Valorant state of agents and next updates

#1

foythvlr

Hello. Let's discuss the current agent pool of the game and which agents seem strong and weak. I was thinking about it and i feel like this is one of the most diverse metas we ever had. Here's the data for every region:
https://www.vlr.gg/event/agents/2501/vct-2025-americas-stage-2
https://www.vlr.gg/event/agents/2498/vct-2025-emea-stage-2
https://www.vlr.gg/event/agents/2500/vct-2025-pacific-stage-2
https://www.vlr.gg/event/agents/2499/vct-2025-china-stage-2

Some things that stand out to me:

Jett play% is going downhill, becoming the 4th duelist choice in the regions (except EMEA that still uses Neon less). This is funny considering how big her % was a few months ago, how people thought this was a bit problematic, and how Waylay seemingly was created as a way to take her out but she went out anyways with Waylay not having much impact
Yoru seems to be the top choice duelist, but still very balanced with Raze and Neon (possibly because of double-duelist picks)
Omen is still the go-to controller, skyrocketing on picks with 80% average pickrate. With Icebox out and Abyss in this might even go higher. It makes sense as he is probably the most complete controller, but i expect some nerfs on the next few months
Viper is also still very much alive besides the nerfs she's been getting since 22. I feel like with Icebox being out the pick% will go down so we'il see about further nerfs, but she seems to be on a healthy spot
Astra getting her 5th star back didn't seem to help her as much as Riot expected. With Abyss back we might see her more tho
For the first time in a few years i see Sova and Fade being pretty balanced on Scan picks, with Sova being a bit ahead. I believe it may become even more balanced with Icebox out (although Abyss is still a pretty much Sova map, Fade is more viable than Icebox therefore we might see her sometimes)
Cypher is getting interesting rates while Killjoy seem to be down for a while, becoming pretty much an Icebox-only agent. Vyse and Chamber seem to be more of a Americas thing with less appearances in other regions while Deadlock appears more on every region except Americas itself. Sage will probably be gone with Icebox and Split out of rotation
Interesting thing: Traditional flex-init picks like Kayo and Breach seems to be going down and down. Double initiator seems to be oficially over as the main meta pick
Missing in Action agents: Skye, Clove, Tejo, Gekko, Harbor. All of these seem to be either orthodox niche picks or not picked at all most of the time
Other agents that seem to be meta/semi-meta picks on specific maps are Iso and Brimstone.

Predictions for nerfs: Omen and maybe Yoru and Fade
Predictions for buffs: Skye, Harbor (confirmed, i hope), Astra, Killjoy

#2

Galactc

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There's no way fade gets nerfs before sova and sova is already nerfed enough to the point that there isn't very much to nerf

#4

foythvlr

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yeah i was thinking because sova already got recent nerfs and he has been nerfed periodically by some time now, they might try to mess with her to get other initiators up but i dont think they will since its the first time sova has at least some competition since 23 skye meta

#9

Galactc

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I think they should instead look to buff Tejo and skye just make the drone cheaper and either give skye another flash or 60 second flashes

#3

DSBY

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i hope sksye, harber, kkj and astra get buffs

while yoru and omen get nerfed

maybe waylay buff too

I WANNA SEE JEMKING WAYLAYING

#5

foythvlr

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harbor has a buff incoming for several months now we just have to wait i guess

#6

king_bob

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reading this while in da shower

#7

foythvlr

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prove it.

#8

Abcdefg

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as many have said before, they shouldn't nerf omen, or at least not by a lot (maybe a small price increase) because his kit isn't really overpowered, moreover a really versatile one that isn't really breaking the game

#11

foythvlr

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I don't think they should nerf omen too its just that riot tried buffing other controllers and it didn't work so maybe they will try nerfing him

#12

Nisko_0

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I think its more of a design issue with the entire controller role in general. Since their main purpose is vision blocking, and omen is the best at that being practically global and his flash being great for executes and retakes, he does enough without having any negative drawbacks.

