If you’re an Astra or Chamber main who has been patiently waiting for buffs, they’re here. Valorant‘s latest patch 9.05 has brought some much-needed buffs to these agents. With how stagnant the agent meta has been in recent months, this could shake it up.
It doesn’t stop at agents though, the Ares also gets some love in this update after a previous nerf left it in an unusable state. The patch also includes smaller bug fixes and performance updates for both PC and console players. Here’s a breakdown of what’s changed and why it matters for both casual and competitive players.
Is Valorant Bringing Back The Old Meta?
The biggest headline from the new Valorant update is undoubtedly Astra regaining her fifth star. She was once the best controller. Too good even. But since her harsh nerfs in 2022, Astra has struggled to find relevance in a meta dominated by other controllers like Omen and Viper.
Astra mains after the patch pic.twitter.com/25bADq4ExW
— NAVI Valorant (@NAVIValorant) September 10, 2024
With the return of her fifth star, Riot Games has given Astra some much-needed utility without compromising her flexibility. This buff will allow Astra mains to return to using her skill set to its full potential. We can expect to see more of her in both casual and professional play.
Chamber is in the same boat as Astra. In his prime, Chamber was arguably the most broken agent the game has ever seen. But to end his reign, Riot went a little too far and the nerfs practically made him unusable. But now he might see the light of play again.
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His Rendezvous ability, which allows him to teleport, now has an increased radius from 13 meters to 18 meters. This change will enable him to play more aggressively and take unexpected angles without the same risks of being caught off guard. This will bring back some of his former potential.
It’s Not Just The Agents That Are Making a Comeback
And for the John Rambo wannabes out there, the Ares machine gun is making a return. The gun was previously nerfed into the ground after becoming broken one patch but now it’s back. The new patch reverts its crouch benefits, increasing accuracy from 25% to 40%.
then just causally giving astra her fifth star and chamber getting longer range is crazy, also ares gonna be OP again 😭
— Impulse (@OnlyImpulse) September 10, 2024
Additionally, the headshot multiplier has been adjusted from 2.4 to 2.5, meaning the Ares can now kill with two headshots within 30 meters. This buff makes it a better option for holding down key areas, especially in Round 2 on defense if you’ve won the pistol round.
Beyond agent and weapon buffs, Valorant‘s 9.05 patch also includes a range of player behavior and performance improvements. Stim effects, like those from Reyna’s Empress, now offer consistent recoil control, allowing players to rely on their muscle memory even when stimmed.
The patch also addresses player behavior, with stricter restrictions for penalized players across all team-based modes. This move is part of Riot’s ongoing efforts to improve the overall gaming environment and ensure that disruptive behavior is met with appropriate consequences.
Whatever Riot is cooking, we can’t wait for more. What do you think about this latest Valorant update? Let us know in the comments!
