VALORANT Patch 9.11 Finally Nerfs Game’s Most Abusive Agent

VALORANT Patch 9.11 Finally Nerfs Game’s Most Abusive Agent

As a long-time VALORANT enthusiast with over 10,000 hours under my belt, I’ve seen the rise and fall of many agents, but none have captivated me quite like Neon. Her electrifying abilities were the talk of the town, making her an instant favorite among both casual and competitive players. However, the recent Patch 9.11 has left me with a bittersweet feeling, much like finding out that your favorite rockstar is retiring.

In simple terms, Patch 9.11 for the game VALORANT is now active, and the much anticipated adjustments to the most excessively powerful character have been implemented. Neon, a character who has been dominating competitive matches in VALORANT, has had her overly effective skills toned down. Even professional players have voiced concerns about her abilities being too fine-tuned.

At long last, the Neon nerfs have arrived, but how impactful are they really going to be?

Slide cancel

In simpler terms, during Patch 9.11, the significant alteration to the character Neon is the reduction of her slide ability. Before this update, she could slide twice using her right-click, boosting her speed. Now, however, she can only use one slide charge instead of two. Furthermore, her accuracy while sliding has been adjusted to be similar to walking while crouching, as opposed to having full accuracy.

These modifications undo the enhancements Neon got in June 2024, as seen in Patch 8.11. At that time, Slide was given two charges, and the “all weapon movement error” was eliminated while sliding. This adjustment allowed Neon to maintain high firing precision while quickly moving around corners or angles at a rapid pace. As a result, Neon and her Slide became the preferred agent/ability combination for entry-level players. In the latter part of the 2024 VALORANT Champions Tour season, Neon was frequently chosen by professional teams on maps like Sunset and Haven.

9.11 Patch adjustments on Neon’s Slide serve two primary purposes. Initially, it stops Neon from employing two charges to dash into an area, secure a kill, and retreat unscathed without receiving retaliation trades. Secondly, the tweaks to movement precision aim to discourage Neon players from dominating long-range duels by sliding against stationary opponents. While the Slide remains potent in close quarters, it’s no longer an overpowered ability that grants Neon free kills at a distance due to its broken nature.

Alongside adjustments to the Slide, Update 9.11 is set to weaken Neon’s ultimate ability, Overdrive. Instead of lasting a full 20 seconds, the lethal lightning beam now persists for only 10 seconds. Moreover, players will require an extra eighth point to trigger it. This update also offers slight enhancements to the latest agent, Vyse, and alters the in-game communication system. From now on, pings are obstructed by smoke screens, and map-based pings won’t show up in the game world; instead, they remain visible only on the map.

Still planning to use Neon despite her nerfs? Tell us why in the TopMob forum.

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2024-12-10 21:48