Riot Games to Buff Viper in VALORANT Patch 1.04
Riot Games is focusing on improving the performance of Viper in the upcoming Patch 1.04 of VALORANT.
Viper has been considered one of the weakest agents in VALORANT for a long time. Despite recent buffs, she has failed to make an impact in the game’s meta. She has been rarely played on the ladder and has not performed well in professional play.
In Platinum three, Viper has a pick ratio of only 1.8 percent, according to stats site Blitz.gg. This is significantly lower compared to Sage at 20 percent, Reyna at 15 percent, and Raze at 12.8 percent. As the rank increases, Viper’s pick ratio decreases even further. In Immortal three and Radiant, it drops down to as little as 0.6 percent.
In order to address this issue and make Viper more viable, Riot plans to buff her in the next patch. The specific changes have not been revealed yet, but it is clear that the developers are aiming to improve Viper’s performance.
The Challenge of Playing as Viper
Viper is a controller agent who plays a similar role to Brimstone and Omen. She has the potential to have some of the best abilities in the game, and her utility is top-notch. However, what sets her apart is the difficulty of using her effectively.
Using Viper’s wall and smoke takes a significant amount of time to equip, line up, throw, and land. She is also limited to committing to a single location, as picking up and throwing her smokes elsewhere is not worth the time and risk involved.
In contrast, agents like Brimstone and Omen can quickly land their smokes without worrying about accuracy. They are much easier to use and are preferred in professional play.
A Call for Change
If Riot Games wants to make Viper a viable option alongside Brimstone and Omen, they need to make some changes. It is crucial for Viper to be on par with other controller agents in order to be competitive.
The next patch, Patch 1.04, is expected to be released next week on Tuesday, July 21, following the biweekly update schedule of VALORANT patches.
Riot Games, VALORANT, Viper, Patch 1.04, buffs, meta, pick ratio, controller agent, changes, performance improvement, competitive gaming