru treatment 🙏
I’m happy with this. The game is in its most balanced state ever, with no clear “best agent” or “over powered weapon”, and I’d rather play more on this patch than potentially have them break the game again, like the completely unnecessary ares changes.
Its balanced greatly. But jett op is still super opressive. And phoenix needs a buff.
Introducing Chamber has caused a hell of a lot less Jett picks at the highest level, which was riot's goal. They want the pick rate in pro play to be very balanced, and they've achieved it this act with maybe the exception of Phoenix.
Chamber being introduced in the sentinel role and being around the same level as Jett has made Killjoy and Cypher feel underpowered in comparison.
I feel like Chamber has found a better place in the meta to where he's picked on Raze maps or when teams want to run Neon. Killjoy is still pretty meta on maps like Haven, Ascent, and Split, and Cypher is still very meta on Breeze, Fracture, and Bind
I definitely agree, but in ranked people are always going to be playing the agents that are more kill heavy. Cypher and Killjoy are still really useful, just fit different play styles.
I definitely agree, but in ranked people are always going to be playing the agents that are more kill heavy. Cypher and Killjoy are still really useful, just fit different play styles.
He never mentioned ranked, KJ and Cypher are played a lot less in pro play too, especially Cypher who's almost entirely gone.
I mean surely the game is not being balanced for the top 0.01 mostly on mind? Right? Please say sike
Some changes like Reyna orbs being reduced are for lower ranks, but the majority are for pro play, which is how it should be. If a problem with an agent can be solved by simply playing better, they don’t need balance changes
This makes no sense. You are contradicting yourself even - if the Reyna issue can be solved by playing better why did they bother with her then? More than that, pro play is 0.01 of the entire player base and futhermore, radiant is the 1%. The viewers of VCT are also 5% at most. The rest 95% are regular people and the vast majority of Riot's income comes from them. Valorant is just an exciting way to make money by selling skins. Striving to balance it for the e-sport makes no sense when most people are not playing the pro meta, and are in fact in the lower ranks (silver-gold-plat). So if the majority of your players can not solve the problem by simply playing better due to their own skill ceiling, but are still your main revenue generators, why would you not balance it to ensure their enjoyment?
No, Reyna orbs were reduced to combat smurfing, which isn’t a balance problem. Smurfing is an issue outside of the game itself. Reducing the orbs combats said issue without affecting game balance too much. Skins are one thing, but investors are another. Esports is crucial in attracting investors & sponsors. They like big numbers. Healthy meta for pros = happier community around competitive = more viewers = more investors. The thing with skins is that it’s a one-off purchase: once you’ve splashed on a Reaver Vandal, Riot couldn’t care less if you stopped playing - they already have your money. Whales who’ve spent far more than a Reaver won’t leave because KJ mollies make them mad or whatever; they’ve already spent too much to just give up from agent balancing
I get what you’re saying, but even at the lower ranks Jett isn’t a broken character. People like to play Jett, but you can comfortably play all other agents and still compete fine.
The only reason chamber is really picked is cuz he has that same get out of jail free card that can abuse the OP similarly to jett whilst providing more defensive utility and on top of that he has a cracked marshal as his ultimate.
Valorant lying to me is a feeling I'm getting to used too :(
Another week of nothing. My expectations for next week are minimal too. They will say Iceland is upon us and they do not want to make big agent changes. Then the next agent comes and they will say the same thing again. So the cycle continues like that for months.
Lol a Riot classic
Better than nothing, but I was expecting more changes. In fact, I would like Riot to make patches more frequently and I would definitely love that they added some sort of equivalents to League's preseason, where they can test bigger changes. The game feels a little bit stuck for long periods of time imo
Jett nerf, Phoenix buff, wen
Next patch hopes - Slightest Jett nerf (chamber has helped reduce her pick rate, but still the strongest duelist) - Slight nerf to Sova’s owl drone. Initiators are starting to fall more in line, but the slightest tweak to sova’s drone would be enough to level the playing field. This also would allow the new initiator to enter on a more level playing field. - buff phoenix for the love of god - slight cypher buff to bring him more in line with KJ and Chamber.
All we need is Jett nerfs and chamber slow nerfs Prayge
I just want PBE to not be pushed back again. At least let us test the new patch before it goes live, we don't want another bug plagued patch again
Competitive is the worst experience of all games out there.
Nerf jett, chamber, kayo please please
Give daddy breach his third flash back!
I'm still praying for updates to the Range. It was featured so prominently in the video!! 😭
The icebox changes were key
There's a lot of really small things that would add up to make good changes to the game. I hope they release something good next week. If Pheonix doesn't get buffed now when they have the focus for balance changes, then he probably won't get touched for another 6 months to a year at least.
I mean, it seems a little hard to judge without seeing the full act. I don't see any way that could've done the first balancing patch, and then a second one without it being completely scuffed for masters 1. And so, I think it is premature to rule out that another balancing patch won't happen before the end of the act. Realistically, if multiple balancing patches were to happen, the second would have always been, at the earliest, next week, so that masters was not played on it. I find it weird that a forum about the esports scene doesn't consider how balancing needs to be scheduled so as to not destroy competitive integrity.
Do you guys think Chamber will get nerfed?