Valorant Act 2 4.04 Update – Yoru Buffs, Astra Nerf, and more

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Valorant 4.04 update. Find out all the agent changes and map changes!

VALORANT, Riot Games’ famous 5v5 tactical shooter, is getting a new patch. VALORANT players all around the world are eagerly awaiting the patch notes, as previous leaks have hinted that the game will undergo significant changes.

All four controllers, Brimstone, Astra, Viper, and Omen, are getting nerfs or enhancements, according to the Patch Notes. With the release of this new patch, the long-awaited Yoru Rework will also be available. Since its first release, VALORANT players have had complaints about the Icebox map, therefore Riot is taking them into account and making changes to the map.

Valorant 4.04 Update – Agent Changes

Several important Agent nerfs and buffs will be included in Patch 4.04, as well as competitive changes, bug fixes, and map-design changes. Valorant’s next Act will include nerfs for Astra and Viper, as well as buffs for Omen and Brimstone, in addition to the much-anticipated Yoru buff.

GENERAL

Improved the system used to place abilities at targeted ground locations. This update should make it easier to find valid placement locations in tight spaces. These are the abilities affected:

• Omen’s Shrouded Step
• Viper’s pit
• Chamber’s Trademark and Rendez-vous
• Every Killjoy ability
• Yoru’s Gatecrash
• Sage’s Barrier Orb

OMEN

Dark Cover

• Cooldown decreased 40s >>> 30s
• Cost increased 100 >>> 150
• Projectile Speed increased 2800 >>> 6400

Shrouded Step

• Cost decreased 150 >>> 100
• Pre teleport delay decreased 1s >>> 0.7s

Paranoia

• Added forward spawn offset, so players adjacent to Omen are not hit

BRIMSTONE

Sky Smoke

• Deploy time decreased 2 >>> 1 second
• Deploy radius increased 5000 >>> 5500
• Smoke height increased to match other Controllers

Stim Beacon

• Now also applies a 15% speed boost in addition to RapidFire.

ASTRA

Stars

• Max Stars reduced 5 >>> 4
• Cooldown on retrieving a Star increased 14 >>> 25
• Astra can now pick up placed Stars during the Buy Phase to refund their charge immediately.
• Max distance of Star Placement increased 10000 >>> 30000 to allow her to place Stars across the furthest corners of maps.

Gravity Well

• Cooldown Increased 25 >>> 45
• Gravity Well Size Decreased 525 >>> 475
• Gravity Well no longer affects anyone fully underneath the Gravity Well.

Nova Pulse

• Cooldown Increased 25 >>> 45
• Nova Pulse no longer affects anyone fully underneath the Nova Pulse.

Nebula

• Cooldown Increased 14 >>> 25
• Nebula cooldowns are now sequential instead of simultaneous
• Nebula size increased 410 >>> 475

Astral Form

• While in Astral form, pings are no longer blocked by level geometry that Astra cannot see
• Astra’s targeting ring in Astral form is reduced to one ring that reflects the now unified size of all her utility
• Astra’s targeting ring no longer randomly disappears when aiming across some map locations
• Increased the speed of the overlay that covers Astra’s screen when transitioning in and out of Astral form
• Fixed an issue where Stars were placed slightly above the location Astra was targeting.

VIPER

Fuel

• Fuel drain increased 50% when Toxic Screen and Poison Cloud are both active.
• Viper’s fuel bar now turns red when she does not have enough fuel to activate her abilities.

Toxic Screen

• Cooldown after deactivating increased 6 >>> 8
• Cooldown timer now starts when her smoke starts dissipating instead of when the deactivation telegraph plays.
• Deactivation delay decreased 1 >>> .8
• Toxic Screen now has yellow lights that indicate when it is on cooldown
• Removed delay on Toxic Screen disabling when Viper is suppressed.
• Added a unique VO line that plays when her smoke is disabled by suppress.

Poison Cloud

• Cooldown after deactivating increased 6 >>> 8.
• Cooldown timer now starts when her smoke starts dissipating instead of when the deactivation telegraph plays.
• Deactivation delay decreased 1 >>> .8
• Poison Orb now has a yellow light to indicate when it is on cooldown.
• Removed delay on Poison Orb disabling when Viper is suppressed.
• Added a unique VO line that plays when her smoke is disabled by suppress.

Snake Bite

• Duration decreased 6.5 >>> 5.5

YORU

Fakeout

• Charges reduced from 2 >>> 1
• Decoy HP: 150
• Decoy is now a full running version of Yoru and can only be sent running forward
• Right -click to place a stationary marker for the decoy
  • Reactivate similarly to footsteps to create the decoy that runs forward
• Upon taking damage from an enemy gun, the decoy winds up, turns towards the enemy that shot it, and explodes after a short delay.
  • Enemies within the cone are flashed

Gatecrash

• Charges increased from 1 >>> 2
• Cost: 200 Credits
• Cooldown charge refresh removed, switched back to 2-kill reset
• Gatecrash can be faked by pressing F, while hovering over the beacon
  • Fake teleport will play audio and portal visuals as if Yoru is attempting to teleport.
• Time it takes for teleport beacon has decreased 1.5 >>> 0.5 seconds
• Teleport beacon’s in-game audio while traveling reduced 22.5m>>>12.5m
• Teleport beacon’s speed has been increased 675 >>> 800
• Upon activating a fake teleport, the beacon creates a small decal on the floor for 30 seconds to indicate location of the fake teleport

Dimensional Drift

• Duration increased 8 >>> 10 seconds
• Yoru is not revealed to enemies
• Unequip delay time increased 0.6 >>> 1.2 seconds
• Yoru is now able to cast all utility out of his ultimate
• Yoru’s footsteps can now be heard within 15m of Yoru’s location
• Cast delay added upon casting Dimensional Drift, preventing the invulnerability frame on cast

Valorant 4.04 Update – Map Changes

Patch 4.04 also included a major overhaul of Icebox. Every important feature of the B site has been changed to alter how teams defend and attack it. Minor tweaks were made to the center lane to make it simpler for attackers to push, while the A site was tweaked to offer defenders an additional boost. A minor update was also made to Ascent. Players can now grab the B orb without having to jump to the top box.

You can check the complete Patch Notes on the official site here. This is a huge update for the game and will considerably shift the meta.

For more related content check out our dedicated website Gamition.

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