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Valorant brings changes to AoE abilities (Image - Riot Games)
The latest update to Valorant in Patch 9.03 for the most part added bug fixes and quality of life changes. However, one of the changes have indirectly affected agent abilities, which can have a significant impact on how the players may approach their ability moving forward.
The changes come to ‘Ground Spreading Abilities’, meaning all abilities that have an area of effect are affected. Agents like Brimstone and Viper have an area of affect abilities that spread around and do continuous damage for a duration. While not a direct nerf to duration and damage, the abilities are now made in line to follow general rules.
Previously, these abilities could damage an enemy behind the cover as the spread was full regardless if the player was in view or not. Moving forward, these abilities will now only do damage within the view and will be more consistent. While this gives players an extra layer of safety from blindly fired ability in the general direction, it also forces players to think about where they will now use their ability to make it worth it.
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Quality of life changes
Targeted abilities, like Clove’s Ruse, Omen’s From the Shadows, and Brimstone’s Sky Smoke will now have additional icons and the ability to ping which comes in real handy when asking someone to smoke a particular spot. This allows better teamwork even if one of the parties does not have a mic.
Sage’s Barrier Orb placement will also show up on the mini-map. There are also various bug fixes including gameplay fixes and Abyss map fixes, including the Mid-Library spot and the map exploit where abilities could be used as a platform outside the map.
Overall, the nerfs aren’t as huge as some might make it. Players now simply need to line up their abilities to actually be present in the line of sight of their enemies in order to push them out of any hidden spot. This makes the game fair for both parties.