Valorant Updates
The meta shifts. Be the first to know.
Episode 8 Act 2 — Current Status
Patch 8.04 dropped on September 10, 2025 and is currently running on all competitive queues. The update shipped alongside the Ascent rework and introduced the new controller agent, Kestrel, into the full agent pool. Riot confirmed Act 2 will remain live through October 14, with a content patch expected around September 24.
The act has already reshuffled the top-tier agent pick rate leaderboard. Kestrel sits at 18.3% pick rate in Immortal+ within the first 72 hours, while Omen and Viper both dropped below 10% for the first time since Episode 5. Map queue distribution shows Ascent climbing to 22% of ranked matches, up from 9% during the old layout, while Breeze remains permanently retired from competitive rotation.
Agent Balance Changes
Three agents received targeted adjustments in Patch 8.04. The changes target overperforming duelists and underutilized sentinels, with noticeable ripple effects across the competitive scene.
Jett — Down Buff
Tail cooldown increased from 20s to 25s. Updraft wall height reduced by 0.5 units, removing the pixel-perfect peek on Bind A-ramp. Win rate at Immortal+ fell from 54.2% to 50.8% in the first week. Patch notes cite "consistent first-pick dominance" as the rationale.
Kestrel — New Agent
Controller with a smoke-grenade hybrid kit. C (Murmur) deploys three smoke orbs that linger for 5 seconds and can be detonated for area denial. Q (Tailwind) grants a 3-second speed boost through smoke. Ultimate (Sandstorm) blankets the entire site in impenetrable smoke for 8 seconds. Currently 51.4% win rate across all ranks.
Cypher — Up Buff
Trap Camera deployment time reduced from 2s to 1.5s. E (Spycam) now has a 45-second duration instead of 30s. Win rate climbed from 46.1% to 48.9%. Professional teams including Sentinels and Fnatic have reintegrated Cypher into their secondary comp on Haven and Split.
Weapon Tuning
Four weapons were adjusted. The Phantom received its first damage reduction since Episode 3, while the Judge got a mobility tweak that is already changing close-range engagements on Lotus and Sunset.
Phantom — Damage Nerf
Headshot damage at 15-30m reduced from 156 to 140. Body damage in the same range dropped from 39 to 36. First-shot spread penalty slightly tightened. The Vandal now holds a 0.3% higher headshot kill rate at long range in ranked data. Pro players report switching to Vandal on Ascent mid and Haven A-site.
Judge — Hip-Fire Spread Buff
Hip-fire cone narrowed by 12% for the first two shots. TTK at point-blank improved from 124ms to 118ms. This makes the Judge more viable for aggressive executes on Breeze's B-main and Sunset's A-ramp. Economy-round win rate with Judge rose from 31% to 35% in Iron–Gold ranks.
Operator — Reload Animation
Reload time reduced from 3.7s to 3.4s. Cancel window at 60% progress remains unchanged. The change is marginal but meaningful for site holders who need to re-engage quickly after a spray-and-pray attempt. No impact on crosshair placement meta.
Spectre — Recoil Pattern Shift
Vertical recoil in the first 10 bullets reduced by 8%. Horizontal spray jitter slightly increased after bullet 12. The net effect favors controlled 5-8 bullet bursts, which aligns with the Spectre's intended role as a cost-effective SMG. Kill participation rate in full-buy rounds increased by 2.1%.