With the latest VALORANT patch, the first-round Frenzy-and-armor meta has been stopped dead in its tracks.
Patch 2.03 comes with a collection of updates to three weapons in the form of nerfs to the Stinger, buffs to the Marshal, and a price increase for the Frenzy pistol.
The Frenzy pistol price has increased from 400 to 500, meaning players can no longer buy it and half-armor in the opening round. The high-capacity pistol experienced no other changes other than its price increase.
The Stinger SMG, however, received more than just a price change. Other than an increase from 1,000 credits to 1,100, the popular early-round gun has had both its full auto fire and burst fire modes nerfed.
The full-auto fire rate has been reduced from 18 to 16 and it reaches its max bullet spread on the fourth bullet instead of the sixth. Additionally, recoil now climbs more aggressively past the third bullet. Essentially, full auto becomes way more inaccurate much quicker.
As for the burst-fire mode, its recoil becomes more aggressive after its first burst. And each burst after the first has more errors. To counteract this, the recovery time on burst mode has improved from 0.45 to 0.4.
Finally, the Marshal sniper rifle has received a buff to its zoomed movement speed and zoom magnification, as well as a price reduction. It now costs 1,000 instead of 1,100, zoomed movement speed is now 90 percent of normal speed instead of 76 percent, and the magnification zoom has increased from 2.5x to 3.5x.
Expect to see fewer Stingers and Frenzy rushes and more Marshal buys in the near future.
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