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Now that the Valorant Champions Tour Stage 1 Masters are over, Riot Games will release patch 2.06 to shake up the meta. Underutilized agents are getting buffed, while the publisher will nerf overused weapons.
A detailed article on the changes being brought in patch 2.06 has been published already.
As gameplay patches bring some balance changes, it is always interesting to listen to some Valorant pro players regarding their take on these updates. As pros, they are well-versed with the nitty-gritty of almost every aspect of the game. So their insight is almost always a learning experience for the rest of the community.
Today, 100 Thieves skipper Spencer “Hiko” Martin shared his opinions on the 2.06 changes during his Twitch stream.
Hiko’s take on Viper buff in Valorant patch 2.06
The new patch brings significant changes to Viper’s kit. Unanimously, the most impactful buff instantly inflicts enemies with 50 decay when they enter her poison gas.
Hiko concurred that the adjustments are “big” and would increase her pick rate. He did not hide his qualms about the feasibility of Viper’s ult.
“I still think that they should rework her ult because it seems like a lot of the times her ult is more a liability than it is positive. And a lot of Viper mains you see, the only time they really ult is just for post-plant or for retaking.”
Hiko’s also talked about the Yoru buff in Valorant patch 2.06
Patch 2.06 brings all-around significant buffs for Yoru. His flash duration will be longer, and its activation time will be quicker.
Yoru’s Gatecrash ability will now be on a 35-second cooldown compared to the previous patch, where it required two kills for a refresh.
Even though the 31-year-old stated that Yoru’s “a lot better now,” he was unsure whether the agent can still be termed a duelist.
“I don’t know if he’s a duelist anymore. They’re buffing his utility, and I feel like now he has a lot of utility, and, as a duelist, I feel like almost you don’t want your Yoru to die anymore because he gets his Gatecrash.”
Hiko also said that the conventional constructs in Valorant like “duelists have to be entry” or “controllers have to be passive” are not to his liking. He hypothesized that roles could be more organic depending on specific team compositions.
For example, Yoru, with his buffed utility, can play a more supportive role.
Hiko’s take on Bucky nerf in Valorant patch 2.06
Hiko also commented on the Bucky nerf, the last among the significant three balance changes in Valorant patch 2.06. He admitted that Bucky was “broken for too long” and that with the change in the patch, players would rather buy Shorty, Sheriff, or Ghost instead of Bucky.
