What has changed with Valorant Patch 3.0?
Here’s a comprehensive list of every nerf and buff each Valorant agent received in patch 3.0, alongside all the price changes for the guns.
More changes to the meta
According to Max Grossman and Sal Garozzo, co-lead Designers of Valorant, patch 3.0 aims to be “focused around refining two critical components of the game: increasing the importance of precise gunplay and expanding the tactical sandbox.”
To achieve this, the minds behind Riot’s shooter have made adjustments to the ability pricing, cooldown rates, and ultimate costs of each of Valorant’s agents. The guns used in the game have also received tweaks to their pricing, tagging effects and spray patterns.
Agent changes
- Signature abilities now have a minimum of one charge per round. They will no longer compound as each round progresses.
- Example: Brimstone gets one smoke charge at the start of every round. If you end the round with one unused charge, you will not gain a new charge at the beginning of the next round.
- Charges gained from cooldowns are now always temporary.
- Visibility returns faster when flashes begin to fade out.
Astra
Nerfs
- Agent receives one charge (star) of her signature ability at the start of every round instead of two.
- Astra can still plant her stars during the buy phase, but it will take 1.4 seconds before they can be used once the buy phase barrier is dropped at the start of each round.
- It will take 15 seconds before she can use a recalled star (up from 8 seconds)
- Cool down for Nova Pulse and Gravity Well abilities increased to 25 seconds from 12.
Buffs
- Star cost decreased to 150 from 200.
- Astra can now see the spike’s location while in astral form on attack.
Breach
Nerfs
- Flashpoint cost increased from 200 to 250, max charges reduced from three to two, and projectile speed decreased from 2500 to 2000.
- Faultline cooldown increased from 35 to 40 seconds.
- Aftershock cost increased from 100 to 200 credits.
Buffs
- Faultline full charge time decreased from 1.5 to one second, width increased from 600 to 750, windup time decreased from 1.3 to one second, concussion duration increased from 3 to 3.5 seconds, unequip time decreased from one to .7 seconds..
- Aftershock now has three bursts, .6 seconds apart that deal 60 damage with no fall-off, explosion radius is increased to 300 from 260.
- Rolling thunder now has a full width of 2300 across each pulse.
Brimstone
Nerfs
- Incendiary price increased from 200 to 250 credits.
Cypher
Nerfs
- Neural theft now requires seven ultimate orb points rather than six.
Jett
Nerfs
- Updraft cost increased to 150 from 100 credits.
- Tailwind can no longer break a Cypher Trapwire.
- Cloudburst cost increased to 200 from 100 credits.
- Bladestorm now requires seven ultimate orb points rather than six.
Killjoy
Nerfs
- Both Alarmbot and Turret cooldown has been increased to 20 seconds after pickup.
Omen
Nerfs
- Signature ability charge decreased to one, second Dark Cover charge will cost 100 credits, cooldown increased from 35 to 40 seconds.
- Shrouded step cost increased from 100 to 150 credits.
Buffs
- Paranoia cost decreased from 400 to 300 credits.
Phoenix
Nerfs
- Curveball cost increased from 200 to 250 credits.
Raze
Nerf
- Boombot cost increased from 200 to 400 credits.
- Showstopper now requires eight ultimate points from seven.
Reyna
Nerf
- Lear cost increased from 200 to 250 credits.
Sage
Nerf
- Slow Orb cost increased from 100 to 200 credits.
- Barrier Orb cost increased from 300 to 400 credits.
- Ressurection now requires eight ultimate points from seven.
Syke
Nerf
- Guiding Light charges decreased from three to two, audio cue range decreased from 3250 to 1250, cost increased from 100 to 250 credits.
- Trailblazer cost increased from 200 to 250 credits.
Buffs
- Guiding Light charges replenish after a 40-second cooldown.
- Trailblazer vision increased from 1750 to 2250, max concussion duration increased from three to four seconds.
Sova
Nerf
- Shockdart cost increased from 100 to 150 credits.
- Recon Bolt cooldown increased from 35 to 40 seconds.
- Owl Drown cost increased from 300 to 400 credits.
- Hunter’s Furry now requires eight ultimate points rather than seven.
Viper
Nerf
- Snake Bite duration decreased from eight to 6.5 seconds. Cost increased from 100 to 200 credits.
Yoru
Nerf
- Blindside cost increased from 200 to 250 credits.
- Gatecrash cooldown increased from 35 to 40 seconds.
Emphasis on gunplay
As mentioned earlier, Valorant’s game developers want players to put additional focus into precise gunplay. They have decided to add some more changes to every gun in the game in an effort to do so. Here’s what you should expect:
- All weapons will have their bullet tagging effect (the slowdown effect you get when hit), decreased from a 75% slow in movement to 72.5%.
- All rifles walking inaccuracy changed from 1.3 to 2.0.
- All heavies’ walking inaccuracy changed from 0.5 to 2.4.
- All SMG walking inaccuracy changed from .3 to 1.0, and running inaccuracy changed from 2.0 to 2.5.
- Classic – walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to .84, and running inaccuracy changed from 1.5 to 2.1.
- Frenzy – price decreased from 500 to 450, walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to .8, running inaccuracy changed from 1.0 to 2.0.
- Ghost – walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to .92, running Inaccuracy changed from 1.85 to 2.3.
- Sheriff – walking inaccuracy changed from .25 to 1.2, running inaccuracy changed from 2.0 to 3.0.
- Judge – price increased from 1600 to 1850, damage falloff at 10m changed from 13 per pellet to 10 per pellet, damage falloff at 15m changed from 10 per pellet to 7 per pellet.
- Bulldog – price decreased from 2100 to 2050, Hip-fire (full auto mode) firing rate increased from 9.15 RPS to 9.5 RPS.
- Shorty – price decreased from 200 to 150.
- Stinger – price decreased from 1100 to 950.
- Bucky – price decreased from 900 to 850.
- Marshal – price decreased from 1000 to 950.
- Ares – price decreased from 1600 to 1550.
- Guardian – price decreased from 2400 to 2250.
- Operator – price decreased from 5000 to 4700.
