VALORANT Patch 2.06 adds significant changes to Viper and Yoru that might be enough to make them viable choices. Players can also rejoice now that the overpowered Bucky is no more and experiment with the HRTF audio option. Patch 2.06 also addresses multiple bugs and issues across all modes and adds fun updates to the Escalation game mode.
Image Credit: Riot Games
Agent Updates
Patch 2.06 adds significant updates to Viper, which might make her a viable Controller. Viper’s Poison Cloud, Toxic Screen, and ultimate ability now instantly inflicts 50 decay on enemy players. Their decay level increases the longer they stay in the toxin.
The Poison Cloud inflicts Decay to players over time, and the latest patch increases the decay from 15 to 10. The delay until health increases after leaving the cloud has been reduced from 2.5 t0 1.5.
Viper can also immediately redeploy her Poison Cloud but as a temporary charge instead of a permanent charge. The Poison Cloud will also remain active up to two seconds after Viper dies or until Viper runs out of fuel. The pickup distance increased from 200 to 400.
Viper’s Toxic Screen also remains active for two seconds more seconds before deactivating. The full blind distance for the wall was increased to “better match the blind distance from the edge of smokes.” The Snakebite ability’s equip time was decreased from 1.1 to .8.
Yoru also received a much-needed update in Patch 2.06. His Blindside flash activation time decreased from 0.8 to 0.6. His flash duration also increased from 1.1 to 1.5. The Gatecrash ability is no longer refreshed on kills and is now replenished every 35 seconds.
The Gatecrash fragment now lasts 30 seconds instead of 20, and the range at which the Gatecrash fragment is revealed from stealth decreased from 7m to 4m. Patch 2.06 added to the fragment to reflect the visibility range.
Yoru’s Dimensional Drift ultimate ability now costs six ultimate points instead of seven. Yoru can also reactivate the Gatecrash ability while in Dimensional Drift.
The final Agent that received updates in Patch 2.06 is Killjoy. Killjoy is now able to pick up deployed Nanoswarm grenades during the buy phase.
Weapon Updates
Many players considered the Bucky overpowered, and Riot Games has adjusted the weapon to focus on its primary firing mode.
The primary fire (left-click) bullet spread decreased from 3.4 to 2.6. The spread of the Alt-fire decreased from 3.4 to 2.0. The damage curve of both primary and alt-fire was updated as follows:
0m–8m is 20dmg per pellet
8m–12m is 12dmg per pellet
Beyond 12m is 9dmg per pellet
The right-click shot now only fires five pellets instead of 15. These updates should ensure the Bucky remains deadly at close ranges but prevents players from abusing it at longer distances.
HRTF
Patch 2.06 adds a new Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) audio option. HRTF is a new audio option that “allows players wearing headphones to play audio in a simulated surround sound audio space.” Footsteps reloads and Deathmatch respawns are currently the only sounds that will be rendered in 3D with HRTF enabled.
Players can toggle the HRTF option in the audio settings. Riot recommends players test the new audio setting in a custom game or training mode to learn how it works before jumping into a competitive environment.
It is worth mentioning that it might sound unnatural to some users, but most players will get comfortable with the new settings.
Competitive and Mode updates
Patch 2.06 adjust several weapons in Escalation to make them weapons balanced. New loadout variants will also start appearing in the mode.
Players can now view a person’s career from the in-game leaderboard in ranked matches. More information is directly provided from the leaderboard when selecting a specific player, such as MAtch history and their Act Rank progress.
Patch 2.06 addressed several bugs and issues across all game modes. A complete list of these changes can be found in the official patch notes.