Viper can't move her smokes around anymore, so she's very telegraphed on where she wants to play.

The rest of Astra's kit is tied to her stars, so using her smokes means potentially less utility for the post plant.

Brim provides similar coverage to omen, but without the ability to refresh, and his other utility isn't as helpful on executes, or may be covered by someone else on the team.

Harbor provides a lot of coverage, but it goes down quickly, and he provides no extra utility outside of vision blocking.

Clove's smokes are nerfed so much to make her other abilities good that she really plays more like a crappy duelist.

Most of the smokes in this game just dont provide good reliable coverage, so obviously you're going to pick the only one who does when you're trying to have the best chance of winning. You dont have to worry about having potential holes in your game plan or min/maxxing xyz. Its not that omen is OP, the other controllers just suck.

#17

Abcdefg

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yea that makes sense, he's js the most reliable one for all situation

I feel like clove serves a lot better on how potter is playing it, as sort of an anchor that takes map control aggressivley on defense, that way if they die they can still smoke

I honestly think that astra isn't a bad pick on some maps, as long as they make sure not to fall for fakes and waste stars too early

Viper honestly is fine, she had her maps and I really didn't like the viper meta, I think the way she is ok

Brimstones issue in my opinion isn't the refreshing, but more over the damn stm that doesn't do much, maybe add extra damage to the stm, which could also help the phantom too? idk

Harbor js needs a small buff to his walls, his cove provides insnae value sometimes, and is very confusing to play against sometiems

I think they should keep buffing the other ones if they really want to balance it out

#18

Nisko_0

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Ive been thinking for so long that brims stim beacon should be replaced with a stun grenade. Especially when they replaced yoru's footsteps with the clone.

But its like you said, on some maps the other controllers might be OK or even better than omen, but they're pretty bad for others. Omen is good on all the maps.

I do agree that they should just keep doing small buffs to the others until they catch up. That way we avoid shit like the astra/viper meta going forward.

#19

Abcdefg

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yea, brims stm definitely needs to be reworked

#20

Galactc

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Brim stim is so ass but it's great for farming assists that's basically all I use it for

#21

Abcdefg

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bruh

#10

Nisko_0

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I hope the do something to make the contact duelists more appealing, because pheonix and Reyna are so fun to watch, especially when the people piloting them pop off.

#14

foythvlr

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ngl i forgot phoenix and reyna were in the game while making the thread lol
i think only saadhak really uses phoenix

#13

Two_Percent

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Interesting thing: Traditional flex-init picks like Kayo and Breach seems to be going down and down. Double initiator seems to be oficially over as the main meta pick

double initiator is still doing well, its just that its no longer the way to play every map. A lot of maps like haven and icebox are moving away from it where before it was staple to play it before, however now teams have actual comp flexibility, and double initi is still viable with double controller or even double senti

#15

foythvlr

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thats what i wrote, tho. it may still be viable (hell BBL was using triple init) but its not the main meta pick anymore

#16

Two_Percent

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I would say double initi and double controller are the two meta playstyles right now. Double duelist is popular but limited to maps and playstyle, and double senti is too polarizing and I'm predicting that it will basically die after champs

#22

cloudberry

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Harbor buffs were confirmed practically a full year ago. They won't be teased again until November/December at the earliest, though

Buffing Astra doesn't make sense imo, she's very powerful as she is right now and the only reason she's not getting more play is because Omen

#23

foythvlr

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Harbor buffs are a urban myth (jk i just wonder why its taking so long)

Astra is a bit complicated. Ever since they removed her star Omen got nerfed too (not as much but he did). Now she's back with her almost full strenght with an worse Omen and it still didn't help much. It's true that her best map (Pearl) isn't on the pool but it makes you wonder why she isn't being played more. And i don't really see them heavily nerfing Omen outside some small adjustments