VALORANT Patch 8.01 is set to bring a handful of major changes to a couple of key agents today, on top of the return of an important map feature on Breeze.
When Iso was released in VALORANT at the end of last October, the game’s newest agent was heralded as a duelist’s dream featuring an extravagant ultimate ability that pulls an enemy player into a one-vs-one fight to the death. A few months later, however, Iso has clearly failed to land with the player base, sporting an uninspiring 1.9 percent pick rate, according to Tracker.gg.
To help bolster his effectiveness in head-on duels, Riot Games has buffed his Double Tap ability to provide him with a heavier advantage when he finally scores a takedown. First, the shootable orb that drops on a kill will last an extra second so players can deal with any immediate threats around them before deciding to pick up their shield.
Second, the E shield duration is being increased by five seconds. Previously, players would feel pressured to make a play while their Iso shield was up, pushing them to rush forward to find a skirmish during its limited time frame. By giving Iso more shield time, players can make a play while still being smart about which engagements to take.
Lastly, Iso’s E shield will have a smaller width, which should help when he swings around a corner to take a fight against an enemy posted on an angle. In previous patches, Iso’s shield would easily telegraph his appearance to an enemy agent, allowing opposing players to break his shield and fire first in most scenarios. With a smaller shield width, Iso can keep the element of surprise while also keeping his advantage with Double Tap’s shield.
On the initiator side of the roster, Skye has been a major force across all forms of competition from solo queue to competitive, even through her nerfs in Patch 7.02. Her flash, Guiding Light, is a major reason for her dominance since it not only provides information on any enemy it hits, but it’s the only recharging flash ability in her agent class.
To offset her power, Riot has removed Guiding Light’s ability to recharge during a round. This should force Skye players to become a bit more selective in terms of when to use her flash since it is her best ability when storming onto a site. She can’t simply use her flash for early round information, wait a bit, and then use it again to initiate into a space—you need to choose one or the other.
This change shouldn’t completely cause Skye to fall out of the meta, but it will likely lead to some major changes in her strategies. She has also received other changes to her kit, like her Guiding Light flash always activating at the end of its duration. Enemy players will also get a yellow directional indicator when her Seekers are getting a bit closer to their intended target, making it easier to spot and break.
VALORANT Patch 8.01 is expected to go live today, Jan. 23.
