Riot Games is readying itself to roll out a new Valorant update with Patch 4.08, which is set to rebalance two of the game’s most powerful Agents: Jett, and Sova. You might well have already seen the video demonstrations showcasing the much-discussed nerf to Jett’s Tailwind dash ability, but changes to Sova have been less well illustrated. So, here’s the Valorant Sova nerf explained for those who aren’t up to speed and want the lowdown.
Sova has been one of the strongest and most popular Agents in Valorant since the game’s launch, but while other Agents have received rebalances over the years, Sova has managed to escape — until now.
As it turns out, Riot Games explained in a recent article that it wanted to wait until finding a solution to Jett’s balancing issues before addressing Sova, and so this explains why the pair have been reworked at the same time.
Valorant Sova Nerf Explained
So, what exactly has changed with Sova for Patch 4.08? Well, it’s not too bad. The nerf only effects two of Sova’s abilities: Shock Darts, and the Owl Drone.
Sova’s Shock Darts now only deal a maximum of 75 damage instead of 90, which means you’ll have to be a little more accurate with your lineups moving forward! Remember, Sova dart damage scales back in a radius, so the maximum damage is in the center, while the outer edges of the AoE are reduced. From now on you will need to direct hit enemies twice to kill them if they have full armor and HP.
Sova’s Owl Drone, meanwhile, now has a reduced flight time, meaning that you won’t be able to clear as much area with it moving forward. Its flight time is two seconds less, from 10 to 8 seconds. Further, it only tags enemies for two pings as opposed to the three previously. The ping also takes slightly longer to highlight an enemy, too. On the positive side, it seems to move a little faster than before.
So there you have it, Sova has finally been nerfed, and the timing with Jett’s nerf and the arrival of a new Initiator Agent in Fade should see a slight shift in the meta. I say only ‘slight’ because it still seems as though Sova is pretty strong, and you should continue to see his widespread use even after the arrival of Patch 4.08 next week.
That should give you everything you need to know about the Valorant Sova nerf. For more useful tips and guides on the game, search Twinfinite.
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