Valorant Patch Notes 1.08

The patch 1.08 de Valorant is there. A patch with few elements, but quite important. Only Raze and the Guardian are effectively affected, but these changes should rebalance their performance.

Key points to remember of Patch 1.08:

• Changes to Raze's Blast Pack
• The Guardian is getting buffed
• Less random in maps selection

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Changes to Raze's Blast Pack

Raze remains an Agent that Riot struggles to balance. After reducing her number of abilities, increasing the price of her ultimate, reducing her efficiency and more, she gets a new nerf to her Blast Pack.

Blast Pack:

• Raze's Blast Pack must now be initiated before it can be triggered. Charges are initiated 0.5 seconds after landing.
• Initial damage reduced to 15 at close range, falling off to 5 at long range.
• Opponents can now shoot the blast pack, causing it to detonate. It will explode as if Raze had triggered it, even if the pack is not yet initiated.
• Raze's allies won't take damage from the Blast Pack anymore.

It therefore becomes impossible for Raze to use her Blast Pack as a reactive weapon. It will be necessary to plan and install the packs in advance. It's a very serious nerf to Raze, both offensive and defensive. Indeed, Raze can no longer use the pack to propel herself out of danger in case of problem.

Note, however, that after Viper, this time it's Raze who no longer hurts her allies with her abilities. So far, things have been clear: AoE abilities could hurt allies. But now, more and more often, it's a case-by-case phenomenon. Are we heading towards a Valorant where it will simply be impossible to hurt your allies?

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The Guardian is getting buffed

After adjusting shotguns in patch 1.06 and 1.07, the developers tackled, this time, the Guardian. The weapon struggles to find its place, as players prefer to save up for a Phantom or a Vandal. It therefore gets many buffs to make it interesting, although still inferior to the previously mentioned weapons.

Guardian:

• Price reduced: 2500 -> 2400
• Rate of fire improved: 4.75 -> 5.25 rounds per second
• Weapon recovery improved: 0.35 after 3 bullets -> 0.2925 after 3 bullets

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Less random in maps selection

We already knew it, but Riot was working on a system to reduce random in map selection. From now on, the selection of maps will make you play on the map that you haven't encountered in the longesst time. It should also drastically reduce the chances of playing multiples times on the map.

This system still raises many questions about how it works and how it can impact matchmaking. We will have to see how it works in practice.

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Patch 1.08 comes with bug fixes and quality of life improvements, as always. We note for example that fans of the Ignition Series who were blinded by the nascent popularity of Breach will no longer be blinded in Spectator Mode.

For more details, you can read the full patch notes on the official Valorant website.